Rejected for Another Mate

The morning air felt heavy with tension as I approached the construction site. Workers huddled in small groups, their voices carrying an edge I hadn't heard before.

"What's happening?" I asked the site manager, who stood with his arms crossed, facing off with a group of unfamiliar wolves.

"Border dispute," he muttered. "The Silver Creek Pack claims we've crossed their territory line by three feet."

I frowned, checking my blueprints. "That's impossible. We've got the official boundary markers here."

But the argument was escalating quickly. Two male wolves stepped forward, their postures aggressive, fingers curling as if ready to shift.

"This land belongs to Silver Creek," one snarled. "You've built on sacred ground."

Before I could intervene, Luna suddenly surged forward in my consciousness. *Danger!* she warned.

Too late.

A deafening crack split the air as the eastern elevation—the very section Maisy had inspected yesterday—began to collapse. Wood splintered and metal groaned as the structure gave way.

"Everyone out!" I screamed, but chaos had already erupted.

Workers scattered, some shifting partially as instinct took over. I lunged toward a trapped foreman whose leg was pinned under a fallen beam.

Then pain tore through my abdomen—sharp, sudden, and devastating.

"Luna," I gasped, feeling something warm trickle down my thighs.

My wolf howled in agony. *The cub! Our cub!*

I hadn't even known. A tiny spark of life, barely formed, now slipping away as I collapsed to my knees amid the chaos.

Through a haze of dust and pain, I saw them—Grey and Maisy, standing at the edge of the site. They must have been inspecting the venue again.

"Help," I whispered, though no sound came out.

Grey's eyes met mine across the rubble. For one heartbeat, I thought he would come to me.

Then Maisy stumbled, her hand flying to her stomach. "Grey!" she cried. "The baby!"

Without hesitation, Grey turned to her, catching her as she swayed dramatically. His arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders, his body positioned to shield her from falling debris.

He didn't even look back at me.

Luna's howl of betrayal drowned out my physical pain as darkness crept at the edges of my vision.

I woke to the sterile smell of antiseptic and the gentle pressure of bandages across my abdomen. Dr. Samuel Hayes sat beside my bed, his kind eyes filled with concern.

"You're in the pack medical center," he said softly. "We brought you here after the collapse."

Memory flooded back—the pain, the blood, the realization of what I'd lost.

"The cub?" I whispered, though I already knew the answer.

Samuel's hand covered mine. "I'm sorry, Sylvia. There was nothing we could do."

Luna whimpered, her grief a physical weight in my chest.

"The structural damage was contained," Samuel continued, clearly trying to distract me. "Only three workers needed treatment. You were the most seriously injured."

Because I'd been alone. Because when I needed him most, Grey had chosen Maisy.

"The Moon Goddess has her reasons," Samuel said gently, mistaking my silence for spiritual doubt. "Perhaps this cub wasn't meant to be."

I turned my face away, unable to speak through the knot in my throat.

"Your father is here," Samuel added after a moment. "He's been waiting to see you."

I nodded numbly as Samuel rose to fetch him.

Alpha Marcus Patterson filled the doorway, his imposing figure silhouetted against the hallway light. Even in my pain-hazed state, I could see the fury in his eyes—not at me, but for me.

"Father," I managed.

He crossed the room in three strides, taking my hand in his. "My daughter," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "What has been done to you..."

I couldn't answer. The words stuck in my throat.

"The Silver Moon Pack has reached out," he continued after a moment. "Their Beta, Julian Carlson, has offered a formal mating arrangement."

My head snapped up despite the pain. "Arranged mating?"

"It's the only way to restore your standing," Marcus said firmly. "After this... humiliation."

Luna growled weakly, but even she couldn't muster much resistance.

"Grey Hoffman has made his choice," my father continued. "And it wasn't you. An arranged mating with a powerful Beta will show the packs that you are still worthy of respect."

I closed my eyes, tears slipping silently down my cheeks.

"The Silver Moon Pack has resources, influence," Marcus pressed. "And Julian Carlson comes highly recommended. He's willing to formalize the arrangement immediately."

Immediately. As if I were damaged goods that needed to be quickly disposed of before anyone else noticed.

But what choice did I have? My wolf was broken, my body betrayed, and the man I'd thought was my mate had chosen another—even when I lay bleeding at his feet.

"Fine," I whispered, the word tasting like ash in my mouth. "Do what you think is best."

As my father nodded with satisfaction, I felt something inside me harden—a protective shell forming around a heart that could never again be whole.