Rejected Mate's Justice Quest

The summons came at dusk, delivered by a stone-faced Delta who wouldn't meet my eyes. Alpha Rowan wanted to see me in his office—immediately.

My stomach twisted as I followed the messenger through the winding corridors of the Shadowridge Pack house. Tomorrow was supposed to be our marking ceremony. After seven years as his chosen mate, I was finally going to become Luna. Something had to be wrong.

"Alpha," I murmured, entering his study with my head slightly bowed, the way he preferred. "You wanted to see me?"

Rowan stood by the window, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the fading light. He didn't turn when I entered. "Paisley. The marking ceremony is tomorrow."

"Yes, Alpha." My voice sounded small even to my own ears. I pressed a hand to my abdomen, where a secret suspicion had been growing for weeks. Could it be possible? A child?

"You will prove your worthiness tonight," he continued, finally turning to face me. His amber eyes were cold, calculating. "The ninety-ninth test."

My heart sank. "Tonight? But the ceremony is tomorrow, and I—" I hesitated, unsure how to tell him about my suspicions. We hadn't been intimate in months. Would he even believe me?

"You will join the rogue hunt," he declared, his Alpha tone vibrating through the room, making my knees weak. "The warriors leave in an hour."

"I don't feel well," I whispered, fighting against the command. "Please, Rowan. I think I might be—"

"Indispensable?" Clara's voice cut through the room like a blade. She stepped from the shadows, her perfect lips curved in a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "A real Luna wouldn't be so... fragile."

I hadn't even noticed her there. How long had she been listening?

"Clara," Rowan acknowledged with a warmth he never showed me. "I was just explaining to Paisley that her participation is non-negotiable."

"But if I'm carrying your child—" I began, desperation making me bold.

Rowan's laugh was cruel. "If you are, then it will be strong enough to survive a little discomfort. If not..." He shrugged. "Then perhaps it's for the best."

Clara's smirk widened as she moved closer to Rowan, her hand brushing his arm in a gesture too intimate for mere friendship. "Don't worry, Paisley. I'll take good care of our Alpha while you're off proving yourself."

---

The forest was alive with danger. I could feel it in every shadow, every rustling leaf as our hunting party moved through the darkness. The warriors had deliberately separated me from the main group, claiming they needed to cover more ground.

"Paisley, check the eastern ridge," Gamma Ryan ordered, pointing to a narrow path that led deeper into unfamiliar territory. "We'll circle back for you."

I nodded, swallowing my fear. Something wasn't right. The eastern ridge was known rogue territory—too dangerous for a solo scout, especially one without a wolf.

The moment I was alone, the forest seemed to close in around me. A twig snapped somewhere to my left. Then another to