Rejected by Alpha, Chosen by Prince

Eight years. Eight long years of waiting, of watching the moon cycle through its phases while I held onto the hope that my fated mate would return to me. Eight years of tending to the sacred oak tree my father planted, of keeping Ace's memory alive in my heart like a flickering candle in the darkness.

Now, as I stood at the edge of our pack territory watching a black SUV roll through the gates, that candle finally died.

Ace Robinson stepped out of the vehicle with the same commanding presence that had made my teenage heart flutter all those years ago. His dark hair was longer now, his shoulders broader from years of warrior training in distant territories. But it wasn't his changed appearance that made my wolf whimper in pain—it was the woman who emerged from the passenger side.

She was beautiful in a delicate way that made my own strength feel clumsy and unwanted. Her auburn hair caught the afternoon sunlight, and her hand rested protectively over a rounded belly that spoke of life growing within. My mate's child. Not mine.

But what shattered the last fragments of my hope was the small boy who tumbled out of the backseat, maybe three years old, with Ace's unmistakable green eyes and stubborn chin.

"Welcome home, Alpha," Beta Ryan Mitchell called out, though his voice carried an uncertain edge that suggested he was as surprised by this development as the rest of us.

Ace's gaze swept over the gathered pack members before landing on me. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw something flicker in those green depths—regret, perhaps, or recognition of what he was destroying. Then his expression hardened into the mask of authority I'd grown to despise during our childhood conflicts.

"Pack members," his voice carried the commanding tone that made lesser wolves automatically bare their necks in submission. "I'd like you to meet Maxine Berry, my chosen mate, and our son, Dylan."

Chosen mate. The words hit me like physical blows, each syllable designed to remind me that whatever bond we'd shared meant nothing compared to his choice.

"As you can see," Ace continued, his hand moving to rest possessively on Maxine's lower back, "pack duty requires me to care for my mate and the heir she carries. The future of our bloodline depends on strong leadership and clear priorities."

The dismissal in his tone was unmistakable. Eight years of faithful waiting reduced to an inconvenience, a complication to be managed rather than a sacred bond to be honored.

Maxine's eyes found mine across the small crowd, and I saw something there that surprised me—not triumph or smugness, but a hollow emptiness that mirrored my own pain. She looked fragile, almost brittle, as if a strong wind might shatter her into pieces.

"Sadie." My name on Ace's lips made my wolf bristle with a mixture of longing and rage. "We need to talk."

The pack members began to disperse, casting curious glances between us. Some looked