Rejected Mate's New Start

The stack of freshly folded laundry in my arms felt heavier than usual as I approached Alpha Camden's office. Soleil's tiny dresses and Camden's pressed shirts smelled of the lavender detergent I'd carefully selected—a small touch I hoped would bring comfort to this house that often felt more like a battleground than a home.

I raised my hand to knock, then froze. Camden's voice carried through the heavy oak door, speaking in the clipped tone he used for mind-link conversations with his Beta.

"She's just the nanny, Marcus," Camden's words hit me like ice water. "A useful omega for Soleil's care, nothing more."

My fingers tightened on the laundry basket's handles. The electric sparks I felt whenever our hands accidentally brushed—surely he felt them too? The way his wolf's scent seemed to call to something deep inside me, even without my own wolf to respond?

"The pack members are starting to talk," Marcus Reid's voice came through more faintly, but I caught the concern in his tone. "They see how she cares for Soleil, how she anticipates your needs. Some are wondering if—"

"If what?" Camden's laugh was harsh, cutting. "If I'd consider marking a wolfless mute? She serves her purpose well enough, but let's not confuse utility with anything more significant."

The laundry basket slipped from my numb fingers, hitting the marble floor with a soft thud. A few of Soleil's socks scattered across the hallway, bright yellow against the dark stone. I pressed my hand to my throat, feeling the pulse that hammered there—the voice I'd kept locked away for so long threatening to break free in a scream of anguish.

Months of silent devotion. Months of believing that maybe, just maybe, he saw something in me worth cherishing. Every gentle touch when he helped me reach high shelves, every soft smile when he found me reading to Soleil—all of it reduced to "utility."

I knelt to gather the scattered clothes, my hands shaking as I tried to fold them properly. The conversation continued behind the door, but the words blurred together as my world tilted on its axis. When I finally stood, my legs felt unsteady, as if the ground beneath me had shifted permanently.

That night, I sat at the small desk in my room, staring at a blank piece of paper. My pen hovered over the page for what felt like hours before I finally began to write.

*Alpha Camden,*

*I've been wondering about marking ceremonies lately. Could you tell me what they mean to you? What makes a Luna worthy of such an honor?*

*- Riley*

I folded the note carefully and slipped it under his office door before dawn, my heart hammering with desperate hope.

Two days passed before I found his response on my dresser.

*Riley,*

*Such matters require careful consideration. Too busy with pack business to discuss right now.*

*- C.M.*

I tried again the following week.

*Alpha Camden,*

*I notice other packs have Luna ceremonies in spring. Do you think