Rejected By My Mate, Chosen By Fate

The sound that resounded in my ear could not measure up to the sting I felt on my cheek as I fell to the ground, the thunderous slap I just received, a major catalyst.

"Didn't I just tell you not to wash this?" He raised his voice at me and I looked at him with teary eyes and nodded my head. "Then why did you?" He asked, his voice echoing in the room.

I said nothing, well not that I could defend myself even if I wanted to. I just lowered my eyes to the ground, obeying what Tara, my inner wolf had told me. She has been more like a mother to me since my own family deserted me. I was always safe from half the trouble when I listened to her but whenever I had a disagreement with her and didn't listen, difficult situations like this usually happened and frequently too.

I winced quietly, pain striking through me as I felt like my hair was about to be pulled from my head.

He continued tugging at my hair, not caring if I was in pain or if my head was throbbing badly.

Tears flowed down my cheeks in torrents as he bent down, bringing his mouth to my ear. "Being involved in that incident wasn't enough for you and now you've decided to become a rogue too? Well not on my watch, as long as you live in this pack, you must abide by my rules and accept whatever comes to you quietly. Is that understood?" His sharp tone made my eardrums burn but I still tried to nod with what little chance his forceful grip on my hair allowed.

He let go of my hair so suddenly that I fell flat on my face. "If you ever make such a mistake again, I won't be so lenient with you next time." He spoke coldly and left me on the floor in tears, bruised, battered, and broken.

I only realized that the side of my lip was bleeding when I tasted blood, I wiped it away and tried to stand up but my legs failed me and I fell back again and winced in pain, more tears flowed down my cheeks, I had barely recovered from yesterday's ordeal but I knew that I had to brace myself up for how hard the day was going to be.

I was probably going to be mistreated, derided, and eventually punished by the other pack members and late at night, the Alpha would come to discipline me as well, even though I didn't make a mistake.

It had become a norm for him ever since I was reduced to the pack servant. Every night, he would come to the cold cellar where I slept and would confront me just to vent his frustration. I was his outlet and a target for him and everyone else in the packhouse.

I was made to do all the work in the packhouse; wash, cook, clean, and even babysit the young pups. I was made to do virtually everything for the two hundred wolves that lived in the packhouse but yet, they did not have the decency to spare me of the physical and emotional hurt, not caring if I would be able to live through it or not.

They all wanted me gone anyway, the fact that I could still breathe angered a lot of people, the Alpha included. I wasn't allowed to go to school like the other wolves but I'm glad to say that I've attained some level of education before this misfortune befell me.

Yes, it wasn't always like this, it wasn't. I used to live a very good life and I was just as important as everyone else. I used to live better than some of the other pack members and though my life wasn't perfect, it was at least a lot more bearable.

My parents had always regarded me as a special child while a few others thought I was unfortunate, simply because I was born mute. I haven't been able to make more than tiny and mostly inaudible sounds since I was born, so I was regarded to be completely voiceless.

My parents loved me nonetheless because I grew up to be a very intelligent child and I excelled a lot in school. Though they seemed to love my younger sister, Moira more, I was still content with what little attention I got.

Most of my teachers and some pack members loved me because of my academic excellence. My mother always used to tell me that I'm such a beautiful child but I don't believe that anymore.

Being born into a family where your father was the Beta and your mother was the Luna's best friend was nice, it earned me a lot of benefits in the beginning and though not everyone liked me, I was at least happy that I was close to the Alpha and his family.

Life was good, life was okay but it all went downhill and I quickly realized that the moon goddess seemed to have turned away from me for some unknown reason. On my 14th birthday, I did not undergo the first painful transformation like the other wolves in the pack.

Normally, on their 14th birthday, each young werewolf would transition for the first time and let their inner wolf manifest itself by letting it take form. The first shifting was usually very painful because your bones would twist and turn, to adapt to the morphology of a wolf.

