Rebirth, I Choose a Rogue Over an Alpha

Aurelia POV

I drained my pure white wolf to build my Alpha mate's empire. In return, he severed our bond, claimed my best friend, and left me to be torn apart by his warriors.

But the Moon Goddess gave me a second chance.

And this time, I am not choosing the golden Alpha. I am claiming the poisoned rogue in the iron cage.

***

Blood filled my lungs. I dragged my broken body across the soaked mud, reaching for the man I loved.

My white wolf had completely vanished. I had drained every drop of my power into our Mate Bond, sacrificing my own life force to secure Lucius's victory.

"Lucius, we won," I gasped, lifting my trembling, blood-stained hand toward him.

Lucius calmly wiped his silver broadsword. He looked down at me, his eyes holding zero warmth. Then, he took a deliberate step back, intentionally avoiding my bloody fingers.

He did not offer his hand.

A pair of pristine white boots stopped beside him.

Chloe. She was my best friend.

"Ew, she's a mess," Chloe whined, scrunching her nose. She leaned her head against Lucius's armored shoulder.

Lucius wrapped a protective arm around her waist. He looked down at me. His eyes held zero warmth.

"What are you doing?" I coughed, spitting a glob of black blood onto the mud. "Chloe? Help me up."

"Help you?" Chloe laughed, a high, grating sound. "Why would I help a dead weight? He doesn't need you anymore."

"Thanks for the power, Aurelia," Lucius sneered. He kicked dirt onto my face. "A supreme Alpha needs a real Luna. Not a dried-up husk. You have no wolf power left. You're useless. Chloe is my true love. She will be my Luna! "

"What?" I widened my eyes and looked at my best friend. "Why? Chloe! We grew up together! You are my best friend!" My vision blurring. "I shared everything with you."

"I was your shadow!" Chloe spat, her face twisting into an ugly snarl.

"The charity case Omega. 'Look at Aurelia, so generous to the poor little Omega'. I hated every second of it!"

"Your father even gave me a terrifying rogue captive as a mate. He expected me to share my power with a lowly prisoner! "

"But look at you now, Crystal Moon's proud princess. You're more pathetic than that dead rogue. "

I turned to Lucius. "Lucius, I choose you to be my mate! I shared my power with you! How could you betrayed me?" My lips trembled. Tears filled in my eyes.

Everyone thought he was a prodigy. A once-in-a-generation talent. They didn't know the truth.

My Mate Bond possessed a rare genetic trait, Power Amplification and Sharing.

I offered him the bond willingly. I let him siphon my strength, turning my pure wolf power into his destructive force. He built his entire reputation on my life force.

But he was a parasite!

Lucius smirked and spat out the cruel words. "I, Alpha Lucius Ramsey from Shadow Moon Pack, hereby, rejects you, Aurelia Delaney from Crystal Moon Pack, as my mate!"

The golden thread of the Mate Bond in my chest snapped. A physical tear ripped through my heart.

I screamed, arching my back. He severed our mate bond!

Lucius turned to the five warriors of his pack behind him. They reeked of stale sweat, cheap liquor, and unwashed bodies.

"Have fun with her, boys," Lucius ordered, tossing them a pouch of gold coins. "She has no wolf left. She won't last long."

Those warriors shifted into human forms. They grinned, revealing rotting teeth. They unbuckled their belts.

"No," I pleaded, trying to crawl away. My limbs felt like lead. "Lucius, don't do this!"

He walked away. He kissed Chloe passionately. They didn't look back.

Rough hands grabbed my hair. They tore my armor, ripping the leather from my skin. I fought. I bit a man's wrist. I scratched another's face.

A heavy fist slammed into my jaw. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth. My vision swam.

A rusted blade pierced my stomach. Pain eradicated all thought. The men laughed, pulling at my clothes.

I stared at the red moon hanging above the slaughter. My blood soaked into the earth.

I swear on the Moon Goddess, I vowed in my mind, my spirit fracturing. If I get another chance, I will tear their throats out. I will make Lucius beg for death.

Darkness swallowed me.

A sharp gasp tore from my throat.

The scent of roasted pine and expensive floral perfume flooded my nose. My eyes snapped open. I stood upright. No mud. No blood. No freezing rain.

I touched my stomach. Smooth silk. No stab wound. I ran my hands over my arms, feeling warm, unbroken skin.

Crystal chandeliers blazed above me, casting golden light across a massive marble floor. A live string quartet played a cheerful waltz in the corner. Hundreds of wolves in tailored suits and designer gowns stared at me, waiting.

The Crystal Moon Pack's grand hall.

My 18th birthday. The Mate Selection Ceremony.

I closed my eyes, pressing a hand to my chest. The suffocating Mate Bond with Lucius did not exist. My pure white wolf soul roared inside me, full, powerful, and pristine. I was alive. I was eighteen again.

Alpha Silas, my father, placed a heavy, warm hand on my shoulder. His voice boomed across the silent hall, vibrating with pride.

"Aurelia, my sweetheart. Today you become a full member of our pack. Look at these Alphas. The strongest heirs in North America stand before you. Who do you choose for a mate?"

I opened my eyes and scanned the crowd.

Chloe was standing near the towering dessert table. She bit her lower lip, playing the innocent, supportive best friend. She wore the pale blue dress I bought her last week. Her eyes tracked Lucius with hungry desperation.

I saw Lucius standing in the front row. He wore a custom-tailored black suit. His golden hair caught the chandelier light perfectly.

He stood tall, projecting the aura of a genius Alpha. He looked confident, exactly like the man who left me to die in the mud.

My inner wolf Snow bared her teeth.

Kill him, she snarled in my mind, her claws scraping against my ribs.

Not yet, I answered my wolf.

Death is a mercy. Snow, I will strip them of everything they desire. Let's watch them rot.

I squared my shoulders. The naive, love-struck Aurelia died on that battlefield. The woman standing here was forged in betrayal. I lifted my chin, meeting the expectant gaze of the crowd.

"It's time to choose," my father urged.