Rejected the Alpha, Now I'm the Most Beloved Luna

Perry's POV

"Damn you, Francis Lake. There's no way I'm becoming someone's damn mate just because you said so."

I stood outside the Crown Regent Hotel, fists clenched so tight my fingers were starting to ache. If life were fair, I'd be planting a punch right into my father's smug face, not standing here waiting to meet my ridiculous fiancé.

From the second I was born, Alpha Francis couldn't have cared less about me. While my mom lay sick in a hospital bed, he was off throwing wild parties with half-naked she-wolves.

It broke her heart-broke her completely. And that's exactly what Francis wanted. He made sure she stayed out of his way. By the time I was ten, she died from the pain of it all.

You know what killed me? Francis didn't even flinch. He moved on, found a new mate like nothing happened.

And me? I got dumped in the middle of nowhere, tossed aside like trash and left to scrape by.

Three days ago, the man I hadn't seen in forever finally called me. "Perry, dear," he said like we were best buddies. "I've promised you to the Bloodmoon Pack's alpha. Don't let me down now, for the good of the pack."

I wanted to puke. His smug little voice made me want to throw my phone across the room. And before I could tell him exactly where to shove that idea, he'd already hung up.

Twenty years. He never once looked for me. Now that our pack's barely hanging on, suddenly I exist again? I'm not his daughter-I'm a bargaining chip. Trash he's trying to trade for Bloodmoon's favor.

Now he expects me to become the mate of some alpha I don't even know? I hate this, every part of it. Alpha or not, I'm not giving in.

I never got to enjoy any perks of being an alpha's daughter, but now I have to pay the price for it?

Hell no. I made up my mind-I was going to make that alpha hate me so much, he'd turn me down and march right back to yell at dear old Francis.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Perry, it's me," Gina Layton's voice chirped through. "You outside already?"

"Yep, waiting out front. Come grab me," I said, trying to keep my tone light.

Gina and I go way back, childhood friends. Her dad owns this hotel, so she had the hookups when I asked about the Bloodmoon alpha. Turns out, he was checking in today. Perfect timing.

I wanted to speak with him before Francis's goons had the chance to drag me into anything.

Gina came rushing out a minute later. She caught my arm, looking at me like I was nuts. "Girl, what are you wearing? And what's on your face? Oh god, is that..."

"Yeah, it smells like sour milk," I said, wrinkling my nose. "Fully on purpose. I'm not trying to look cute. I want him to be disgusted. I need him to be pissed enough at Francis to back off."

"Right... sure," Gina muttered, eyes still wide. I could tell she thought I'd lost it.

I mean, who the hell doesn't want to be an alpha's mate?

She actually asked me that same question the first time I told her.

She clearly didn't agree with my plan, but she still backed me up-just because we were friends. That really hit me.

Gina kept her word and brought me to the top floor. She looked kind of anxious, her voice nearly a whisper. "Alright, Perry. Go in and do your bold thing. Just... remember, some things you can't undo once they're done."

"That's exactly the point," I said through clenched teeth.

I've never once regretted my decisions-and I wasn't about to start now.

Gina let out a sigh, shrugged, and gave me a little wave. "Okay then. Good luck!"

"I'll need it," I muttered. She turned and walked away, clearly worried.

I turned, too, and moved toward the room where the alpha was staying.

Inside was the alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack-Richard Scott. I'd heard of him, but we'd never met.

The door wasn't locked. It opened with a soft creak. I frowned.

Something felt... off. I froze, instinctively sniffing the air.

Weird... it wasn't just the almost-faded sour milk scent of my cheap perfume. There was something else in the air.

The hallway was dimly lit, and the room beyond was completely dark. The eerie vibe made my wolf itch to come out.

But I just wanted this over with. That urgency made me throw caution to the wind.

"You got this, Perry," I whispered, eyes shut tight, trying to psych myself up.

I picked up the pace and pushed the door fully open. A sudden gust of cold air made me shiver.

"Hello?" I called out, poking my head in nervously. "Alpha Richard, are you here?"