Your skin becomes covered with fur, and your ears become bigger and pointy, to quickly pick up sounds. Your hands and feet transform into paws and your nails into claws.

You sprout a tail and your nose pushes out, becoming a snout. Your teeth become razor sharp and you physically and completely become a whole wolf. Though the pain is unbearable, it's said to be brief and after that first time, there's no pain anymore and you can transform anytime you want.

Though I was a little scared, I waited eagerly for my 14th birthday and when the day finally came and went, I was convinced that something was wrong with me.

That was the beginning of my hardship, I was labeled as the unfortunate she-wolf who was overlooked by the moon goddess to never shift due to circumstances. And from that day onwards, I was avoided by most of the members of the pack, even all my friends abandoned me because they believed I was unfortunate. I was derided at school and even my own family seemed to distance themselves from me. I was completely miserable but little did I know that that was not even a fraction of what was to come.

Although the bad treatment hurt me very much the first time, I quickly got used to it. It wasn't like I could do anything about it, I couldn't even give the people who mocked me a fitting reply, so what was the use of worrying over it.

I bore everything quietly and learned to take life as it came, but a particular incident changed my whole life forever - it was what brought me to the situation I currently find myself in.

It happened almost two years ago when I was 16. I had returned home from school and found that Moira seemed upset with me for some reason, so I tried to find out why.

I wrote down what I wanted to say to her on a sheet of paper and passed it to her. She read it and laughed cynically before crumpling up the paper and tossing it toward me.

"Don't act so naïve with me. Do you want to know what's wrong? What's wrong is you - you're honestly the only problem I have in my life, and I wish to be rid of you. Not only are you a disgrace to this family, but you also have no boundaries. How dare you try to come between me and my boyfriend?" Moira yelled at me, and I could hardly believe my ears.

During those past two years, Moira had been very mean and disrespectful toward me, even though I'm two years older. She had turned 14 some weeks before and had transformed like any normal wolf. Since then, she had constantly reminded me of what I couldn't do. I had ignored her taunts, but at that moment, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. If she dared say anything else against me, I would react.

I threw her a puzzled look, not understanding what she meant. "Don't act dumb. Do you think I didn't see how you were acting around Liam, even though you know he's my boyfriend?" she accused, and I was genuinely shocked.

Liam was the only friend who had stayed with me then, despite everyone calling me the unfortunate she-wolf who couldn't speak or transform.

I admit I had a small crush on him back then, but I wasn't the flirtatious type - I was reserved and introverted because of my condition.

Liam was always around me, and I thought he might like me too, but I had no idea he had started dating Moira. He never told me. If he had, I would have kept my distance - I preferred peace and didn't want any conflict with my sister.

I grabbed another piece of paper to explain in writing, but she snatched it from me and tore it up. I looked at her firmly.

"Don't look at me like that. You're just alone and you'll stay that way. Liam is mine - he'd never look at someone like you. He only spends time with you out of pity," Moira snapped. I couldn't take it anymore - I pushed her away from me.

She cried out, and my mother came rushing in. "What's wrong, Moira?" she asked.

"Mom, Evelyn hit me and pulled my hair because I told her Liam is my boyfriend," she lied right in front of me, and Mom believed her. "Evelyn, how could you do that to your sister?" she exclaimed, then struck me - the force of it left me stunned.

Tears immediately streamed down my cheeks. Lately, she had been harsh with me for reasons I couldn't understand. Maybe she had started to believe what others said about me.

"You've brought this family nothing but shame. Everyone thinks you're unlucky, and I'm starting to see why. You can't speak, you have no wolf - you're of no use to us, so it's time you learned your place. You are beneath your sister in every way, and you have no right to lay a hand on her - unless you want to face my anger. Now go - I don't want to see you for the next two hours," the woman who was supposed to be my mother said, and I couldn't believe it.

I stood there, frozen, tears hot on my cheeks and a sting in my heart.

