Thrice Rejected

**Vanya**

“I accept your rejection.”

The words left my mouth. A heartbeat later, the curse took its toll. A raw, searing heat sliced across my left cheek. It felt as if a branding iron had been pressed directly against my flesh. I locked my knees, refusing to flinch. Skin split open. A fresh wound carved itself into my face. This was the mark. The third scar. Proof to the world that I had been rejected as a mate for the third time in my life. It was a divine punishment reserved only for those who defied the design of the Moon Goddess.

For those who were unlovable. Unwanted.

Warm blood welled up from the fresh cut. It trickled down my cheek, tracing the line of my jaw before dripping onto the stiff, dark fabric of my tactical uniform collar. I stood in the center of the Dawnflare Pack’s grand ballroom. Around me, crystal chandeliers cast a brilliant, golden glow over the crowd. Hundreds of hopeful women stood in clusters, draped in silk, velvet, and delicate lace. They smelled of expensive perfumes and nervous sweat, all vying for the attention of the pack’s elite. I did not fit in. I wore heavy canvas pants, combat boots, and a utility belt. I was not here to dance or flutter my eyelashes. I was here as a perimeter guard. A warrior. A shield for the very people who despised my existence.

Perhaps in another life, under another name, I might have been worthy of a mate. But not here. And certainly not a mate born of the Vance bloodline.

Kaelen Vance, Alpha of the Dawnflare Pack, stood a few feet away. He gave a single, stiff nod. His broad shoulders remained rigid beneath his tailored suit. He kept his chin raised, projecting an aura of wounded pride. I did not blame him for his reaction. I was the daughter of a traitor. My blood carried the heaviest stain a wolf could bear. It was the reason I lived in the dirt, the reason I fought for scraps. I was an Omega warrior, broken and unfit for a sacred mating bond. For the Moon Goddess to pair the Alpha with the pack’s most hated pariah was an insult.

“She is less than worthless,” Colette sneered.

My former childhood friend stepped out from the crowd. She wore a shimmering crimson gown that hugged her curves. She glided to Kaelen’s side and possessively slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. Her sharp, amber eyes dragged over my bleeding face with undisguised glee.

“I cannot believe the Moon Goddess found it in her infinite wisdom to even suggest this creature be your mate,” Colette announced, her voice pitched loud enough for the surrounding nobles to hear. “What a sick, cosmic joke.”

I kept my expression blank. I let the insult slide off my shoulders. Colette only gave voice to the thoughts echoing in the minds of everyone in the room.

“By your leave, Alpha,” I said. I dipped my head in a shallow, respectful bow. I turned on my heel, ready to leave them to their commiseration and disgust.

“Wait.”

The Alpha command cracked through the air like a whip. The power in Vance’s voice froze the blood in my veins. My boots locked to the hardwood floor. Even if I wanted to run, my body would not obey. The invisible weight of his authority pressed down on my spine.

“Yes, Alpha?” I asked. I kept my gaze fixed on his polished shoes. I just wanted him to let me go. I needed to reach the buffet table, grab a napkin, and stop the bleeding. Drops of crimson already stained the immaculate floorboards, and I could feel the hostile glares of the Omega house staff burning holes into the back of my head. They would be the ones forced to scrub my blood from the wood.

“You are forgetting something,” Vance stated.

He did not look at me. Instead, he turned his attention to the gathered crowd. The scattered laughter and cruel whispers died instantly. Nobody wanted the Alpha to think they were mocking him. The silence in the ballroom grew thick and heavy.

“The rejection ceremony will take place in two weeks.”

His words hit me like a cold wave. Right. I had almost forgotten the rules of his station. Unlike normal wolves, an Alpha could not sever a mate bond with a simple verbal exchange. If an Alpha wished to reject their fated mate, they had to host a formal rejection ceremony under the moonlight. Without the ritual, the tether between our souls would remain intact, a festering wound that would never heal. My first mate had been an Alpha as well. I knew the grueling process all too well.

“I will vow before the Moon Goddess to reject this mate,” Vance said, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings. “That is all. Please enjoy the rest of the ball.”

