The Alpha Who Mended My Rejected Heart

My family has always had close ties with the Ford Pack, a bond that stretched back generations. When I was eighteen, my mother fell gravely ill, and it was Teresa Alvarez, the Ford Pack’s Healer and Ryan’s mother, who saved her life by donating a kidney. Lying in her hospital bed, my mother wept, her voice trembling as she asked, "How can we ever repay such a gift?"

Teresa, ever gracious, replied with a soft smile, "If you’re truly looking to repay me, let Raven become my daughter-in-law."

I froze, stunned by the suggestion, but it was Ryan who answered without hesitation. "It’s a deal, Auntie. I’ve always liked Raven, and someday I’ll make her my mate." His voice was firm, resolute, the kind of certainty that only a young Beta could possess, as if breaking such a promise was unthinkable.

Three years ago, Ryan and I were officially engaged. I stayed in our territory while he moved to Europe for pack business. Perhaps driven by a sense of duty—or maybe guilt—I learned to cook, to care for others, and made frequent visits to the Ford Pack to assist Teresa and the others. The whispers outside grew louder, more venomous, calling me submissive, a servant to the Fords even before the mate bond was sealed. But for my mother’s sake, I endured it all.

To cope with the suffocating expectations, I secretly took up car racing, a sport that allowed me to channel my frustrations into something tangible. I even earned a few notable titles, though I kept my achievements quiet. But then, my mother’s illness returned, and she passed away. Soon after, my father, Eli Griffin, a Gamma in our pack, took Gwendolyn Perry as his new mate, an Omega who quickly diminished my standing at home. Ryan became the only person I could rely on—or so I thought.

Now, he tells me he’s in love with someone else. To him, I was nothing more than a youthful promise, a commitment made out of obligation, not love.

I thought I would cry, but the tears never came. Instead, I quietly retrieved the engagement token from the safe—a delicate Celtic knot pendant, a symbol of loyalty and unity. In return, I had given Ryan a locket that my mother had passed down to me, a cherished heirloom meant to represent virtue and grace. It was the only thing she left behind for me.

I arranged to meet Ryan to exchange the tokens. Shortly after midnight, Ryan posted an update on Instagram. In the photo, he and Lakelynn Pierce, a Delta from the Pierce Pack, were embracing, their hands forming a heart. Ryan’s caption read, "I’m not that great, just lucky enough to have found someone special on Valentine’s Day."

So, he was in such a rush to end our engagement just to announce this publicly on Valentine’s Day. I gave the post a like, my fingers trembling slightly. If they’re so into each other, I hope it lasts.

A few moments later, my phone pinged with a new message. It was from Felix Griffin, the Alpha of the Griffin Pack. "Happy Valentine’s Day." I stared at the screen, caught off guard. Felix was a figure of authority, someone I’d only met a handful of times through racing. Maybe he’d sent it by mistake.

But then, another message followed. "You deserve better."

My chest tightened, and for the first time that night, I felt a flicker of something other than numbness. My wolf stirred within me, a quiet, supportive presence. *He’s right,* she murmured, her voice faint but steady. *You do.*

I didn’t reply, but his words lingered in my mind, a small beacon of hope in the darkness that had consumed me.