I couldn't breathe.

The pain was everywhere. In my chest, my bones, my blood. Like something inside me was being ripped apart piece by piece, and I was still conscious enough to feel every second of it.

I heard voices around me. Whispers. Gasps. Someone laughed.

But I couldn't see anything except the floor in front of me and the hands I had pressed against my chest, trying to hold myself together.

It didn't work.

The bond was supposed to break. That was how rejection worked. You said the words, the bond severed, and both wolves moved on. Clean. Final.

But this wasn't clean.

This was agony.

"Get her out of here," someone said.

Hands grabbed my arms, hauling me upright. My legs wouldn't hold me. I sagged between two wolves I didn't recognize, their grips bruising as they dragged me toward the door.

I tried to look back. Tried to find him in the crowd.

But Jasper wasn't looking at me anymore.

He had already turned away.

They threw me outside like I was trash.

I hit the ground hard, gravel cutting into my palms. The impact jarred something loose in my chest, and I gasped, curling in on myself as another wave of pain tore through me.

My wolf was howling. Screaming. Clawing at the inside of my skull like she was trying to break free and go back to him.

But there was no going back.

He had rejected us.

In front of everyone.

"Pathetic."

I looked up.

Vanessa stood over me, arms crossed, her face twisted in disgust.

"Did you really think he would choose you?" she asked, her voice dripping with venom. "You? A cursed omega with nothing to offer?"

I didn't answer. Couldn't.

She crouched down, her eyes cold and sharp. "He spent one night with you because the bond made him weak. But he is stronger than that. Stronger than you."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"And now everyone knows exactly what you are. A mistake."

She stood and walked away, her laughter echoing behind her.

I stayed on the ground, shaking, unable to move.

Hours passed. Or maybe minutes. I didn't know.

The pain didn't stop. It just kept burning, twisting, digging deeper. My wolf had gone silent now, retreating so far inside me I wasn't sure she would ever come back.

Maybe that was better.

"Quinn."

I flinched at the sound of my name.

Elder Rowan stood a few feet away, his face pale and drawn. He looked older than I had ever seen him, like the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders overnight.

"You need to leave," he said quietly.

I stared at him. "What?"

"The council has made their decision." His voice was hollow. "You are to be banished from pack lands. Effective immediately."

The words didn't register at first.

Banished.

"You cannot stay here," he continued, and there was something like regret in his eyes. "The bond... it has not broken. And as long as it remains, you are a threat to the Alpha King's authority."

A threat.

I almost laughed. Almost.

"Where am I supposed to go?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't answer.

"Elder Rowan." I forced myself to stand, even though my legs shook. "Where am I supposed to go?"

"I do not know," he admitted, and he wouldn't meet my eyes. "But you cannot stay here."

"This is my home."

"Not anymore."

The finality in his voice cut deeper than the rejection had.

I looked at him, this man who had known me since I was a child. Who had watched me grow up. Who had seen everything I had endured and said nothing.

"You knew," I said suddenly. "You knew this would happen."

His jaw tightened.

"You knew he was my mate. You felt it. And you said nothing."

"I could not interfere," he said quietly. "The council-"

"The council." I laughed bitterly. "Of course. The council decides everything, doesn't it? Even who gets to suffer."

"Quinn-"

"No." I stepped back, away from him. "You do not get to feel guilty now. You had a chance to help me, and you chose them. Just like everyone else."

He opened his mouth, then closed it.

There was nothing left to say.

I turned and walked away.

I did not have much to pack. A spare shirt, a blanket, and a small pouch of dried food I had been saving. Everything I owned fit into a single bag.

I slung it over my shoulder and stepped outside.

The estate was quiet. No one came to say goodbye. No one even looked at me as I made my way toward the gates.

Except one.

Jasper stood near the entrance to the main house, half hidden in the shadows. His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I saw something flicker across his face.

Regret. Pain. Guilt.

I didn't care.

I turned away and kept walking.

The gates closed behind me with a heavy clang, and just like that, I was alone.

The world beyond the pack lands was bigger than I remembered. Colder. The trees pressed in on all sides, thick and dark, and the path ahead was barely visible in the fading light.

I walked until my legs gave out.

Then I collapsed beneath a tree, pulled my knees to my chest, and finally let myself break.

The sobs came hard and fast, tearing out of me like something feral. My chest heaved, my throat burned, and I couldn't stop.

He had looked at me like I mattered.

He had touched me like I was something precious.

And then he had thrown me away like I was nothing.

