Rejected, I chose his father

Nyxara's POV

"I hate my life."

The words slipped out before I could stop them. I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling of my small room, and it felt like those four words summed up everything about me.

I wasn't supposed to hate my life, I was supposed to be grateful... I was the daughter of the pack's beta, Alaric Tavion. My father was one of the most respected men in Nightshade Pack, the alpha's right hand, a warrior, a strategist, a man people bowed to when he walked by.

And me?

His daughter?

The girl with the weakest wolf in the entire history of our pack.

No-scratch that-the weakest wolf in the history of all wolves.

I turned eighteen two years ago. I remembered the night as clearly as if it happened yesterday.

Every teenager in the pack was lined up at the transformation grounds, waiting to feel their first rush of power that marked their wolf's awakening. It was supposed to be magical, a rite of passage that bonded you forever to your wolf spirit.

I still remembered the excitement, the nervous chatter, the way Velara squeezed my hand and whispered, "It's going to be okay. We're going to be amazing."

I believed her.

But when it was my turn, nothing happened. Not the crack of bones. Not the fierce howl, not the beautiful shift that marked your place among your people.

I brought out one claw.... One pathetic, weak and trembling claw.

That was it. My grand destiny.

Since then, the whispers had never stopped.

"The beta's daughter has a useless wolf."

"She's cursed."

"She'll never fight, never hunt, never protect."

And no matter how hard my father tried to defend me, no matter how much he glared at them and shut down their words in public, the truth was undeniable. I was indeed useless.

Even though I was loved, I still felt useless.

I pressed the heel of my palm against my chest.

"Dad loves me," I whispered, as though saying it out loud might make it louder than the insults. And it was true, my father never let me feel unwanted at home but it wasn't enough.

It couldn't drown out the laughter, the way they looked at me like I was dirt under their boots.

I turned to my side, hugging my pillow. "Lucian," I murmured.

The thought of him made me smile without meaning to. Lucian Draven, the alpha's son. Tall, strong, with black hair that shined with the sunlight and eyes so beautifully made. He wasn't just handsome. He was... everything. My best friend, my secret crush and my dream.

And then there was Velara. My other anchor in this miserable life of mine. Velara had been my best friend since we were kids, and even now, when most people avoided me like I carried a plague, she still came to my side.

She was sunshine. Loud, funny and unafraid to throw back words at anyone who insulted me.

I didn't know what I'd do without her.

I sighed and pushed myself out of bed. My room was big, tucked at the far side of the beta's quarters. I barely decorated it-just a bed, a little desk, and a chest for my clothes.

A few sketches Velara made for me hung crookedly on the wall. It was my safe space, but even here, the whispers still managed to reach me.

I grabbed my shawl, pulled it around my shoulders, and stepped out. Almost immediately, the sound of voices drifted through the hall.

"Did you hear? She still hasn't shifted."

"Can you believe it? The beta's daughter, of all people. What a shame."

"If she wasn't Alaric's daughter, she'd have been cast out already."

I froze, my throat tightening. They weren't even trying to be quiet.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep walking, but each step felt heavier.

:This is why I don't leave my room,' I thought bitterly. Out there was nothing but humiliation waiting for me. At least inside, I could daydream about Lucian.

"Nyxara!"

I looked up and instantly felt some of the burden leave my shoulders. Velara stood at the end of the corridor grinning. She jogged toward me, her red hair bouncing as she moved.

"You're out of your cave," she teased, bumping her shoulder against mine.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't start."

She laughed and then sobered when she caught the look on my face.

"You heard them again, didn't you?" She asked.

"Do I even need to answer that?" My voice came out sharper than I meant, and I winced. "Sorry, I just.... I'm tired of it, Vel. Every single day it's the same thing like they have nothing better to talk about than me and my stupid wolf."

Velara grabbed my hands, squeezing them tightly.

"Listen to me. They don't matter, you hear me? None of them matter. You're strong in your own way, even if they don't see it," she encouraged, her eyes passing me hope.

"Strong? I can't even shift. I can't hunt. I can't fight. I can't-"

"You can love," she cut in firmly. "You care, you're loyal and you're smarter than half the idiots out there. That's strength, Nyx. Just because you don't tear things apart with claws doesn't mean you're weak."

I blinked at her, warmth blooming in my chest. Velara always had a way of making me feel like I was more than what the world said I was.

I smiled faintly. "What would I do without you?"

"You'd probably hide in your room forever, eating bread and muttering about how much life sucks," she said with a grin.

A laugh bubbled out of me. "You're terrible."

"But you love me," she shot back, linking her arm with mine.

We walked together out into the courtyard, the whispers followed.

I tried to ignore them, but Velara noticed.

"Don't you dare let them win. Hold your head up," she whispered.

I inhaled, lifted my chin, and forced myself to walk as though their words didn't slice me open.

"That's my girl," Velara said proudly.

We found a quiet spot near the training field and sat down on the grass. Velara flopped dramatically onto her back.

"So. The mating ceremony's coming up," she said.

My heart skipped. "Yeah... I know."

She turned her head toward me, smirking.

