REJECTED WEAK MATE-LILA

Night air weighed heavy on the pack grounds as murmurs and laughter seemed to spring from everywhere, but to Lila Miller, it was the suffocating presence that weighted her down. Every sound, every shadow seemed to mock her as she walked alone past the bonfire where the pack celebrated. She kept her eyes averted to the ground, as she was supposed to, and ignored the sideways looks of the other pack members who barely tolerated her. But tonight was supposed to be different. Tonight, the Moon Goddess would finally give her something to call her own-her mate.

She clutched herself, as if that could protect her from the nagging truth she had to live day in and day out. Her half-sister Aria strutted around with a knowing smirk, swinging her dark hair over her shoulder. "You look nervous, Lila. Not that it matters," she sneered at her with scant-disguised disdain. "Not everyone is destined for greatness."

The words stung more than Lila cared to admit, but she clamped down. She knew saying another word would only serve to feed Aria the satisfaction she so badly craved. All her life, Lila had been cast into the shadows of Aria's charm, beauty, and even her parents' affection. While her half-sister had been groomed to shine, Lila had been at best a ghost in her own home, rarely acknowledged.

It was as if the crowd of people held their combined breath when one lone, tall figure stepped forward: Alpha Jackson. His presence was a call for attention; the power in his aura sent ripples through the assembly. Lila felt the pound of her heart in her chest, fear mixed with a thrill of hope. She had always harbored a kind of admiration for him, one that both terrified and wanted this strong, confident enigma.

The silence was shattered as the bond flared to life within her-an invisible thread tugging her to Jackson. Soar. Realization dawned: Jackson was her mate.

Hesitantly hopeful, Lila took one step forward, but her courage soon buckled under the weight of his cold, unflinching gaze. "Lila?" He sounded almost amused, as if the very notion of them being bound by fate was some kind of cruel joke. He took one single step backward, a dismissal before she'd even had the chance to utter a word.

"Moon Goddess must have some sort of sick sense of humour," Jackson said, his voice echoing with disdain as he addressed the crowd. "This runt as my mate? I don't think so." He let out a harsh, bitter laugh, and those around him joined in, jeering and whispering. Lila's hope shattered, the bond in excruciating pull at her heart, as if it was being ripped from the inside out.

Jackson...." Her voice came out in a mere whisper; her eyes were pleading, but he cut her off with an ice-glacial gaze that could freeze fire.

"I would never accept someone like you." He now turned to Aria, a smirk playing upon his lips as he drew her close. "But your sister, now... she is a true Luna." And with that, he bent down and plunged his fangs deep into Aria's neck, claiming her as his own, solidifying Lila's rejection before all concerned.

Pain lanced through her, sharp and blinding, like her very soul had been torn in two. She stumbled backward, clutching at her chest, as mirth and whispers buzzed around her-the sounds of her own pack, her own family, the people who should have stood by her-just looked at her with nothing but pity or disdain.

Her mother and father averted their gaze as if they could not bear even her shame. Still coddling the flawless daughter Aria, Lila was no more than an afterthought. Now, even the bond given by the Moon Goddess was torn from her, so hollow, broken.

Unable to bear the humiliation, Lila turned and ran into the woods, tears blurring her vision. She pushed through branches and stumbled over roots, her lungs burning with the effort, but she didn't stop. The laughter and sneers of her pack still echoed in her mind, mingling with an image of Jackson marking Aria. She was nothing to them-an outcast, not good enough for love or loyalty.

Finally, she slumped beside the riverbank, her reflection staring back at her-a girl with eyes red from crying, her face etched with pain and despair. She couldn't go back. Not to them, not after everything. Her soul was bruised, heart shattered beyond repair. She felt as though she had lost herself entirely, left adrift in a world that had never wanted her.

The cool night air chilled Lila to the bone, but what was more numbing was the chaos in her mind as she stumbled through the woods. Every step away from her pack-her so-called family-was like a weight being lifted from her shoulders, but the agony in her chest from the broken mate bond made every breath sharp and ragged.

Lila pushed on, her feet dragging against the forest floor as her vision began to blur with building tears. Memories of Jackson and Aria together plagued her mind, and with every recollection, when she would try to push them away, her pain worsened. There was hardly any family, no mate, and no future-the truth hit her hard.

