The Rejection of Fate: The High Alpha’s Chosen Mate

Solenn

The room is silent. The air feels heavy, thick enough to make the hair on my arms stand up. It makes my skin crawl. I glance around and lock eyes with Stella.

'It's going to be okay,' I link her.

I let my claws slide out from my nail beds. The partial shift hums under my skin, grounding me. Stella nods, her face pinched with worry as she rests her hands over her massive pregnancy bump.

Footsteps thud in the hallway. My Alpha and my father appear in the doorway. The man leading them is massive. He makes my father look small, and Asher Thorne is a brick wall of a man.

A bubble of nervous laughter hits my chest. It’s ridiculous. I try to choke it back, but a small giggle slips out. I slap my clawed hand over my mouth, careful not to gouge my own cheek. My father cuts a sharp glare at me. It’s too late. I get the bad timing from my mother; she never could stay serious.

Martel, my Alpha, looks at me in pure horror. His eyes widen, then flash.

'Solenn, that is Alpha Fenrys. Fire Wolf pack,' Martel links me. His voice is tight, urgent.

My mind goes blank. I don't know the name, which is rare. I never forget a face.

'And?' I link back.

I see Martel wince. 'The rampage last year? He killed eighteen soldiers for looking at his sister.'

Right. I remember the stories now. He was tried and fined enough to ruin any other pack. I should be shaking, but I’m not. I don’t scare easily. Maybe it’s because he isn’t throwing his dominance around yet, or maybe I’m just stubborn.

Fenrys looks livid. He scans the kitchen like he wants to burn it down.

"Is this a joke?" he spits.

He bunches his fists. The veins in his forearms bridge and strain against his skin. I can’t look away. I’ve always had a thing for hands and arms, much to my best friend's confusion.

"Alpha Fenrys, forgive us," Martel says. His voice has a nervous edge. "Is what a joke?"

My joints ache. The flu is starting to settle into my bones. I ignore the pain and reach out to set the timer for my cake.

"Where is my mate?" Fenrys demands. He slams a fist onto the marble counter. The crack echoes like a gunshot.

Stella gasps and whimpers. Martel is at her side in a second, shielding her.

"Kids, office. Now," Martel orders.

The pups scramble out, the oldest hauling the youngest toward the door.

"Alpha Fenrys, there are no female Alphas here," Martel explains quickly. "The only woman of rank is my mate." He gestures to the mark on his neck.

"I can smell her," Fenrys snarls.

My father’s face goes white. "Fuck," he whispers.

He looks at me. I shake my head, my heart starting to hammer against my ribs.

"I'm a Beta," I say, backing away. "It isn't me."

"The scent is in this room," Fenrys hisses at Martel. "Give her to me, or I'll take her."

"Search the house," Martel says, stepping back toward the hallway with Stella. "There are no female Alphas here. I only have sons."

I try to follow them. I have to pass Fenrys to get to the door. As I move by, his hand shoots out. His fingers wrap around my bicep like a vice.

I let out a sharp cry and rake my claws across his skin. He doesn't let go.

"You smell like her," he growls.

"I’ve seen a male doctor and my family. That’s it," I snap. I wrench my arm out of his grip. I don't do well with being handled. "I don't have your mate's scent on me."

He stares down at me, his eyes dark and predatory. "I see no reason to complain."

I raise an eyebrow, my lip curling. "I do."

"My only complaint," he smirks, "is that you're not in my bed yet."

I scoff, a wave of disgust rolling through me. I back up until I hit my father’s side. "You're vile."

"I've been called worse."

Martel clears his throat, trying to regain control. "Now that we’ve settled that she isn't your mate, can we get back to the meeting?"

Fenrys chuckles. It’s a low, dark sound. "I didn't say she wasn't the one. She’s right here."

Nausea hits me. This isn't the flu. I'm the only unmated girl in the room. I must have been so focused on getting away from him that I missed the sparks when he touched me.

"I'm leaving after the meeting tomorrow," Fenrys announces, his gaze locked on mine. "You're coming with me. By choice or by force."

I don't give him the satisfaction of an answer. I turn on my heel and slide past him.

He clears his throat, a command for me to stop, but I keep walking. I don't look back.

I can’t tell if he’s the one. My nose is stuffed from the flu, and Eva was too busy snarling to check for a soul bond when he grabbed me. All we felt was a need to bite back.

I make it to the front door before a heavy arm hooks around my waist. I’m pulled back against a wall of a chest. I don't think. I drive my fist upward. My knuckles crunch against his jaw.

"Let go," I growl. My eyes heat up, ready to shift.

Martel and my father spill out of the living room. They stop and watch. My father stays back. He knows I can handle myself, and he never interferes unless I’m losing.

"My name is Axel. What’s yours?" he asks. His voice is a low rumble near my ear.

Static shocks me everywhere our skin touches. His sleeves are rolled up, and my arms are bare. It feels like being plugged into a live wire.

"This isn't possible," I say, shaking my head. I squirm until I slip from his grip.

He scoffs. "Tell me something I don't know."

I step back, putting distance between us. He scowls.

"What's your name?" he asks again.

I don't answer fast enough. He roars, slamming his fist into the drywall next to my head. The house seems to shake.

"What is your name?"

He didn't even give me a second to breathe. I straighten my spine, pulling myself up to my full height. I refuse to look small.

"Solenn," I say. My voice catches, but I hold his stare.