"And you're wondering if Lucian will choose you, aren't you?" She asked.

Heat flushed my cheeks.

"Velara-"

"Oh, don't even try to deny it," she interrupted, sitting up and poking my arm. "You've been in love with him since we were ten, it was very obvious."

I buried my face in my hands, my cheeks red.

"He's... he's Lucian. He's perfect. Strong, smart, brave... and he actually treats me like I'm not a burden," I muttered.

Velara's smile softened. "And maybe that's because he sees you for who you really are."

My heart fluttered, but doubt quickly covered it.

"What if he doesn't choose me? What if he chooses someone else? Someone who's... normal," I asked, different thoughts spiralling into my mind.

Velara grabbed my shoulders. "Then he's a fool. And honestly? If he doesn't see your worth, he doesn't deserve you."

Before I could respond, two maids walked by, carrying a basket of linens. She glanced at her friend and muttered just loudly enough,

"The alpha's son will pick his mate at the next mating ceremony, everyone's wondering who it'll be."

My breath caught.

Lucian... Choosing a mate.

My chest tightened with a mix of fear and hope.

Could it be me?

Nyxara's POV

After Velara left, I went back into my room. I slumped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My head was still buzzing with her words.

I turned onto my side, hugging my pillow. That was when I felt something stiff beneath it. Frowning, I pulled it out and froze.

A letter.

"Who put this here?" I whispered, glancing around my empty room. "How did this even get here?"

My first thought was Velara.

She had just been here, maybe she slid it under my pillow before leaving but why would she be so sneaky about it? My stomach twisted as I slowly unfolded the paper, my eyes scanning the handwriting.

Lucian.

I almost dropped it. My hands trembled as I clutched the paper tighter and began to read.

Meet me tonight by the river at sundown, I have something to tell you. I'll be waiting.

That was all it said, signed with his name at the bottom.

I sat there for a long while, the words burning into my head.

He wanted to see me, he wanted me to meet him, and it wasn't just anywhere-he chose my favorite spot. The river was where I used to hide when I couldn't handle the whispers anymore. People didn't usually come to the river often so it was quiet there... Like my sanctuary.

My heart raced fast and best so loud I could almost hear it. I pressed my palm against my chest as an attempt to calm it down.

"Why... Why does he want to see me?" I muttered but deep down, I think I already knew.

The rest of the day was torture. I couldn't sit still. I paced my room, chewed my nails until they were almost gone and checked the letter again like it might disappear if I looked away too long.

I felt like the sun was setting too slow.

Velara came by in the afternoon, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. She would've asked a hundred questions, and this felt... too private. Too important.

But she delivered the letter, what if she doesn't know the content?

Different thoughts reeled through my mind.

She noticed I was distracted.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, squinting at me while we sat outside my door.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just tired."

She frowned. "You're lying."

I shrugged, pretending to yawn. "Then let me sleep."

She rolled her eyes and let it go, thankfully. The moment she left, I pulled the letter out again, tracing Lucian's name with my thumb.

By evening, I couldn't take it anymore. I changed my clothes three times before finally settling on a simple dress that wasn't too flashy but wasn't plain either.

My hands wouldn't stop fidgeting.

When my father came home, he noticed immediately.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked, raising a brow as he dropped his cloak on the chair.

Heat rushed to my face.

"Hmmm, I-I'm going to see Lucian," I muttered.

He froze. "Lucian? At this hour?"

"Yes. He asked me to come. I wouldn't go otherwise," I replied.

His face softened a little, but I saw the worry in his eyes. He had always been protective of me, maybe too protective.

"You be careful, Nyx," he said firmly. "Don't stay out too late and if anything feels wrong, you come home immediately, you hear me?"

"Yes, Dad," I said, smiling to reassure him. "I'll be fine."

I hurried out before he could ask more questions, my heart leaping with each step. The night was cool, the moon hanging high above as I made my way to the river.

Every crunch of leaves under my shoes made me more anxious.

When I finally reached the river, he was already there. Lucian leaned against the tree, his arms crossed, his eyes stared at the moonlight.

He looked like something out of a dream-tall, sharp-jawed, with that confident way he always carried himself.

"You came," he said, smiling as he walked toward me.

"Of course," I whispered, clutching my hands together. "You sent me a letter."

"I wasn't sure if you'd actually show," he teased lightly, his voice low.

"I almost didn't," I lied, trying to hide the way my cheeks burned.

"Good thing you did." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. My eyes widened as he flipped it open. Inside was a silver ring.

I gasped.

"What... what is this?" I asked.

He took my hand gently, sliding the ring onto my finger.

"It's a promise," he said. "Nyxara, I don't care what anyone says about you. I don't care that people think you're weak or wolfless. You've always been the one for me."

"Lucian..." I mumbled my eyes teary.

He squeezed my hand, looking into my eyes so seriously I almost couldn't breathe.

"The mating ceremony is coming and even if fate doesn't tie us together, I'll still choose you. I'll marry you, Nyxara. You have my word," he promised.

I covered my mouth, tears dripping down before I could stop them. "You mean that?"

