THE MATE SHE REJECTED

THE PALACE

Alpha Wynter leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he listened to the ministers' concerns. The Beta, standing beside him, watched the discussion with a keen eye.

"I don't think we should allow the omegas at the school anymore," Minister Thorold said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Our pups are complaining about being taught alongside them."

Alpha Wynter raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, is the problem with the omegas being educated alongside the other pups?" He asked.

Minister Thorold hesitated before responding, "Well, they're just so... inferior. It's beneath us to be teaching them the same things." He said.

The Alpha's expression turned stern. "As long as I am the alpha, the omegas will be treated equally to others, no matter what you say. They have just as much right to an education as any other member of the pack." He said.

Minister Ragnar spoke up, his voice laced with condescension. "But, Alpha, they're already growing too powerful. You're being too lenient with them. What if they become a threat to our dominance?" He asked.

Alpha Wynter's gaze narrowed. "I will not tolerate any discussion of persecution or marginalization of our omega members. They are part of this pack, and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity." He said.

"But....."

The Beta cleared his throat, intervening before the ministers could respond. "I think we've discussed this topic sufficiently, and his majesty has said his word, Alpha. Perhaps we could move on to other matters?" He asked with a bow.

The Alpha nodded, and the meeting continued, with the ministers reluctantly dropping the subject. Once the discussion was concluded, Alpha Wynter dismissed the council.

As the ministers filed out, the Beta fell into step beside them.

"Let's discuss the plan," he said, his voice low and conspiratorial.

The ministers gathered around him, their faces eager as they find a secretive place to stand. "So, how is the plan going?" Minister Thorold asked.

The Beta smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "My son has finally caught the princess's attention. Soon, they'll be married, and-"

"But what if they're not mates?" Minister Ragnar interrupted. "The Alpha may not allow them to marry."

The Beta chuckled. "Trust me, the Alpha always follows my word because he trusts me the most. He'll allow the marriage, and after that... well, let's just say that my son will be taking over as the new Alpha because we will be getting rid of the Alpha and his family." He said.

The ministers exchanged sly glances, their faces twisted in cruel smiles. "And when that happens, we'll finally be able to achieve our aim: a pack without the useless omegas," Minister Thorold said, his voice dripping with malice.

The group erupted into laughter, their voices echoing off the walls.

Lysander's father, Blackwood, stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. He had returned to the store room to retrieve a cleaning bucket he had forgotten earlier. Now, he wished he hadn't overheard the conversation.

The Beta's words hung in the air, taunting him: "a pack without the useless omegas." Blackwood felt a cold dread creeping up his spine. He knew he had to get out of there.

He slowly backed away, trying not to make a sound. But as he turned to leave, his foot creaked on the floorboards. The Beta's head snapped towards him, his eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Blackwood," the Beta said, his voice dripping with false warmth. "What brings you here?"

Blackwood bowed low, trying to hide his trembling hands. "I-I was just returning the cleaning equipment, sir. I didn't mean to intrude."

The Beta's gaze lingered on him, suspicion etched on his face. "Very well. You may leave." He said.

Blackwood beat a hasty retreat, his heart pounding in his chest.

The Beta watched Blackwood leave, his eyes narrowing.

"Do you think he heard what we said?" Minister Thorold asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Beta's smile was cold and calculating. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it." He said.

As the ministers dispersed, the Beta's mind was already racing with plans to eliminate any potential threats to their scheme. He knew that Blackwood had overheard something, but he wasn't sure how much. Either way, it didn't matter. The Beta had a plan in place to deal with any potential witnesses.

Little did he know, Lysander's life was about to take a dramatic turn, one that would change the course of his destiny forever.

......

Lysander lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as Sage entered the room.

"Hey, what's up?" Sage asked, his voice casual. He is Lysander older brother.

Lysander shrugged, not looking up. "Nothing."

Sage's eyes scanned the room before landing on Lysander's face. His expression turned stern as he took in the bruises.

"How long is this going to continue?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Lysander finally looked up, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. "Forever, probably."

Sage scoffed, walking over to Lysander's bed. "You have to hang out with them if you want them to leave you alone. Look at me, I hang out with them, and they respect me." He said.

Lysander raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic smile on his face. "More like their slave, they send you around." He said.

Sage's expression tightened, but he didn't deny it. "At least it's better than being beaten. Get up and dress; we're going to the Alpha's princess party. You should try to talk to people and make friends there." He said.

Lysander groaned, rolling over onto his stomach. "Do you think anyone will want to be friends with me?" He asked.

Sage's expression softened slightly. "Yeah, there are people who will. So, let's go." He said.

Before Lysander could protest further, Sage dragged him up from the bed. Lysander stumbled, his legs protesting after sitting for so long. Sage pushed him toward the bathroom.

"Make yourself look good; I'll be waiting outside," Sage said.

Lysander leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The bruises on his face stood out starkly, a reminder of his place in the pack's hierarchy. He didn't want to go to the party, didn't want to face the condescending smiles and snickers. But Sage was already gone, waiting outside for him to get ready.

With a sigh, Lysander began to clean up, trying to make himself presentable. As he dressed, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. What if Sage was wrong? What if no one wanted to be friends with him?

Lysander pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on getting through the night. He would go to the party, try to make a good impression, and maybe, just maybe, things would start to change. But as he looked at himself in the mirror, he couldn't help but wonder if he was fooling himself.

.....

Lysander's eyes widened as he entered the huge mansion, overwhelmed by the number of wolves present. The air was filled with laughter and music, and the smell of drinks and food wafted through the air.

"There are my guys," Sage said, grinning. "Have fun on your own and make some friends." With that, he went to join a group of boys, leaving Lysander to fend for himself.

Lysander scoffed, feeling a bit annoyed. He made his way to a corner of the room, where he sat down and grabbed a drink from the table. As he sipped it gently, he took in the scene before him.

Suddenly, a loud howling erupted, followed by applause. Lysander's eyes followed the commotion to the front of the room, where the alpha princess had appeared. Kieran, the beta's son, was standing beside her, holding her hand. Lysander's eyes widened as he recognized the girl from the previous day. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered, and he couldn't believe she was the alpha princess.

As he watched, the princess cut a huge cake, and the crowd cheered. Then, she fell to the ground, her bones crunching as she underwent her first transformation. Lysander gasped in shock as she emerged as a beautiful white wolf. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and the princess, now in wolf form, loped away.

Lysander smiled gently, feeling a sense of wonder. He looked around, but the princess was nowhere to be seen. He decided to have a little fun at the party, but as he stood up, he saw the group of boys who always bullied him. He quickly made a move to exit the party, but a sweet, enchanting smell caught his nose.

His eyes widened as he followed the smell, his heart racing with excitement. The smell grew stronger, and he found himself tracing it to a corridor. He kept going until a door suddenly opened, and Astra came out.

Astra had been waiting for Kieran in the room, but as she perceived the same smell, she froze. She saw Lysander standing in front of her, and their eyes met in a moment of pure shock.

"Mate," Lysander's wolf voice echoed in his head, the word sending a shiver down his spine. This was the first time his wolf had ever spoken to him, and Lysander felt a mix of emotions: excitement, fear, and confusion.

Astra's eyes were wide with shock, her face pale. She stared at Lysander, her mind reeling with the implications of what she was feeling. She had been expecting to find her mate, but she had never expected it to be this boy, this omega who was so far beneath her in social standing.

The two of them stood there, frozen in time, their eyes locked on each other. The world around them melted away, leaving only the two of them, and the undeniable connection between them.