Rejected by Alpha Mate

The hospital doors burst open with a bang that made me jump, nearly dropping the vial of silver antidote I was preparing. My hands steadied instinctively—years of training had taught me to keep calm under pressure, even when chaos erupted around me.

"Where's the head healer?" a female voice demanded, sharp enough to cut through the moans of pain filling our emergency ward.

I turned to see a woman I recognized but didn't know well—Raven Flores, one of our newer pack members. She strode in like she owned the place, her designer clothes immaculate despite what looked like a minor scratch on her forearm.

"Can you believe this?" she was saying to the nurse at reception. "I've been waiting for twenty minutes!"

I glanced at the warrior on the table before me—Delta Liam, one of our best fighters. Silver poisoning had turned his arm an angry purple, the metal working its way through his system. Without immediate treatment, he'd lose the limb. Without proper care, he might lose his life.

"I'm sorry," I said, approaching her with a professional smile. "I'm Shay Campbell, the head healer. What can I do for you?"

Raven's eyes narrowed, taking in my blood-stained scrubs with obvious distaste. "Finally. I need treatment for this." She thrust her arm forward, revealing a scratch that had barely broken skin.

"I understand," I said, keeping my voice even. "But we're currently in an emergency situation. The warrior behind me has severe silver poisoning from a rogue attack. I'll need to treat him first, then—"

"What?" Raven's voice rose dramatically. "You're going to make someone with Alpha bloodline wait while you fuss over some common pack member?"

The room fell silent. Even Liam's labored breathing seemed to pause.

"Medical triage doesn't work that way," I explained gently. "The severity of the injury determines—"

"I don't care about your protocols," Raven hissed, her eyes flashing with rage. "My bloodline deserves priority treatment. Do you know who my ancestors were?"

I felt my wolf stir inside me, bristling at the challenge. If she only knew who my ancestors were...

"Please wait in the reception area," I said firmly. "I'll be with you as soon as possible."

For a moment, I thought she might argue further. Instead, she turned on her heel and stalked out, muttering something about "incompetent healers" under her breath.

I returned to Liam, working quickly to draw out the silver poison before it reached his heart. My hands glowed faintly as I channeled my healing energy, focusing entirely on saving his life.

What I didn't notice was Raven pulling out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen.

---

By evening, I felt it—the strange prickling sensation of dozens of minds thinking about me at once. The pack mind-link hummed with unusual activity.

"Did you hear what happened at the hospital today?" someone whispered as I walked past.

"...refused to treat her..."

"...nearly died because of it..."

"...always been jealous of anyone prettier than her..."

I froze mid-step. These weren't just random thoughts—they were coordinated, deliberate messages spreading through our pack's mental network.

"Shay!" Diana Torres, my closest friend in the pack, rushed up to me. "What's going on? There are all these rumors about you refusing to treat Raven."

"It's not true," I said, my stomach knotting. "She had a minor scratch. I was dealing with a silver poisoning emergency."

"Well, she's telling everyone you refused her because you're incompetent and biased." Diana's eyes flashed with anger. "And she's saying you've been using your position to settle personal scores."

I felt sick. "That's ridiculous."

"Of course it is," Diana agreed. "But Raven's convincing. She's got half the pack believing you deliberately let her suffer."

I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of dozens of judgmental stares pressing down on me through the mind-link. My wolf whimpered inside me, sensing the danger to our position.

---

Three days later, at the monthly pack assembly, I stood beside Colin as we faced the gathered pack members. My mate's hand wasn't holding mine as usual—instead, he stood slightly apart, his face unreadable.

Raven stepped forward, her scratch now completely healed but her expression one of tragic suffering.

"Alpha-to-be," she addressed Colin directly, ignoring me completely. "I wish to formally register my complaint about the unprofessional conduct of your mate."

The pack murmured, eyes darting between us.

"Go ahead," Colin said, his voice neutral.

"I nearly died because your mate refused me treatment," Raven declared. "I understand we're all part of the same pack, but when someone uses their position to endanger others..."

I waited for Colin to defend me. To tell everyone that Raven was exaggerating, that her injury had been minor.

Instead, he nodded solemnly. "All pack members deserve equal consideration regardless of rank," he announced, his gaze sliding to Raven with unmistakable interest. "From now on, we'll ensure more balanced treatment protocols."

The pack applauded. Raven smiled triumphantly.

And I stood there, my mate's public betrayal cutting deeper than any silver blade could reach.

As the meeting dispersed, I caught Raven's whisper to her friend: "Soon he'll see who really deserves to be Luna."