Rejected by One, Claimed by Another.

Cain froze.

The word still rang in his ears.

Mate.

Aria's body went slack in Kael's arms, her head lolling against his chest as her breathing turned shallow. Her body began to burn up rapidly and sweat began to cover her.

Kael caught her fully now, his grip tightening instinctively. "Aria," he called, shaking her slightly. "Aria, wake up."

Cain was already moving.

He walked the remaining distance towards taking fast strides that it felt like he was flying and within seconds he was with them.

"Let her go." he growled, his voice husky.

Kael looked up slowly.

"She collapsed," he said, his voice laced with concern. "She's burning up–"

Cain didn't let him finish as anger got the better of him.

His fist connected with Kael's jaw, sending him staggering back. Aria slipped from Kael's grasp, but Cain caught her instantly, pulling her against his chest.

A low, dangerous growl rumbled from Cain's throat as he pressed his forehead to Aria's.

"She's mine," he snarled. "You don't touch her. Ever."

Kael wiped blood from his lip, eyes dark, conflicted. "You heard it too, didn't you?" he said hoarsely. "Her wolf stirred. She reacted to me. She called me mate.

"I might have rejected her, but her wolf recognizes me and want me."

Cain stiffened, his jaw tightened, his fist clenched– but only for half a second.

"You said it yourself, you rejected her so that doesn't give you a right," he snapped. "You lost that right the moment you rejected her."

"Her wolf wants me!" Kael yelled. "You can't stop her."

"I don't care. She's mine now." Cain growled.

Some pack members and warriors of the left wing watched, whispers swing amongst them as they observed the tension arising from the two Alphas.

Lynn pushed past the crowd, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw Aria's unconscious figure.

"Aria, what happened to her?" she asked moving closer.

Cain turned sharply to her, "Get lady Mana. Now."

She didn't hesitate, not wasting another second she dashed towards the infirmary while Cain carried Aria heading towards his room in a fast but controlled speed.

Kael watched from behind, standing rooted to his spot, his eyes turning and burning with anger. His wolf pacing violently inside him.

"She called us mate," it growled. "Yet you allowed him take her away. You are a coward just like he said."

He clenched his fist. "I am not a coward. When I say she is mine, then she is." he muttered and stomped off.

*********

Aria's eyes fluttered open and was met with two pairs of worried eyes- Cain's eyes.

"Aria... Can you hear me?" he asked, placing his hands on her forehead to check her body temperature.

She smiled slightly, raising her hands to his face. "Cain..." she muttered. "I miss you."

"I'm here with you and will never leave you." he muttered, holding her hand to his face.

She sat upright. "I felt my wolf closer yesterday, but it retracted so suddenly which caused-"

He placed his index finger on her lips, cutting her off. "Don't say anything. I understand. I can feel it."

"I feel light headed and blank in my head. Did anything happen before I went unconscious?"

Cain stared at her, his thoughts flew back to when she called Kael "Mate" and also to what Lady Mana said while she treated her.

He smiled amidst the confusion, the pain and the worry. "Don't you worry Mama, nothing happened. Just focus on gaining your strength.

"It's all for the better that you don't remember." he thought.

~~~~~~~

Cain stood alone on the balcony of his room, the cold wind of the cool afternoon biting into his skin as his mind wandered and travelled to the event.

Mate.

The word clawed at him again.

He knew Aria didn't mean it, but he would be lying if he says the word hadn't torn through him, inflicting pain across his chest.

His wolf stirred uneasily. "She is ours. No one is changing that." it encouraged.

Cain closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh, wishing he was the one Aria had called mate. "Ohh, the word he had been opened to hear for a while now."

"I will not lose her," he whispered. "Not to him. Not to fate. Not to the Moon Goddess herself and not to any circumstances."

He remembered what Lady Mana had told him, as she stepped back from the bed slowly after having treated Aria. Her brows slightly drawn together.

Flash back.

"She will be fine. She needs sufficient rest and also avoid any action that will cause pain." Lady Mana said carefully, staring out the unconscious Luna.

Cain stiffened. "What do you mean by that?"

"Like the one with Alpha Kael." Lady Mana lowered her voice. "Her interaction with Alpha Kael caused her pain as her wolf carried the residue of his rejection. Her wolf is not rejecting you, Alpha. It's... confused."

Aria frowned weakly. "Confused how?"

Lady Mana hesitated, then sighed. "Her wolf recognizes two bonds. One broken and one claimed. As I said, the pain of the rejection, still lingers in the heart of her wolf. The wolf has forgotten even though it has been fated to yours because it was a rare instant second binding mate to another after rejection."

Cain's fingers tightened into a fist.

"Any more contact with Alpha Kael might make her wolf forcefully come out which is very dangerous. If her wolf awakens fully without balance and without calmness," Lady Mana continued, "it could tear her apart from the inside or worse kill her."

Silence fell.

"So what do I do?" Cain asked.

Lady Mana met his gaze. "You protect her from stress, fear and especially–"

She paused

"– from Alpha Kael."

Cain nodded.

__

Cain let out a soft sigh. At that moment, he perceived a familiar scent and began to sense someone approaching.

"Kael." he hissed, leaving the balcony.

Aria sat in bed, as Lynn fed her some porridge so she could take the tonic prepared by Lady Mana.

She smiled upon seeing Cain, but he wasn't paying attention as he walked towards the door, disappearing behind it.

She frowned.

--

"What are you doing here Kael?" Cain whispered, not wanting to shout as he didn't want Aria to hear their conversation.

"What do you think? I'm here to see my mate." Kael replied. "And why are you standing in my way?"

"She is no mate of yours." Cain growled lowly.

Kael smirked. "I'm sure you heard so well, she called me her mate."

"Shut up." Cain muttered whisper yelled, raising his fist

But Aria voice stopped him.

"What do you mean by I called you mate?" Aria asked, her question targeted at Kael.