"Didn't you hear Mom? Get out!" Moira added, and I ran from the house. I ran with everything I had, tears blurring my vision, but I didn't need to see clearly to know where I was going.

I stopped by a lake after about twenty minutes. I dropped heavily onto my usual spot - a small log a few meters from the water. It was called Crystal Lake for its clear water and the calm it brought to the surroundings. The lake was just a few miles from the pack, and it was my escape from the world and my painful life.

I always went there when I was sad or angry - or both. I would cry until I felt empty, and afterward, I'd feel a little better. Today was no different. I wept bitterly, wondering why my life had turned out this way. I looked up at the sky and called out to the Moon Goddess with all my heart, pleading for mercy - to release my spirit wolf so I could silence those who mocked me.

I heard sounds behind me but didn't turn, assuming it was just another pack member. I wasn't ready to face anyone.

Suddenly, someone shouted my name. "Evelyn, get away from there - now!" I turned, and my eyes widened.

Four wolves stood behind me, growling fiercely. I also saw the Alpha running toward me, removing his clothes as he approached. I realized he was undressing to transform - to save me from those rogues.

During that time, there had been tension between our pack and a rival one. They had tried to weaken us but failed, so they began sending rogues to ambush young wolves who were alone or in small groups. I guessed their goal was to provoke our Alpha into declaring war - but he was too wise to take the bait. Our pack had recently fought the Rexino pack, and though we won, we lost many strong warriors. We were vulnerable.

To protect us, Alpha Davis had made a rule: wolves under 18 could not be outside an hour before sunset until morning. Scouts guarded the packhouse, but they couldn't watch the entire territory.

In my pain, I had forgotten the curfew. I'd run to the lake unnoticed - and the Alpha must have seen and followed, arriving just before the rogues could reach me.

I was defenseless - unable to transform or call for help.

Alpha Davis transformed quickly and lunged into the fight, drawing the wolves away from me. They surrounded him, and he fought bravely, but they were too many. I desperately wished I could shift and help him, but all I could do was watch as he faced four relentless rogues alone.

The struggle lasted several tense moments. All I saw were flashes of movement - claws, teeth, and finally... blood. Fear gripped me. I tried to tell myself he had wounded one of them, but I was wrong.

The four wolves stepped back, and only then did I see Alpha Davis lying injured on the ground, bleeding. I ran to him in tears, lifting his large form onto my lap as I gently stroked his fur, pleading silently for him to wake up. He opened his eyes - gray meeting mine.

I smiled through my tears, relieved he was conscious, but his next words filled me with dread.

"Always be strong, Evelyn. Don't let them break you. You're much more than you know."

Those were his last words before he left this world. He died with his eyes open. I closed them and wept. The rogues, seeing what had happened, fled - leaving me alone to mourn the Alpha's death.

The werewolf magic usually fades after death, so he reverted to his human form. Though he was unclothed, I was too distraught to notice.

The pain in my heart was unbearable. I felt overwhelming guilt - the Alpha had died because of me, trying to protect me from those rogues. I cried until no more tears would come, reduced to quiet whimpers. I looked at the Alpha once more, and in a surge of emotion, I struck the ground. In that moment, as if triggered by my despair, my heart seemed to stop, and a searing pain shot through me.

Everything blurred as my body began to change. My clothes tore away as I grew larger, covered in fur. I could feel every shift and stretch, a wave of agony, until it ceased as suddenly as it had started.

Only then did I realize what had happened - I had shifted for the first time. Though two years late, I was finally a wolf. It wasn't a curse - I was simply a late bloomer.

But my joy vanished when my eyes fell again on the Alpha's body. Grief returned, cold and heavy. Before I could even begin to mourn, my ears caught the sound of many footsteps approaching from a distance.

I straightened, thinking the rogues had returned. I moved a few steps in front of the Alpha's body and let out a low growl, bracing myself - a decision I would soon regret.

The group emerged from the trees. Even in the dim evening light, I recognized them as members of my pack. My mother was among them.

