Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

The procedures had dragged on for nearly five hours. The pack healers had pulled me back from the brink. When I woke up a day later, the first thing I saw was Alpha Legacy sitting by my bed, his broad frame towering even in the chair. Noticing my gaze, he finally lifted his eyes from his phone.

"Luna, you're awake? Looking better than I expected," he remarked, his alpha tone carrying a hint of detachment. He dropped his attention back to his phone and continued, "Yesterday, the healer mentioned you almost got stabbed in a vital organ, life-threatening and all that. But I checked online, Estrella, and your condition isn't nearly as serious as they made it sound."

"According to the internet, you'll be walking out of here in three to five days. Then you can recover at the packhouse. I’ll hire an Omega to make chili for you every day," he added.

I tried to speak, but my lips were cracked, and my throat felt parched and scratchy. I tugged at his sleeve, hoping he'd get me some water, but he was absorbed in his "medical" research.

"The internet also says this won’t affect the pup. And if the pup isn’t going to turn out well, I’d rather have had it dealt with yesterday. Oh, and Estrella, you don’t know, but when I got the call last night, Arabella was having a nightmare. Her brother’s not coming back for Thanksgiving this year, and if I’m not there to look after her, what will I say to him?"

I couldn’t get a word in. Struggling, I reached for the glass on the bedside table, but the effort made my wound throb, and I broke into a cold sweat.

Alpha Legacy finally noticed, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Luna, why are you being so difficult? I was just a bit late last night and didn’t sign the papers. Do you have to hurt yourself to get my attention?"

He handed me a steaming hot cup of water. "It’s too hot. Could you add some cold water?" I croaked, my voice weak. Alpha Legacy rolled his eyes. "Such a hassle."

Reluctantly, he put down his phone and went to get some cold water. With a bitter smile, I picked up his phone and took a quick glance. Arabella, the rogue werewolf who had been lingering around the packhouse, was sending him messages.

"Alpha Legacy darling, how could you say such things? Luna Estrella is still your mate, after all. Even if she’s pretending to be weak, it’s only because she cares about you. Unlike me, who doesn’t have anyone to look after me except you, even during the holidays."

I dared not check more of their conversation, knowing it would only be more humiliating. Just as I put the phone down, another message came through.

"By the way, I’m so sorry I hurt Luna Estrella. Please apologize to her for me. I can’t go in person; I’ve got a spa appointment."

When Alpha Legacy returned with the water, I had just placed the phone back. Reacting quickly, he snatched it up and shoved it into his pocket.

"Who said you could look at my phone? Don’t you know even between mates there should be some privacy?" His alpha tone was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

Seeing the anger in his eyes, I felt the familiar sting of heartache, even though I was ready to let him go. Just then, Kaia, the pack healer, came in to check on me, her calm presence a stark contrast to Alpha Legacy’s agitation.

"Alpha Legacy, the Luna is still very weak. Please keep your voice down," she admonished, her tone respectful but firm.

Alpha Legacy glared at me, his anger barely restrained. Kaia took the glass and poured a perfectly tempered cup of water for me. Noticing my tears, she promptly set boundaries.

"Visiting hours are over. Alpha Legacy, please leave now," she said, and with that, he was gone from my room.

Kaia comforted me for a long time, her soothing words a balm to my aching heart. Only when I had calmed down did she tell me the truth—I had lost the pup in the accident the day before.

Instinctively, my hand moved to my belly, where I’d hoped for so long to nurture new life. Tears fell, but I quickly wiped them away. Perhaps it was for the best. After all, Alpha Legacy hadn’t wanted the pup anyway.

My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a low, mournful sound that mirrored my own grief. But even she knew there was no point in clinging to something that was never meant to be.

As I lay there, the weight of the mate bond between us felt heavier than ever, like a chain that bound me to someone who no longer cared. And for the first time, I began to wonder if it was time to break it.