Exhausted, Lila fell to her knees and collapsed by the side of a riverbank, grasping desperately at the soil. She felt empty and hollow, her chest on fire with both her grief and betrayal. It was without her awareness that time began to pass by-the first light of dawn began to seep over her crumpled body.

Lila: "Why would the Moon Goddess mate me with him? What have I done to deserve this?

As Lila lay there by the riverbank, she was seen by a group of rogue wolves. Seeing her so helpless, they circle around her, taunting and advancing on her. They mock her for smelling of a pack and yet exuding an aura of rejection weak, cast away.

She tries to defend herself, but she is too weak from running in the night and with a heavy heart. Just as the rogues are closing in for an attack, there comes a strong presence-an Alpha with an authoritative aura, a silence that automatically stops them. The rogues growl but eventually retreat since they do not want to fight with such power.

As the dust settles, Lila sits up and meets her savior: tall, imposing, hard eyes, yet a hard expression. He's like no man she has ever met. Dominant in every sense, there is something in the way he eyes her that, for an instant, breaks down the hardness of his gaze into a whisper.

He introduces himself as Alpha Xander, the leader of a neighboring pack. Lila feels an odd, otherworldly pull toward him, though she is too raw in heart and brain to appreciate that fact. He offers her shelter and healing, reassuring her that she is safe for now.

Xander: "You are safe now. Come with me, and no one will dare harm you."

Lila: -suspicious, hesitating-"Why would you help me? You don't know who I am."

Xander: "No wolf should be hunted like that. Besides, I protect those in my charge."

For the first time since her rejection, Lila is in a safe environment among Xander's pack. She is cautious but allows herself some rest and recuperation. Xander is friendly yet not intrusive, providing a care service respectful of the shutting off of her private space. His Alpha energy, therefore, oddly comforted her and soothed the turmoil in her inner being.

Weeks pass, until Lila starts to feel a little of her energy rebuilding. Xander stops by to visit erratically at first but soon expands into much longer conversations with him learning about her life and values. He may see her pain but asks nothing; sometimes she shares of her own accord.

It is through this that a bond between them develops organically, but Lila resists the deepening attraction-afraid of allowing herself to be vulnerable again to a heartbreak. Yet, in every glance they share and even from the subtler touches, denial gets increasingly difficult.

One evening, under the full moon, Lila finds herself in the solitude of the part of his pack's territory with Xander. They speak of their respective scars and painful histories, and Lila feels a sense of understanding and acceptance from him that she never felt with Jackson.

In this vulnerable moment, Lila shares her rejection and the torment visited upon her by her pack. Xander listens with a nonjudgmental ear, his eyes brimming with empathy and fierce protectiveness. It is then that she knows he is nothing like Jackson; he sees her strength, not the perceived weaknesses.

As they continue talking, he leans in and gently takes her hand. The touch sends a wave of heat through her body, one not felt since her mate bond was severed. The intimacy of the moment almost overwhelms her, and though she's terrified of it, she does yield to lean deeper into that contact.

Xander: "Whatever they led you to believe, you are stronger than them all, Lila.

Lila: "Then why do I feel so broken?"

Xander: "Because they didn't deserve you."

Finally, their lips touched in a soft, gentle kiss that brought back her hope and started healing the cuts Jackson had inflicted on her heart.

Over the coming days, Lila realizes a new connection is growing with Xander-one that seems much more respectively and mutually based on understanding. She comes to understand that he is her second chance mate, placed by the Moon Goddess, not to replace her past but to help her reclaim the future.

But it is not for long that lila can live happy. Shadows of her old life start haunting her, and the scout warns her that Jackson is after her and wants to "sort out" the unfinished matters. At the mention of Jackson, Xander's eyes darken, and Lila feels the shiver run down her spine with the thought of having to face her first mate once again.

On Alpha Xander's lands, Lila has been acclimatizing to her new life and trusting happiness once more. Her relationship with Xander had been strengthened-day by day, like a balm on her wounded soul. News of her being with Xander soon reaches Aria, her half-sister, who is vindictive to the core. She is infuriated with the very thought of Lila finding love and strength with a powerful Alpha. Aria realizes it's about time she takes things into her own hands.