Relief washed over me. I started toward her, longing for comfort, but the scouts quickly stepped between us.

"Stay back!" one of them shouted. "Did you think you could run after what you did to the Alpha?"

His words struck me like ice. I shook my head fiercely, trying to explain - but I had no voice.

"It must be one of the rogues from the rival pack," the same scout said. "She killed the Alpha."

Somehow, even then, a small part of me clung to the fact that they recognized I was female.

"She?" another voice argued. "Our Alpha couldn't have been taken down by one wolf, no matter how strong."

They had never seen me transformed - that's why they didn't know it was me.

"There must have been others who fled when they heard us coming," a third added.

"Then why would she stay?" the first countered.

As they debated, my mother stepped forward for a closer look. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"That's... that's Evelyn," she stammered, her eyes filling with tears.

"Evelyn? The mute girl?" the third scout asked. Though the label stung, I nodded and willed myself to shift back, the night air chilling my skin.

My mother quickly removed the blanket from her shoulders and wrapped it around me.

"I can't believe she would do this - kill our Alpha," one scout accused harshly.

I shook my head again, desperately trying to convey my innocence, but my silence was my prison.

Only then did I notice my hands - stained with blood. So was much of my body, from holding the Alpha as he lay dying.

"I know my daughter," my mother said tearfully. "She can be thoughtless, but she isn't cruel. She was like a daughter to him - why would she hurt him?"

She helped me to my feet; the events of the past hour had left me weak and unsteady.

"It makes sense now," the second scout said coldly. "The first shift is agonizing. Some lose control. The Alpha would never fight her - she took advantage of that and killed him."

All I could do was cry and shake my head in denial.

How could they believe this? Why would I ever want to harm the Alpha? Why was every sign pointing to my guilt? The questions swirled as tears clouded my vision.

I looked to my mother, pleading silently for her to defend me, to tell them this was all a terrible mistake. Instead, she pulled away.

"Stay away from me," she said, her voice trembling.

Her words cut deeper than any accusation. I stepped back, grief consuming me.

"Restrain her," the third scout ordered. "She must face judgment for her crime."

Two of them took hold of my arms as he left, likely to summon more from the pack.

Minutes later, others arrived. They carried away the Alpha's body, and I was led back to the packhouse like a criminal.

I was placed in the small pack prison, used for those who broke pack law - theft, disobedience, assault. But I was kept apart, labeled the worst of them all: dangerous, untamed.

No one from my family came that night. I was truly alone, left to drown in sorrow and disbelief.

I knew murder carried the penalty of death, but I wasn't afraid - I was innocent. In a way, I almost welcomed an end to the suffering. Perhaps the Moon Goddess would finally grant me peace in another life.

The night passed slowly, without sleep.

The next day, I was brought before the Council of Elders and the gathered pack. The Gamma read the charges. Witnesses were called - the three scouts, even my mother. Each spoke against me.

My mother's betrayal should have shattered me, but I had gone numb.

I had no defender, and I could not speak for myself. I stood silently, waiting for them to decide my fate.

A new Beta had been chosen after my father was stripped of his title - now just another pack member, father to an accused murderer.

This Beta, leading in the absence of an Alpha, would deliver the verdict.

Death was what I expected. What stunned me was when one of the Elders rose to speak in my defense.

He urged mercy, arguing I was too young to die for a crime no one witnessed. Another Elder supported him, pointing out that without direct proof, such a harsh sentence was unjust.

Given my age - only sixteen - they pleaded for leniency.

The Beta considered this, then excused himself to speak with the late Alpha's son, Prince Zephyr. He returned shortly and announced a punishment I had never imagined:

"Evelyn Emerson is hereby sentenced to a life of servitude for her role in the Alpha's death. From this moment on, she is demoted to pack servant and will be treated accordingly."

The pack cheered. I stood frozen, unable to move or speak.

Now, looking back, I sometimes wonder if death might have been kinder than the life that followed.