Silence. That made me uneasy. For a second, I wondered if Gina had given me the wrong info.

That strange scent suddenly got a lot stronger. I didn't even get the chance to think more about it.

A strong hand yanked me inside before I could react. All I could tell was that it was a male wolf-I couldn't see his face. He slammed me down on the bed, pinning my arms and legs. I struggled, but it was useless.

"Don't touch me!" I tried to shift, but he was faster.

His sharp teeth flashed, and pure fear held me frozen-I couldn't even think about fighting back.

But then, all he did was nuzzle into my cheek. "Hmm? A she-wolf wandering right into my arms."

His hot breath hit my neck, and my knees just about gave out.

This was an alpha in heat. If I fought him, I had no doubt he'd rip me apart.

I fought against the urge to give in. I turned my head away as he tried to lick my lips.

Then his large hands ripped my clothes open, and I whimpered, "No, please..."

His hands roamed over my body, his tongue sliding along my neck but stopping short of a bite. A shaky moan escaped me-just his touch made my body move instinctively under him.

When he pinched my nipple just right, heat shot straight to my head. My hands, held tight above me, trembled as I lay there, overwhelmed by sensation."Please... stop." I panted, my voice barely holding together. "Alpha Richard, I came here to call off the engagement-"

Before I could finish, he gripped my cheeks, my words getting stuck in my throat. "Shh."

His deep voice brushed past my ear, and only then did I realize he was breathing slowly right next to it, warm breath grazing my skin. His face brushed against mine, surprisingly calming, though I was still tense inside.

He let go of my hands, and in that brief moment, I felt a bit lost. My fingers landed weakly on his solid, muscular arm.

"Listen to me. I need you right now." His voice was soft, yet full of command. His arms trapped me completely, leaving no room to slip away.

What I didn't expect was how his gentleness actually made me relax. My heartbeat slowed a little as his hands moved across me, teasing those tender spots that made it hard to think straight. I could only follow him, confused and unsteady.

The rich scent of alcohol hit me, and like a snap, everything clicked into place-he was my mate. My destined Alpha. That realization made something inside me loosen up, despite myself.

My eyelids fluttered, half-shut as if in a daze. A weird sense of anticipation crept in.

His long, cool fingers skimmed across my chest, leaving behind waves of tingling warmth. I couldn't help but sigh, my voice trembling. "This... feels strange. But, so good..."

"That's it, good girl." He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me even closer. "You're doing just fine."

He bit at my chin, then gently licked over the same spot. My body turned soft like water, submitting before I even noticed.

"Say it, sweetheart. Tell me what you want." His voice dropped low, full of dark sweetness.

I bit my lip, suddenly too shy from how intense everything was. But his scent was like a blanket, comforting me, keeping fear at bay.

He bent down, mouth catching my stiff nipple, tongue circling slow and playful. His sharp wolf fangs were retracted now, replaced with blunt teeth; careful, gentle-not hurting me at all.

"Come on," he murmured again. "I want to hear you, baby..."

"Ahhhh!" I couldn't hold it back anymore, my chest arching up instinctively. "Right there!"

"Atta girl." He smiled-I'm pretty sure he did-and sat up a bit, then spread my legs with a kind of casual ease. "You're ready."

His hard cock pressed against me through the fabric of my underwear, and though he restrained himself, his fingers still teased fires down below. My core grew damp, breath shallow, tears pooling in the corners of my eyes.

"I really like you," he whispered into my ear, slow and sincere. "You're irresistible."

He pulled off my panties, and my eyes widened at the sight of him-so thick, it made fear and craving swirl together inside me. He brushed my cheek gently, and I knew what he wanted to hear.

So I opened my mouth, shaky but determined, and said, "Come in."

The second my words landed, he didn't hesitate. He pushed into me in one strong, smooth motion. No resistance. No delay.

A sharp sting made me bite down on my lip. "Ah... ahh..."

He stretched me wide-too wide-and yet, he moved with such care. His size filled me completely, heavy and deep, but his every move was drenched in gentleness.

