Chapter 2 Rejection

He had felt it too and he wanted nothing to do with it.

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The silence in the room was palpable as Aria Moonstone stepped further into the council hall. All eyes were on her, and despite the confidence she tried to project, the weight of their stares pressed down on her like a thousand invisible hands. She felt like a child, always under the microscope, always expected to prove herself.

Her father, Alpha Lucan Moonstone, sat at the head of the table, his sharp features set in a look of mild disapproval. As usual, his regal aura commanded respect, his stature and presence filling the room even when he said nothing. Next to him stood the Silverfang Alpha, Asher, who appeared indifferent, his gaze cool and distant.

Aria swallowed hard, trying to shake the strange, unsettling feeling that had crept into her chest since their eyes had met. The bond-the pull between them-had been immediate and undeniable. She could feel it deep in her bones, the fated connection that had been promised to her since birth. But Asher had made it clear from the moment their gazes locked that he was not interested.

"You're late," her father's voice cut through the quiet, his tone not unkind but firm.

"Sorry," Aria muttered, her voice catching slightly. She had always struggled with finding her place in the Moonstone Pack, especially when it came to her father's expectations. "I had to-"

Her father raised a hand, cutting her off. "We'll talk later. The Silverfang Pack has arrived, and we have matters to discuss."

Aria nodded and stepped to the side, taking a seat at the far end of the room. She could feel the heavyweight of the Silverfangs' presence even as they spoke, the air thick with unspoken tension. The Silverfang Pack was not like the Moonstone Pack. While her pack was known for its connection to the lunar magic, the Silverfangs were notorious for their brutality and strength. Their power was raw and untamed, much like their leader.

Asher's presence loomed larger than anyone else's in the room, even though he said little. His storm-gray eyes were fixed on something far beyond the walls of the hall, his jaw clenched in a way that made his sharp features even more intimidating. Aria couldn't look away from him, not even as she knew she should.

"You've all heard the rumors," her father spoke again, his voice calm but carrying authority. "The rogue vampires are making moves against us. We need to decide how to respond."

A ripple of murmurs filled the room, voices rising in soft debate. Aria's attention was elsewhere. Despite everything, her mind kept returning to Asher and the overwhelming force of the bond they had just shared. There was a magnetic pull, like gravity, drawing her in every time she tried to look away.

The conversation around her began to fade as her thoughts spiraled. He was her fated mate. She could feel it. The bond was ancient and unbreakable. She could feel it, not just in her heart, but in her soul, an unspoken promise that was as old as time itself.

But why did it feel so...wrong?

The intensity of his rejection, his cold indifference toward her, made the bond feel more like a curse than a blessing. He hadn't even tried to hide his distaste. And though part of her wanted to ignore it, to tell herself that perhaps it was just a misunderstanding, the truth was clear: Asher didn't want her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her father's voice boomed again, pulling everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Asher," he said, his tone respectful but direct, "We have agreed to an alliance between our packs. But we must be careful. The rogue vampires are after more than our territory. They are after something much more dangerous."

Asher's icy gaze shifted toward her father. "I'm aware of the threat," he replied, his voice smooth, yet edged with an underlying hostility. "But alliances are fragile. I don't trust that your pack is prepared for a fight like this."

The words hit harder than Aria expected. She hadn't heard Asher speak to her father in such a blunt manner, and yet it was no surprise. He didn't trust anyone, least of all the Moonstone Pack.

Her father's lip curled in a hint of irritation, but he held his ground. "We are prepared. And we will have your support, Silverfang, or we will have to reconsider our partnership."

Asher's eyes narrowed, Then he said "What is the role of the moonstone daughter in this? "he turned towards her and folded his arms across his chest, his posture a clear sign of both defiance and control. He was a leader, a warrior in his own right, but this... this situation was clearly beneath him.

Aria's heart clenched. As much as she wanted to be angry with him, she understood the roots of his disdain. The mate bond-something meant to be pure and sacred-had never been kind to him. Aria could only imagine the scars left on him from his parents' destructive bond. His mother's abandonment. His father's grief. It was no secret about how his parent's bond destroyed them.It was no wonder that Asher had no faith in the bond, in love, or in anything that came with it.

But did it have to be like this?

"Aria," her father called, snapping her from her thoughts. "You'll join the Silverfangs for the mission. You need to understand the severity of the situation. You're my daughter. You are the future of the Moonstone Pack."

A shiver ran down her spine at the words. The future. Was she? She didn't feel like it. She had no powers, no abilities to make her stand out. There was nothing special about her, no proof that she could live up to the expectations everyone placed on her.

"Yes, Father," Aria said, her voice a little too soft. She rose from her seat, her movements automatic, her thoughts still heavy with the weight of Asher's rejection.

As she walked toward the exit, she felt Asher's eyes on her again, cold and assessing. It was a gaze that didn't seek to comfort or connect. It was the gaze of someone who saw her as a mere tool, nothing more. A necessary inconvenience.

Her heart fluttered painfully in her chest, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped from her lips, softer than she intended. "Why won't you accept it?"

There was a beat of silence before Asher's eyes flicked to hers. His gaze was unreadable, and his expression remained the same: distant, uninterested.

"Because," he said, his voice low and clipped, "I don't need a mate. Especially not one who can't even connect with her powers."

The words stung, sharp, and bitter. Aria froze for a moment, the weight of his rejection hitting her harder than anything she had expected. She wanted to say something-anything-but the words caught in her throat.

Instead, she turned and walked out of the hall, the heavy door closing behind her with a soft thud.

The moonlight outside seemed colder now, more distant than ever before.