Rejected By My Fated, I Claimed His Future

My heart ached, a sour feeling spreading like an overflowing pond, bit by bit.

Apologize? Why on earth should I apologize?

Since childhood, I’ve watched Kolton rush to Zendaya time and time again. Now, he’s risking everything to protect her, even at the cost of his own well-being.

Even though Zendaya is about to mate with Orion Carter, a Lycan Prince.

Even though I am his rightful mate, the Alpha of the Martinez Pack.

I took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to escape, stubbornly locking eyes with Kolton.

"Kolton Mendez, don’t forget that I am your mate, and you are bound to me by the Moon Goddess’s decree!"

I turned my head, casting an icy smile at Zendaya—

"For years, you’ve been causing trouble repeatedly; we don’t even need to talk about that."

"You’re about to mate with the Lycan Prince, yet you’re still involved with someone else’s mate. What do you call that?"

"Playing the part of the other woman, shameless!"

Zendaya’s eyes welled up, a mist of hurt in her gaze.

"Alpha Martinez, how could you think of me like that? I’ve always seen Beta Mendez as a brother."

Although her words were directed at me, her eyes were fixed on Kolton.

Tears trailed down her face as she tried to hold back her sobs, saying:

"I understand now, I’m sorry for disrupting you both, I’ll leave right away..."

With her hand covering her mouth to wipe away the tears, Zendaya darted out of the hospital room.

Noticing Kolton starting to follow her, I instinctively grabbed his arm.

The next second, a slap landed hard on my face.

Caught off guard, I was knocked to the ground, a ringing in my head as I looked up—only to meet Kolton’s cold and frosty stare.

"Alpha Martinez, who do you think you are to belittle Zendaya like this!"

Kolton, usually so composed, rarely got angry. Yet now, because of Zendaya’s tears, he lashed out at me, his Beta.

In an instant, my heart felt as if it had been torn open, the cold air rushing in.

Kolton spat out, "Do what you want," then hurriedly left the room.

I crumpled onto the floor, the sting of his Alpha tone reverberating through me, a reminder of the power imbalance between us.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a message—"So pathetic."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Such an obvious charade, yet Kolton always played blind to it.

How ludicrous.

I braced against the wall, struggling to stand.

Just as I got halfway up, a sharp pain shot through my lower back, sending me crashing back down.

I had just remembered, during that slap, I had hit the corner of the nightstand.

... It really hurts.

I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to let my wolf’s whimper escape.

He’s a fool, she growled weakly. He’ll regret this.

But I wasn’t so sure. The bond between us, once unbreakable, now felt like ash in my hands.

And yet, even as I lay there, I knew I couldn’t show weakness. I was the Alpha of the Martinez Pack, and I would not let this break me.

Not now. Not ever.