The rejected mate

The air in the Great Hall buzzed with a feeling that went right to Elena's bones, a calm but strong sense of excitement and everyone being together. It was the yearly Unity Feast, a night full of tradition where the Silver Moon pack celebrated all the good things from the harvest and how all their friendships kept their land safe. Usually, Elena felt good in the loud warmth, with the familiar smells of roasting boar, spiced cider bubbling in big pots, pine logs popping in the huge fireplaces, and the earthy scent of hundreds of werewolves under the old wooden roof.

But tonight, her stomach felt tight with a worried feeling that was sharp and specific, a bad feeling that had nothing to do with the happy mood.

Tonight felt different. Electric. Important. Like everything was coming together within these stone walls.

She nervously smoothed down the simple dark green dress she'd spent weeks saving her small apprentice money for. It felt both too plain and too noticeable next to the fancy, embroidered dresses and sharp tunics worn by the higher-ups and their families. As someone learning to be a healer, Elena usually spent her time in the quiet, clean-smelling infirmary, talking only to the sick, the hurt, and her teacher, Elder Elms. She usually stayed out of the main pack stuff, happy to be a bit invisible because of her low rank. But everyone had to come to the Unity Feast, no matter who they were. Even her.

Her friend, Maya, a lively weaver from the beta rank with eyes that sparkled like a forest sprite, gave her a playful nudge. "Stop looking like you're in trouble, Elena," she whispered, her voice full of fun. "It's a party! Relax! Try to enjoy yourself. Who knows? Tonight might be the night you finally meet someone."

Elena gave a weak smile that didn't show what she felt. "Maybe." The thought made her chest tighten with more worry. Every single werewolf who wasn't yet with someone, from the youngest adult to the oldest single one, felt the strong possibility hanging in the air at gatherings like this – the exciting chance of finding their other half, their destined mate, the one person meant to complete them. For most, it was thrilling and hopeful, like something from a dream. For Elena, it was something she quietly feared. What if her mate was mean, someone who looked down on her because of her low rank? What if he was already with someone else, because of duty or love? What if... what if he didn't want her? She knew her flaws: she looked average and didn't get second glances, and she had a middle rank with no real power, and no important family to speak of. Just Elena, the quiet apprentice.

"He's here," Maya suddenly whispered, her voice low and secret, her hand squeezing Elena's arm. The feeling in the hall changed noticeably. The nearby groups of people talking quieted down, then stopped. A wave of respect, almost like worship, spread through everyone like a fire, silencing the noise and making everyone look towards the entrance. Elena didn't need to ask who 'he' was.

Her heart jumped into her throat, banging against her ribs like a trapped bird. She automatically turned, her eyes pulled towards the big entrance, her breath catching. Alpha Fenric Thorne stood in the massive, carved oak doorway, with his two most trusted betas, Marcus and Rhys, beside him. He wasn't just tall; he took up space, and his presence seemed to bend the light and air around him. Dark, slightly messy hair touched his collar, making his sharp jawline and the intense look in his eyes stand out. His eyes seemed to see everything, judging everything with a clear focus. He was every bit the powerful leader who had not only guided the Silver Moon pack through the worst winter anyone could remember but had also done something amazing: made a shaky peace with the Shadow Claw pack to the north, who was known for being aggressive. Power seemed to flow off him, a low, strong feeling that made the wolf inside her stir restlessly, wanting to both bow down and run away from how intense he was.

He moved into the hall with a smooth, cat-like grace, nodding briefly to the respectful greetings, his face serious but calm. He had an air of total control, of strong authority that was both scary and, Elena reluctantly admitted, very attractive. She tried to look away, to focus on the detailed tapestries showing the pack's history on the walls, wanting desperately to disappear into the background, but it was like trying to ignore the moon pulling the tides. Impossible.

He stopped near the raised platform in the center, where the elders were sitting, talking quietly with Elder Rowan, the pack's oldest and most respected member. Then his eyes scanned the hall, a slow, careful look that seemed to see through the noise, the crowd, and the very air. Elena felt like she was caught under a microscope for a moment, even though he couldn't possibly be looking right at her among so many people. Could he?

And then, he was.

His eyes, the color of dark, old whiskey with flecks of gold, locked onto hers from across the busy, crowded room. The world suddenly tilted. The noise of the hall faded to a quiet hum; the many smells disappeared, and the people around her became blurry and unimportant. There was only him, the shocking intensity of his stare, and a sudden, powerful jolt that shot between them like lightning, taking her breath away.

Mate.

The word hit her mind, old, basic, and completely undeniable, echoing from the deepest part of her soul. It wasn't a thought, or a hope, or a guess; it was a recognition, a deep certainty that went through every nerve, every cell in her body. Her wolf, quiet just moments before, leaped forward, excited, howling a silent, happy song in her chest. Mate! Alpha! Ours! Finally, ours!

Her breath caught in a painful gasp. Her hands got sweaty and shook a little. This couldn't be happening. Not him. Not the Alpha. He was everything she wasn't – powerful, respected, the absolute center of their world, like the sun they all revolved around. She was... just Elena. Unimportant. Not good enough.

His face didn't change, a mask of leadership he'd worn for years, but his eyes didn't move from hers. She saw a flicker deep in those golden depths - surprise? Shock? Yes, definitely recognition. Something shifted in the way he stood, a slight tension in his shoulders, his focus completely on her. He took a small step in her direction, stopping his conversation with Elder Rowan without saying sorry.

Time stretched out, feeling thick and heavy, each second taking forever. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic, wild beat against the overwhelming pull drawing her towards him. This was it. The moment she had both dreamed of and been terrified of her whole adult life. He knew. He had to know. He felt it too, didn't he? This invisible, unbreakable thread that had just tightened between them vibrated with new, powerful energy.

He started moving then, not with the casual walk of an Alpha among his pack, but with a focused, hunting intensity that made her skin prickle and her knees feel weak. He moved through the crowd easily, people automatically stepping out of his way like water parting for a ship, their eyes following him with obvious curiosity and guessing looks. He was coming towards her. Straight towards her.

Panic fought with a dizzying, scary hope inside her. What would he do? What would he say? Would he grab her and claim her in front of everyone? Would he announce it officially from the platform? Or would he...? The unspoken fear scratched at her.

He was only a few feet away now, close enough for her to see the faint lines of concentration around his eyes, the strong will etched into his handsome face. His eyes held hers, intense and steady, a silent conversation passing between them that spoke of destiny, power, and maybe, danger.

Suddenly, just as he was about to reach her, Beta Marcus, Fenric's second-in-command and closest friend, quickly appeared at the Alpha's side, leaning in to whisper something urgent, his face serious. Fenric's head snapped towards Marcus, his intense focus on Elena breaking for a moment. Elena saw his jaw tighten almost without moving, a quick shadow of annoyance crossing his face before it went back to his usual calm expression. He listened closely, gave Marcus a short nod, then glanced back at Elena one last time – a look so quick, so unreadable, so different from the earlier intensity, it might have been her imagination.

Then, without another word or looking back, he turned sharply, walking away with Marcus towards the heavy oak door that led to the private council rooms next to the hall, leaving Elena standing frozen, the echo of that impossible, earth-shattering connection still pounding painfully through her, now mixed with a growing feeling of confusion and fear