Rejected And Claimed By The Alpha

Kennedy’s Pov

I stood over the unconscious woman lying at my feet, the soft glow of the moonlight catching the blood staining her torn clothes. Her breathing was shallow but steady. Her dark hair was matted, strands sticking to her sweat-dampened face. A face so delicate, yet marked with bruises and scratches from the fight.

I frowned. This was supposed to be a simple patrol.

I hadn’t come to this part of the Northern borders out of duty. I only needed to clear my head after another exhausting argument with my council members. The rogues had been nothing more than a distraction, an irritation that needed to be dealt with quickly.

And this girl…

She was an unexpected complication.

“Troublesome,” I muttered, crouching beside her.

That was when her scent reached me.

It was faint and soft, something sweet, but beneath it was a deep sorrow that cut through the cold control I had built over the years. My wolf stirred at once, restless and alert.

I ignored him.

She was a stranger. Weak. Most likely a burden.

Yet here I was.

“What am I supposed to do with you?” I asked quietly.

She didn’t answer, of course. But the moment I even thought of leaving her there, my wolf growled low and dangerous inside me.

No.

The refusal was not mine.

It was his.

There was no hesitation in it. No doubt. No room for argument.

I exhaled sharply.

“Fine,” I said, sliding my arms under her injured body and lifting her carefully. “But don’t make me regret this.”

***

The journey back to the pack was silent.

Her scent filled my senses, distracting me in a way I didn’t like. I kept my focus ahead.

When we reached the gates of the Northern Pack, the guards straightened immediately, their bodies stiff with respect… and fear.

“Alpha,” one of them greeted, his voice steady. His eyes flicked briefly to the girl in my arms, but he didn’t ask questions.

They never did.

“Get Jerry to the infirmary,” I ordered. “Now.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

I walked through the pack grounds, ignoring the stares that followed me. Wolves slowed, turned, and whispered. It wasn’t often their Alpha returned carrying someone, especially not an unconscious woman covered in blood.

I paid them no attention.

My only focus was the infirmary.

***

Jerry was already there when I arrived.

He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, a familiar grin on his face.

“Well, well,” he said, pushing himself upright and walking toward me. “What do we have here? A damsel in distress? Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft, Ken.”

I gave him a cold look. “Save it. She’s injured.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender, though the grin stayed. “Alright, alright. Bring her here.”

I placed her gently on the nearest cot and stepped back.

Jerry’s attitude changed instantly as he got to work. Whatever jokes he made, he never played around when it came to healing.

“She’s in bad shape,” he muttered, pulling out herbs and salves. “What happened?”

“Rogues,” I said, leaning back against the wall with my arms crossed. “She was fighting them when I found her.”

Jerry glanced at me over his shoulder. “She survived a rogue attack… like this?”

“She fought.”

It wasn’t praise. Just the truth.

She was thin, clearly underfed, but there had been something in her eyes when she fought. Something stubborn.

Jerry hummed and turned back to her. “She’s lucky you showed up. A few more minutes and…”

He didn’t finish.

I said nothing.

I didn’t know why I had saved her.

I didn’t save strangers.

“Well,” Jerry said after a while, his tone lighter again, “she’ll live. A few deep cuts, bruises, and she’s exhausted. But nothing I can’t handle.”

“Good. Finish it.”

He snorted. “Always so demanding. You know, most people would say ‘thank you’ when someone’s saving the life of the girl they brought in.”

“Don’t push it.”

Jerry chuckled. “You’re no fun.”

***

Not long after, he finished.

Bandages covered most of her wounds. Her breathing was stronger now, more even.

“She’ll wake up soon,” Jerry said, putting his things away. “And when she does, try not to scare her. You already look like you want to kill someone.”

I ignored him, my gaze fixed on her.

Jerry sighed under his breath, muttering something about me being hopeless, and then left the room.

The silence that followed was heavy.

I stood there, watching her.

Even in sleep, her face was tight with pain. My wolf shifted again, restless, watching her as closely as I was.

Then—

Her eyes fluttered open.

Dark. Wide. Uncertain.

She blinked a few times, staring up at the ceiling as if trying to understand where she was. Confusion filled her expression.

Then her gaze moved.

And landed on me.

The moment our eyes met, something snapped inside me.

Heat surged through my body. Every nerve came alive with a force I had never felt before. My wolf roared, loud and possessive, his voice echoing in my mind.

Mate.

The word hit like a command.

Strong. Absolute.

Unavoidable.

“Mate,” I said, the word leaving my lips before I could stop it. My voice came out low, rough, filled with an intensity I didn’t bother to hide.

Her eyes widened instantly, shock replacing the confusion.

“Mine,” I added, the word falling from my lips like a claim.

She went still.

Completely still.

She didn’t speak. Didn’t move.

She just stared at me, like she didn’t understand what I had just said.

And I couldn’t blame her.