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

Solenn

"We're here," he grunts.

The engine cuts out. The silence that follows is heavy and suffocating. He unbuckles and twists in his seat, staring at me with those cold, judging eyes.

"Thank you." I reach for the door handle. It won't budge. I pull again. Locked. I grit my teeth so hard my jaw aches. "Unlock the door, please."

He doesn't move. He’s acting like a bratty kid, playing power games when I just need to pee.

"Why do you care where we are?" he asks. His face is a blank mask.

"I’m trying to figure out if I have time for a nap or if I should stay awake."

Eva is clawing at my ribs. She hates this. She’s used to the wind in her fur and the freedom of the woods. Being trapped in a luxury SUV with a man who smells like pure, concentrated rage is making her frantic. I can smell his anger. It’s thick, like smoke in the back of my throat. He hates that I exist. He hates that being with me makes him look weak to the other Alphas.

"Nap," he mutters. He hits the lock. "We still have a long way to go."

I don't wait for him to change his mind. I scramble out so fast my shirt nearly catches in the door. I pat my pockets—phone, card, still there. My leg is numb from the drive, and I limp slightly toward the station.

The moment I step inside, the scent of sugar and fried dough hits me. I take a deep breath, forcing my shoulders to drop. I follow the signs for the restroom. It’s surprisingly clean. I slip into a stall and lean my forehead against the cool plastic of the door.

'Calm down,' I tell Eva.

I force my canines back into my gums. My heart is a hammer against my ribs. I finish up, wash my hands, and swap a quick, tired smile with a woman at the next sink.

I’m halfway to the exit when the smell hits me. Rogue.

It’s sharp and metallic with fear. I track it to a corner where a woman is huddled against the wall. She looks like she’s trying to disappear into the paint. She’s pale, shaking.

"Are you okay?" I keep my voice low.

She flinches, her eyes wide as she catches my scent. She realizes what I am—the power in my blood. She tries to crawl away.

"I’m not going to hurt you," I say. I reach out, resting a hand on her shoulder. She’s not a threat. She’s terrified. "This isn't my land."

"I was attacked," she rasps. "A mile back."

I curse under my breath. I grab her arm gently and lead her out toward the booths. "Are you hungry?"

She nods, her eyes darting around.

"Chicken?"

Another nod. I pull out my phone and head to the counter. I order two chicken burgers and some fries. While I wait, I scroll through my contacts. I have the number for every Beta on the coast. They’re my peers. My people.

I find Marcel, the Beta for this territory.

"Thorne?" he asks, sounding confused when he picks up.

"Solenn Thorne. Marcus Pack. I’m passing through with Alpha Fenrys. I found a woman at the I-47 stop. She’s a rogue. She got jumped by a group a mile out."

"Wait. Marcus Pack? Asher Thorne’s daughter?"

I sigh. My dad’s name usually opens doors—or slams them. He’s spent his life making Alphas miserable in the name of equality.

"That's me," I say.

"Why isn't Fenrys calling me?" Marcel sounds annoyed.

I roll my eyes at the rogue woman. "Because Alpha Fenrys isn't in the ladies' room, Marcel. He's in the car."

"Right. Okay. I’ll send a patrol. Can you stay with her?"

"Hurry up," I say and hang up. I don't have time for his attitude.

I slide into the booth across from the woman and push a burger toward her. "How long have you been on these lands?"

"A month," she whispers. She’s tearing into the food like she hasn't eaten in a week. "I stay away from the pack. I promise."

"Eat. A patrol is coming. You’ll have to talk to the Beta."

She goes even paler, but she keeps eating. I realize I don't even have Axel’s number. But I have his Beta's.

I hit Mason’s name with a smirk.

"Who is this?" Mason snaps.

"Solenn Thorne. Your Alpha is throwing a tantrum in the parking lot. Tell him to come inside. We’re going to be a minute."

"How did you get this number?" he demands.

I grin. "Your mother."

I hang up before he can even breathe.

I’m not lying about the number. Mason O’Connor’s mother is tight with mine. When I was building my contact list of Betas, she handed it over like it was a recipe for cookies.

Ten seconds after I hang up, the door flies open. Axel storms in. His head pivots, eyes searching the room until they lock on me. His scowl softens for a heartbeat, then curdles. He smells the rogue.

"Solenn. That's a rogue," he says.

I blink at him. "No way. I thought she was a cat."

The woman flinches. She’s vibrating with terror. My sarcasm doesn't help the smell of fear clogging the air.

"Mason said you needed help," Axel says, shaking his head. "You clearly don't."

He starts to turn away.

