Reject My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 1

The day my unborn pup was taken from me in a rogue wolf attack, my mate, Dominic, was out patrolling with his Beta - something that had become suspiciously frequent lately.

As the Supreme Alpha of the Silver Crescent Pack, Dominic commanded respect from every wolf in our territory. And Scarlett, his Beta, seemed to command his attention more and more these days.

When he found me, the moonlight illuminating my blood-stained ceremonial robes, he did something no true mate should ever do - he blocked Scarlett's view and growled, "Stay back. The Moon Goddess has cursed this ground."

Their wolves emerged in an instant - his midnight black coat a stark contrast to her russet fur - as they bounded away into the forest, leaving me alone with my grief.

My inner wolf, Ava, whimpered in anguish. *How could our mate abandon us like this?*

Then the rogue attacked and I blacked out.

When I came back home from the pack's hospital,I found a rose-gold ceremonial dress laid out on our bed - the kind worn by unmated she-wolves during the Moon Blessing ceremony. I hadn't worn such colors since my own claiming ceremony five years ago.

The pain of betrayal coursing through my blood bond was too much to bear. With trembling hands, I reached for my phone and contacted Alpha Xavier of the White Moon Pack through our secure pack network.

"Greetings, Alpha Xavier. I've made my decision about transfering back to your pack."

His response was immediate and tinged with genuine concern, "Blessed news, Luna Claire. Everything will be prepared well for you."

As the connection faded, Dominic stalked into our room, his focus entirely on his pack-link device since Scarlett inherited her father's Beta position during the last full moon cycle.

"Was that Alec through the pack-link?" He questioned, barely meeting my gaze, his Alpha markings dimming slightly with his distraction.

"Actually, it was-" I began, but the device's distinctive howl cut me off.

"Never mind. Pack business," he muttered, his Alpha authority dismissing me without a second thought.

"Let's switch to mind-link. I'm with my Luna," he spoke into the device, though his tone lacked the reverence that title deserved.

A moment later, his lips curved into a smile as a message came through the pack-link.

My inner wolf howled in pain. Ever since Scarlett ascended to Beta rank after the last Blood Moon ceremony, Dominic had been leaving our home before dawn and returning long after moonrise.

"Where are my ceremonial furs? You always prepare them for the nightly pack runs," he demanded, finally tearing his eyes from the pack-link device.

Before I could respond, his Alpha tone softened unexpectedly. "The Enforcement Warriors have tracked down the rogue wolf pack. By the way, how are your wounds?" His eyes briefly flickered to my wounds. "Shadow Healer Marcus says your wolf should heal completely by the next full moon."

"They're healing nicely." I replied curtly, focusing on my pack-link feed instead of his false concern.

After the rogue attack, Shadow Healer Marcus had revealed the devastating news - not only had I suffered severe injuries to both my human and wolf forms, but I had lost my unborn pup. A pup I hadn't even known I was carrying. The Moon Goddess's greatest blessing, crushed before I could even rejoice in it.

I felt Dominic's Alpha presence hovering near, but I kept my mental barriers firmly in place, blocking our mate bond.

"Who are you mind-linking with?" he growled, a hint of his wolf bleeding into his voice.

Was he really trying to act territorial now, when he'd been neglecting our bond for moons?

"The void," I answered, maintaining my mental shields.

"I-" he started, but was interrupted by an urgent howl from his pack-link device.

His face showed genuine shock. "Not once have you mentioned this!"

"I have. The blood roses would be more appropriate," I suggested, reaching for the deep red blooms, but he pulled them away.

His Alpha aura flared as he growled, "If you don't want the moon lilies, leave them for the pack gardens, but these aren't meant for you."

"Who are they for?" My heart clenched as Luna already knew the answer.

Were they for Scarlett? How had his Beta earned more consideration than his Moon-blessed mate?

He ignored my question, dropping the moon lilies on our ritual table.

I lifted the rose-gold ceremonial dress from where I'd placed it. "Whose claiming ceremony dress is this?"

"I-" he began, but I cut him off.

"Is it Scarlett's?"

Panic flashed across his features, his mate mark flickering. "I don't know how it appeared here. I'll return it to her."

He snatched the dress and headed for the door, then paused. "Come, I'll take you to the pack's feeding grounds for morning meal."

The invitation shocked me - he never shared meals with me anymore, though he was frequently seen at the Beta's private dining room.

Moreover, I was clearly in our dining area with empty plates before me, evidence of my finished meal that he'd completely failed to notice.