He made a brisk motion to turn away. Colette tightened her grip on his bicep, pressing her chest against his arm.

“Do not let that unworthy bitch ruin your good time, Alpha,” Colette purred, fluttering her heavy eyelashes at him. “Enjoy the rest of the night with us.”

*With me, more like,* I thought. I bit the inside of my cheek to suppress a dark chuckle. Colette never changed her tactics. She had been chasing Kaelen Vance since we were pups running through the woods. Back when the three of us were actually friends. Back before the blood and the betrayal tore my world apart.

I focused my eyes on Vance’s broad back. “Alpha? Might I go now? I understand the ceremony is to be in two weeks. As always, I am at your disposal. Just tell me the time and the place, and I will be there.”

Vance did not bother to meet my gaze. He did not spare me a single backward glance. He simply turned and walked away, dismissing my very existence without a second thought. Colette let out a breathless, triumphant laugh.

A moment later, Vance paused in his stride. He did not speak, but he gave a sharp jerk of his chin toward the far wall where the long banquet tables stood. It was a silent, dismissive order. *Go clean yourself up.*

I ignored the sneers and pointing fingers of the onlookers. I moved quickly toward the white linen tablecloths. Not only had my blood sullied the hardwood floor, but a dark stain now spread across the collar of my uniform. The house staff would be furious. I would undoubtedly pay for this mess later.

As I reached the table and grabbed a handful of white napkins, I pressed the soft fabric against my fresh scar. The sting made my eyes water, but I blinked the tears away. Across the room, I could still hear Colette whining, her high-pitched voice grating on my nerves.

“But Vance-y-boo,” Colette pouted, tugging at his sleeve. “The ball will not be nearly as fun without you.”

“I have had enough, Colette,” Vance grunted. With a firm, decisive motion, he pulled his arm free from her grasping fingers.

I knew him well enough to read his tone. He did not just mean he had enough of the party. He meant he had enough of *her*. But Colette, blinded by her own ambition, let the hint fly right over her head.

“Aww, Vance-y-boo, do not be like that,” she pleaded.

I pressed the napkin harder against my mouth to muffle a laugh. The look of pure, unadulterated disgust that flashed across Vance’s face was priceless. He turned his head, perhaps thinking no one caught the expression. But I saw it.

“No,” Vance said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I am leaving. Have a good time, Colette. Hopefully, you will meet your mate.”

With that final dismissal, he strode out of the ballroom, his long legs carrying him quickly through the grand double doors. He was the Alpha. He could not just vanish into the shadows like a ghost, but he made his escape as swift as possible.

Colette stood frozen in the center of the room. Disappointment washed over her features, quickly morphing into a raw, ugly fury. Her face twisted into a snarl. I knew her anger needed an outlet, and I knew exactly who she would target.

She rounded on me instantly. She marched across the ballroom floor, her heels clicking like gunshots against the wood.

“You stupid bitch! You ruined everything!” Colette hissed. She stopped right in front of me, her chest heaving with rage.

She glared at me, then shifted her gaze to the banquet table beside me. A crystal goblet filled to the brim with dark red wine sat near the edge. Colette snatched the glass. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled the contents directly at my chest. The cold liquid splashed against my tactical shirt, soaking through the thick fabric and chilling my skin.

“Oops,” she snickered, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “I did not see you standing there.”

I closed my eyes for a brief second. Yes, the Omega house staff were definitely going to murder me in my sleep. Or dump a bucket of venomous spiders into my bed. Knowing them, they would get much more creative this time.

I said nothing. I reached out, picked up another stack of napkins, and began blotting the fresh wine stain on my chest.

My lack of a reaction only infuriated Colette more. She wanted a fight. She wanted tears. She took a quick, calculating look around the room to ensure all eyes were on us. Then, she shifted her weight, raised her foot, and kicked the heavy wooden leg out from under the buffet table.