"Don't move," he growled under his breath. He started thrusting into me hard, like he was pouring all his desire into every move.

I turned my head, dazed, trying to dodge his kiss. Kissing always felt different-more intimate than sex somehow.

But he grabbed my chin roughly, leaving a bite mark on my cheek. "Don't push me away."

Then his lips crashed into mine, tongue forcing its way in like he had to own every part of me. My breathing sped up. I trembled and tears slipped down my face. Suddenly, he paused and leaned in to slowly lick the tears off my skin.

That strange gentleness snapped me back a little. I stared up at the barely visible face above me, trying to focus.

I could hear myself panting. "You... you can't..."

"There's no such thing as 'can't,'" he said coldly. "You came in here. You said you wanted this."

His hands roamed over me without pause. I shut my eyes tightly, a soft moan slipping out. I couldn't even see his face.

Time dragged. Every second felt like forever. He lifted both my legs, pulling me open for him completely. With every thrust, it felt like he was setting fire to my nerves. The bed creaked under us like it couldn't take it.

My chest heaved, my whole body clung to his, shivering as my walls tightened uncontrollably around him.

Damn it-I couldn't fight an alpha. He made me feel pleasure so intense it scared me. The way our bodies connected... it messed with my head, made it hard to think straight.

He leaned down, inhaling deeply by my ear. "You smell like cake-soft and sweet."

I dug my fingers into his shoulders, moaning nonstop. I didn't even have the strength to argue.

And soon, I couldn't even speak. He moved toward my neck-he was trying to bite me, to mark me. I could feel it. I pushed at him frantically with whatever strength I had left.

Why couldn't it just be sex? I could've pretended none of this ever happened.

He let out a displeased growl. "You should feel honored."

"No," I sobbed. "Just... not now."

That made him freeze. He stared at me, silent, like he was actually thinking it over.

I tilted my head up and traced his Adam's apple with my tongue. My fingers clung to his shoulders, silently praying he'd forgive my earlier resistance.

But after a beat, he said nothing and went right back to it, slamming into me harder, pulling louder moans from my lips. "Ah... no, stop..."

He kissed me again, deep and consuming, licking every part of my mouth like he was drinking me in. My legs gave out, and I clung to him, clumsily responding to his kiss, burning with unwanted desire.

I shut my eyes. Dizziness took over from the exhaustion. He stroked my face, and I felt something warm flood into me.

Then he pulled out and wrapped himself around me tightly, locking me in his arms like he didn't want me going anywhere. Just before I drifted off, I caught the scent on him-dark, rich, like a strong drink. It made my head spin.

Like some cruel cosmic joke, the Moon Goddess had handed me my fated mate... the alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack.

The one I was doing everything to stay far, far away from.

Perry's POV

I woke up before Richard did. He'd wrapped himself around me like a human straightjacket, and I had to carefully wiggle free from his arms.

The room was still pitch black - the heavy curtains shut out all the light. I avoided looking at his face, not wanting to confirm what Gina told me: this was Richard Scott's room, so that meant he had to be the wolf from last night.

I crouched down to grab whatever was left of my shredded clothes, trying to cover myself with the torn fabric. They looked more like ripped napkins than clothing.

"I came here to tell him no, and now... now I've ended up in his damn bed," I hissed under my breath as I shoved the door open. "Fated mate? Screw that. I'd rather suffer than be tied to him."

I touched my face, surprised to feel tears rolling down. I thought, just for a second, I could maybe kill him and be done with it. But no - I couldn't even do that.

His breathing behind me was heavy, dragging me back into that horrible moment. I had to get out.

Once I made it down the hall and ducked into a corner, I called Gina. "Gina, please, I need you."

"Perry? Oh my god-what happened?" She must've heard my voice cracking because she immediately panicked. "I'm coming. Right now."

She wasn't lying. Gina showed up fast, sprinting out of the elevator still in her slippers.

When I looked up and saw her eyes full of worry, I completely lost it. "Gina..."

