Rejected Mate, Rising Alpha

At the dinner table, Vanessa had already laid out the steaming dishes. She was impeccably dressed, wearing elegant makeup and adorned with a striking necklace that complemented her carefully chosen designer dress. As the Gamma of the Crimson Fang Pack, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who knew her place in the world—and it was far above mine.

Unlike me, an Omega from the Silver Moon Pack, I had no parents, no career, just the role of a mate to the Alpha. Maybe that’s why Mathias was willing to swallow his pride and bend over backwards for her. He had always been drawn to power, and Vanessa radiated it.

"Lucia, you know I’ve been swamped with pack duties lately. Usually, I have the servants handle the meals, but today is the first time in years that I’ve prepared the feast myself. Please don’t be too critical of the taste!" Vanessa teased, her voice dripping with mock humility as she stuck her tongue out playfully.

I grasped her motive; it was nothing more than a dig at my lower status. I stayed silent and took a seat on the side of the table, where an Omega like me belonged.

Mathias, the Alpha, tried to sit next to me, but I stopped him with a firm gesture. "It’s rare for Vanessa to visit. You should sit with her and ensure she’s comfortable."

Both he and Vanessa were taken aback by my words. I grabbed a large piece of spiced honey cake and took a bite, savoring the rich flavor. "Why are you all staring at me? Is there something on my face? Let’s dig in."

For me, enjoying the meal was more important than Mathias’s company. With such a feast today, why shouldn’t I indulge? In the past, I was always cutting costs for the pack, never indulging in these luxuries. Mathias never liked me purchasing them either.

Once, I bought some for him, and when he returned, he assumed I intended to eat it all myself. He immediately snapped, "Our pack is already going through financial hardships, and you’re spending resources on frivolous treats!"

But he seemed to forget that when he marked me as his mate, he promised, "I, Mathias, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, take you, Lucia, as my mate. I’ll protect you and provide for you, forever."

The words that once stirred my heart now made me cringe. No one can truly support someone else indefinitely. Not even an Alpha. The only one you can truly rely on is yourself.

And Mathias didn’t really provide for me. All these years while he led the pack, I ran the household. He’d come home to find meals ready, his clothes freshly laundered, and the den in order. To outsiders, being a mate might seem straightforward, yet it’s undeniably a role in its own right—one that I’ve fulfilled without recognition.

As I chewed, I felt the sting of Vanessa’s gaze, her sharp eyes assessing me like a predator sizing up its prey. But for once, I didn’t care. Tonight, I would savor the meal, and tomorrow, I would begin to rebuild the life I had lost.