The Alpha Longed for My Love When I Rejected Him

I saw the fish fillet set in front of my seat at the end of the dining table and quietly made my way over, settling in with little ceremony. Cameron took his place at the opposite end.

“Why did you change the password on your phone?” He asked, his gaze fixed on me.

The phone had been a gift from him for my twenty-fifth birthday, with a password set to our combined favorite numbers. But that was before I realized where his true affections lay—on Kennedy, his Beta. I’d changed the code after realizing just how often I was left alone in favor of her company.

I shrugged, still focused on my waffles. “No reason.”

A faint scowl crossed his face as he leaned back, coldly continuing, “The Alpha gathering is tonight. You’ve always wanted to be my date to these events. Would you like to come as my date this time?”

Kennedy had taken my place at these gatherings ever since she became his Beta, while I was often left to tag along with friends. What had changed now?

If I turned him down, he’d grow suspicious—and I wasn’t ready for him to know I was planning to leave.

Without meeting his eyes, I stood and replied, “Sure.”

--

At the gathering, I sat quietly at our table, surrounded by the elegance of the event hall, but my mood matched the silence. Cameron was beside me, for once.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked, glancing at the uninterested expression I wore.

I nodded briefly, still avoiding eye contact. Being his date wasn’t what I’d imagined it would be. I didn’t know many of the other Alphas or Lunas, and Cameron hadn’t given me a moment’s attention until just now.

He seemed to hesitate, as if he had more to say, but stopped abruptly when a familiar voice cut through the room.

“Cameron!” Kennedy’s tone held that unmistakable note of excitement.

We both turned to see her approaching, a wide smile lighting up her face. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

“You look amazing tonight!” he said, openly admiring her. The gaze he reserved for her alone made my wolf, Ciara, stir with a restless ache I couldn’t ignore.

Kennedy took his hand, threading her fingers through his. “Thank you, Cameron.”

She glanced at me then, her expression shifting to mock surprise as she released his hand. “Oh, Luna Ariane, I’m so sorry! Cameron and I are just… very close.”

Before I could respond, Cameron dismissed her apology. “There’s no need to apologize, Kennedy.”

Alpha Murray appeared then, diverting Cameron’s attention to speak with him, and I turned away, unable to ignore the dull sting in Ciara’s heart as she watched Gavin, Cameron’s wolf, remain steadfast in his affection for us while Cameron’s focus strayed elsewhere.

Suddenly, someone shouted, “Rogues!” and the room descended into chaos. People scattered, and Cameron grabbed Kennedy’s hand, instinctively pulling her toward the back exit.

He didn’t even think to shield me, his own mate. All his concern was for her.

“Everyone, calm down!” Alpha Murray called out. “There are no rogues! A kid saw shadows near the bushes and mistook them for rogues.”

Cameron and Kennedy returned to the hall, visibly relaxed now. I glanced at the time on my phone; I’d need to be up early for my morning flight. Making a quiet exit, I left the hall and took a taxi back to the pack house.

--

The next morning, I was already on the train, moving farther and farther away from him, when I heard Cameron’s voice in my mind, panic seeping through our mate bond. “Ariane! Why am I feeling this pain from the mate bond? Why are you leaving? Where are you going?”

Ciara’s heart ached, but her resolve held firm. The bond was beginning to fray—distance alone was enough to trigger its weakening.

I stayed silent, but his voice continued, pressing in the link, “Answer me, damn it!”

Still, I ignored him. After a long pause, he asked again, almost pleading. “Where are you going?”

I finally replied, “Far away from you.”

Then, bracing myself for the sharp pang of the severing bond, I added, “I, Ariane Hunter, reject you, Alpha Cameron.”