The structure gave way with a deafening crack. Gravity took over. Silver platters launched into the air. Crystal bowls shattered against the floor, sending jagged shards flying in every direction. Dozens of wine glasses exploded, raining red liquid across the pristine white floorboards. Roasted meats, delicate pastries, and expensive fruits sloshed and rolled over the ground in a ruined, chaotic mess.

Colette instantly threw her hands over her mouth. She widened her eyes, plastering on a mask of pure, innocent horror.

“Vanya! What have you done?!” Colette shrieked, her voice echoing through the silent room. “Just because Alpha Vance rejected you does not mean you should go destroying pack property in a temper tantrum!”

I squeezed my eyes shut. A deep, heavy sigh echoed in my chest. I was trapped in her game now.

The crowd surged forward like a pack of starving wild dogs. They surrounded me, their faces twisted in outrage.

“You idiot! How dare you ruin the Alpha’s belongings!” a towering male wolf roared, stepping so close his spit hit my cheek. “You are lower than dirt! You are not worthy to breathe the same air as the Dawnflare Pack, yet the Alpha’s family shows you mercy and allows you to stay! Is this how you repay them?!”

I took a quiet, measured step backward. My hands remained at my sides. The small eardrop communication device tucked in my left ear was a brand-new prototype Jace had built for me. I did not want some angry noble’s saliva short-circuiting the wiring.

Colette, entirely oblivious to my subtle retreat, smirked. She soaked up the crowd’s fury, her eyes shining with malicious triumph.

“She is so hopeless. I do not know why the Alpha bothers to keep a stray like her around,” one of Colette’s sycophants chimed in, tossing more fuel onto the fire.

“She is not just hopeless,” Colette announced, stepping up onto a clean patch of floor to address the mob. “She is a coward! If it were not for me, the entire pack might have been slaughtered today! I was the one who found enemy scouts sniffing around our borders—”

A blatant lie. Colette had shrieked and run for her life at the first snap of a twig. I was the one who tracked the enemy scouts and neutralized the threat.

“—and Vanya just tucked her tail and ran away! I had to alert the perimeter guards myself—”

*Smack!*

Colette swung her arm with brutal force. Her palm connected with my already wounded cheek. The sharp metal of her rings bit into my flesh. The fresh rejection scar split wide open. Hot blood sprayed across the air, instantly staining my dark collar and splattering across Colette’s pale hand.

The stinging pain radiated through my skull. My head snapped to the side.

“Does it hurt?” Colette chuckled. She casually flicked my blood off her fingers, sending drops splattering onto the ruined floor. Then, she raised her heavy heel and kicked me hard in the stomach.

I hit the ground. Shards of broken glass crunched beneath my knees.

“Lick the floor clean!” Colette commanded.

I raised my head. I looked directly into her glowing amber eyes. I kept my face blank, a stone mask hiding the storm beneath.

“By your order. Beta Colette,” I said softly.

I was not stupid enough to fight back in the middle of a hostile mob that was just missing torches and pitchforks. But honestly, I did not care. I did not care about the pain. I did not care about the humiliation, the spilled wine, or the rejection scar burning on my face. This was my reality. This was a daily occurrence for me. Today, I just happened to be standing in front of a larger audience than usual.

I lowered my eyelids, maintaining my emotionless facade. I had a mission. Fourteen years. A full fourteen years had passed since the bloody, rain-soaked night my father rebelled against the pack. Fourteen years of bearing the title of a traitor's offspring. I endured the beatings, the scorn, and the endless suffering because I needed access to the pack archives. I needed to uncover the truth behind his supposed betrayal. I was so close to finding the missing records. I could not afford to lose my temper and get myself banished now. Until I had my answers, infuriating the elite was a tactical error I refused to make. Mated to the Alpha? Please. I had bigger problems.

“Hey, Vanya.”

A familiar voice cut through the tension. Jace Alden strode toward me. He was another child of a convicted traitor, marked by the same invisible stain I carried. The angry crowd parted like the Red Sea, shocked that an Omega dared to interrupt their entertainment.

Jace ignored the glaring nobles. He stopped beside me and flashed a bright, easy smile. We were equals in this hell. We watched each other’s backs.

