Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

I stepped out alone and headed to the pack hall to discuss the marking ceremony details with the event coordinator. By the time we finalized the plans, it was already late evening. When I returned to my family’s den, my adoptive parents read my mood immediately.

“Charlotte,” my mom, Mariah, said gently, pulling me closer, “once the mate bond is sealed, the Alpha will realize what a gem you truly are.”

Grant, my adoptive father, nodded in agreement. “He may come across as harsh, but he must care about you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent those ceremonial robes over. Go on, pick the one you like best.”

They believed Truett Cole, the Alpha of the Cole pack, was just bad at showing his feelings. But I knew the truth. He was only doing this to maintain pack harmony. It was never about love.

I chose a robe, planning to secretly have it tailored to fit Chloe’s size. Shortly after, Truett called.

“Don’t kid yourself that the robe means something,” he said coldly, his alpha tone cutting through the phone. “This whole ceremony is just to appease Jasper. You’d better toe the line, or you’ll regret it.”

I gripped the edge of the robe, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Understood, Alpha.”

The call ended.

The pack’s messenger updated Grant on Truett’s whereabouts, and Grant’s face turned grim. “Why is he seeing Chloe again? She’s a Delta warrior, and he’s the Alpha. This is unacceptable.”

“What is Truett doing, tangled up with a she-wolf who’s already bonded to another?” he fumed.

Just then, Jasper, the former Alpha, entered the living room and caught part of the conversation. His anger flared instantly. “The nerve!”

“Charlotte, don’t worry. I’ll have a serious talk with that ungrateful boy when he gets back!” Jasper promised.

Before Truett even returned to the pack grounds, the messenger showed us a trending video from the werewolf network. Truett was publicly backing Chloe’s business venture within the pack. The project not only overlapped significantly with the pack’s resources but also poached our key warriors. His favoritism was plain.

Grant was so furious, he slammed his fist on the table. Mariah, in disbelief, held back tears while trying to comfort me. “Charlotte, I’m sorry you’re going through this.”

Jasper, leaning on his cane, stomped the floor. “Ridiculous! He’s dragging the Cole pack’s reputation through the mud!”

Seeing my loved ones stand up for me, my eyes welled up with tears. After my biological parents passed away saving Jasper’s life, they treated me as their own. Discovering my unrequited love for Truett, they didn’t scold me but instead supported the mate pairing.

In my past life, they were swayed by an anonymous letter and tormented me endlessly. Their current care couldn’t erase the fear and distance I felt inside.

“Mom, Dad, Grandpa, I don’t want to go through with the ceremony anymore.”

“I’ve always known Truett couldn’t forget Chloe. I was too stubborn in the past, but now I’ve realized that letting them be is best for all of us.”

Mariah immediately chimed in, “Charlotte, did the Alpha hurt you again? Don’t act impulsively; we’ll solve this together.”

Grant supported her. “Yes, don’t make any hasty decisions. We’re all on your side.”

Promises like these had led to my tragic fate before.

I pulled out a stack of photos from my bag. They were of Truett and Chloe together.

“His private storage contains over a thousand intimate pictures like these, while in our ten years together, we only have ten because he claimed he didn’t like taking photos.”

“His heart was never with me. Letting him go means freeing myself. I’m planning to move to a new territory, and I hope you’ll agree.”

Jasper sighed, nodding reluctantly. “If you’re set on this decision, we’ll respect your choice. It’s the Cole pack that’s let you down.”