The Alpha's Mate id an outcast; Return of the Rejected Wolf

r, colder than the last. She had run for miles-far beyond the familiar borders of the pack's territory, deeper into the forest where even the olde

n that still burned like an open wound in her chest, Astra couldn't bring herself to turn back. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she knew that staying meant sub

e wilds. She had always been taught to navigate the forests and mountains surrounding the pack's territory, learning to survive in ways her father had never wanted her

solitude of the forest, there was no peace for Astra. The memorie

g to us. Leave. Y

ceived. A part of her wanted to scream, to fight back, to demand that he see her as more than just the bloodline she carried. But there w

ed for his approval, for a place in the pack. But now that was gone. She had been reje

n her ears, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to give in to the darkness of her emotions. The tears came th

being seen as a reminder of something her pack wanted to forget. Astra wiped the tears from her face, he was tired. Tired of fighting for a place that would never ac

She could feel the anger building up again, like fire in her veins. She wouldn't let

he movement. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but s

from the air. Astra realized with a bitter pang that she had been a part of something-something bigger than herself-and now that sense of be

rength. But that trust had been shattered the moment he rejected her. There was no denying it now-she was nothing to him. She was a

ut she had never wavered in her affection for Astra. Even when the pack had demanded that Astra's mother leave, she had stayed, choosing her daughter over the pack's disapproval. But

a had once believed that she could prove herself worthy to the pack, that if she trained hard enough and fought bravely enough, they would see her

he ever

long under the moon. The world was eerily silent, as if even nature itself was waiting for Astra to make her next move. She didn't know wha

nes. She moved with purpose, though she didn't know where she was going. Every step f

r direction. The woods had begun to look the same, and the chill was turning to nu

re look like? Would

one another, was what made them strong. But now, Astra was learning that she couldn't rely on the pack to su

grateful for the distraction, grateful for something that might give her some peace. She came to a small stream that cut through the forest, its clear wat

ly. It was another wolf, but one unlike any she had ever seen before. Taller, broader, with fur as black as the night itself, the wolf approached her cautiously. Astra bristled, prepared for

olf's presence unsettled her, but it also intrigued her. She had spent so much of her life surrounded by pack w

s voice low and steady

lost, li

to being spoken to like that-like she was something beneath him

ice steady but laced with a hint of

f assessing her. "A pack that doesn't wa

he first time since she had left, she felt a tiny flicker of hope. Her

voice softer now, curiosity beg

ward, his gaze never leaving h

er, colder than the last. She had run for miles-far beyond the familiar borders of the pack's territory, deeper into the forest where even the old

n that still burned like an open wound in her chest, Astra couldn't bring herself to turn back. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she knew that staying meant sub

e wilds. She had always been taught to navigate the forests and mountains surrounding the pack's territory, learning to survive in ways her father had never wanted her

solitude of the forest, there was no peace for Astra. The memorie

g to us. Leave.

ceived. A part of her wanted to scream, to fight back, to demand that he see her as more than just the bloodline she carried. But there w

ed for his approval, for a place in the pack. But now that was gone. She had been reje

n her ears, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to give in to the darkness of her emotions. The tears came th

being seen as a reminder of something her pack wanted to forget. Astra wiped the tears from her face, he was tired. Tired of fighting for a place that would never ac

She could feel the anger building up again, like fire in her veins. She wouldn't let

he movement. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but s

from the air. Astra realized with a bitter pang that she had been a part of something-something bigger than herself-and now that sense of be

rength. But that trust had been shattered the moment he rejected her. There was no denying it now-she was nothing to him. She was a

ut she had never wavered in her affection for Astra. Even when the pack had demanded that Astra's mother leave, she had stayed, choosing her daughter over the pack's disapproval. But

a had once believed that she could prove herself worthy to the pack, that if she trained hard enough and fought bravely enough, they would see her

she ever

long under the moon. The world was eerily silent, as if even nature itself was waiting for Astra to make her next move. She didn't know wha

nes. She moved with purpose, though she didn't know where she was going. Every step f

r direction. The woods had begun to look the same, and the chill was turning to nu

re look like? Would

one another, was what made them strong. But now, Astra was learning that she couldn't rely on the pack to su

grateful for the distraction, grateful for something that might give her some peace. She came to a small stream that cut through the forest, its clear wat

ly. It was another wolf, but one unlike any she had ever seen before. Taller, broader, with fur as black as the night itself, the wolf approached her cautiously. Astra bristled, prepared for

olf's presence unsettled her, but it also intrigued her. She had spent so much of her life surrounded by pack w

s voice low and steady

lost, li

to being spoken to like that-like she was something beneath him

ice steady but laced with a hint of

f assessing her. "A pack that doesn't wa

he first time since she had left, she felt a tiny flicker of hope. Her

voice softer now, curiosity beg

ward, his gaze never leaving h