"I, Alpha Darius of the Crimson Fang Pack, reject you, Lyra, as my mate!"
The words cut through the air like a blade, sharp and merciless. Lyra felt as though the ground beneath her had vanished, leaving her to plummet into a void of pain and humiliation. Her chest tightened, and the sting of rejection—her third rejection—gnawed at her heart.
"W-What?" she managed to whisper, her voice trembling as if it, too, would shatter under the weight of his proclamation.
Darius glared at her, his jaw taut with impatience. "Are you deaf, or just stupid? I said I reject you!"
Lyra gulped hard, forcing herself to breathe. She had been bracing for something like this, but nothing could prepare her for the sharp reality of it. "B-But why? I'm your mate—"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," he growled, his voice low and threatening. "One more word, and I'll rip your throat out right here."
The menace in his tone sent shivers down her spine. Her knees trembled beneath her, but she refused to collapse in front of him, not here, not now. She bit her lower lip, trying to steady herself, even as her heart shattered.
Alpha Darius had never been kind to her, not once. But then again, no one in this pack had ever shown her kindness—not since she had failed to shift. Her parents had scorned her, her packmates ridiculed her, and even now, as the rejected mate of the Alpha, she could hear the derisive snickers echoing through the crowd.
"Don't you think this is enough, Darius?" Sarah, his twin sister and Lyra's only true ally, stepped forward, standing defiantly by Lyra's side. "You're going too far!"
"Stay out of this, Sarah," Darius snapped. "Don't make me lose my patience."
"I won't stay silent!" Sarah shot back, her voice unwavering. "Rejecting her is one thing, but humiliating her in front of the entire pack—"
"Enough!" His roar silenced the crowd, his sharp gaze fixed on Sarah. "One more word, and I'll have you dragged out of here."
Lyra reached for Sarah's hand, shaking her head as tears blurred her vision. "Sarah, please. Don't. It's not worth it."
"But, Lyra—"
"I'm okay," Lyra lied, forcing a weak smile to reassure her friend. "Really, I am."
"You're not okay!" Sarah insisted, her voice cracking with emotion. "You've never been okay, and you never will be if you keep letting people like him treat you this way!"
Lyra flinched at the truth in Sarah's words but said nothing. What could she say? Her silence had always been her shield, her only way of surviving in a world that seemed determined to break her.
"Listen to her, Lyra," sneered Valentine, Darius' favored companion and the pack's most notorious schemer. She slinked to Darius' side, looping her arm through his possessively. "You really should've learned by now. No one wants a weak, wolfless omega. Especially not an Alpha."
The crowd laughed cruelly, their jeers fueling Lyra's shame. Her cheeks burned, and she cast her eyes to the ground, wishing she could disappear. She hadn't even wanted to attend the mating ceremony tonight, but Sarah had insisted. Now, she regretted coming more than anything.
Valentine smirked, reveling in the moment. "Honestly, what were you thinking? That Darius would accept you as his Luna? Don't make me laugh."
Darius chuckled, his gaze cold and unforgiving. "What would my rivals think if they heard my Luna was wolfless? I need someone strong by my side, not… whatever you are."
Lyra's lips quivered, her voice barely a whisper. "I-I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to him!" Sarah snapped, but her words were met with another harsh growl from Darius.
"I said enough, Sarah!" He turned to the guards standing nearby. "Take her to her room before she embarrasses herself further."
The guards stepped forward, and Sarah fought against their grip, her voice rising in desperation. "Darius, don't do this! Lyra, don't let him do this to you!"
Lyra shook her head, her tears falling freely now. "It's okay, Sarah. Just go. I'll be fine."
Sarah's anguished cries faded as the guards escorted her away, leaving Lyra alone to face the Alpha and his cruel audience.
"You heard me," Darius said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Get out of my pack."
Lyra's head shot up. "W-What?"
"You heard me," he repeated. "Leave. Now."
"Please, Alpha Darius!" Lyra dropped to her knees, desperation spilling from her like an open wound. "I have nowhere to go! I'll do anything—anything you ask! Just let me stay!"
"Anything?" Valentine interjected, her lips curling into a wicked grin. "Well, that's an interesting offer."
Lyra flinched as Valentine approached her, circling her like a predator sizing up its prey. Without warning, Valentine grabbed a fistful of Lyra's dress and yanked, tearing the fabric and exposing her shoulder.
"Stop it!" Lyra cried, clutching the remnants of her dress to her chest. Her humiliation was complete as the crowd erupted into laughter, their mocking voices echoing in her ears.
Darius smirked, his eyes scanning her with a predatory glint that made her skin crawl. "Your body isn't entirely useless," he mused. "Maybe there's a way you can earn your place here."
Lyra's stomach churned, bile rising in her throat. "No," she whispered, shaking her head vehemently. "Please, Alpha, don't make me—"
"Then leave," he said coldly. "Or I'll kill you myself."
The finality of his words left no room for argument. Lyra's heart sank as she realized she had no choice. She couldn't stay here, not like this. Not when every gaze in the room was filled with contempt or cruelty.
Tears streaming down her face, Lyra forced herself to stand. Her hands trembled as she adjusted her torn dress, trying to preserve what little dignity she had left. "I… I accept your rejection, Alpha," she said, her voice barely audible. The words felt like daggers in her throat, each one cutting deeper than the last.
The bond between them snapped, and Lyra gasped as the pain hit her like a tidal wave. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced—a searing ache that left her breathless and shaking. But even as her body protested, she forced herself to take a step forward. Then another. And another.
The crowd parted as she walked past them, their laughter and taunts ringing in her ears. She didn't look back. She couldn't. If she did, she knew she would break completely.
Outside, the cool night air hit her like a balm, soothing her tear-streaked face. But it couldn't mend the gaping wound in her chest. Her home, her pack, her family—everything she had ever known was gone.
She looked up at the full moon, its silver light illuminating her path. Somewhere deep inside, a spark flickered to life. A defiance she hadn't felt in years.
They didn't want her. Fine. She would leave. But she would survive. And one day, she would find a place where she was wanted, where she was more than just a wolfless omega.
Lyra wiped her tears and took a deep, steadying breath. "This isn't the end," she whispered to herself. "It's just the beginning."