My wolf stirred weakly, a soft whimper echoing in the back of my mind.

"I know," I whispered. "I know."

But knowing didn't make it hurt less.

I don't know how long I sat there. Hours, maybe. The sun set, and the forest grew darker, but I didn't move.

I couldn't.

The bond was still there. Still burning. A constant reminder that he had rejected me, but the connection refused to die.

It twisted inside me, sharp and vicious, like a wound that wouldn't heal.

And I realized something.

This was not just rejection.

This was a curse.

I pressed a hand to my chest, gasping as another wave of pain rolled through me.

A curse.

The word echoed in my mind, over and over, until it was the only thing I could hear.

I had been born cursed. Everyone said so. Born under a blood moon, marked from the start.

But this was different.

This was worse.

Because now I was tied to him. Bound to the man who had destroyed me. And no matter how far I ran, no matter how much I wanted to forget, the bond would always pull me back.

I would never be free.

A howl echoed in the distance, long and low.

I looked up, heart pounding.

Another howl answered. Closer this time.

Rogues.

I scrambled to my feet, grabbing my bag, and started running.

The pain slowed me down. My legs were weak, my body still reeling from the rejection, but I pushed through it. I had to.

Because out here, I was prey.

And if the rogues found me, I was dead.

I ran until I couldn't anymore. Until my lungs burned and my vision blurred and I collapsed against a tree, gasping for air.

The howls had stopped.

But I knew they were still out there.

Watching.

Waiting.

I closed my eyes and prayed to a moon goddess who had never listened to me before.

Please.

Just let me survive the night.

But deep down, I wasn't sure I wanted to.

That night, every sound in the forest made me flinch. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves. I sat with my back pressed against the tree, knees drawn to my chest, listening.

The howls had stopped hours ago, but I knew better than to relax.

Rogues didn't give up that easily.

By the time the sun rose, I was exhausted. My body ached from sitting in one position too long, and the bond was a constant, throbbing pain in my chest that I couldn't ignore.

But I was alive.

That had to count for something.

I forced myself to stand, wincing as my stiff muscles protested. My bag felt heavier than it should have, even though there was barely anything in it. I pulled out a piece of dried meat and chewed it slowly, trying to make it last.

I had no idea how long my supplies would hold out. A few days, maybe. A week if I was careful.

After that, I would have to figure something else out.

I started walking.

I didn't have a destination. Didn't have a plan. I just knew I needed to put distance between myself and the pack lands. Between myself and him.

The forest was thick and unfamiliar. I had never been this far from Burrowtown before. The trees here were older and taller, their branches tangled overhead like a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The air smelled damp, like rain and earth and something faintly metallic I couldn't place.

My wolf was still silent.

I tried reaching for her a few times, calling out in my mind, but she didn't respond. It was like she had retreated so far inside me that I couldn't find her anymore.

Maybe she was ashamed.

Or maybe she was just tired of fighting.

I walked until my legs burned and my feet blistered inside my worn boots. When I finally stopped, the sun was high overhead, though I could barely see it through the trees.

I sat down on a fallen log and pulled out my water canteen. It was half empty already. I took a small sip, just enough to wet my throat, and forced myself to stop.

Water would be a problem soon.

Everything would be a problem soon.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and tried to think.

I couldn't go back. That much was clear. Even if I wanted to, the pack would never take me in again. I was banished. Cursed. A mistake they wanted to forget.

But where else could I go?

There were other packs, but they wouldn't accept a lone omega with no resources and no connections. Especially not one who had been rejected by an Alpha King. Word would spread fast. It probably already had.

I could try to make it to a human city, but I had no money, no identification, and no way to survive in their world.

That left the wildlands. The spaces between pack territories where rogues roamed and laws didn't apply.

I shuddered.

I had heard the stories. Wolves who ventured into the wildlands alone rarely came back. And when they did, they were never the same.

But what choice did I have?

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and I gasped, doubling over.

The bond.

It pulsed, hot and vicious, like a knife twisting between my ribs. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I felt him.

Jasper.

Not his thoughts. Not his words. But his presence. His pain.

He was suffering too.

The realization should have made me feel better. Should have felt like justice.

But it didn't.

It just made everything worse.

Because no matter how much he hurt, it would never undo what he had done. It would never take back the words he had said in front of everyone. It would never erase the way he had looked at me like I was nothing.

The pain faded slowly, leaving me shaking and breathless.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and forced myself to stand.

I couldn't afford to break down. Not here. Not now.

I kept walking.

By late afternoon, I found a stream.

