They say your first shift is supposed to be magical, a moment when you finally connect with the wolf inside you. I still remember the sting of his words, the way Alpha Marcus looked at me like I was nothing. “I, Alpha Marcus, reject you, Emily Ravens, as my mate.” His voice was cold, detached, as if he were simply brushing off a speck of dirt from his shoulder. The rest of the pack watched, their eyes filled with a mix of pity and disgust. How could I, an orphan with no family, no name to honor, even think I was worthy of an alpha? The air around us felt thick, suffocating, as though it was pressing down on me, urging me to crumble under the weight of his rejection. But I refused to break. Not in front of them. Not in front of him. “I understand,” I replied, my voice steady, even as a storm of emotions raged inside me. Anger, humiliation, sadness—they swirled together, forming a knot in my chest that threatened to choke me. But I swallowed it down, every bitter drop, and forced m
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