"Wait. I just needed to tell you we’re delayed. I didn't have your number, so I called your Beta. I’m waiting for the local patrol to get here. Some other rogues jumped this woman. She needs an escort to the pack offices."

I pick up my burger and take a huge bite. Axel stares at me while he processes that he’s not the center of the universe. The woman sees me eating and slowly reaches for her own food. She’s shaking, her eyes darting between the Alpha and me. She’s terrified of both of us, but I’m the one who bought her lunch, so I’m the lesser evil.

"Why are we still here?" Axel sighs.

"Because she was attacked by a pack of them. They might come back to finish the job. We’re in a public place, Axel." I lean in and drop my voice to a hiss. "If a fight breaks out here, humans get hurt."

He finally gets it. He slides into the booth next to me, but he hangs off the edge. He’s doing everything he can to keep our skin from touching. I don't move over to give him room. I’m not feeling charitable.

"What’s your name?" Axel asks her.

I clear my throat loudly. "The less we know, the better."

The woman gives me a small, thankful look. If Axel gets her name, he’ll put her on a kill list. I don't know him well, but he’s got the temper for it. I hate those lists. They’re cold and disgusting. As a tracker, I bring people in. I don't execute them.

Axel presses his lips together. His anger is a hot wall next to me. He’s trying to stay civil in front of the stranger.

'He's only quiet because you didn't cry when he snapped earlier,' Eva says.

Axel checks his watch. The silence is thick. He hauls his massive frame out of the small booth.

"I'm getting food," he grumbles. "Since we’re stuck here."

The second he’s gone, I turn to the woman. "Do you have a place to stay?"

She shakes her head, fingers twisting in her matted hair. I check my pockets and find two crumpled fifty-dollar bills. I slide them across the table.

"No," she whispers, pushing them back. "I can't."

"Take it. The pack will put you in the infirmary tonight, but after that, you’re on your own. Your wolf needs time to heal."

I stare into her eyes until she breaks. Tears well up. I press the cash into her palm and squeeze her hand shut over it.

"Thank you," she breathes.

'That's our good deed for the month,' Eva says.

The woman looks past me toward the counter. I follow her gaze and almost choke on a laugh. A girl behind the register is shamelessly flirting with Axel. She’s touching his hand, giggling. Axel looks bored. His face is like stone. The girl’s smile dies when he doesn't react, and she lets go of him like she just touched a hot stove.

'Was she flirting?' Eva giggles. 'His mood is gone.'

'I hope not for her sake,' I mutter back. 'He's a brick wall.'

'A brick wall with insane abs, I bet,' Eva adds.

'You are so thirsty.'

'I'm a desert, baby,' Eva snorts, then cuts the link.

Axel comes back with a tray. He looks confused, probably by the human girl’s behavior. I don't mention it. He doesn't do "lower ranks," and he definitely doesn't do humans. I rest my chin on my hand and wait.

The door opens again. The smell of wet dog floods the station.

A group of wolves in uniform walks in. They scan the room and head straight for us. Before they reach the table, I slide past Axel and stand in front of the woman. I force a bright, friendly smile onto my face.

"Hi," I say, sticking my hand out to the lead guard. "You must be the cavalry."

The guard shakes my hand but keeps his eyes on the booth. He’s staring at the rogue woman, then at Axel, who is still trying to swallow a mouthful of food.

"I’m Beta Thorne," I say. I shift my weight, stepping into his line of sight to block the woman from his view. "I’m the one who called your Beta."

"She’s a rogue," one of the other men mutters. He looks at her like she’s trash.

Eva bristles. My skin feels hot, and I know my eyes just flashed.

"She’s a werewolf," I snap. My voice is sharp, like a teacher dealing with a bully. "Try to remember that."

The men scowl, but I don't move. I outrank every one of them, and they know it. Their Beta would skin them if they messed this up.

The leader sighs and hands me a stack of papers. "We’re taking her to the offices. Sign these."

Axel holds out a pen. I sign the forms, then pull out my phone to snap a photo of every page. Evidence matters. I hand the stack back and turn to the woman. I take her hands in mine and lean down.

"You’ll be okay," I whisper.

As I pull away, I press a folded napkin into her palm. My personal numbers are scrawled on the inside. She looks at it and gives me a small, shaky smile. I wink at her.

"Thank you," she breathes.

The guards surround her and lead her out. She looks back one last time at the door. I nod to her, then collapse back into the booth. My head is throbbing. I run my hand through my hair and exhale a long, shaky breath.

"Quite the show," Axel says.

I don't answer. I just finish my cold fries and stare at the wall. He’s watching me. I can feel his eyes on me, heavy and contemplative. He’s impressed, but I can practically hear him thinking that I’m too small, too physically weak to be a Luna. He’s already decided. He’s probably got the rejection papers waiting in his office.

