After My Alpha Rejected Me, I Found My Wolf

The smell of antiseptic burned my nostrils as I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. My lungs still ached from the smoke, each breath a reminder of how close I'd come to dying. The bandages on my arms and legs pulled tight when I moved, tiny daggers of pain grounding me in the reality I couldn't escape.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," I called, my voice still raspy.

Martha slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. The Omega cook's kind face was pinched with worry as she set down a tray loaded with food—far more than the hospital would normally provide.

"I brought you some real food," she whispered, glancing nervously at the door. "That hospital slop isn't fit for a Luna."

I managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Martha."

She settled into the chair beside my bed, her eyes darting to the bandages on my arms. "Those cuts... they're deep."

"I had to break the window to get out," I explained, pulling the sleeve of my hospital gown down to cover the worst of them.

Martha's lips thinned into a hard line. "The elders are talking, child. You need to know."

My stomach clenched. "What are they saying?"

"They're whispering about replacing you." Her voice dropped even lower. "They're saying you couldn't even save yourself from a fire. That a real Luna would have been stronger."

The words hit like physical blows. I closed my eyes, fighting back tears. "I'm not surprised."

"There's more." Martha reached out, her weathered hand covering mine. "I saw them, Ella. Together."

I knew exactly who she meant without asking. "Ethan and Michaela?"

She nodded grimly. "In his temporary office yesterday. They weren't just talking."

The confirmation of what I'd suspected made my chest tighten painfully. Five years of loyalty, of enduring the pack's contempt, all while Ethan...

"How long?" I whispered.

"Long enough," Martha said softly. "Child, you deserve better than this."

---

I found Ethan in his office later that day, my body still aching from the fire but my resolve hardened by Martha's warning.

"We need to talk," I said, closing the door behind me.

He looked up from his desk, irritation flashing across his face. "I'm busy, Ella."

"This won't wait." I stepped closer, my hands trembling slightly. "Are you sleeping with Michaela?"

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truths.

"I'm not discussing this with you," he finally said, his voice cold.

"You're my mate," I whispered, hating how desperate I sounded. "Or have you forgotten that too?"

Ethan stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "What I do or don't do with Michaela is none of your concern."

"None of my concern?" My voice cracked. "She's undermining me at every turn, and you're letting her—encouraging her!"

"I'm not getting rid of her," he snapped. "She's important to the pack."

"And I'm not?" The question hung in the air between us.

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. "You're being dramatic again."

I turned toward the door, unable to bear another moment in his presence. "I'm leaving."

"Stop."

The word hit me like a physical force. My knees buckled instantly, my body crashing to the floor as the weight of his Alpha Command crushed down on me.

"Ethan!" I gasped, struggling against the invisible pressure.

"Stay," he commanded, his voice laced with power that made my wolfless body writhe in submission.

I fought against it, trembling with the effort. "You can't do this."

"I can do whatever I want." He stepped closer, looming over me. "I'm the Alpha."

The words echoed in my mind as I lay there, helpless on the floor. Not a partner. Not a Luna. Just another subject to command.

---

"Smile wider," the pack's media specialist instructed, adjusting the camera angle.

I sat in the chair, my face aching from maintaining the forced smile for so long. The lights were hot against my skin as we filmed the propaganda piece Ethan had insisted on.

"Remember," Ethan's voice came from just off-camera, "you need to sound natural. Convincing."

I swallowed hard, feeling his threatening presence just beyond the frame. One wrong move, one break in character, and I knew what would happen.

"I'm so grateful for Alpha Ethan's leadership during this difficult time," I recited, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "The Silver Lake Pack is stronger than ever under his guidance."

The media specialist nodded approvingly. "Perfect. Now, about your recovery..."

"As you can see," I continued, gesturing weakly to my bandaged arms, "I'm healing well. Alpha Ethan has ensured I receive the best care possible."

Ethan stepped into view, his hand coming to rest possessively on my shoulder. His fingers dug into my skin—a warning.

"The pack stands united," he said smoothly. "Any rumors of division are false. My Luna and I are fully committed to leading Silver Lake into a prosperous future."

The camera zoomed in on my face, searching for any sign of deception. I kept smiling, even as something inside me withered and died.

"Cut! That's perfect," the media specialist called.

As the equipment was packed away, Ethan leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "You did well," he murmured, his voice deceptively gentle. "Remember, we're in this together."

But as his hand tightened on my shoulder, I understood the real message: I belonged to him, whether I wanted to or not. And he would never let me go.