I remember when I was seventeen, I went to drop off some training gear for him at the pack’s training grounds. The scent of sweat and pine lingered in the air, a reminder of the countless hours we’d spent there together.

To my surprise, I found Emilia cornering Rohan in the locker room, her voice trembling with desperation. “Alpha Rohan,” she began, her tone pleading, “I’ve had a crush on you since middle school. Can’t you just be with me?”

I quickly backed into a corner, trying to remain unnoticed. My heart raced, not just from the fear of being caught eavesdropping, but from the tension in the air. Emilia was an Omega, like me, and her vulnerability was palpable.

Rohan’s response was cold, his alpha tone sharp and unyielding. “Your feelings for me are your concern, not mine. Step aside.”

Emilia refused to back down. She clung to his hand, tears welling up in her eyes. “Don’t be so harsh. Please, don’t ignore me. It’s really breaking my heart.”

Rohan didn’t soften. He pulled his hand away and looked down at her, his expression unreadable. “I’m interested in someone else. Keeping healthy boundaries is important, isn’t it?”

She stood there, stunned, tears sparkling in her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment, she looked like a wounded pup. Then, without another word, she wiped her tears and bolted away.

As I watched her leave, I couldn’t help but think how cold Rohan could be. He was the future Alpha of the Reed Pack, and his dominance was unmatched, but sometimes it felt like he wielded his power without mercy.

Somehow, he’d snuck up behind me, his presence overwhelming even before he spoke. “Quite the spectacle, huh?” he murmured, wrapping his arms around me. “Aren’t you going to compliment me?”

“You’re really cold-hearted,” I replied, though there was no real bite in my words.

He flashed a mischievous smile, the kind that always made my stomach flutter. “Malia, what can I say? You’re the only one I adore.”

“So, you have to love only me, okay?” I said, half-joking, half-serious.

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. The fresh minty scent of him filled the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the training grounds. It was a scent that always reminded me of him—strong, commanding, and yet, in moments like this, tender.

“Only you,” he whispered against my lips before kissing me. It was a kiss that captured the spirited essence of youth, a promise of something unspoken but deeply felt.

In that moment, I realized what it meant to be treasured unconditionally by someone. This must be it. For all his dominance and power, for all the weight of his future role as Alpha, Rohan had chosen me. And in the world of werewolves, where hierarchy and loyalty were everything, that choice felt like a gift I didn’t deserve but couldn’t imagine living without.

Rohan must have thought of it too. His jaw tightened, and he pressed his lips into a thin line, the muscles in his neck straining. I got up and walked over to him, my fingers trembling slightly as I reached for the pendant around my neck. It was the one he had given me years ago, the symbol of my place in the Reed Pack. When he was 22, he had convinced his mother, the Luna, to let him give it to me, claiming it was a family heirloom and that I deserved to wear it. But now that our bond was broken, it felt heavy, a weight I no longer wanted to carry.

"Alpha Rohan," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. "I’m giving the pendant back to you."

His brow furrowed deeply, his dark eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite place—anger, maybe, or regret. His lips trembled slightly as he looked up at me, his broad shoulders tense. "I don’t believe in taking back what I’ve given," he said, his voice low and commanding, the alpha tone lacing his words.

"But it doesn’t feel right," I replied, my voice softer now. I placed the pendant on the table in front of him, the silver chain glinting in the dim light. He abruptly stood up, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. He didn’t take the pendant, his eyes avoiding mine as he turned toward the door. "My mate is still outside," he said, the words clipped, almost as if he were escaping the room.

The air between us was thick with unspoken words, and the silence that followed was suffocating.

James, ever the loyal Gamma, stepped closer to me, his presence a small comfort in the storm of emotions raging inside me. "Malia," he said, his voice gentle, "you and the Alpha have been together for so many years. He’s just being stubborn."

