Alina sat at the edge of the forest clearing, her thoughts swirling like the fallen leaves around her. The cool evening breeze nipped at her skin, but she didn't care. The numbness inside her was colder than any wind. She still hadn't recovered from Lukas' announcement. Every word he'd spoken echoed in her mind, each one a reminder of the rejection she felt deep in her bones. He hadn't just rejected her as a potential mate; he'd rejected her as a person, as a member of the pack.
"Celine is my mate."
Those words haunted her. They tore through her every time she thought about them, shattering the tiny pieces of hope she had clung to. Alina had never truly expected Lukas to choose her, but hearing it publicly, watching the entire pack celebrate with Celine, was a knife to the heart.
A twig snapped behind her, pulling her from her thoughts. Alina turned slowly, knowing already who it was. Her mother, Lila, stood just a few feet away, her gentle eyes filled with concern. She had always known when Alina needed her, even without a word being said. Lila had a quiet presence, like the still waters of a lake, but her strength was undeniable.
"Alina," Lila said softly, moving closer to sit beside her daughter. The familiar warmth of her mother's presence wrapped around Alina, but even that wasn't enough to chase away the darkness inside her.
"I knew I'd find you here," Lila continued, her voice low and soothing. "You always come to the woods when you need time to think."
Alina sighed, brushing a hand through her tangled hair. She didn't want to burden her mother with her troubles, especially knowing how much pain she had already been through. Lila had lost her mate, Gregor, years ago, and she had been battling her own health issues ever since. Alina had never wanted to add to her mother's worries, but today, it felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders.
"I'm fine, Mom," Alina lied, though her voice cracked with the effort. "You don't have to worry about me."
Lila raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching in a knowing smile. "Alina, I've been your mother for twenty years. I know when something's wrong. You don't have to hide from me."
There was no point in pretending, not with her mother. Alina's defenses crumbled as she dropped her head into her hands, the tears finally spilling over. "It's just… everything, Mom. I feel so alone. No one cares about me in the pack. I'm nothing. Lukas made that clear today."
Lila placed a hand on Alina's back, rubbing small, comforting circles. "You are not nothing," she said firmly, her voice filled with quiet strength. "You are my daughter, and you are strong. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but you are."
Alina shook her head, her throat tight. "It doesn't matter how strong I am if no one else sees it. The pack hates me, Lukas rejected me, and I don't belong anywhere."
Lila sighed, looking out toward the fading sunlight through the trees. "The pack may not see your worth right now, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. And as for Lukas…" She paused, her lips tightening into a thin line. "He is blind if he can't see what's right in front of him. You deserve more than him."
"I've been trying to be strong," Alina whispered, her voice shaking. "I've been trying so hard, but every time I think I'm making progress, something like this happens. It's like I'll never be enough."
Lila pulled Alina closer, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Listen to me, Alina. Strength isn't about never falling down. It's about getting back up, no matter how many times you fall. You've faced more challenges than most people ever will, and you're still standing. That is strength."
Alina leaned into her mother's embrace, her heart aching with the weight of her emotions. "But what if I can't keep getting up? What if I'm just too weak?"
Lila's fingers gently lifted Alina's chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. "You are not weak. You have survived things most couldn't bear. You've lived through the loss of your father, the pack turning its back on you, and now Lukas' rejection. But you are still here, and that makes you stronger than you know."
For a moment, Alina couldn't speak. Her mother's words filled her with a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time, but the pain was still there, gnawing at the edges of her heart. "I just don't understand why everything has to be so hard."
Lila's expression softened, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. "Life is difficult, my love. But the difficulties you face don't define you. It's how you face them that matters. And you… you've faced everything with such courage. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you are stronger than you think."
Alina looked away, her eyes focusing on a small patch of wildflowers growing near the base of a tree. "I just… I wanted him to choose me. I thought maybe, if he did, everything would finally be okay."
Lila sighed softly. "I know. But Lukas is not the measure of your worth. Whether he chose you or not, you are enough. You don't need his approval or anyone else's to know that."
"I just wish things were different," Alina whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wish I was different."
"You don't need to be anyone but yourself," Lila replied, her voice filled with quiet conviction. "One day, Alina, you'll realize that being yourself is enough. And the right people will see that. The right people will stand by you and lift you up. Lukas was never going to be that person."
Alina's heart twisted painfully at her mother's words. She wanted to believe her, but it was hard when all she had ever known was rejection. "What if no one ever sees me like that?"
Lila smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from Alina's face. "They will. I promise you, they will."
For a moment, Alina let herself believe it. Let herself hope that one day, someone would see her for who she truly was. Not the weak, rejected girl the pack saw, but someone strong, worthy, and enough.