His Rejection Ignited My Alpha Empire

Brandon Nichols broke the mate bond with me abruptly and soon mated with a younger packmate. As I approached thirty, my attempts at finding a mate through pack matchmakers continuously ended in rejection. Five years later, at a pack gathering, they appeared as a glamorous middle-class couple, arriving in a sleek Mercedes, sporting tailored Patagonia gear, and carrying Louis Vuitton bags. Meanwhile, I arrived on a bicycle and found myself feeling out of place in the corner. Someone with mischief in mind asked, “Kendra, why isn’t your mate here?” I smiled and said, “He’s busy ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.”

I first met Brandon during our first year in the Silvermoon Pack. New to the bustling city, I was stopped at the pack gates by an elderly couple asking for travel money. When I declined, they followed and berated me, “So young, yet lacking any kindness! No wolf would ever want a heartless girl like you!” Flustered, I turned red with anger. Just then, Brandon appeared with a group of friends, exuding youthful bravado. He stood out as the most handsome and confident, holding a Wilson basketball and wearing limited-edition sneakers. He flashed a grin at me, “Hey, newbie, you okay?”

It quickly became clear that I was neither a newbie nor younger than him; we were packmates. But that didn’t stop him from pursuing me, and soon we were together. Brandon came from a well-off local family, while I was from a small pack far away. In our second year, he brought me home to meet his parents. I nervously followed him, carrying a gift basket. Unexpectedly, Brandon’s mom, Linda Bryant, a respected Luna, was very friendly to me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Brandon nudged me and said, “See, I told you my mom would like you.” I couldn’t help but feel happy.

Back then, I didn’t realize that Brandon’s mom didn’t truly like me; she just thought it was no big deal for her son to date someone—he wouldn’t be the one losing out. So we dated all through our early pack years. In our final year, my parents expressed their desire for me to return home. But there weren’t many good opportunities back home. I discussed this with Brandon, who grasped my hand urgently, “No, you can’t leave!”

“But the cost of living here is too high. I’m not sure I can manage it.”

Brandon hugged me tightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask my dad to help you find an easy job. Money isn’t a problem. You just need to become Mrs. Nichols.” In that moment, all my doubts and fears were swept away. I didn’t actually need Brandon’s dad to find me a job; I just wanted a backup plan. My skills had better prospects than Brandon’s. In the end, Brandon joined a pack run by his dad’s friend as a Beta, while I went through several interviews to become a Gamma at a leading pack. I stayed in the city.

But life isn’t all about seemingly perfect endings. Being the top wolf in high school isn’t one. Getting into a good pack isn’t one. Being with him wasn’t one. Mating isn’t one. Raising pups isn’t either.