Page 8 of Rejected By The Alpha Heir

“I know I speak for the whole pack when I say the Moon Goddess has blessed you with such a beautiful, kind, and worthy intended mate,” she continues. My face flames red and I want to die. Austin looks over at me again, this time his expression is unreadable.

“For this Full Moon bonfire, perhaps you would grace us all with a dance, just you and your intended Luna, to welcome in the Moon Goddess on this night?”

You could hear a pin drop around the fire while everyone stares at us. The snap and crackle of the flames sounds like gunshots.

Austin studies me and then turns to Callie with a smile. It’s one of his fake ones, specifically the one he uses when he’s extremely annoyed.

My heart sinks like a stone.

“The Moon Goddess has blessed all of the Nightwing Pack, indeed,” he says, causing the packmates around us to howl in excitement. “We honor Her every time we dance around this fire. Alas, as I’m sure my lovely intended will tell you, my dancing is less of an honor and more of a hindrance, so I must honor the Moon Goddess in a different way.”

Quiet laughter sounds around the bonfire as I feel the pit in my stomach grow even deeper, somehow.

“But, please, don’t let that stop you all from dancing. This is our night. Let’s celebrate!” he says before sitting down and turning to the crowd at his side. A clear dismissal.

The pack responds with a roar and the music starts up as everyone starts to dance. Callie tsks under her breath, leading me over to the side where her spot is.

I follow her, but I’m numb. I can’t breathe. All I want to do is run away.

Rejected. Again. This time, in front of the entire pack.

I’ve never felt more alone in my life. I thought, before tonight, that I understood what it meant to be lonely. Most of my friends have all drifted away, jealous or intimidated by my future role. My mother is gone, and my father is living far away in the city, and now my mate avoids me. I’ve come to terms with that as best I can, but it’s hard.

This is a new low. I want to curl up in a little ball and cry. Hannah comes running over, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to where Barbara and some of the other packmates are seated. They greet me kindly, but I can see the questions in their eyes.

The strength of a pack is often dependent on the mated Alpha pair. If Austin and I can’t even fake it during our engagement, that puts the pack in jeopardy. People will think that we’re breakable.

Why, Moon Goddess, why have you cursed me like this?

Chapter Three

Austin

I can’t concentrate on a word Vincent says as he tells me about the latest spy we’ve found on our territory. I can’t stop tracking Yelena’s movements around the bonfire. It’s the curse of Fated Mates. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop stealing glances at her.

She looks beautiful tonight. Her black hair is pulled back in a simple braid and she’s dressed casually in just jeans and a pink flannel shirt. It’s an effortless kind of natural beauty that she’s embodied ever since we were kids. An intrusive thought flashes into my mind as I watch her move.

What would her body feel like, pressed up against mine? What would she taste like?

I shudder and shake my head, scowling at the world around me. It does me no good to think like that.

I look up again and see her staring at me, her face stricken. She must have seen my scowl and assumed that it was about her.

If I were a better man, I’d reassure her. Tell her that she did nothing wrong. But, instead, I scowl again and she visibly recoils.

I’m the worst kind of asshole for taking some joy in it. It’s not Yelena’s fault that she represents everything I hate about my life and it’s not her fault that I’m drawn to her against my will.

I wish I could hate her. It would certainly make things easier. But she’s sogood.It’s hard to hate someone who is naturally kind. Compassionate. Loyal.

I resent it and her in many ways. If I can’t fight Fate, I can at least delay it, which is why she’s been claimed as my mate in name only.

One of the kitchen assistants hands me an ice-cold bottle of beer and I take it, drinking deeply. My eyes are still fixed on my skittish mate, watching her as she moves quietly throughout the party. If Calliope weren’t here causing a ruckus, she’d probably already be hidden away.

Yelena’s shoulders are already so tense and her smile is brittle. She’s deeply uncomfortable in these kinds of situations, but she’s doing a good job of hiding it.

Doing her duty, as always.

She smiles at the few people who greet her and pays special attention to one of the children who approaches her. It’s the first time I have seen one of her genuine smiles come out and it makes my heart skip a beat and a pang of jealousy rise in my chest. I frown and try to push those feelings away.

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