Rejected by Fated Mate

I couldn't sleep. The mate bond that had once felt like a warm embrace now twisted inside me like barbed wire, pulling tighter with each passing day. Three nights had passed since Scott's announcement, and each one felt like another nail in the coffin of our relationship.

I paced the gardens behind the pack house, seeking solace in the moonlight that filtered through the trees. My wolf whimpered constantly now, confused by the conflicting signals from our supposed mate.

"He still smells like ours," she insisted weakly. "But he doesn't act like it anymore."

"I know," I whispered back, wrapping my arms around myself. "Something's wrong."

The night air carried the scent of pine and frost—Scott's scent—mixed with something else. Something that made my wolf suddenly alert.

Voices. Coming from beyond the garden wall where the pack territories met.

I moved silently toward them, my footsteps barely disturbing the dew-covered grass. The boundary between our packs had always been well-maintained, but tonight something felt different. The barrier seemed... thinner somehow.

"—need you to remember that this is temporary," a male voice was saying, low and urgent. "The Hall Pack can't survive another season without the alliance."

I froze, pressing myself against the stone wall. That was Beta Marcus from the Hall Pack—Violeta's second-in-command.

"I'm well aware of our situation," Violeta's voice replied, sharp and calculating—nothing like the fragile, confused woman who clung to Scott's arm. "But this charade is more difficult than I anticipated."

My breath caught in my throat as I strained to hear more.

"The Dixon Alpha's son is completely taken in," she continued with a bitter laugh. "Though I must admit, I didn't expect to find him with a fated mate. That complicates things."

"Does he suspect anything?" Marcus asked.

"Not yet. But that pathetic Beta's daughter is starting to ask questions. I need more time to solidify my position before we can proceed with the next phase."

Their voices faded as they moved away from the boundary, but I'd heard enough. My hands trembled against the stone wall as the truth crashed over me.

Violeta's amnesia was completely fabricated.

---

I found Scott in the kitchen the next morning, alone for once. Violeta was nowhere to be seen—probably sleeping in, as had become her custom.

"We need to talk," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

Scott glanced up from his coffee, his amber eyes distant. "I'm busy, Octavia."

"This won't wait." I stepped closer, pulling out my phone. "I know about Violeta."

Something flickered across his face—alarm, perhaps—before his expression hardened. "What are you talking about?"

"She's not suffering from amnesia," I said, showing him the notes I'd made about inconsistencies in her story. "I heard her talking to Beta Marcus last night. She's using you—using this fake memory loss to secure the Dixon alliance because the Hall Pack is failing."

Scott's jaw tightened as he scanned my notes. His fingers curled around his mug so tightly I feared it might crack.

"These are just your accusations," he said coldly. "You're jealous of Violeta."

"I'm not jealous!" The words burst from me, raw and desperate. "I'm trying to protect you! Can't you sense the manipulation? Use your Alpha instincts for once!"

"I said enough!" Scott slammed his mug down, coffee splashing across the counter. "You're so desperate to be Luna that you're willing to lie about my chosen mate."

"Your chosen mate?" I echoed, my voice breaking. "What about our fated bond?"

Scott's eyes flashed gold, and suddenly the air in the kitchen grew heavy with his Alpha power.

"Listen carefully," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. "You will never speak against Violeta again."

The Alpha command hit me like a physical blow, forcing me to my knees. My wolf cowered inside me, whimpering as she submitted to his dominance.

"Scott, please," I gasped, fighting against the compulsion.

"I won't have you spreading lies about her," he continued, looming over me. "She's been through enough without your jealousy."

"I'm not lying!" I managed to choke out, even as my body betrayed me by bowing lower.

Scott crouched down, gripping my chin roughly and forcing me to meet his gaze. "If you ever threaten to expose her to the Pack Council or anyone else, there will be consequences."

The weight of his command crushed down on me, making my wolf whine in submission. Tears streamed down my face as I fought against both his power and my own heartbreak.

"You're making a mistake," I whispered.

His grip tightened. "The only mistake was thinking I could trust you."

As he released me and stalked away, leaving me trembling on the kitchen floor, I realized that the man I loved was gone—replaced by someone who would use his Alpha voice to silence me rather than protect me.

And somewhere in the pack house above, Violeta was probably smiling.