Rejected by Fate, I Chose the Beta’s Heart

Outside, snow had begun to fall, covering everything in a blanket of white. I pulled my suitcase behind me, resolutely heading for the door without looking back. The icy air bit at my skin, but I barely felt it. My mind was too focused on the weight of the decision I was making—the decision to leave Colter Cox, the Alpha of the Cox Pack, for good.

Colter probably didn’t expect me to actually leave. The moment I opened the door, he rushed over and grabbed my suitcase. I glanced at him, and he took that chance to drag me back into the room, his grip firm and unyielding. His towering frame loomed over me, his Alpha aura pressing down like a heavy weight.

“Arianna, have you lost your mind?” he growled, his voice laced with that commanding Alpha tone that always made my knees weak. “It’s snowing hard, and you still want to leave. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to your father, the Alpha of the Grant Pack?”

I looked into his furious face, his dark eyes blazing with anger, and dropped my gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not Zora. They don’t care about me.”

Colter’s expression faltered for a moment, his brow briefly relaxing before furrowing again. He knew well how little I mattered in the Grant family hierarchy. It was only a year ago that I discovered the alliance between the Cox Pack and the Grant Pack. I also found out that my parents, the Alpha and Luna of the Grant Pack, intended to pair Zora with Colter as his mate.

When they learned that Colter and I had formed a bond, they didn’t say much, but their attitude towards me grew even colder. They kept urging Colter to take good care of Zora, right in front of me. True to their wishes, Colter looked after her splendidly—so much so that even their conversations seemed excessively intimate.

Perhaps noticing my despondency, Colter pulled me into his arms, his scent—a mix of pine and something distinctly Alpha—enveloping me. It was a scent that had once comforted me, but now it only made my chest ache.

“Alright,” he said, his voice softer now, though still edged with authority. “I admit I messed up tonight. Zora had an embarrassing moment at the coffee shop, and while trying to cheer her up, I probably overdid the drinks. I promise, it won’t happen again.”

I suppose I should be grateful. Though Colter didn’t promise to distance himself from Zora, at least he showed some willingness to make things right, didn’t he? I pushed him away, speaking calmly, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “There’s no need to force things. Let’s just go back to being regular packmates.”

A dangerous look flashed in Colter’s eyes, his Alpha aura flaring, making the air around us thick with tension. “Arianna, are you trying to test me?”

Seeing that I continued to avert my gaze, he shoved me roughly on the shoulder. I stumbled backward against the shoe cabinet in the hallway, my lower back hitting it painfully and causing tears to spring to my eyes. The sharp sting grounded me, though, reminding me of the reality of the situation.

Seeing my tears, Colter finally reined in his anger, his Alpha tone softening slightly. “You’re not thinking straight tonight. Go back and sleep; we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

I forced myself to stand tall, squaring my shoulders despite the ache in my back, and met his eyes. “There’s no need. I’m about to mate with Hayes—”

Before I could finish, the door swung open. When Colter saw who it was, he quickly released me and stepped forward, his demeanor shifting instantly. “Zora, what are you doing here?”

Zora rubbed her hands together, her delicate features framed by her golden hair. She spoke in a sugary voice, “Father said the power’s out at home, so he told me to stay here for the night.”

Colter naturally took her hands, warming them up, his touch gentle and attentive. Zora smiled sweetly and looked past him to address me, her tone dripping with faux innocence. “Sister, you don’t mind, do you?”

Colter’s gaze also landed on me, his eyes dark and unreadable. I swallowed my tears before turning away, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. “No, I don’t mind.”