The water was cold and clear, running over smooth stones that glittered in the faint sunlight. I knelt beside it and drank deeply, not caring if it was safe. I was too thirsty to care.

When I had my fill, I splashed water on my face and neck, washing away the dirt and sweat. It didn't make me feel better, but it helped.

I sat back on my heels and stared at my reflection in the water.

I looked terrible.

My face was pale and gaunt, with dark circles under my eyes. My hair was a tangled mess, and there was a bruise on my cheek I didn't remember getting. I looked exactly like what I was.

Broken.

I turned away from the water and pulled out my blanket, spreading it on the ground near the stream. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

I lay down and stared up at the trees.

The bond throbbed again, softer this time. A dull ache instead of a sharp pain.

I closed my eyes and tried to ignore it.

Sleep didn't come easily.

When it finally did, it was restless and full of dreams I didn't want.

I woke to the sound of footsteps.

My eyes snapped open, and I froze.

Someone was nearby.

I stayed perfectly still, barely breathing, straining to hear.

The footsteps were slow. Deliberate. Like whoever it was wasn't trying to hide.

My heart hammered in my chest.

A figure stepped into view.

It was a man. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and clothes that looked like they had seen better days. He moved with the easy confidence of someone who knew how to handle himself.

A rogue.

He stopped a few feet away and looked down at me.

"You are a long way from home," he said. His voice was low and rough, but not unkind.

I scrambled to my feet, putting distance between us. "Stay back."

He raised his hands slowly, a gesture of peace. "Relax. I am not here to hurt you."

"That is what they all say."

He tilted his head, studying me. "You are alone out here. No pack scent. No supplies worth stealing. You are either very brave or very stupid."

"Neither," I said flatly. "Just desperate."

Something flickered in his eyes. Understanding, maybe.

"What happened?" he asked.

"None of your business."

He didn't push. Just stood there, watching me like he was trying to figure something out.

"There are rogues in this area," he said finally. "Dangerous ones. If they find you, they will not be as polite as I am."

"I know."

"Then you should leave."

"And go where?" I snapped. "I have nowhere to go."

He was quiet for a moment.

"There is a place," he said slowly. "About a day's walk from here. Neutral ground. It is not much, but it is safer than this."

I stared at him, suspicious. "Why would you help me?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

"That is not an answer."

"It is the only one you are going to get."

I didn't trust him. I didn't trust anyone anymore.

But I also didn't have a choice.

"Fine," I said. "Show me."

He nodded and started walking.

I grabbed my bag and followed, keeping a careful distance between us.

We walked in silence for a long time. The sun began to set, casting long shadows through the trees. My feet ached, and the bond pulsed with every step, but I didn't complain.

Finally, he stopped.

"We will camp here tonight," he said. "It is too dangerous to travel in the dark."

I didn't argue.

He built a small fire while I sat on the opposite side, watching him warily.

"What is your name?" he asked once the fire was going.

I hesitated. "Quinn."

"Quinn," he repeated, like he was testing it out. "I am Lucien."

I didn't respond.

He pulled out a piece of bread from his pack and tossed it to me. I caught it, surprised.

"Eat," he said. "You look like you are about to collapse."

I wanted to refuse. Wanted to tell him I didn't need his help.

But I was starving.

I ate the bread slowly, savoring every bite.

Lucien watched the fire, his expression unreadable.

"You were rejected," he said quietly.

I stiffened. "How did you-"

"I can feel it. The bond. It is still there, is it not? Twisted and wrong."

I didn't answer.

He looked at me then, and there was something in his eyes I couldn't name. Sympathy, maybe. Or recognition.

"You are not the first," he said. "And you will not be the last."

"That is supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. Just letting you know you are not alone."

I laughed bitterly. "I am alone. That is the whole problem."

He didn't argue.

We sat in silence after that, the fire crackling softly between us.

And for the first time since the rejection, I felt something other than pain.

Not hope.

But maybe something close to it.

The fire had died down to embers by the time I woke.

Lucien was already up, packing his things with quick, efficient movements. He glanced over when he heard me stir but didn't say anything.

I sat up slowly, my body stiff and sore. Every muscle ached from sleeping on the hard ground, and the bond was a dull throb in my chest that I had almost gotten used to.

Almost.

"We should leave soon," Lucien said, breaking the silence. "The settlement is still half a day's walk from here."

I nodded and grabbed my bag.

We ate a quick breakfast-more dried bread and some berries he had gathered-then started walking again.

