Rejected by Our Mates

At Brantley’s words, his face twisted with conflict.

Madelyn choked back a sob. “Mae, why did you trick me into coming here by saying the Alpha was critically injured? If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be in this position!”

Brantley stared at me, disbelief written across his face. “You? You lied to Madelyn? Do you hate her so much that you’d send her to her death?”

Though they’ve hurt me countless times before, their baseless accusations still cut deep.

“This war has been raging for three days and three nights. Survival is all we’ve been focused on. How could I have tricked her into coming here?”

My explanation met Brantley’s gaze, but his eyes held nothing but distrust.

I lowered my head, a bitter laugh escaping me. “Fine. Why would you ever believe me?”

Kyaire sneered, turning to Evelynn. “Everyone knows how skilled you two are at playing the victim. Evelynn, did you have a hand in this? If you’ve harmed Madelyn, I’ll reject you as my mate.”

“Do what you must.”

Evelynn’s cold response left Kyaire visibly unsettled.

“You—”

His words were cut off by Mekhi Richards, the Rogue leader.

“I want the Moonflower now. Or else…”

Madelyn’s face paled. “Alpha… Brantley.”

At her faint plea, Brantley was at my side in an instant, yanking my shirt open. “You’ll have to endure this. She’s the daughter of my closest friend. I can’t just watch her die. Besides, this is your fault.”

Before I could respond, he unsheathed his claws.

“Brantley! Brantley, have you lost your mind? She’s your mate!”

“Stop! Stop it now!”

Evelynn’s screams were desperate, but they couldn’t halt his actions.

I trembled with pain, clenching my teeth as I demanded, “Is this really about your friend, or is it something else?”

Brantley couldn’t meet my eyes, his hands moving faster.

Mekhi watched the scene unfold, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

“I’ve heard Evelynn has a rare healing essence. Alpha Kyaire…”

Before Kyaire could speak, Evelynn interjected, “I’ll give it to you. I’ll give you anything. Just make Brantley stop!”

“Oh, no. You Lycans always say fate has its own plan. Today, it seems fate has chosen her.”

Kyaire stepped forward, his hands reaching for Evelynn’s neck, and began to extract her essence.

“Your words earlier didn’t sit well with me. Consider this a lesson.”

Within moments, Mekhi held the Moonflower in one hand and Evelynn’s essence in the other, his laughter echoing through the battlefield.

“You five are quite the spectacle. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Now, let’s see. If you had to choose who lives and who dies, what would you do?”

His words darkened everyone’s expression.

Timothy Vasquez, a respected Delta in the Lycan King’s council, stepped forward, his voice urgent. “You can’t do this! If the Moonflower is destroyed, chaos will follow! Think of the packs!”

The Moonflower, a sacred plant tied to the survival of our kind, held the balance of life and death. Without it, the werewolf world would descend into ruin. Yet, it was also the very thing that made us vulnerable.

As Brantley hesitated, I turned to Mekhi, my voice hoarse. “They’ve already made their choice. Can’t you see?”

“No matter how many times this happens, the outcome will always be the same.”

“Your Rogue King and the rogue leaders want us as their mates, don’t they? We’ll go with you.”

Evelynn nodded. “Yes, we’ll go.”

Brantley’s anger flared. “Mae, have you no self-respect? You’d willingly become a Rogue’s mate?”

“You’ve both lost your minds!”

Their concern didn’t last long, cut short by Madelyn’s tearful voice.

“Alpha… Brantley, it’s all my fault. I’m the reason you’re trapped here. I’ll take the blame.”

She reached for a dagger, ready to end her own life.