Rejected by My Alpha Mate

The monthly pack assembly was always a formal affair. Every member of Silver Creek Pack gathered in the great hall, rows of chairs arranged in a semicircle facing the Alpha's podium. I smoothed down my navy dress—the one Daniel once said brought out the blue in my eyes—and tried to ignore the whispers that followed me as I took my seat in the front row.

"Luna Christina," greeted Maya, one of our warriors, with a respectful nod. "Alpha Daniel said he'd be delayed."

I smiled politely, though my wolf, Emma, stirred restlessly inside me. Something felt off today. The air was thick with anticipation, and not the usual excitement that preceded pack announcements.

When Daniel finally entered, he wasn't alone. A young woman with honey-blonde hair and delicate features walked beside him, her steps measured and confident despite her unfamiliar face.

"Silver Creek Pack," Daniel's voice carried through the hall with his Alpha authority, "today we welcome home one of our own. Alessia Rose has returned to us after seven years away."

My fingers tightened around the strap of my purse. Alessia Rose. The name tugged at my memory—Daniel's childhood friend who left before her first shift. A late bloomer.

Alessia stepped forward, her smile sweet and almost shy. "Thank you, Alpha Daniel. It's an honor to return home. My wolf finally emerged three months ago." She touched her chest reverently. "She's small but fierce. I'm grateful to rejoin my pack family."

Daniel's eyes lingered on her longer than necessary. "Alessia has requested readmission to Silver Creek Pack. Any objections?"

Silence fell over the assembly. No one challenged an Alpha's decision, especially not one as respected as Daniel. But I caught the glances exchanged between pack members—curiosity, surprise, and something else I couldn't quite name.

"Then it's settled," Daniel announced. "Alessia Rose is officially reinstated as a member of Silver Creek Pack."

---

Two weeks later, I stood frozen in the doorway of Daniel's office, staring at the official proclamation posted on the bulletin board.

"HEAD HEALER: ALESSIA ROSE"

"Daniel," I whispered, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. "What is this?"

He looked up from his desk, expression carefully neutral. "I appointed Alessia as head healer yesterday. Her credentials are impressive."

"Credentials?" I stepped closer, scanning the document. "She's been gone for seven years. Where did she train?"

"She studied with renowned healers across the country," he replied smoothly. "Her knowledge of herbal medicine is exceptional."

Before I could respond, Elena, Daniel's mother, swept into the room without knocking. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she glanced at the proclamation.

"Mother," Daniel greeted her warmly. "I was just explaining Alessia's new position to Christina."

Elena's gaze swept over me, her disapproval evident in the slight curl of her lip. "Yes, a much-needed change. Our pack deserves the best care."

That evening, as pack members gathered for dinner in the communal hall, I overheard the whispers clearly.

"Poor Luna Christina," someone murmured. "Seven failed pregnancies..."

"Alpha Daniel said her wolf is too weak for successful breeding," another voice added. "That's why he's promoting Alessia—she has stronger bloodlines."

My hands trembled as I set down my fork. Seven failed pregnancies? There had been only two, both devastating losses that Daniel had held me through. How could he spread such lies?

---

The third day after Alessia's appointment, I noticed her car parked outside the pack house at precisely 11:30 AM. The same time Daniel returned from his morning patrol.

I watched from the kitchen window as she approached the main entrance, a covered basket in her hands. Her hair was styled differently today—looser curls that framed her face in a way that highlighted her delicate features.

"She's here again," Marcus commented quietly beside me. "Third time this week."

"I know," I replied, my stomach knotting. "What is she bringing him?"

Marcus adjusted his glasses, a nervous habit I'd grown accustomed to. "She says it's special meals to help with his shoulder injury."

But we both knew there was more to it.

I followed the scent of lavender and vanilla to Daniel's study. The door was ajar, and I paused outside, listening.

"The herbs are working wonders," Alessia's soft voice drifted through the crack. "Your pain has reduced significantly, hasn't it?"

"You have a gift," Daniel replied, his tone warmer than any he'd used with me lately. "No one else has been able to help."

I pushed the door open. The conversation stopped abruptly.

"Christina," Daniel straightened in his chair. "Alessia was just checking on my shoulder."

Alessia smiled sweetly. "I brought a special lunch for our Alpha. Healing herbs infused in the chicken."

As she set down the basket, her fingers brushed against Daniel's. Neither pulled away immediately.

"I'll leave you two alone," I said, my voice surprisingly steady despite the ache building in my chest.

As I turned to go, I caught it—a look passing between them. Something intimate and unspoken that made my wolf howl in warning.

Something was very wrong in Silver Creek Pack. And I was beginning to think it had nothing to do with failed pregnancies and everything to do with the woman who had returned after seven years away.