The news of Jalen's rejection spread like wildfire, and it seemed everyone in the werewolf community knew I had been cast aside. Despite the humiliation, I still received an invitation to the gathering hosted by one of the prominent Alphas in the city. I had prepared myself for this moment, knowing full well what I was walking into.

It was a habit of mine to spot Jalen in a crowd. Back then, we would arrive together, and I’d beam with pride when people called us the perfect pair. Now, it was Ariella who clung to his arm, her scent—a mix of rosemary and vanilla—drifting toward me as if to mock my loss. Though the whispers about them were far from kind, Jalen looked utterly content, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

When his eyes locked onto mine, a shiver ran down my spine. That familiar glint in his gaze—I knew he was up to something. He let out a loud laugh, his Alpha tone resonating through the room, commanding everyone’s attention.

"Thank you all for honoring the Blue Moon Pack," he began, his voice dripping with false modesty. "But I must say, Sofia sitting so prominently at the high table doesn’t sit right with me."

My jaw tightened. He hadn’t even officially marked me as his mate, yet here he was, acting as if he had the right to dictate my place in the pack. The audacity.

I forced a polite smile and met his gaze head-on. "Where I sit is the host’s decision, Alpha Jalen," I replied, my voice calm but firm. "I don’t believe that’s any concern of yours."

The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air. Jalen’s smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, his Alpha aura flaring as if to remind me of his rank. Ariella’s grip on his arm tightened, her scent sharpening with irritation.

I held my ground, refusing to let him—or anyone—diminish my worth. The gathering was far from over, and I was determined to navigate it with the dignity I deserved.

“How could it not matter? Soon enough, you’ll be part of the Blue Moon Pack.”

Jalen’s words hung in the air, his tone casual yet cutting as he stood there with Ariella, his chosen mate. He was trying to assert his dominance, to make it clear that I, Sofia, would still have a place in his life—just not the one I deserved. The implication was clear: he wanted me to accept being his chosen mate, to settle for scraps of his attention while Ariella stood proudly as his Luna.

The humiliation burned through me, but I refused to let it show. My eyes narrowed as I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “Alpha Jalen, it seems you’ve misunderstood. I never agreed to be part of your pack.”

Jalen’s lips curled into a smirk, his Alpha aura pressing down on me, though I stood my ground. “Sofia, you’ve always been different from the other she-wolves. While they mastered the arts of diplomacy and strategy, you were out in the forests, tending to plants. Being part of the Blue Moon Pack, even as a chosen mate, is more than you could hope for.”

His words were meant to sting, to remind me of my place—or lack thereof. But I refused to let him see how much they hurt. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl echoing in my mind, but I silenced her. This wasn’t the time to let my emotions take control.

“Alpha Jalen,” I said, my voice cool and measured, “I’ve spent my life providing for your pack, growing the herbs that saved your life when you were weak. I don’t need your pity or your scraps. If you think tending to plants makes me lesser, then perhaps it’s you who’s misunderstood their value.”

The room fell silent, the tension thick as the other pack members watched the exchange. Jalen’s eyes darkened, his Alpha tone sharpening. “Sofia, you’re overstepping.”

“Am I?” I shot back, refusing to back down. “Or are you just upset because I won’t bow to your pride?”

Ariella stepped forward then, her sweet smile masking the triumph in her eyes. “Sofia, please. Alpha Jalen is just trying to do what’s best for the pack. You shouldn’t take it personally.”

I turned to her, my gaze cold. “Chosen Mate Ariella, if Alpha Jalen thinks this is what’s best for the pack, then perhaps he’s not the Alpha I thought he was.”

The words hung in the air, a challenge neither of them could ignore. Jalen’s jaw tightened, his Alpha aura flaring, but I didn’t flinch. I’d spent too long in the shadows, too long accepting less than I deserved. This was my line in the sand, and I wouldn’t cross it.

As I turned to leave, I could feel their eyes on me, the weight of their judgment pressing down. But for the first time in a long time, I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to let them define my worth. I wasn’t going to let them win.

Jalen always enjoyed looking down on everyone, his Alpha aura radiating dominance as if his word were law.

When I dared to defend myself, his fragile ego couldn’t handle it. He saw it as a challenge to his authority, and I knew he’d retaliate with harsher words. I hated confrontation, hated being made a spectacle, so I swallowed my hurt and prepared to endure it.

But then, soft yet firm voices rose in my defense:

“Who says Sofia isn’t worthy? She’s the pride of the Hughes and Gray packs.”

“Sofia’s kind and genuine. We all care for her.”

“Besides, who says a she-wolf needs to be skilled in everything? Being a talented Healer is already a rare gift.”

Jalen scoffed, his Alpha tone sharp and dismissive as he glared at those who spoke up. “Sofia just got lucky with her lineage, that’s all.”

His smirk was cruel as he continued, “She’s uncultured, lacks character, and has always been jealous of Ariella, thinking she stole something from her. Honestly, she’s like a rogue who somehow ended up in a pack. The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake.”

His words stung, but I refused to let him see it. My wolf, Lila, stirred within me, a low growl of frustration echoing in my mind, but I kept my composure. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of breaking me.