Ava was already scared and started to back away from him, she clearly remembered those eyes, and it was he who hurt her yesterday.
Now that he saw Ava freaking out, as if he was a monster, his patience with her was starting to wear thin. Alpha Kellan got angry and started scolding her.
As Alpha Kellan's voice became harsher, and his demeanor changed from worry to disappointment, Ava's heart began to beat faster.
She mumbled her apology. Her words were barely audible due to the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Memories of yesterday's pain filled her mind, and she retreated even further, leaning her back against the cold wall.
Alpha Kelan's anger subsided, replaced by anger mixed with her confusion and worry. He took a step closer. His tall figure cast a shadow over her trembling body. "Ava," he said softly, his voice a stark contrast from before, "Why are you so scared?"
But Ava couldn't speak. The memories were still too vivid, and the wounds too. She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. Her silence spoke volumes.
Soft whispers echoed in Ava's head as she tried to find her voice. She knew that voice all too well. It was none other than "Layla, her wolf." Layla muttered. "He's our friend."
Ava gasped as the realization hit her. Despite her fear, a longing stirred within her, a primal connection that transcended logic and reason.
She made eye contact with Alpha Kellan for the first time since she became scared. In his eyes she didn't see the threat she had felt a few minutes ago.
Ava's voice trembled, and her heart pounded as she mustered up her courage to ask the heavy question. "Are you…are you my mate?" "She whispered. Her voice was barely audible over the pounding of her heart.
Her gaze softened as Alpha Kelan's eyes met, and a look of pain flashed across her face before she took on a determined expression. "yes." He admitted quietly, his voice carrying a weight of sadness that reflected the turmoil in Ava's mind.
But before Ava could understand the meaning of her confession, Alpha Kellan continued, scattering his words like swords in the air. "But I can't accept you as my mate." He was full of regret in every word he said. "Not now, not ever."
Ava felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her feet, and her world was spinning as she tried to understand his words. Her rejection ripped into her, tearing away the fragile hope that had begun to bloom within her. "But why?" She gasped for air, her voice rough with emotion. "Why did you reject me?"
Alpha Kellan's words hit Ava like a physical blow, each syllable cutting deeper than the last. "Because," he said in a cold, distant voice. "You are weak. "You don't deserve to be the Luna, and you don't deserve to be my mate either."
Ava flinched as if she had been hit, and her breath caught in pain at his words. She had known her pain before, but this was a different pain, a betrayal that cut to the core of her being. "But I-I can be strong." She insisted, her voice shaking defiantly. "I will do my best to prove my worth to you if you reject me now I won't have a mate again for the rest of my life."
But Alpha Kellan shook his head, and his expression became determined. "I don't care whether you won't be having a mate, Ava." He spoke in a stern tone. "It's about being worthy of the position and the responsibilities that come with it. And you are not worthy."
Tears welled up in Ava's eyes as the weight of his rejection covered her like a heavy shroud. At that moment, she felt more alone than ever, and the gap between them grew wider with each passing moment.
As Alpha Kellan turned his body to leave, Ava's voice cut through the tense silence like a knife. "I will not accept your refusal." She spoke, full of new determination.
Alpha Kellan froze in his tracks, his back still facing her, his muscles tensing at her defiance. He slowly turned towards her. His eyes were burning with a mixture of anger and disbelief. How dare you challenge me? He growled in a low, threatening voice.
But Ava stood there with his chin held high even though his limbs were shaking. "That's right." She spoke in a firm voice despite the fear that threatened to consume her. "I will not allow you to determine my worth, Alpha Kellan. I am not weak. And I will not allow you to make me believe otherwise."
There was a heavy silence in the air for a moment, and there was tension between the two. Then, as a light of respect appeared, Alpha Kellan's expression softened slightly. "Very good." He admitted in a disgruntled voice. "But know this, Ava. "If you challenge me, there is a price."
Ava met his gaze unwaveringly, her resolve unwavering. "I am ready to accept any consequences." Her voice was full of quiet determination. "Because I refuse to let anyone define my worth. "Especially you."
Alpha Kellan's anger flared, his face contorted into a mask of rage as he stared at Ava with icy intensity. "Then get ready." he spat out. His voice was full of anger. "Because I will make you regret disobeying me. "I will torture you until you regret that I was never your mate."
When Ava met his gaze, a shiver ran down her spine, the weight of his threat hitting her like a tidal wave. But despite his anger, she did not back down and her resolve was stronger than ever.
"You will not threaten me." She spoke in her voice despite the fear seeping through her veins. "I'll take anything you throw at me, Alpha Kellan." But just know this: I will never stop fighting for my values, no matter what you do."
With those words, she turned and left, leaving Alpha Kelan seething with rage and clenching his side with her fist.
Alpha Kellan's anger reached its peak as the retreating figure of Ava disappeared. With a growl of primal rage, he swung his fist and crashed into a nearby object, sending it crashing to the ground.