Stubborn? A month ago, in this very room, at this very spot, I had stood ready in a Victorian-style dress, my heart pounding as I prepared to propose to him in front of the pack. It was during a game of truth or dare, and when he lost, he chose "truth" over "dare." I had seized the moment, my voice trembling as I asked, "Have you ever thought about marking me as your mate?"

Under the dim lights, Rohan’s expression had been partially hidden, but I could still see the way his eyes narrowed, the way his jaw clenched. "I’m not ready for that," he had said, his voice cold and final. "I have a fear of commitment."

That moment had left me frozen, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces. And because I had brought it up in front of everyone, he had been furious. He left early that day, and my proposal remained unspoken, unfinished.

Looking back now, I realized it wasn’t a fear of commitment that held him back—it was simply that he didn’t want to commit to me.

An old saying suddenly came to mind: things that start ambiguously tend to end in confusion. Perhaps Rohan and I had reached the end of our road.

My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a faint echo of the pain I felt. She had always been his, even when he no longer seemed to want her. But now, as I stood there with the pendant on the table and the Alpha’s back turned to me, I knew it was time to let go.

The room felt emptier without him, the weight of his absence pressing down on me. But I held my head high, refusing to let the tears fall. I was an Omega, but I was still a part of the Reed Pack. And even if Rohan no longer saw me as his mate, I would find my place, my strength, and my own path forward.

The drive back was silent except for the soft hum of instrumental music. Darwin, ever the reserved Delta, rarely spoke unless necessary, and I wasn’t in the mood for conversation either. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, though I kept them tightly locked away.

“Malia, if you ever…” Darwin began, his voice low and tentative, but he was interrupted by the sharp buzz of his phone. He glanced at the screen and answered, his brow furrowing as he listened. It was James.

“Malia, the future Alpha’s gotten into a fight,” James said, his voice tense through the speaker.

Darwin’s jaw tightened, and he stepped on the gas. By the time we arrived at the pack’s gathering hall, the commotion had settled. From the doorway, I could see Rohan. His face was flushed—whether from adrenaline, alcohol, or both—and he sat sprawled on a couch, his arm draped possessively around a young Omega. She ducked her head shyly as he tilted her chin up, planting a kiss on her lips. The pack members around them erupted into cheers, though their laughter felt forced, uneasy.

One of the pack warriors, a Delta I recognized, leaned toward Rohan, his voice tentative. “Future Alpha, weren’t you planning to take Malia as your mate?”

Another chimed in, “Why are you with another girl?”

Rohan’s expression darkened, his Alpha aura flaring in a way that made the room grow colder. “When did I ever say I was going to take her as my mate?” he snapped, his voice sharp enough to silence the crowd.

The Delta hesitated, glancing around as if searching for support. “But the girl you’re holding… she looks a lot like Malia.”

Rohan slammed his glass down on the table, the sound echoing through the hall. His Alpha tone cut through the air like a blade. “Don’t ever mention that name in my presence again. From today, this is your future Luna. Make sure to greet her properly.”

The pack members exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared to challenge him. The Omega in his arms looked up at him, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and uncertainty.

I couldn’t stay and watch any longer. Turning on my heel, I headed for the door, my chest tight with a mix of anger and hurt. As I stepped outside, I nearly collided with James, who had just arrived.

“Malia,” he said, his voice tinged with concern. “What’s going on? Is he hurt? Does he need the pack healer?”

I didn’t answer, but James glanced past me into the hall. His eyes landed on Rohan, who was now nuzzling the Omega’s neck in the same way he used to do with me. James’s expression hardened, and he stepped back outside, muttering a curse under his breath.

“He’s lost his damn mind,” James said, his voice low and furious. “Malia, I’m sorry. I didn’t think he’d go this far.”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. The future Alpha’s rejection wasn’t just personal—it was a public declaration, a reminder of my place in the pack hierarchy. An Omega like me was never meant to stand beside an Alpha like him. And now, everyone knew it.