Rejected by my cursed mate

Daria's POV

My knuckles were bleeding again.

I slowly wiped them on my training pants, leaving dark smears on the rough fabric. The dust from the training yard stuck to every inch of my sweat-soaked skin. Every breath felt like fire in my lungs, and my ribs still throbbed from the last blow. But I pushed myself up anyway, forcing my shaky legs to hold my weight.

The mocking laughter started before I was even fully standing.

"Look at her. She actually thinks she can be a warrior." Marcus, one of the pack's best fighters, didn't bother lowering his voice. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the fence post, a smirk plastered across his face.

"An orphan omega? Please," his friend scoffed, spitting into the dirt. "She should be in the kitchens where she belongs."

I ignored them. I'd had years of practice ignoring the whispers, the sneers, the way pack members looked through me like I was invisible. My parents had died in the Great War when I was three, so I had no family or status. I was just another mouth to feed, another burden the pack tolerated out of obligation.

But I had a dream. Warriors were respected. Warriors mattered. If I could just prove myself strong enough, maybe someone would finally see me as more than nothing.

"Again." Training Leader Garrett's voice echoed across the yard.

I braced myself and raised my fists even as my tired arms shook. We had been at this for hours, and he had paired me against opponents twice my size, every single time. It didn't matter how hard I trained or how much I improved. To him, I would always be worthless.

The wolf he chose to face me this time was built like a mountain, all muscle and bulk. His fist connected with my jaw before I could even think to dodge, snapping my head back. A sharp pain shot through my skull, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

I fell to the ground, dirt in my mouth as my vision blurred. The blow had knocked the wind out of me, and I gasped, trying to pull air back in.

Somewhere above me, Garrett's laughter was cold and heartless.

"Pathetic," he sneered, his boot slamming into my ribs before I could recover.

I gasped as the air was knocked out of me again, curling up in reflex to protect myself from the pain that shot through my side. My wolf whimpered inside me, retreating deeper into my consciousness. She was weak too. We both were.

"You are nothing," Garrett spat, grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking my head up. His face loomed above mine, twisted with disgust. "Just an orphaned omega pretending to be a warrior. You disgust me."

He raised his hand for another strike, and the pack... they just watched. Dozens of wolves were standing in the training yard, and not one of them moved. Not one of them spoke