“Why do you not let me take the rest of your shift, and you can cover mine later?” Jace offered, his eyes darting to my soaked, bloody uniform. “Looks like you need a change of clothes anyway.”

Gratitude flared in my chest. I could not risk smiling back, so I simply gave him a sharp nod. I pushed myself up from the glass-covered floor, turned my back on Colette, and quick-marched out of the ballroom.

As the heavy double doors swung shut behind me, I heard the string quartet strike up a new melody. With their favorite punching bag gone, the nobles returned to their dancing.

I slipped into the dim, narrow corridors used by the servant class. Years of surviving in the shadows taught me how to move without making a sound. I walked with stealthy precision, dodging the intersections where angry Omega cleaners usually gathered. I navigated the maze of hallways, heading straight for the rear exit of the massive estate.

Before I reached the door, Myra ducked out of the bustling kitchen. The older housekeeper had a frantic look in her eyes. She carried a full, unopened bottle of premium vodka in her right hand.

“I heard the shouting. I knew what was going on, so I sent Jace in to pull you out,” Myra whispered. She hurried over and pressed the heavy glass bottle into my hands. “Here. Take this. Go somewhere quiet and relax.”

She paused. Her worn, wrinkled hand reached out and gently rubbed my back. It was a rare, fleeting gesture of warmth.

“We all know you are our best warrior, Crimson Vanya,” Myra murmured softly. “Forget those stuck-up fools.”

“I already have,” I replied. A tiny, genuine smile touched the corner of my lips.

The nervous housekeeper bobbed her head, cast a paranoid glance over her shoulder, and scurried back into the safety of the loud kitchen.

I pushed open the heavy side door and stepped out into the cool night air, the vodka bottle gripped tightly in my hand.

I broke into a steady lope, my long legs eating up the distance. I did not shift into my wolf form, but years of grueling combat training made me incredibly fast even on two legs. The cold wind whipped through my hair, cooling the burning sensation on my scarred cheek. It took less than fifteen minutes to reach the edge of the pack territory.

The sandstone cliffs loomed ahead. They were tall, sheer, and magnificent, dropping hundreds of feet down into a jagged ravine. I came here often. It was the only place I could rest, breathe, and think in peace. Not that I wanted to do much thinking tonight. My mind kept drifting back to the blood, the screams, and the flashing fangs from fourteen years ago. The puzzle was almost complete. I just needed to survive a little longer.

I reached the very edge of the precipice. I sat down on the damp grass and swung my boots out over the terrifying drop. I stared into the black abyss below. I unscrewed the metal cap of the vodka bottle, the sharp scent of alcohol stinging my nose. I brought the glass rim to my lips.

Before I could take a single sip, a deep, rumbling noise echoed behind me.

*Thump. Thump. THUMP.*

The heavy footfalls shook the earth beneath me. I whipped my head around, my eyes going wide. A massive, midnight-black wolf was barreling through the tree line, charging directly at my back.

“What in the—?!” I gasped.

I slammed the bottle down on the grass and scrambled to my feet, my muscles tensing for a fight.

Before I could even attempt to call upon my own wolf, the black beast launched itself into the air. The massive creature soared over the grass. Mid-leap, the dark fur melted away. Bones snapped and reformed in the blink of an eye. When he crashed onto the ground right in front of me, he was a man again.

It was Alpha Kaelen Vance.

“What…” he snarled, his voice a lethal, guttural rumble.

He lunged forward. His massive hands shot out, his fingers locking around my wrist like a steel vice. He yanked me away from the cliff’s edge with terrifying force. His naked, towering body crashed into mine. His bare chest pressed flush against my soaking wet, wine-stained uniform. The heat radiating off his skin was scorching. His hot, heavy breaths brushed against the sensitive skin of my neck. He held my arm so tight it bruised, staring at me with wild, frantic eyes. It was as if he truly believed I was about to jump into the void. The cold, unfeeling Alpha from the ballroom was gone.

“What in the ROYAL HOLY do you THINK you are DOING?!”