Rejecting My Powerful Fated Alpha Mate

Beaumo

e man I loved. And finished off with poisoned wine wh

ddess gave me a

scars of my first life burned into my soul-and sev

n my grandmother against the vipers in our midst. Time to form

arrived a

and spinning lies about prophecies just to buy myself another breath. My cousin Karla watches my every move, hungry f

ave no

. Every knife in the dark. Every sin

I'm the one hol

Stonefang emissary thinks I'm a hysterical bride. But I know the truth: the real mo

ritory. Unannounced. Uninvited.

him

fires of their betrayal. And now I have three days to save my pack, exp

nted a

ot a w

life alone and unmated than b

e. And this time

**

snappe

ne; there was nothing there, just a warm, moist surface. I looked

only with the familiar scent

Pack Hall. Not the triumphant, twis

uminating dust motes dancing in the air. My canopy bed, with

o hard I nearly collapsed. I stumbled to th

wasn't the broken, defea

At twenty

arred. My eyes, wide with a dawning, terrifying realization, were clear. On my le

as r

s eyes because he thought I was the traitor. I remember the one I chose myself, the so-called lover-Jarrod Rodgers-smiling as he thrust the d

as

w, I w

s re

ate was circled in red ink. My union ceremony with Alpha

ck to the wee

, my entire world was set

ies. Gavin, my powerful, distant mate, never trusted me. A memory flashed-his cold, silver eyes as I tried to warn him about Jarrod, the disbelief and suspicion that shuttered his face. He thought I was the one pla

ttled deep in my bones. It pushed out the fear, the con

ing so deep into my palms that I felt the s

would be

ave my pack, to save my fam

stop th

publicly, 'Reject'

ritual agony it would cause. Rejecting a fated mate was an affront to the Moo

compared to the f

to gather evidence, to subtly turn the elders, to convince my grandmother, Matriarch C

, washed over me. I had the

g shattered the s

d, my voice steadi

cond invitation. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with a p

chest heaving. "Forgive the

le of unease.

ack," she stammered, her voice t

ce. The calm I had felt mome

e was a low whisper. "They

y. An official delegation, led by Alpha Gavin's personal emissary. They've already p

oom t

ble to keep from falling, the poli

s supposed t

strategy, my confidence-all of it s

ere he

gather proof of the vipers nesting in our home. I had to face them, completely unp

fore I even had a chanc

he panic down. Then another. The cold fury

ing the frightened gaze harden into so

y voice low and ev

n composure. "Of course, my lady.

e plain white linen gown

ceremonies, yes. But it was also

dded, scurrying to the wardr

Stonefang envoys had brought. The magnificent dresses, the jewels. How naively I ha

, winding drive, I could see them. A small, disciplined party of wolves in human for

's head of the

oised to devour us. It looke

ispered, fierce and unyi

into chaos, I would be the

from th

of my dress. Then, I walked towards th

th my rejection of the arranged marriage, I believe there will a