The Alpha's Chosen Mate
training grounds. Her heart beat faster as she caught sight of Alp
he moved, the way he commanded respect from his packma
ally gathered the co
called out, her voi
ld and calculating. Cassandra hesitated for a
and stepped forward, determine
you...in private," she said,
assessing her worth. Cassandra felt h
urtly, his voice l
d hard, trying to
And I believe we have a connection, a...a
eyebrow, his exp
y do you mean by that?" he asked,
p breath, searching
on that goes beyond pack loyalty or respect. I feel...drawn to you
ow growl, his eyes
ber, have the audacity to declare a connection with your Alpha
words, feeling the weight of h
st...I thought that maybe we could have something special, som
ld laugh, his eyes g
ng machine, Cassandra. Your sole purpose is to serve the pack, to
his words hit her. She had neve
't mean to disrespect you or the pack. Pleas
n unreadable. Then he turned on his heel and str
wash over her. She had hoped for something m
the crushing realization that her Alpha would neve
d rejected her, but the pain was still there, raw and throbbing. She had tried to throw herself into h
obably her best friend, Jade. She didn't want to talk to an
she called
assandra's bed. "Hey," she said, her
r eyes. "I don't know how much longer I can do this," she whis
u don't have to keep pretending everything's okay," she said. "It's
e's hand in return. "Thank you," she said qui
nd Cassandra felt the weight of her emotions easing
Dominic at all?" Jad
No," she said, her voice barely abo
e some time," she said. "When you're
s unwavering support. She knew that she woul
*
threw herself into training and pack duties, determined not to let her heartache keep he
room after a particularly grueling train
id, and she stiffened, re
feet away, his expression unreadable. "Alpha," s
t notice how the sunlight glinted off his dark hair. She forced
nd make sure you're doing ok
faction of knowing how much he had hurt her. "I'm fin
ween us," he said. "But I want you to know that I still care about you. You're a val
ion neutral. She knew that Dominic was just trying to be kind, but i
y. She didn't want to encourage him, but she couldn't d
*
he complicated history between them, but they managed to keep things civil. Every meeting left Cassandra fe
uncil meeting when she heard footsteps behind her. She
aid, his voice lo
spiked, and she nodde
I hurt you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "And I'm sorry for that.
o spill over. She had known all along that Luna was the one Dom
id softly, her voice b
hing her face. "I still care about you, Cassandra," he said. "
in. She knew that being friends with him would be
managed to say,
iving it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you,"
he felt like she had just been gutted - she was happy that they could be friends, bu
.
uld occasionally talk, usually about pack business or training, but the conversation never s
ing session when they heard a commotion coming from the main hall.
wing dangerously. Cassandra's hand went automatically to the knife strappe
tching wolves with lightning-fast speed. Cassandra followed h
t casualties. Cassandra heard someone moaning and rushed over t
- Jade was like a sister to her, and the tho
d, tears streaming do
e wound. "We need to get her to the infirmary," he said, an
mediately took over. Cassandra paced back and forth, her
m, Cassandra rushed over to her. "Is she oka
She's stable," she said. "But she's
g over her in waves. She turned to Dominic, who
her voice thick with em
need to thank me," he said. "We're a
become her family. She knew that she would do anything
ed something - she still loved Dominic, despite everything. But she didn't
going to be harder than ever - but for th