Aria, still in Lila's old pack, receives news from her scout that Lila has been taken into Alpha Xander's care-and worse, they are getting close. This turns Aria's blood to venom. All this time, she had loved watching Lila miserable, under her thumb and spurned by Jackson. And now, to hear that she had a powerful Alpha watching out for her-in what was sure to make his pack like her too-made Aria's jealousy spike.

Aria decides to bring Lila down, plotting how to destroy the happiness of her sister. She, therefore, starts thinking of ways through which she can destroy Lila's relationship with Xander.

Aria said to herself coldly, "She thinks she can escape me? She thinks a new Alpha mate will make her untouchable? We'll see about that."

Meanwhile, in Xander's pack, Lila starts feeling safer than she had in a very long time around Jackson. Xander had been patient and protective, giving her space while also making it very clear he cherished her. She feels safe and loved-new and frightening. While the bond with him is something she wants to give herself to completely, her mind keeps haunting her with memories of the event with Jackson and Aria.

One evening, Xander takes Lila to a quiet spot on the edge of the pack's forest, where, in the still of the night, they share a quiet moment under the stars. Xander reassures Lila that her past does not define her and that she has full rights to restart her life sans fear.

Xander: "I don't care what anyone else says or believes, Lila. All I know is that you're stronger than anyone I've ever met.

Lila said, "They don't see that. They just see a rejected mate, a weak link."

Xander's response was unequivocal. "Then let them watch when you rise above that."

Their bond strengthens further as through Xander's eyes, Lila begins to find her value.

Shocker- Aria shows up in Xander's territory, demanding to see Lila. Brought before them, she puts on a show of concern-the "worried sister"-lying about Lila's past. She describes Lila as weak and unstable, always relying on others, probably to get Xander questioning his decision to accept her.

Lila, though in shock, does not buy into Aria's manipulation. Lila confronts her, telling Aria she is trying to ruin her life again. Xander himself feels that Aria is consumed by jealousy and spite, so he doesn't wholly believe her story but does want to give Lila a chance to explain her side in turn.

Aria: "I'm only here because I care about my sister. She's always struggled, always needed someone to protect her. I just want to make sure you're aware of what you're getting into."

Lila: "Enough with your lies, Aria! You don't care about me-you never did."

This little fight pushes Lila to an emotional breaking point, and deep-seated fears of rejection and abandonment force her to face herself, showing Xander exactly how much it hurt the previous relationship and the pack trauma.

Xander may reassure her, but she cannot shake off the feeling of judgment from his pack. They have heard whispers about her, about the rejection from her first mate, and some of them heed Aria's claims about Lila-that she is unstable, weak. Then there are the lingering glances, whispered conversations, and coldness emanating from some pack members who doubt her loyalty and worth.

With the pressure building, Lila starts questioning whether she will ever fit in or whether she will ever be able to move on with her life, free from the shackles of her past. In these desperate moments, Xander reassures her that he believes in her strength and that he will stand beside her against anyone who dares question her place in his life.

Noticing how heavily this weighs on Lila, Xander takes her on a trip outside the pack for less judgmental and prying eyes. They went to a quiet lake and spent some time together-quiet time he used to open up to her about his own past and struggles. This lets Lila know she is not alone in this continuous fight.

As they finally begin to share their vulnerabilities, their romantic bond deepens, and Lila starts to get a shot at trusting Xander. They share an embrace under the silvery moonlight, and she feels her fears and doubts melt away, replaced by an extreme feeling of love and loyalty.

Xander: "Nobody is ever gonna make you feel like you don't belong, Lila. Not as long as I'm still breathing.".

Lila: tearfully, "Thank you, Xander. For seeing me for who I am."

Aria, in a blind rage over her scheme to turn Xander against Lila having been foiled, concocts a darker plan. Gathering a few allies who share her resentment at Lila's new found happiness, she starts sowing discord into Xander's pack. Manipulating a few pack members, she stirs their distrust of Lila and convinces them that she is a threat to their safety.