Rejected - torn by love

The sun was shining through the curtains as Liandra sat up in bed. Today was her 18th birthday, and not just any birthday-it was her wedding day! She smiled, thinking about Darius, the alpha wolf of their pack. He was tall, strong, and had deep, golden eyes that always seemed to look into her soul. Ever since they were young, it had been promised that she would marry him. And now, the day had finally come.

Liandra jumped out of bed, her heart fluttering with excitement. The whole village had been preparing for this day. Flowers were hanging everywhere, and the smell of fresh bread and pies filled the air. Her father, a kind and proud man, was already outside, talking to the villagers. She could hear his laughter through the window.

"Liandra!" her mother called from downstairs. "Come and get dressed. Today is a big day!"

Liandra rushed down, her white gown laid out on the table, glowing in the sunlight. Her mother smiled at her. "You look beautiful already, but this dress will make you shine even brighter."

Liandra beamed. She couldn't wait to see Darius. She had always admired him from afar, and today, he would be hers forever. As she got dressed, her little brother ran in, excitedly showing her the beads of promise. It was a string of beads that every alpha wolf gave to his chosen mate. Darius had given them to her a year ago, and she had worn them every day since.

"They look so pretty," her brother said, touching the shiny beads. "Soon, you'll be his queen!"

Liandra's father entered the room, eyes twinkling with pride. "I've always known you were destined for greatness, Liandra. Darius is lucky to have you."

With her heart full, Liandra followed her family to the great clearing where the wedding would take place. The whole pack had gathered, and at the front stood Darius, tall and handsome as ever. His golden eyes watched her as she walked down the path, and she smiled at him, feeling her heart skip a beat.

She stood before him, her father by her side. The pack elder began the ceremony, speaking of unity, love, and the strength of the pack. Liandra felt warm inside, knowing she was about to become Darius's forever.

Just as the elder was about to pronounce them mates, Darius stepped forward. His face had changed. It was no longer soft and full of warmth. His eyes were cold, distant.

"I can't do this," Darius said, his voice loud and clear for everyone to hear. The crowd gasped, and Liandra's heart stopped.

"W-what do you mean?" she whispered, her throat tight.

Darius turned to face her, his expression hard. "You're not who I want, Liandra. I never did." His hand reached up, and with a quick, cruel motion, he yanked the beads of promise from her neck. The beads scattered across the ground, bouncing and rolling away like shattered dreams.

Liandra's heart broke in an instant. Her vision blurred with tears. The crowd was silent, everyone frozen in shock. Her father took a step forward, his face pale with disbelief. "Darius, what are you doing?"

But Darius didn't even look at him. He turned away from Liandra, his voice cold as ice. "I reject you, Liandra. You are not my mate."

Liandra could hardly breathe. She reached out, but Darius had already turned his back on her. The elder stood frozen, unsure of what to do next. The pack murmured in confusion, and Liandra felt her world crumble around her.

Her father gently touched her shoulder, trying to pull her close, but Liandra stood still, staring at the ground where the beads had fallen. Everything she had dreamed of, everything she had hoped for, had been destroyed in a single moment.

The sun that had shone so brightly that morning now felt cold, as if the warmth had been taken from the day. And as Darius walked away, Liandra realized that nothing would ever be the same again.

Liandra stumbled through the streets, her heart pounding. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Darius had rejected her in front of everyone. Her beautiful beads of promise were gone, scattered in the dirt like they had meant nothing to him. She wiped her eyes, but the tears kept falling.

"I have to understand why," she whispered to herself. "There must be a reason."

Liandra headed to the alpha's house, desperate to speak with Darius. Her mind raced with questions. What had she done wrong? Why did he suddenly turn cold?

When she arrived, two guards stopped her at the entrance. "I need to see Darius," she said, her voice shaky.

The guards exchanged looks and shook their heads. "Sorry, Liandra. The alpha isn't taking any visitors."

"But I'm supposed to be his mate!" she cried, her voice breaking. "Please, I just need to talk to him."

The guards didn't budge. "We're sorry," one of them said softly. "You should go home."

Liandra felt her heart sink. She turned away, her feet heavy as she walked back to her house. When she got home, her father was waiting by the door. His face lit up when he saw her, but when he noticed the tears streaming down her face, his smile faded.

"Liandra, don't worry," he said gently, pulling her into a hug. "We will fix this. I have a plan."

She clung to him, trying to find comfort in his words. But her heart still ached. How could anything fix what had happened today?

Later that night, as Liandra lay in bed, she heard voices from her parents' room. She quietly slipped out of bed and moved closer to their door, listening.

"We need an alliance, Elena," her father was saying in a low, serious voice. "The alpha's rejection puts us in a difficult position. We can't afford to wait."

Her mother's voice was soft but firm. "You're not seriously suggesting the twins, are you? They're mutants, Isaac."

Liandra froze. The twins? Mutants? Who were they talking about?

Her father sighed. "We don't have many options. One of the twins would be a strong match for Liandra, and their family has influence. We need this alliance now more than ever."

Liandra felt a knot form in her stomach. Her heart was already broken from losing Darius, and now her father was planning to marry her off to someone else?

She crept back to her room, her mind racing. Who were these twins? And why did her father seem so desperate?

Over the next few days, Liandra kept to herself, lost in her thoughts. She still hadn't seen Darius, and the pain of his rejection was like a heavy weight in her chest. She couldn't imagine being with anyone else. Every time she thought about marrying someone other than Darius, her heart sped up in panic.

Then, one morning, her father called her into his study. He had a serious look on his face, but there was also a hint of hope in his eyes.

"Liandra," he began, "I know the last few days have been hard for you. But we need to think about the future. I'd like you to meet some people... and consider marrying one of them."

Liandra's heart raced. Her throat felt tight, and she couldn't find her voice at first. "But... I thought..." she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "I thought I was supposed to be with Darius."

Her father's face softened. He reached out and took her hand. "I know, sweet girl. But things have changed. Darius has made his choice, and we have to move forward."

Tears welled up in her eyes again. She didn't want to move forward. She wanted to know why Darius had left her. She wanted everything to go back to the way it was before. But deep down, she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I know this is hard," her father said gently. "But I wouldn't ask this of you if it weren't important. These people... they could be good for you, Liandra. One of them could give you the future you deserve."

Liandra nodded slowly, though her heart wasn't in it. She didn't want to meet anyone else. She didn't want to think about a future without Darius. But she also didn't want to disappoint her father.

"When?" she whispered.

"Soon," he said, squeezing her hand. "But I want you to think about it, okay? Just meet them, and we'll see where things go."

Liandra nodded again, her chest tight with worry. As she left her father's study, the panic started to build. The thought of being with someone other than Darius felt wrong. But what choice did she have?

She sat by her window that night, staring out at the stars, her heart heavy with confusion. Could she really marry someone she didn't love? Could she ever love anyone else? Or would her heart always belong to Darius, even though he had turned his back on her?

As the days passed, Liandra felt more and more trapped, caught between her father's plan and her own shattered heart.