I Reject You

Kaelen’s Point of View

The blood was thick on my fur, sticky and warm. My chest heaved with each breath, and my heart still hammered in my ears. The last rogue had fallen, crumpled in front of me, the smell of their stinking blood lingering in the air. It should have felt like victory, but all I could taste was bitterness. 

I stood in the midst of the chaos, the trees around me swaying slightly in the wind, as though the forest itself was trying to make sense of what had just happened. The fight had drained me—physically and emotionally. My wolf was panting, her body aching from the damage I had taken during the fight. But it wasn’t the blood or the wounds that made my heart twist. It was the sight of Lana and her family, their bodies sprawled across the ground, lifeless. My stomach churned. 

I had failed them. I promised I would protect them.

With a growl, I shifted back to my human form, my body trembling as the cold air hit me. I quickly grabbed a tattered piece of cloth from the remnants of my pack’s old clothes and wrapped it around myself. The blood on my skin was still fresh, and I shuddered at the sight of it. I wasn’t sure if it was mine or the rogues', but it didn’t matter. The fight was over.

The feeling of loss in my chest was overwhelming, and for a moment, all I wanted was to crawl into a hole and disappear. But I couldn’t. Not when I had a duty to carry out. Not when I had to make sure that I would never again allow something like this to happen. 

I looked down at the bodies again, my eyes stinging. They were the last of the Silvermoon pack, my old pack, wiped out by the rogues. I had no family left, no home. Just me. Alone. 

But before I could lose myself in the pain of it all, I felt it—an unmistakable sensation crawling up my spine. It was like a rope pulling me south, tugging my very soul in that direction. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, and it made my skin crawl.

What is that?

I turned, my senses flaring as I scanned the area. There, standing just a few paces away from me, was a man. A naked man. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, my breath caught in my throat. He wasn’t just anyone. I could feel it. He was an Alpha.

My body reacted before my mind could catch up, and I immediately dropped into a defensive stance, my muscles tensed, ready to spring. My instincts told me to fight, to protect myself, but something about the way he looked at me made my heart stutter in my chest.

I shouldn't feel this way. He’s a stranger. 

But then, I felt it—the bond. 

The recognition, undeniable and raw. My chest tightened as my wolf growled in response. And then, in unison, we both whispered the word that would change everything. 

“Mate.”

The word hung in the air, thick with the weight of destiny. It was like the world had gone silent around us, and all that was left was the connection between us. The bond was so strong, so suffocating, that I felt dizzy, overwhelmed. It was pulling me towards him, wrapping around me like a thousand chains, dragging me into his orbit.

No.

I fought it. I pushed against the bond with everything I had. I wasn’t going to be some pawn in this game. Not after everything I had been through.

“No!” I snarled, my voice sharp, laced with venom. “I’m not your mate. I reject you.”

The words felt wrong coming out of my mouth, but they were the only weapon I had left. I refused to be controlled. I refused to let my fate be decided by some male who thought he could claim me. 

He didn’t take the rejection well. I could see the anger building in his eyes, his stance shifting as if preparing for something. His jaw clenched, and his fists tightened. His voice was low, dangerous, as he spoke.

“You think you can reject me?” he growled, stepping forward. “You think you can turn away from this bond?”

“I’m not your prize,” I hissed, taking a step back, my body trembling not just from the fight, but from the overwhelming power of the bond. “I won’t be controlled by you or anyone else.”

His expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as if my words were a challenge. And maybe they were. Maybe I was challenging him, but I didn’t care. I would not be a part of his pack. I would not submit to anyone, especially not to him. 

I turned and began to run, the pain from my wounds flaring with each step, but I didn’t care. I had to get away from him. I had to break free.

The pull was still there, tugging at my soul, but I ignored it, pushing myself harder, faster. My body was weak, the dizziness from my injury clouding my vision, but I fought it. I couldn’t let him catch me.

But the forest wasn’t as kind as I thought it would be.

I didn’t see the trap until it was too late. The ground beneath me gave way, and before I knew it, I was tumbling, falling into a pit I hadn’t even noticed. The world spun around me, my head reeling, and just as I thought I might black out, something caught me. 

A strong arm.

I twisted in the air, only to find myself face-to-face with him. The man. The Alpha. 

Galen.

He held me tight, his grip unyielding. His eyes were locked on me, full of something fierce, something dangerous. I tried to push away, but my body wouldn’t respond. My limbs felt like lead, my head spinning with the weight of the bond and my injury.

“Let go of me!” I screamed, my voice ragged with panic. “I told you, I reject you!”

His grip tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might crush me with the force of his anger. But then, his eyes flickered to my injuries, and his expression softened, just for a moment. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, his voice surprisingly calm, considering the tension between us. “I’m not going to let you go.”

“You don’t get to decide that!” I spat, struggling against him, but my body was too weak. “I will never be a part of your stupid pack. I reject you, Galen. I reject this bond.”

His lips curled into a bitter smile, but there was something behind his eyes, something I couldn’t quite place. He shook his head slowly, like he didn’t believe me.

“That’s not how a rejection works, sweetheart,” he muttered, his voice low, dark. 

I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could say anything, everything went dark. The world slipped away from me in an instant, my body giving in to the pain and exhaustion.

And then, there was nothing.