The forest looked different in the daylight. Less threatening, somehow. The trees were still thick and the paths were still unclear, but with Lucien leading the way, I felt a little less lost.

"How long have you been out here?" I asked after a while.

He glanced back at me. "In the wildlands? Three years. Give or take."

"Three years." I couldn't imagine it. "Alone?"

"Mostly."

"What happened?" The question slipped out before I could stop it. "Why did you leave your pack?"

His jaw tightened, and for a moment I thought he wouldn't answer.

"I didn't leave," he said finally. "I was cast out."

I blinked. "Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not."

We walked in silence for a few minutes.

"I challenged my Alpha," he said quietly. "He was corrupt. Cruel. He hurt people who couldn't fight back. So I stood up to him."

"And he banished you for it."

"No." His voice was flat. "He tried to kill me. Banishment came after I survived."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"What about you?" he asked, turning the question back on me. "What did you do to earn your exile?"

I hesitated. The rejection was still too raw, too humiliating to talk about.

But something about Lucien made me feel like he would understand.

"I was born cursed," I said quietly. "At least, that is what everyone always told me. Born under a blood moon. Weak. Broken. And then I found out the Alpha King was my mate."

Lucien stopped walking. He turned to face me, his expression unreadable.

"Jasper Hale," he said. It wasn't a question.

I nodded.

"And he rejected you."

"In front of the entire pack." The words tasted bitter. "He said I was unworthy. Cursed. That accepting me would weaken him."

Lucien's eyes darkened. "He is a coward."

I almost laughed. "He is the Alpha King. The most powerful wolf in the region. I do not think anyone would call him a coward."

"Then they are wrong." Lucien stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Any man who rejects his mate to protect his pride is a coward. Power does not change that."

I stared at him, something tightening in my chest.

No one had ever defended me like that before.

"Thank you," I said softly.

He nodded and turned back to the path. "Come on. We are almost there."

The settlement appeared suddenly, like it had been hiding in plain sight.

It wasn't much. A handful of rough shelters built from wood and stone, clustered together in a small clearing. There were maybe a dozen wolves moving around, all of them thin and weathered, like life out here had worn them down to the bone.

No one looked up as we entered.

"This is it?" I asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

"It is not much," Lucien admitted. "But it is neutral ground. No pack claims this territory. No one will bother you here."

He led me to a small shelter near the edge of the clearing. It was barely more than four walls and a roof, but it was dry and out of the wind.

"You can stay here," he said. "There is a communal fire in the center. Food is shared, but you have to contribute when you can."

I looked around the tiny space. It was nothing like the servants' quarters back at the estate, but somehow it felt more mine.

"Thank you," I said again.

He nodded. "I will be around if you need anything."

"Wait." I grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Why are you helping me?"

He looked down at my hand on his arm, then back up at me.

"Because no one helped me when I needed it," he said quietly. "And I would not wish that on anyone."

He pulled his arm free gently and walked away.

I stood there for a moment, watching him go, then turned and went inside.

The shelter was small but sturdy. There was a thin bedroll in one corner and a small wooden crate that could serve as a table or a seat. It smelled like dust and old wood, but it was better than sleeping on the forest floor.

I dropped my bag in the corner and sat down on the bedroll, letting out a long breath.

For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.

It wasn't much. It wasn't home. But it was something.

I stayed in the shelter for the rest of the day, too exhausted to do anything else. The bond pulsed occasionally, a reminder that I was still tied to him, but it was quieter here. Manageable.

As the sun began to set, I heard voices outside.

I stepped out and saw the other wolves gathering around the communal fire. Someone had roasted meat, and the smell made my stomach clench with hunger.

I hesitated, unsure if I was welcome.

Lucien appeared at my side, as if he had been waiting for me.

"Come on," he said. "You need to eat."

He led me to the fire, and no one protested. They barely even looked at me. It was like I was invisible, and for once, I was grateful for it.

Someone handed me a plate with a piece of meat and some roasted vegetables. I ate slowly, savoring every bite.

Lucien sat beside me, quiet and steady, and I realized something.

I didn't feel alone anymore.

Not completely.

After the meal, I went back to the shelter and lay down on the bedroll. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn't stop racing.

I thought about Jasper. About the rejection. About the bond that refused to break.

And I thought about Lucien.

He was a stranger. A rogue with his own scars and his own past. But he had helped me when no one else would.

I didn't know what that meant yet.

But maybe it was enough.

I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

For the first time since the rejection, I didn't dream of Jasper.

I dreamed of nothing at all.

And it was a relief.