Rejected When Life-Saving Herbs Became Rabbit Food

Silas, the Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack, made three bids at the pack auction to secure the rare medicine that could save my father, only to turn around and give it to Phoenix Montgomery, his Gamma, to feed her pet rabbit.

I knelt in the pouring rain, pleading with him to show some compassion for the friendship and mentorship he once shared with my father. But instead of any empathy, I received the news that Phoenix had taken my place as his trusted advisor and was going to a new territory with him.

It wasn’t until the Healer delivered my father’s third critical condition notice that I finally reached Silas on the mind link. On the other end, Phoenix’s voice chimed in, “Alpha is in the shower. Want me to pass on a message?”

Gripping the phone so tightly my fingers turned white, I managed to say in an even tone, “Nothing urgent, just the rejection.”

...

After ending the mind link, I went straight to the pack lawyer to draft the rejection papers. Turning around, I noticed Arely, a Delta from our pack and one of my father’s former students, arriving with concern. They were shocked that something so significant had happened, and I was left to bear it alone.

I didn’t make any excuses for Silas. Instead, I hugged my knees and crouched in the corner. Just half an hour earlier, I’d seen a picture on his social media. There he was, spending all our savings on that rare medicine—with Phoenix, feeding her rabbit.

At first, I thought he hadn’t seen my countless messages, but he found the time to like and comment on his own post. This time, I could no longer fool myself. I realized our mate bond was over.

When my father was taken to the Healer’s den, I went to the pack hall to request a leave of absence. That’s when I finally saw Silas, who had rushed back from the new territory. It seemed like he didn’t even notice me as he headed straight to Bradley, the Beta.

“Beta, I’d like to recommend Phoenix for my project team, to work with me on the research.”

So that was it; he’d rushed back not for his mentor, but to make sure Phoenix replaced me. My pack members cast sympathetic glances in my direction before quickly looking away; everyone knew my embarrassment, except for Silas, who didn’t care.

Seeing the Beta remain silent, Silas impatiently turned his frown toward me. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of your father? Why hold onto this position? You should let it go.”

Days of stress left me dazed, and under Silas’s commanding alpha tone, I nodded numbly. Having achieved his goal, he made a curt bow to the Beta and turned to leave. The breeze from his swift departure carried the scent of the rose perfume he wore, filling my nostrils. My vision blurred, and I stumbled to the ground.

Everyone around cried out in alarm, rushing to my side, except Silas, who never looked back. In my dizzy state, memories of meeting Silas played before me like a film reel. He had always stood out among his peers, and from the first meeting, my eyes were drawn to him.

Throughout our mate bond, I followed in his footsteps like a shadow. Knowing his dedication to the pack, I suggested we skip the marking ceremony so as not to hinder his responsibilities. We never celebrated a single anniversary together.

When Silas spoke of me to others, he would always smile and praise me as a good Luna. It wasn’t until he personally introduced Phoenix to the pack council that I finally realized the truth. In his heart, I was indeed a good Luna—but only just an appropriate one, nothing more.

After waking up in the Healer’s den, I took the rejection papers from the lawyer’s hand and signed my name after a long moment of contemplation.

==============================

After taking a leave from the pack hall, I resumed searching for the medicine that could save my father. His condition had worsened again, leaving the Healers at a loss. The only solution seemed to be the rare herbs from the auction, but those had already been fed to the rabbit by Silas and Phoenix.

That evening, worn out from my futile search, I returned home to find Silas packing a suitcase. Once packed, the house held almost no trace of him. This home seemed more like a temporary den to him.

“I’m leaving for the new territory next month. I need to prepare in advance, so I’ll be staying at the pack hall for a while,” he said flatly, ignoring the exhaustion on my face.

“Father...,” I began, only to be cut off by his low voice. “You don’t need to tell me about your father’s situation. Handle it on your own. If you’re here for those herbs, let me make it clear—they’re gone. You’ll have to find new ones.”

Recalling the video, my throat felt unbearably dry. “Is there anyone or anything more important to you than me and Father?”

He casually replied, “No one lives for just one thing. Of course, there are many important people and things to me.” Seeing his slight frown, I knew his patience was waning. Just as I turned to leave, I saw him carefully place a worn photo into his notebook. It was a picture of him and Phoenix from years ago.

In all our years together, Silas and I never had a single photo of us. The only picture I had of him was taken secretly while he was asleep. He’d said he didn’t like having his picture taken, yet he cherished the one with Phoenix.

When his packing was done, I presented the rejection papers I had prepared. Seeing the document, Silas frowned.

“Is this about the auction or the new territory position? Mila, you know this isn’t something a good Luna would do.”

“I have a lot to handle before going to the new territory and really can’t engage in drama with you right now. If you think these issues warrant a rejection, I’ll sign, giving you time to calm down.”

“But I suggest not making a scene. Otherwise, people might mistakenly think I’m rejecting you because of Phoenix. She’s innocent and shouldn’t be dragged into your unfounded tantrum.”

Seeing my resolute stance, Silas finally took the papers and signed his name.

“Mila, I’ve always thought you were smart and graceful, so I hope this impulsive action is your last.”

Watching him leave with his suitcase, I collapsed onto the couch, drained. Even now, he thought I was only acting out of spite. But this time, I truly wanted the rejection. I needed it to get the medicine for my father.

After delivering the signed rejection papers to the lawyer, I dialed an unfamiliar number. “I’ll get the rejection certificate in a month and mark you as my mate. When will you provide the medicine?”