Rejected by Alpha Mate

The full moon hung like a silver medallion in the night sky, its light bathing the forest in an ethereal glow. Pack members gathered at the edge of the clearing, their excited chatter filling the air as they prepared for the monthly run. I stood apart from the main group, my fingers absently sorting through the small pouch of healing herbs I always carried during runs—more out of habit than necessity.

"Everyone ready?" Ryan's commanding voice cut through the night. He stood tall and proud at the front of the gathering, his powerful frame already half-turned toward the forest. Beside him—not behind him where a pack member would stand, but beside him where a Luna should be—stood Chloe, her eager smile visible even from where I lingered.

Lyra whimpered inside me. *It should be us there.*

*I know*, I soothed my wolf, though the words felt hollow even in my own mind.

"Healers to the rear," Ryan announced, not even looking in my direction. "Warriors flanking, Betas behind me."

Not once did he mention his Luna—me—or where I should position myself. The omission was so routine now that few pack members even noticed, but I felt it like a fresh cut each time.

I watched as Ryan and Chloe stripped off their robes simultaneously, a choreographed intimacy that made my stomach clench. They shifted in perfect unison, their wolves—his midnight black, hers chestnut brown—standing side by side before the pack. Ryan's wolf was magnificent, powerful and commanding, every inch the Alpha. He threw his head back and howled, the sound echoing through the trees. Chloe's wolf joined immediately, their howls intertwining in what sounded too much like a mating call.

My shift was quieter, less dramatic. Lyra emerged with a soft shimmer of silver light, her sleek form smaller than Chloe's but graceful and swift. We took our place with the other healers, far behind the leaders, practically an afterthought.

As we ran through the moonlit forest, the pack mind-link hummed with activity. Most of it was the usual excitement of the run—the thrill of freedom, the joy of pack unity. But underneath, I caught fragments meant to be private:

*Poor Madison...*

*...can't believe he treats his fated mate like...*

*...the Luna in name only...*

Lyra faltered mid-stride, nearly causing us to stumble. The pity was worse than the betrayal somehow. I felt my wolf curl inward with shame, her silver fur seeming to dim in the moonlight.

*Don't listen,* I told her fiercely. *We are more than their gossip.*

But the damage was done. We ran mechanically after that, going through the motions while feeling increasingly detached from the pack around us.

When the run ended near dawn, pack members began shifting back, retrieving the clothes they'd left at designated spots throughout the territory. I shifted quickly, eager to return to my quarters and escape the suffocating weight of belonging without truly belonging.

That's when it happened.

Chloe, now in human form, approached the pile of ceremonial robes near where Ryan was shifting. With calculated timing, she "accidentally" dropped her Luna robe—my rightful garment—directly in front of him as he completed his shift.

The white silk pooled at her feet, leaving her exposed in the dawn light. Ryan froze, his eyes raking over her body unabashedly. The hunger in his gaze was unmistakable, and completely public.

"Oops," she giggled, making no move to cover herself as several pack members stared. "So clumsy of me."

Ryan grabbed the robe and wrapped it around her shoulders himself, his hands lingering far longer than necessary. "Can't have you catching cold," he murmured, loud enough for nearby wolves to hear.

I turned away, unable to watch anymore, but not before seeing Mark's troubled expression and the knowing glances exchanged among the pack members. By morning, this moment would be replayed in gossip throughout the territory, another public humiliation to endure.

* * *

The formal scroll arrived three days later, sealed with wax bearing the ancient symbol of the crescent moon and healing staff. My hands trembled as I broke the seal, unrolling the heavy parchment with reverent care.

*"Healer Madison Hayes of the Silver Moon Pack,"* it began in elegant script, *"The Ancient Healers Council extends a rare invitation for you to join our training program in the European territories. Your exceptional talents have come to our attention, and we believe you have the potential to become one of the most gifted healers of your generation..."*

Lyra stirred with excitement inside me. *This is it! Our chance!*

Hope bloomed in my chest for the first time in months. The Ancient Healers Council was legendary, accepting only the most promising healers from across the continents. This wasn't just an honor—it was an escape.

I clutched the scroll to my chest and hurried toward Ryan's office, rehearsing how I would present this opportunity. Surely even he couldn't dismiss the prestige this would bring to our pack.

I knocked on his door, heart pounding with rare optimism.

"Enter," he called, his voice distracted.

I stepped inside, holding the scroll like a shield. "Alpha, I've received an invitation from the Ancient Healers Council to train in Europe. It's a tremendous honor, and—"

Ryan barely glanced up from the papers on his desk. "Europe? Out of the question. Chloe begins her leadership training next month, and the pack needs its healer here."

"But this is the Ancient Healers Council," I pressed, my voice stronger than usual. "The skills I could learn would benefit our entire pack. I could—"

"I said no, Madison." His tone was dismissive, final. "Chloe's training takes priority. She'll be taking on more Luna duties, and I need you to handle the healing while she focuses on leadership."

More Luna duties. The words echoed in my head like a death knell to my last hopes.

I stood there, the precious invitation hanging limply from my fingers, as Ryan returned to his paperwork without another word. In his mind, the matter was settled.

But in mine, something had finally broken free.