Rejected By My Alpha Mate

Darwin Bell was the untouchable one in our circle.

When I first came to live with the Reed Pack at twelve, he was the one I feared most. As a Delta, he carried himself with a seriousness that made him seem older than his years. His expression was always stern, his words sparse. No matter what happened between the future Alpha and me—whether it was affection or arguments—he never showed unnecessary emotion. But now, unexpectedly, he'd slipped up.

I was taken aback.

He glared icily at Rohan, his voice low but firm. "You've crossed the line, future Alpha."

"What? Are you here to lecture me too?" Rohan sneered, his alpha aura flaring. "It's funny how everyone seems more invested in the Reed Pack's business than I am. Should I congratulate you on your perceptiveness, Malia?"

When I was sixteen, he had said the same thing to me. It was only because someone had slipped a love letter into my bag during training, and he had discovered it. It happened on my birthday. With a smirk, he’d looked at me and said, "The star student of the pack, writing such cheesy stuff."

That's what he said. But after everyone had left, he stormed into my room, pinned me against the door, and kissed me softly. After the brief kiss, he nestled against my neck, his breath warm as he whispered, "Malia, you can't like anyone else. You're meant for me."

Back then, he was like a forlorn wolf pup, his voice full of yearning.

I averted my eyes from his, the weight of his alpha presence pressing down on me. Everything felt disconnected. A sharp pain pierced my heart. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, but I silenced her. I knew we had to settle things between us once and for all.

"Future Alpha," I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside, "since everyone's here today, let's lay it all out."

He stubbed out his cigarette, his amber eyes narrowing. "Go ahead."

Though tears threatened to fall, I defiantly raised my head, refusing to let him see my weakness. "As you said, there's nothing between us. From now on, we're going our own ways."

Rohan's hold on his wine glass tightened, knuckles turning white. The air around him crackled with tension. "Malia, are you really cutting me off?"

I pressed my nails into my palm, grounding myself. "You have a potential mate now. Keeping your distance from other wolves is the decent thing to do, right?"

The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. Darwin's gaze flicked between us, his jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Rohan's expression darkened, his alpha aura pulsing with barely restrained anger.

"You think it's that simple?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can just walk away?"

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. "I have to, future Alpha. For both of us."

For a moment, he looked like he might argue, but then his lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Fine. Have it your way, Malia. But don’t come crying to me when you realize what you’ve thrown away."

The words stung, but I held my ground. My wolf howled in protest, but I ignored her. This was the only way forward, even if it tore me apart inside.