The rejection
Ava’s POV
The air was heavy with tension as the Harvest Festival reached its height. The pack was buzzing with excitement, but I felt none of it. I stood at the edge of the clearing, my heart racing beneath my chest with anticipation. This night would change everything.
Unlike in my past life, when I was treated less, I was dressed with care this time. My silver hair flowed down my back, and my simple dress hugged my form, making me feel strong, not invisible. I wasn’t the broken girl I had been. I was no longer the nobody who let her life spiral out of control.
And then there was him.
I could feel eyes on me, his eyes, intense, dark, and piercing. From across the clearing, the Lycan King stood tall among the crowd, his presence unmistakable even in his simplicity. Raphael Axel. I hadn’t known him by name when we first met on the pack territory, but I had recognized something in his voice, something that awoke hope deep inside me, why he was at pack’s territory, I do not know.
Now, every time I glanced his way, his gaze was already waiting for me. It somehow messed with my mind. His eyes were so daring and unnerving as if he sees only me and no one else. It sent shivers down my spine.
“He is hot.” Maya rumbled in my mind. “I thought you said to stay away from him.” I teased her. “Of course I did, still he is fine like hot sauce.” Could my wolf be in heat? I pondered.
My thoughts were interrupted by the ceremony as the pack’s elders introduced the new pups to the crowd. There were cheers and applause, but my mind was elsewhere, focused on what was to come. This was the moment I finally got my freedom from Landon. My chance to break free from the chains that bound me to Landon and his nauseous control.
The crowd’s energy shifted as Landon rose to his feet, his posture straight and proud. He was smiling, just as he had in my past life, preparing to make his announcement. His arrogance made my stomach twist, but this time, I didn’t feel the hopelessness I had once felt. This time, I felt something else. Power, anger, and hate.
His voice reverberated his vows just like in the past "I, Landon Blackstone," his voice rang out, smooth and commanding, "will be marrying Helena Jackson as my Luna."
There was a murmur of approval from the crowd, but I could feel the eyes on me, watching, waiting. They were expecting me to crumble, to break, just as I had before. I could hear their whispers, their mocking words as they passed judgment.
"A waste."
"Poor thing."
“I wouldn't have her as my Luna either.”
“What's a wolf without their wolf?”
But I didn’t flinch. Instead, I stepped forward, my voice rising above the crowd with a strength I hadn’t known I possessed.
"I, Ava Jackson, reject Landon Blackstone as my mate." Instantly, I feel the mate bond dissolve. I finally did it. Why have I not thought of this in my past life? Why did I suffer so much because of my fears? I clench my fists to hold back my tears. I will not cry. No, I won't.
The crowd fell into a stunned silence. Landon’s face paled, his confident smirk vanishing in an instant. For a sweet second, I reveled in the shock that washed over him, a thrill of pleasure running through me. The mate bond between us is broken, all Landon has to do now is accept it and we will be done.
Landon’s eyes narrowed, and his jaw clenched. His voice, once smooth, now sounded strained and forced. "I do not accept."
The crowd erupted into whispers again, their eyes darting between us. The tension was palpable, and for the first time, I didn’t feel small beneath their gaze. I felt… alive and in charge.
My father’s voice cut through the air, cold and sharp, trying to silent me as always. "Ava, what is the meaning of this nonsense?" His eyes were hard, daring me to defy him further.
Before I could respond, my mother stepped forward, her voice smooth as she addressed the Lycan King, her eyes pleading. "Your Highness, do not mind my daughter. She is simply… jealous."
Jealous? Nonsense? The words sent a wave of fury through me. Jealous of what? Being abandoned and not being rejected by my own mate in favor of my sister? I had suffered enough, I got killed once for a snake, not again.
I lifted my chin, my voice rising with clear defiance. "Why won’t you reject me?" I demanded, turning my eyes to Landon. "Accept it and let me go. I am willing to be banished."
The crowd gasped at my words, their whispers turning into a torrent of noise. I could see the shock in their faces, the disbelief. This wasn’t the Ava they had known. This wasn’t the girl they expected to crumble. Accepting to be banished is like you are accepting being a rogue. Ha, yes, I am willing to be a rogue. I intend to leave this pack and when I come back, they should pray hard to the moon goddess.
The weight of their judgment should have crushed me, but instead, it made me feel stronger.
Landon’s father, Charles, stood then, his voice filled with authority and anger. "I hope you understand the consequences of what you’re saying, young lady."
He turned to his son, his voice hard as stone. "Landon, dissolve the mate bond. Reject her."
But Landon refused. "No! She is my mate. I will not reject her."
There was a collective gasp in the crowd, the tension so thick I could feel it pressing against my skin. The crowd leaned in, watching the drama unfold with wide eyes. This was their entertainment.
And then, through the chaos, I felt a presence, a familiar presence. I turned, my heart skipping a beat as Raphael rose from his seat. His movements were slow, deliberate, and the crowd fell silent as he approached. The power he exuded was undeniable, but it wasn’t his presence that sent shivers down my spine. It was his voice.
"We meet again, Ava." He said to me, he stood before me now, his presence like a storm brewing on the horizon. He turned to Landon, his voice calm but laced with an authority that could not be denied.
"Why won’t you reject her?" he asked, his eyes boring into Landon, demanding an answer.
Landon faltered, his arrogance slipping as he met his uncle’s gaze. "She is my mate," he said, but his voice lacked the conviction it once had.
Raphael’s gaze didn’t waver. "If she is your mate, why are you marrying another?"
Landon’s silence was deafening. He had no answer.
His father, Charles, growled in frustration. "Landon, reject her."
The weight of the moment pressed down on all of us. I could feel the mate bond straining between us, fragile and on the verge of completely breaking. The crowd was watching, waiting for Landon to act.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Landon’s voice broke through the tension. "I, Landon Blackstone, accept your rejection."
The words hit me like a wave, and I felt the bond between us snap. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was free. The relief was so much that I almost staggered with it. Raphael leaned as if supporting me.
I smiled, the weight lifting off my chest. But my victory was short-lived, as I knew the words weren't over.
"Ava Jackson, you are hereby banished from the Moon Stone Pack." Charles’s voice rang out, cold and unforgiving, like father like son.
The crowd fell silent, their eyes on me, waiting to see how I would react. But I wasn’t afraid. Not anymore.
Before I could even process what was happening, Raphael stepped forward, his presence crowding over the pack like a storm. His eyes never left mine as he spoke.
"You are welcome in my court, Ava."
He extended his hand to me, and in that moment, I knew that my life had changed forever.
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