'He's going to dump us,' Eva says.

'I know,' I think back. 'He just wants to get it over with before the bond settles.'

Axel stands up abruptly, yanking a hand through his hair. "Ready?"

I nod and reach for my phone. He reaches for it at the same time. Our fingers brush.

A jolt of electricity shoots up my arm and settles in my spine. I pull back fast. The air between us is thick and awkward. We walk out of the station with four feet of space between us.

'You two are painful,' Eva grumbles.

'What do you want from me? He's signing the paperwork the second we arrive. I’m not getting attached.'

I climb into the SUV, careful not to hit my head. Axel hops in like it’s nothing.

"How much longer?" I ask.

"A few hours. Sleep. I'll wake you."

I don't trust him, but my body is heavy with exhaustion. I curl into the seat, wiggling until I find a spot that doesn't ache. I close my eyes. Every few minutes, I peek one open to make sure he isn't driving us off a bridge.

'If he does, at least it's quick,' Eva mumbles. It’s her version of an apology.

I drift off, but the sleep is a nightmare. I see witches with glowing irons and shadows with long, pointed fingers reaching for my throat. I wake up with a gasp, my heart slamming against my ribs. I try to look around, but I can't see. Everything is black.

I bolt upright, hands flying to my face.

"Relax," Axel says. "It's just a blindfold."

"Just a blindfold?" I’m hyperventilating. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Eva is screaming in my head. The darkness is a trap.

"Why?" I spit, clawing at the knot behind my head. My fingers are shaking too hard to loosen the silk. "Get it off me!"

"Nobody knows the road to my pack," he says. His voice is stiff, cold. "If you aren't staying, you don't get the secret. We’re two minutes out. I’ll take it off now."

"Now, Axel! Get it off!"

'He’s definitely not keeping us,' Eva snarls.

'Good. This is serial killer shit.'

My teeth lengthen. I can feel my canines pressing into my lower lip as Eva tries to force a shift. Finally, the silk gives way. Axel pulls it back, and light floods my vision. I blink rapidly, my eyes stinging.

"Better?" he asks, his hands back on the wheel.

"Yeah. Great. Thanks," I snap. I rub my chest, trying to force my heart back into a normal rhythm.

I’ve never wanted to be anywhere less in my entire life.

My heart is a frantic bird hitting the cage of my ribs. I stare out the window, trying to steady my breath. We’re on a narrow, cracked road. Tall evergreens hem us in, thick and suffocating.

It’s dark. I can't tell if the trees are swallowing the sun or if the day is just gone. I check my phone. 6:00 PM. I’ve been out for a while.

"How long was I asleep?" I rub the sleep from my eyes.

"Over two hours." He doesn't look at me. "It was the only peace I've had since we met."

He yanks the wheel hard to the left. I didn't even see a turnoff. My shoulder slams into the door, and my elbow crackles with pain. I hiss a curse under my breath.

"Why are we out in the middle of nowhere?"

He stays silent.

'He's a cult leader,' Eva says. She’s still on edge from the blindfold. 'We're going to end up in a basement.'

"Being remote is better," he finally says. He sounds like he’s reading from a manual. "We have space to grow. We have our own farms. We're still close to the human cities."

'Took him long enough to decide if we deserved an answer,' Eva snarls.

The trees thin out. The road opens up into a real town. Houses and shops flicker past. It’s crowded. People are everywhere, but I realize something weird. There are no other cars. Just us.

The pack looks... normal.

'What did you expect?' Eva asks. 'Monsters?'

I don't answer her. It looks like my pack on a Friday night. Busy. Alive.

"Listen to me," Axel says. His voice is a low threat. "People are going to be curious. We’re eating at my house. Then I’ll introduce you. You don't talk to anyone but me, my mother, or the staff. We need to decide what to do with you first. Understand?"

"Crystal." I cross my legs and look away.

The Range Rover groans as we hit a steep hill. The engine makes a sickening metallic sound. I grip the seat, my knuckles white. The road is slick with ice. If we slip, we’re dead.

The car crawls to the top and stops.

The house is a monster. It’s a gothic castle made of dark stone and sharp angles. Axel gets out, and I follow. I head straight for the trunk to get my things.

"The maids will handle that," he scoffs.

I ignore him. I grab two suitcases and my duffle bag. My muscles burn, but I’m not letting some stranger carry my life for me. I’m a Beta. I carry my own weight.

Axel scowls at me from the porch. He unlocks the door and waits, tapping his foot. I haul my bags up the steps, my breath visible in the freezing air.

"Welcome home," he mutters.

The door slams shut behind us, and the sound echoes through the cold, empty hall.