"Oh baby, please, don't cry like that," she squatted down and hugged me tight, totally thrown off. "You're breaking my heart."

"What happened to you?" Her eyes went wide as she got a better look at my mess of a body.

I stayed quiet, couldn't bring myself to speak. Only when she frowned and gently helped me stand did I find the strength to say anything.

Fighting to keep the tears down, I sniffled and muttered, "Something awful... The wolf... not now. I'll explain soon."

With a sigh, Gina didn't push. She guided me to the elevator and brought me back to her room.

She worked nearby and didn't like going home much, so keeping a hotel room had always made sense for her.

During the walk, I just hugged myself in silence while Gina softly patted my back.

"I need a proper shower," I said, drained, when we reached her door. "Do you have something I can wear?"

"Of course, honey, I'll get you something right now," she yelled, already on her way to the wardrobe.

Dragging my exhausted self to the bathroom, I stood under the water, trying to scrub that feeling off me. The smell lingered - faint booze mixed with something else. Maybe it was just in my head, but I couldn't shake it.

Gina brought me a soft set of pajamas, obviously worried sick. She sat close, her voice urgent. "Perry, please, tell me what happened. I need to understand what's hurting you."

"I went into the room, and then," I paused, gripping the fabric of the shirt tightly, "I ran into a rutted-out alpha. Richard."

"What?!" Gina practically screamed, staring at me like I'd grown another head, completely thrown.

She paced back and forth like her thoughts were spiraling, then suddenly stopped. "No. That can't be right. Perry, I... I need to say something..."

"That wasn't Alpha Richard!" Gina looked like she might actually faint. "You hadn't been in the room long when I bumped into Byron from the Bloodmoon Pack. He told me that Richard isn't even in the hotel tonight. I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up."

My eyes went wide, a chill running straight through me. Panic gripped my chest. "Then who the hell was the guy who screwed me?"

Gina inhaled sharply, clutching my hand like it was the only thing grounding her. "I'm so sorry, Perry. I have no clue. That top-floor suite's usually booked under Alpha Richard's name-if he's not using it, it goes to other high-ranking wolves."

"No..." I bit my lip and buried my face in my hands, feeling like the whole world was crashing down on me.

"If you want, I can try to find out who he was," Gina offered quickly.

I didn't say anything right away. And once I'd calmed down a little, I wasn't sure it would even matter.

When I walked into that room, that unknown alpha was already in heat. Burning hot all over like someone had triggered it on purpose-just waiting for a she-wolf. I must've walked in at the worst possible moment.

Gina must've noticed how zoned out I was. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "So... he's probably still in the room, right? Perry, if you care, we could go check. Wanna give it a shot?"

"Terrible idea," I muttered. "Even if I find out who he is, what am I supposed to do? He's still an alpha."

There was another reason I didn't tell Gina-we'd smelled each other. That scent meant something. And I kept that to myself.

I had no idea how to make him take responsibility or even apologize. Honestly, if I could, I'd walk right up to him and punch him in the face. No way I'd forgive an alpha who forced me into something like that.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought of it. Right then, my phone rang, dragging me back to reality. I frowned and glanced at the screen.

Francis Lake. Of course.

Just seeing his name made my blood boil. I hit 'decline' hard, like it would make up for everything.

If it weren't for Francis, I never would've gone to meet Alpha Richard. None of this would've happened. He'd completely screwed up my life. He wasn't even half the father he pretended to be.

Less than a minute later, Francis started calling again. Relentless, like an annoying fly. I just kept rejecting his calls, on repeat.

The ringtone was grating as hell, made my mood crash even lower. I finally gave in, took a deep breath, and jabbed the screen. "What do you want, Francis? Stop blowing up my phone-are you trying to wear me down?"

"Sweetheart," he said, cheerful as ever, not the least bit rattled. "Your grandfather told me you'd left the countryside. I've been waiting for you at the train station. Honestly, can't wait to see you. But it's been a while and you're still not here. Come on, tell me where you are?"

"I'm not there yet." I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. "And more importantly, I don't need you picking me up."