"Yes." His voice was firm, steady. "I mean it with everything I am. You're mine and I'm yours."

I threw my arms around him, holding on tightly like if I let go, my world would fall apart.

"I thought... I thought maybe life would never give me anything good. But this-this is everything, Lucian.. you are everything."

He kissed the top of my head.

"Then stop doubting. You don't need to listen to them anymore.They don't matter. Only us do."

I looked at the ring on my finger, the way it shined faintly under the moonlight, and I felt something I hadn't felt in years.

Hope.

Maybe my life wasn't as cruel as I thought.

Maybe, just maybe, everything was finally going to be okay.

Draven's POV

I jolted awake, my chest rising and falling fast, sweat dripping down my body. My throat felt dry like I just swallowed smoke.

For a second, I didn't know where I was. Then my brain slowly remembered the family curtains, the familiar texture of the bed and then I knew where I was.

I had a nightmare.... Again.

Every night for the past ten years, I thought I'd grown used to it but it never left me. Each night getting worse than the last.

The fire, the screams, and her voice. Her voice above all else.

"Draven!" she had cried out, her hand reaching for me as my stepbrother dragged her away.

Her nails scraped the rock as she tried to use it as leverage, her eyes wild with terror.

I tried to move, to fight through the flames and the guards restraining me, but I couldn't... I couldn't save her.

His laughter followed, sharp and cruel, echoing over the roar of burning wood.

I sat up, running my hands over my face, pressing my palms against my eyes as if I could block out the images.

I had only been asleep for an hour. One hour and the nightmare still came for me.

Ten years. Ten years since the coup. Ten years since she was taken from me. Ten years since I failed her. Ten years since I slept comfortably.

I pushed the blankets off and swung my legs to the floor. My body ached, heavy from too many nights of poor rest.

I could barely remember the last time I slept through an entire night without waking up choking on the past.

Her death anniversary was only days away and that always only made it worse.

I stood, poured water from the jug by the bedside and drank it slowly, it did little to ease the tightness in my chest.

The room was too quiet, of course it was.. even the palace maids weren't awake by this time.

I paced around the room but it didn't help. I was restless, my wolf stirred uneasily inside me, feeding on my tension.

I needed distraction. Work. Responsibility. Something to get my mind off these thoughts.

By then it was dawn. I had already dressed and left my chambers. The halls of the packhouse were quiet and empty but I found Alaric, my beta in the council room, bent over maps and reports. He straightened when I entered.

"You're up early," he said, his face etched with concern.

He didn't ask if I'd slept, he already knew the answer.

"There's too much to do," I replied, moving to the table. "How are the patrols along the northern border?"

"Stronger this week. We doubled the rotation like you ordered," he said. He pushed a sheet toward me. "But there's been talk, some rogues are gathering near the river."

I scanned the report. Numbers, sightings, tracks. Nothing conclusive but enough to watch.

"We'll increase the guards again," I said. "Tell the warriors to stay sharp, I don't want surprises."

Alaric nodded. "And the trade routes? The merchants are restless, they're asking for safer passage."

"We'll assign escorts for the larger goods, at least until the rogues move on."

We continued like that for a while, going over patrols, training schedules, supply lines.... The usual responsibilities of running a pack. It should have taken my mind off of it but even as I spoke, my mind kept drifting.

Every decision I made, every strategy I set, it all came back to that night. The betrayal.

The fire, the sound of her scream and his face....Always his face.

Alaric must have noticed the way I clenched my jaw. He leaned back in his chair and studied me.

"It's getting closer, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I pressed my hands flat on the table, staring down at the maps without really seeing what was drawn on it.

"Yes," I finally said. My voice came out lower than I intended. "I can feel it, the nightmares are getting worse."

"You can't keep carrying this alone, it's been ten years," he muttered.

"Ten years doesn't erase what happened," I snapped, sharper than I meant to.

He didn't flinch. Alaric had been with me through it all. He was the only one who could look me in the eye when I was like this.

"You're still blaming yourself," he said. "You couldn't have stopped it, none of us could have. He had it planned."

"He took her from me," I muttered. "And he laughed while he did it."

Alaric's expression hardened. "He's gone. Exiled. He'll never set foot here again."

I wanted to believe that. I wanted to lock those words inside me and ease my mind but doubt had a way of digging in and lately, the unease felt stronger.

I shook my head and straightened, forcing myself to focus.

"Enough of this, I sighed Lucian as the crown prince. Please engage him in some of the activities so he knows how a pack runs. And also continue to strengthen the borders. Keep the warriors ready. No one slips past us."

"As you command," Alaric said.

We finished the meeting and left the council room together, though the conversation sat heavy between us. Alaric walked away to handle the patrols while I returned to my chamber.

The corridor was quiet, but something on the floor caught my attention.

A letter.

I frowned and bent to pick it up. The envelope was folded neatly, sealed with no insignia.

Strange.

I turned it over in my hand, feeling the weight of it, the silence of the hall pressing around me.

Carefully, I broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.

The handwriting was sharp and deliberate, overall it was quite beautiful.

My eyes scanned the words then my breath caught in my throat.

"He's alive, and he's coming back."