Forsaken Mate's Final Stand

The world spun around me as I stumbled through the forest, my body screaming in pain from the rogue attack. Blood trickled down my arm where claws had torn through flesh, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony of the incomplete rejection ceremony still tearing at my soul.

My lungs burned as I gasped for air, the bitter scent of wolfsbane lingering in my nostrils. The chaos of the attack had given me a chance to escape, but where was I running to? The pack that should have been my home now felt like a death trap.

"Rory! You can't run forever!"

I froze at the sound of voices behind me. Three figures emerged from the trees—Delta wolves I recognized as Callie's most loyal followers. My heart sank as I realized I'd been herded toward the pack's border.

"Callie wants to make sure you never come back," sneered the tallest one, his eyes gleaming with malice.

I backed away, my heels hitting the loose rocks at the edge of the cliff overlooking the river. The water below churned violently, swollen from the storm that had rolled in overnight.

"Please," I begged, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach. "I'm carrying the Alpha's heir. The pack needs this child."

They laughed—cruel, mocking laughter that echoed across the gorge.

"Callie is the only one who matters now," the female Delta said, stepping closer. "Wells has made his choice. You're nothing but a rejected mate."

"He'll regret it," I whispered, more to myself than to them. "When he learns about the baby—"

"Baby?" The third Delta's eyes widened momentarily before his lips curled into a cruel smile. "Well, isn't that convenient. But I don't think Wells will ever know, will he?"

Lightning cracked overhead as rain began to pour, soaking through my clothes in seconds. The storm was getting worse, the river below raging with renewed fury.

"I won't let you do this," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. "The pack will—"

"The pack will do nothing," the tall Delta cut me off. "They'll think you ran off after the rejection. No one will look for you."

I lunged forward as they closed in, managing to shove the female Delta backward. She stumbled, nearly falling over the edge.

"Get her!" she shrieked.

Strong hands grabbed my arms, dragging me toward the cliff edge. I fought wildly, kicking and clawing, but my injured body betrayed me.

"Stop!" I screamed as they lifted me. "You can't do this! I'm still Luna until the ceremony is complete!"

"Former Luna," the female corrected, her face twisted with hatred. "And soon to be nothing at all."

With a final shove, they pushed me over the edge. The world tilted as I plummeted toward the churning water below.

"NO!" My scream was lost in the roar of the storm.

I hit the water with brutal force, the cold shocking my system. For a moment, I was suspended in the icy darkness, disoriented and drowning. Then the current grabbed me, pulling me under and tumbling me through its depths.

When I surfaced, gasping for air, I saw a figure being swept downstream ahead of me—Callie! Somehow she had fallen in too.

"Wells!" I cried out desperately as I spotted him at the riverbank. "HELP ME!"

He stood frozen at the edge, rain pouring down his face as he looked between us—his rejected mate and his chosen one, both drowning before his eyes.

Time seemed to slow as our eyes met across the distance. I saw the moment he made his choice.

With a powerful dive, Wells plunged into the rapids—heading straight for Callie.

"No," I whispered, the word carried away by the wind and rain. "Please..."

The last thing I saw before the current dragged me under again was Wells reaching Callie, pulling her to safety while leaving me to the mercy of the river.

Pain tore through my abdomen as I was slammed against submerged rocks. Something warm and wet spread between my legs—blood mixing with river water. My baby. Our baby.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the life inside me as darkness crept in at the edges of my vision. "I'm so sorry."

The cold enveloped me completely as I lost consciousness, my body broken and my heart shattered beyond repair.

I don't know how long I floated downstream, a broken doll carried by the merciless current. When I finally washed up on the muddy bank, I couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

Through the haze of pain, I heard voices.

"Rory? RORY!"

Strong arms lifted me from the mud. I forced my eyes open to see Walker Hamilton's face above mine, panic and concern etched into his features.

"Hold on," he urged, his voice breaking. "Please hold on."

As he cradled me against his chest, I felt something warm and wet falling onto my face—his tears mingling with the rain.

"My wolf," I whispered, feeling the emptiness inside me. "She's gone..."

"That's not true," Walker said fiercely, his eyes glowing with determination. "She's just waiting. And I'll be here when she wakes up."

The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me completely was Walker's face, his expression shifting from desperation to resolve as he carried me away from the river that had nearly claimed my life—and had already claimed so much more.