He went quiet for a second. Then, sounding all faux-concerned, he said, "Don't be like that, Perry. So... when are you getting here?"

"I'm done talking. If you wanna stay there, fine, stay there. Just stop calling me!" I said flatly.

Everything Francis ever did was just to shove me into being Richard Scott's mate, so he could cozy up to the Bloodmoon Pack. No matter how much he pretended to be this caring father, I wasn't buying it.

"But Perry," Francis switched up his tone, now sounding more like an alpha than a dad-stern, commanding. I knew he was trying to intimidate me. "I've set everything up with the Bloodmoon Pack. Tomorrow, you'll meet Alpha Richard. I've picked out a nice dress for you, something really flattering and-"

"Shut up!" I snapped, my voice cracking under the strain. "The only time you even remember you have a daughter is when you need something. If you miss me so much, Francis, then where the hell have you been all this time?"

I didn't wait for a reply. I hung up on him without a second thought.

"Perry," Gina stepped closer, lowering her voice. "What are you going to do now? Are you really meeting Richard tomorrow?"

"I don't want to be his mate. Especially after all this, I can't face him. I've gotta figure something else out."

"But..." Gina looked at me, worry written all over her face. After overhearing my call with Francis, she finally understood where I was coming from. "Even so, you'll have to deal with him sooner or later. He's an alpha. You can't just run forever."

Maybe she was right.

As much as Francis was a manipulative jerk, he wasn't dumb. If he already arranged things with the Bloodmoon Pack and I flaked, it could cause real problems. I'd be poking the beehive.

I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, Gina. I'll meet him, but I'm gonna tell Richard there's someone else. That I'm already with another alpha. Maybe that'll make him back off. And if Francis finds out, maybe he'll finally give up on me."

Gina squeezed my hand in support. "There you go. Stay strong, Perry."

She gave me a quick but warm hug before rushing off-there was always something going on at the hotel, and Gina practically ran the place.

Left alone in her room, I just sat there.

I'd never felt this drained. My body ached like I'd been tossed around in a fight. That alpha I slept with-whoever he was-didn't hold back. It was still messing with me.

He'd overwhelmed me, yeah, but not just with force. There'd been pleasure too, intense and confusing. And that scared me even more.

Richard's POV

I woke up feeling strangely relaxed. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the light, but I could tell it was already the next morning.

Last night, someone from the rival pack slipped something into my drink-something meant to mess with my head. They clearly underestimated my control. I didn't turn into some crazed beast. I just went into a heat I couldn't ignore.

The moment the drug kicked in, I knew exactly what had happened. I made my way from the basement to the top floor quietly. No one would know. Once I reached my room, the urge inside me only grew stronger.

I told myself I'd deal with those bastards later, once the effects wore off. They'd regret thinking they could play me like that.

Truth be told, heats weren't really a thing for me. This was the first time I'd let lust nearly take over.

I didn't have a mate-not that an alpha like me needed one.

But right then, I had to take care of the problem. So I called Byron, my ever-efficient beta. "Byron, it's me. You should know what's happened. Find me a female. Now."

"Yes, alpha," he said without hesitation. "She'll be there soon."

I hung up, trying to stay calm while waiting for whoever he'd send. Sure enough, the door cracked open after a short while.

She called my name. That was all the confirmation I needed-must've been the one Byron sent.

I didn't hold back with her. She responded to every move, her body writhing under mine, breathless and eager. That only pushed me further. She clung to me like I was the only thing that mattered, her body trembling under the weight of what we both needed.

I poured myself into her, kissed her like I couldn't get enough. Her lips were addictive, her skin intoxicating.

But more than that-it was her scent. The moment I caught it, I knew. She was my fated one. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I tried to mark her, claim her fully, but she resisted.

That pissed me off. I had to pull back, bracing myself against the heat building inside. Then she spoke.

"Just... not now."

I backed down. There was something about her-this mix of boldness and shyness, strength wrapped in sweetness. She tasted just like her scent promised.

