Page 2 of Rejected By the Alpha

Rocky, we lost our chance a long time ago,I said sadly.

Jasper and I had been members of the Moonstone Pack for a few years already when I met Leah by chance. The pack we found ourselves members of was vicious and cruel, similar to my upbringing in the brothel alongside Jasper. It felt comfortable and familiar to us—a far cry from the peace I found with Leah.

During one of my runs on a break from guard duties, I had stumbled across the town of Sparkle Hollow and been fascinated by how quaint it was. Its quietness resonated with me, and I had spent time exploring the area. Once I caught sight of Leah, it was as if my world shifted. We were happy together, and I had believed she was the one.

I had dreamed of a time when I would be able to bring her back to the Moonstone Pack with me, my own personal peace amidst the chaos of the pack.

And that was when my half-brother, Franco, had reappeared and upended everything.

He had arrived out of nowhere, seeking me out to ask for my help in his most recent twisted plot for power. I had agreed to help him out of family loyalty and broke things off with Leah, choosing to follow Franco instead of my heart. It turned out to be the one and only time I regretted keeping a vow to someone.

By the time I realized my mistake, it was too late. I had already rejected Leah as my mate and allowed her to slip through my fingers. I had returned to the Moonstone Pack, a more broken version of myself, determined to stick by Jasper’s side no matter what happened next.

Through thick and thin, Jasper had been my true brother. I had been by his side when he broke free from the Moonstone Pack and became alpha, and stood by him when he married his mate, April. Together, he and April had created a new, kind world that I was still finding my place in. The impact of living through so much trauma and violence had taken a toll on me.

But Jasper had managed to beat his inner demons and settle down with his mate. Perhaps I could as well.

There was only one way to find out.

I set out from my small house and walked next door to where Alpha Jasper and his wife lived at the top of the hill. Their home was one of the largest in the neighborhood that housed our pack, as they often had guests staying with them. It was also where all our pack business was conducted.

“Good morning, Killian,” April greeted me when I came in through the side door.

She offered me a fresh cup of coffee. The steam billowed over the rim of the green mug, the robust and bitter aroma wafting toward me.

“Thank you,” I said, accepting the cup. “Is Jasper up yet?”

“Mm-hmm,” she said as she took a sip from her own mug. “He’ll be down in a minute.”

I sat at the kitchen table and sipped my drink as I thought about the best way to broach the topic with Jasper. In hindsight, I wondered if I should have told him about Leah. He had asked a few times why I hadn’t gone out in search of a mate of my own. I had avoided his questions, giving vague answers about not being able to find “the one.” After so many years of keeping my feelings for Leah hidden, I didn’t feel like bringing her up now.

“Ki, what are you doing here so early?” Jasper asked as he came into the room.

“Alpha Lex called with a request this morning. I wanted to come and talk to you about it,” I replied.

Jasper pulled up a chair as his mate brought him some coffee. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and I saw her give it a gentle squeeze before she left the room to give us space.

“What was his request?” Jasper asked.

“There’s a she-wolf in Sparkle Hollow who is looking for a mate—an alpha,” I said. “Lex asked me to talk to you and Nile to see if you know of any packs looking for a luna.”

Jasper frowned slightly as he thought about it, but I already knew his answer. “No, none that come to mind,” he said.

“What if there was a pack—a small one—that had an alpha willing to take on a mate from Sparkle Hollow? An alpha who could help tie our packs together even closer and maintain the peace?” I prompted.

My heart pounded as I spoke, so I took a deep breath to steady myself. My palms were sweating, so I wiped them on my pants before continuing. There was no way around it. I had to ask him openly if I was going to make my plan work and get Leah back.

“What do you mean, Killian?” Jasper asked with a look of confusion on his face.

“I have served you faithfully for many years. Even before you became the alpha, I acted as your second-in-command and did anything you asked of me. I would never do anything that would cause disruption to your life, which is why I want to ask whether you would consider supporting me in the creation of a new werewolf pack within Pinedale.”

My voice was measured, and I spoke clearly, watching Jasper’s face for disapproval or anger with each word that passed through my lips.

“You want to become an alpha and marry the she-wolf from Sparkle Hollow?” Jasper clarified.

“With your blessing,” I replied. “We have already proven that multiple packs can live peacefully together. My pack could be small, but the alpha title would allow me to choose a good mate who would benefit the entire community.”

Jasper looked at me thoughtfully, his eyebrows creased as he stared into my eyes. For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake. Of course, an alpha would not be willing to give up any of his territory to another male, regardless of how close they were.

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