Rejected by Alpha, Chosen by Prince

Eight years. Eight long years of waiting, of watching the moon cycle through its phases while I held onto the hope that my fated mate would return to me. Eight years of tending to the sacred oak tree my father planted, of keeping Ace's memory alive in my heart like a flickering candle in the darkness.

Now, as I stood at the edge of our pack territory watching a black SUV roll through the gates, that candle finally died.

Ace Robinson stepped out of the vehicle with the same commanding presence that had made my teenage heart flutter all those years ago. His dark hair was longer now, his shoulders broader from years of warrior training in distant territories. But it wasn't his changed appearance that made my wolf whimper in pain—it was the woman who emerged from the passenger side.

She was beautiful in a delicate way that made my own strength feel clumsy and unwanted. Her auburn hair caught the afternoon sunlight, and her hand rested protectively over a rounded belly that spoke of life growing within. My mate's child. Not mine.

But what shattered the last fragments of my hope was the small boy who tumbled out of the backseat, maybe three years old, with Ace's unmistakable green eyes and stubborn chin.

"Welcome home, Alpha," Beta Ryan Mitchell called out, though his voice carried an uncertain edge that suggested he was as surprised by this development as the rest of us.

Ace's gaze swept over the gathered pack members before landing on me. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw something flicker in those green depths—regret, perhaps, or recognition of what he was destroying. Then his expression hardened into the mask of authority I'd grown to despise during our childhood conflicts.

"Pack members," his voice carried the commanding tone that made lesser wolves automatically bare their necks in submission. "I'd like you to meet Maxine Berry, my chosen mate, and our son, Dylan."

Chosen mate. The words hit me like physical blows, each syllable designed to remind me that whatever bond we'd shared meant nothing compared to his choice.

"As you can see," Ace continued, his hand moving to rest possessively on Maxine's lower back, "pack duty requires me to care for my mate and the heir she carries. The future of our bloodline depends on strong leadership and clear priorities."

The dismissal in his tone was unmistakable. Eight years of faithful waiting reduced to an inconvenience, a complication to be managed rather than a sacred bond to be honored.

Maxine's eyes found mine across the small crowd, and I saw something there that surprised me—not triumph or smugness, but a hollow emptiness that mirrored my own pain. She looked fragile, almost brittle, as if a strong wind might shatter her into pieces.

"Sadie." My name on Ace's lips made my wolf bristle with a mixture of longing and rage. "We need to talk."

The pack members began to disperse, casting curious glances between us. Some looked sympathetic, others merely uncomfortable with the tension crackling in the air. I watched Maxine guide little Dylan toward the pack house, her movements careful and protective.

"The Alpha office," Ace said, not waiting for my response. "Now."

The walk to the pack house felt endless, each step taking me closer to a conversation I'd dreaded and anticipated in equal measure. The Alpha office still smelled like my father's cedar cologne mixed with old leather and pack documents. Ace had changed nothing since taking over after my father's death—except for adding a new family portrait on the desk.

I stared at the photo: Ace, Maxine, and Dylan smiling at the camera like the perfect little family they apparently were.

"Close the door," Ace commanded, settling behind the massive oak desk that had once been my father's throne.

I obeyed, then turned to face the man who'd held my heart hostage for eight years. "Why?" The question came out as barely more than a whisper.

"Why what?" His tone was infuriatingly casual, as if we were discussing pack schedules rather than the destruction of everything I'd believed in.

"Why her? Why now? Why make me wait eight years if you never intended to honor our bond?"

Ace leaned back in his chair, studying me with the same detached interest he might show a mildly interesting report. "Maxine carries my heir, Sadie. She's given me a son and will give me another child soon. That's what an Alpha needs—a mate who can secure the future of his bloodline."

"And what am I supposed to be?" The words tasted bitter on my tongue. "Your backup plan? Your consolation prize?"

Something flickered in his eyes—annoyance, perhaps, at my failure to simply accept his decision gracefully. "You should be grateful I'm even considering keeping you as a secondary mate. Many Alphas wouldn't be so generous."

Generous. As if my broken heart and shattered dreams were gifts he was bestowing upon me.

Outside, I heard the rumble of another vehicle approaching. Through the office window, I caught a glimpse of a sleek silver car that didn't belong to anyone in our pack.

Ace's jaw tightened as he followed my gaze. "Who the hell is that?"