Maybe she just needed time. Our meeting wasn't exactly planned. No one expected to find their destined mate like this-but here she was. And she was everything.

Even now, completely sober, I couldn't stop replaying the night in my mind. It'd be impossible to forget her.

After sitting on the bed for a few minutes, I called out for Byron. He showed up fast.

"Alpha, how are you feeling?" Byron kept his head bowed, voice steady. "I turned away anyone asking about you last night, even the hotel manager. Do you have any new orders?"

I got dressed, lifted my chin, and went ice cold. "Did you find out who drugged my drink?"

Byron didn't skip a beat. "Belen Morgan, Silverfang's alpha. He wanted to team up with you but didn't know how to convince you. So, he brought in a hot female. Worried she alone wouldn't do the trick, he had something slipped into your drink. I got rid of her before she even got close."

"Silverfang," I said his pack's name like poison. "Byron, I don't want to hear another word about them pulling stunts like this again."

For a pack that tiny, they sure had some nerve. They came at the wrong alpha. I wasn't one to let something like this slide.

Byron looked a little surprised. He knew this meant war-and Bloodmoon didn't take war lightly. It had been a while, but I hadn't forgotten how to burn traitors down.

Being played like that? Yeah. I hated that most of all.

Byron lowered his head again, looking serious. "I'll pass on your orders quietly to a few deltas. Silverfang got greedy. Bloodmoon doesn't take threats lightly. They're gonna pay for it."

I pulled the curtain aside, squinting into the flood of sunlight. Warm, just like the soft curve of that she-wolf from last night.

Damn it. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I needed a cold shower-fast. Heading for the bathroom, I asked before I went in, "Byron, where exactly did you find that she-wolf last night?"

"What?" Byron blinked like I'd just slapped him. He looked honestly confused. "I got her from our pack."

"Okay, then I need her name."

"But... she never came, Alpha." Now he looked rattled. "She said there was already a she-wolf in your room when she arrived, so she left without going in. She didn't dare bother you. I figured you'd handled it yourself."

"I didn't." My voice stayed calm, but my mind wasn't. "So who the hell was she?"

Byron's eyes went wide. Then came the nervous glance. "Wait... you really didn't know her?"

This had officially gotten weird. A random stranger sneaks in to sleep with me? That wasn't just suspicious-it was dangerous. What if she was a spy, sent from another pack to get something out of me?

I touched the scratch marks she'd left on my neck. Oddly enough, I didn't feel angry. All I could think of was how she smelled-how she felt. Everything else faded.

"So, I guess I slept with the wrong person," I muttered. "Maybe she just walked into the wrong room."

Was I seriously trying to defend her? To ease Byron's concern? I couldn't believe myself.

Not that Byron would question me. He's always been loyal to the core. I didn't have to explain a damn thing. But something about her stuck with me. Maybe that's what it means to find your true mate. If so, I couldn't say I minded one bit.

"I understand," Byron said, definitely not pushing it. "But Alpha, there's something else. The meeting with Ashen Pack-it's today. Alpha Francis is bringing his daughter to meet you this morning."

His reminder hit me like a brick. I paused, thinking. "Right. I'll be there."

One thing was clear-I'd gotten myself into a whole mess. A mysterious mate who vanished into thin air. A promised mate from Ashen Pack I'd never met.

Back when Ashen Pack still stood strong, their Luna made a pact with my grandfather. She once saved his life, and that's how our packs started working together.

Since then, both of them passed away. The connection between our packs faded.

I rose to lead Bloodmoon as its youngest Alpha ever. I'd built everything to perfection. We were powerful-untouchable. That was something I took pride in.

Meanwhile, Ashen Pack was crumbling under Francis. I knew they were in trouble-frequent rogue attacks, barely holding on. So Francis remembered the old deal.

My father chose to honor it. They'd sworn to the Moon Goddess, after all. A promise like that couldn't be ignored.

Francis's daughter was meant to be my mate, the Luna of Bloodmoon.

But now, my heart had already chosen someone else.

She was the one-I was sure of it. And I was going to find her.