He’s a ticking time bomb. I don’t want to be around when the fuse hits the end. I turn and walk out the door. I don't run. I won't give him the satisfaction of a chase, and I won't trigger his wolf's drive to hunt.

'Eva, stay down,' I warn. My wolf is already whimpering, wanting to submit to an Alpha that isn't hers. I can’t risk it.

I just want to be home. I want soft clothes and a bed. The flu is winning, and my head feels like it’s full of lead. I look up at the bruised, purple clouds. If it rains on me, I might actually cry.

Once the packhouse is out of sight, I break into a jog.

'This shouldn't have happened,' Eva whispers. She feels small. Isolated.

'I know. We should have a Beta mate,' I reply.

We’re pack animals. If I’m mated to an Alpha, I’m an outcast. I won't fit with the Lunas, and the Betas won't see me as one of them anymore. Then there’s the Sovereign Circle. They don’t like anomalies. They'll judge us, and they aren't known for being kind.

'Asher has no heir now,' Eva realizes.

I nearly trip over my own feet. I stop dead in front of my house. "Shit," I breathe.

I push through the front door.

"Solenn? Is that you?" my mother calls from the kitchen.

She pops her head out, her face lighting up. She rushes over and throws her arms around me in a suffocating hug.

"You found him! And you didn't link me?" She pulls back, faking a pout. "Is he cute? Please tell me he’s nice. You have to spend forever with him. Unless there's a rejection, but god, I hope not. I don't want a sad, rejected daughter."

"He's an Alpha," I say.

I push past her into the kitchen. I haven't eaten all day. I need fuel for the hibernation I'm planning. I'm not going to that meeting tomorrow. He didn't ask me to go; he commanded it.

"Honey, that’s impossible," my mother says, her smile fading. She nudges me away from the stove and starts ladling soup into a bowl. "The laws. A Beta and an Alpha? It doesn't happen."

"I know. We'll have to reject each other," I mutter. I blow on the steam rising from the bowl.

She sits beside me, sighing. "Your dad linked me to say you found him, but then he went silent. He must be panicking. This has only happened once before, back when your father and I were young."

She starts flipping through a newspaper, her voice dropping to a murmur. "That girl didn't make it. Her mate killed her. He said she wasn't strong enough to handle him."

I freeze, my spoon halfway to my mouth. My hands fly out to my sides as I stare at her in pure horror.

"What the fuck?" I gasp.

I push my bowl of soup away and stand up. My heart hammers against my ribs. "Are you saying I'm going to die?"

My mother’s eyes go wide. She bites her lip and looks at the floor. "No, honey. I’m just saying the last person who stood where you are didn't have a happy ending."

I don't want to hear another word. I turn and storm out, my boots heavy on the floor as I head for the stairs. I just want to sleep. I want this day to disappear.

I throw my bedroom door open and freeze. He's there. He's sitting on my bed like he owns it, a dark smirk tugging at his lips.

A shriek rips from my throat. I scramble backward, my heels skidding on the hardwood as I try to put distance between us.

"Don't run from me, baby," he says. His voice is a low, mocking crawl. He stands up and reaches out a hand to catch me.

I ignore it. I grab the banister and haul myself up, my knuckles white.

"Mom!" I scream.

The house shakes as she runs up the stairs. She stops dead behind me, her breath hitching. "Oh shit," she whispers.

'So you didn't set this up?' I project the thought at her, my mind sharp with panic.

'No. I'm a romantic, Solenn, not a psychopath,' she snaps back. We both stare at the man. He’s tall, solid, and dangerous.

'Just talk to him,' Vivienne pleads in my head. 'Maybe he wants to fix this before our wolves get any more obsessed.'

I look at her, horrified. She’s giving up.

"Would you like to talk in my office, Alpha Fenrys?" I manage to keep my voice steady. I point down the hall.

My mother vanishes. She’s probably going to find Asher and his men. She knows she can't fight him, and neither can I.

"Why the title? You know my name," he says. He sighs, but he follows me.

'Be nice,' Eva whispers in the back of my mind. 'Maybe if we’re friendly, he won't kill us like the girl in the story. Offer him coffee. Just be polite.'

I hate that my wolf is right. We both just want to stay alive.

"Because it’s your title, Alpha," I say. I lead him into the small room and sit behind my desk. I feel safer with a heavy slab of wood between us.

I don't have a guest chair. There’s just an old armchair in the corner where my mother sits to gossip. He perches on the edge of it, his presence making the room feel tiny.

"It’s not my name," he repeats. He’s scowling now.

"I’m not comfortable using your name. You got aggressive when I didn't speak fast enough earlier. To be honest, I don't feel safe with you."

He looks surprised. His stony expression cracks for a split second before it hardens again. "I'm not that bad," he grumbles.

"Alpha, you can't even control your temper around other leaders. I'm a Beta. I don't have your strength. I can't protect myself if you snap."

I keep my face like ice. I can't let him see the terror. I’m fighting to keep my scent neutral, praying I don't smell like the prey I feel like.

"Just call me by my name and we won't have a problem," he snarls. He folds his arms, looking irritated. Then, a slow, predatory smirk spreads across his face. "I'll give you a hint. It's the name you'll be screaming when I have you in bed."

Eva gasps in my head. The crudeness of it makes my skin crawl.

"That's a high bar to set for yourself," I spit back. I lean forward, my eyes locking onto his. "Most men who brag like that are overcompensating for something they lack. I doubt I’d scream for you, and I know I won’t be getting into your bed."

I watch him, waiting for the explosion. He’s out of his mind if he thinks he can talk to me like that.