Chapter 1: Rejected

Valkyrie

“I, Ragnor Howard, Alpha of the Blue Fire Pack, reject Valkyrie as my mate.”

His words cut through me like a blade, sharp and unrelenting.

Today was meant to be the happiest day of my life. My eighteenth birthday. The day I was told I’d find my mate, the one person who would make me whole.

“No! It can’t be! The Alpha’s mate is just a lowly servant?” someone shouted in disbelief, echoing my own thoughts.

I had never dared to dream of becoming the Luna. How could I? I was nothing more than a maid in this pack.

“A–Alpha...” My voice faltered, my breath catching in my chest. Ragnor’s crimson eyes bore into me, like seething with disgust, as if the thought of being tied to me was a curse. “I’m... sorry...”

“Just accept it.” His command was cold and absolute, devoid of any trace of mercy.

I dared not defy him, though my heart shattered under the weight of his words.

Luna Dowager stepped forward then, her presence as icy and unyielding as her voice. “Valkyrie.”

I tilted my head up to meet her gaze, trembling under the intensity of her silent disdain.

“Say the words.”

My lips quivered, and I bit down hard, nearly drawing blood. There was no escape from this humiliation. I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I... Valkyrie of the Blue Fire Pack, accept this rejection.”

The words felt like a death sentence, ripping apart every hope I had clung to.

My salvation, my dreams of freedom, of a family, crumbled into dust at my feet.

Instead, I was left with shame, disgrace... and abandonment.

“Now, return to your place,” Luna Dowager commanded. I nodded again, my legs trembling beneath me, though I dared to glance at Ragnor.

Why was he so silent?

“Remember your purpose in this pack,” she added, her tone sharp as a blade. “To serve me. To heal my son when your wolf awakens.”

Her words struck like venom, but I said nothing. She was right. I was an outsider, adopted from a forgotten village, chosen only because of the peculiar ability they claimed I possessed—an ability to heal the madness caused by the Alpha’s generative syndrome.

How could I ever forget?

“Yes, Luna,” I whispered, stepping back. My knees shook, and my gown snagged under my feet. I stumbled, bracing for the inevitable fall.

But Ragnor caught me.

His hands gripped my arms, steadying me. For a fleeting moment, I felt warmth—a contradiction to the coldness he’d shown moments before.

I looked up at him, searching for something, anything, that might betray his resolve.

But his expression remained unreadable, his crimson eyes locked on mine.

“Don’t mistake this for kindness,” he muttered under his breath, his tone as cutting as before. Then, he released me, and I staggered back, struggling to stay upright.

A soft murmur rippled through the gathered pack members, their disdain and pity washing over me like a tide I couldn’t escape.

My cheeks burned, but I refused to let the tears fall.

“Enough,” Luna Dowager barked, silencing the crowd. Her gaze flicked between me and Ragnor, as if she disapproved of his momentary lapse. “Leave her. She knows her place.”

Her words were a whip against my pride. I bowed my head, biting back the lump rising in my throat.

“Yes, Luna.” My voice was barely audible, but it carried the weight of my defeat.

I turned and walked away, forcing my trembling legs to carry me back to the servant’s quarters.

Every step felt like a lifetime, the eyes of the pack burning into my back. My rejection wasn’t just a personal humiliation—it was a public spectacle.

When I finally reached the solitude of my room, I shut the door behind me and collapsed onto the narrow cot.

The silence pressed against my ears, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing.

I pressed a hand to my chest, willing the ache to subside. “I’ll survive this,” I whispered to myself, though the words felt hollow.

The door creaked open, and I bolted upright, startled. “Who—?”

“It’s your master.”

The voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“My... master?” I stammered, standing quickly and rushing toward the door, desperate to confront the owner of that voice.

There she stood—Beta Tasya, tall and imposing, her sharp eyes glinting with fury.

“How dare you claim to be our Alpha’s mate?” she spat, her words venomous. Before I could respond, her hand lashed out, the sharp slap searing my cheek.

“Be—Beta... what are you doing?” I gasped, my hand instinctively flying to the stinging mark on my face.

Her eyes narrowed, and she stepped into the room, forcing me to retreat until my back hit the wall. “You think you’re worthy of standing by his side? You’re nothing. A maid. A stray he should’ve left to rot.”

“I never claimed to be his mate,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “It wasn’t my choice.”

Tasya sneered. “Choice or not, you’ve humiliated him. Humiliated all of us. The Alpha’s mate is supposed to be someone strong, noble—not a lowly servant girl.”

I clenched my fists, the insult cutting deep, though I knew better than to argue. “I accepted his rejection,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Isn’t that enough?”

Her expression hardened, and she leaned closer, her breath hot against my face. “Enough? It will never be enough. You should have rejected him first. Saved him the disgrace of even being tied to someone like you.”

I blinked back tears, unwilling to let her see how much her words hurt. “I... I didn’t know,” I murmured.

“Of course you didn’t,” Tasya hissed, her voice dripping with disdain. “Because you’re ignorant. Useless.”

She straightened, her eyes cold and calculating. “Stay out of sight, Valkyrie. If I see you near him again, you’ll done!"

With that, she turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.