Rejected Mate's Final Stand

Jaxon brought Alayah and their child back to the Silver Fang Pack estate, his Alpha aura radiating a cold authority as he declared it was merely a mishap from seven years ago and that he now intended to "do the right thing." He leaned close to me, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, and whispered, his voice low and commanding:

"Pierce is sensitive. Just tell him Zora is adopted so he doesn’t overthink it."

"Alayah has struggled to raise Pierce on her own. I owe her a status. Soon, you’ll join me to finalize the rejection papers, but we can continue with our lives as usual."

I didn’t protest. I completed the rejection formalities, packed my suitcase, and left with my daughter, my heart heavy but resolute. Savannah, one of the pack’s Gammas, tried to convince Jaxon to reconsider, but he dismissed her concerns with a cold smirk:

"She’s in her thirties with a child from another man. Does she really think anyone else would want her once she’s left me?"

But Jaxon was unaware that my long-lost first love, Hudson Edwards, the Alpha of the Northern Frost Pack, had returned from abroad last month. He was still unmated, waiting just for me.

As I dragged my suitcase towards the door, Zora suddenly grabbed my clothing, her small hands trembling.

"Mom, are we really leaving? But... Dad finally promised he’d celebrate my birthday with me."

Her eyes were red with disappointment, and my heart ached. Seven years had passed, and Jaxon promised to celebrate her birthday only once, as a reward for agreeing to be labeled as "adopted."

Suddenly, Jaxon’s frantic voice echoed behind us, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding:

"Zora, come back!"

Excited to hear her father’s call, Zora turned back joyfully. As she did, I saw Jaxon snatch the pendant from her neck, his movements swift and decisive. Ignoring Zora’s shocked expression, he placed it around Pierce’s neck, his Alpha aura radiating approval.

Seeing this, I was furious, my own Luna authority flaring as I stepped forward:

"Jaxon, that pendant was given to Zora by your father on his deathbed; she’s the sole granddaughter of the Simpson family. You can’t—"

Before I could finish, Pierce stormed over and shoved Zora to the ground, shouting tearfully, his voice high-pitched and defiant:

"Dad, I’m the real grandson! My sister can’t take my things!"

Zora lay on the floor, her knee scraped and red, but she bit her lip in silence. As I touched her trembling hand, I recalled the card she crafted at the pack’s school for Thanksgiving, which she timidly handed to Jaxon, hopeful he would appreciate it. She had spent an entire afternoon making it, only for Jaxon to dismiss it and toss it into the trash, his Alpha tone dripping with disdain.

"This kind of thing is useless. Don’t bring it here and waste your time. You’re supposed to study at school."

Yet, he had framed and displayed Pierce’s careless scribble prominently in the living room, his Alpha aura radiating pride. Discovering this, Zora was so upset she couldn’t eat dinner. Jaxon mistook her hurt for jealousy, and not only did he harshly beat her hands with a ruler, but he also reprimanded me for leading the child astray, forcing us both into the basement, his Alpha tone cold and unyielding.

That night, she lay fevered and curled in my arms, tears in her eyes as she whispered:

"Mom, is it because I’m not good that Dad is angry with me?"

I stroked her burning forehead, pounding desperately at the locked basement door, begging Jaxon to call the pack’s healer. Through the gap, I saw his cold, indifferent face, his Alpha aura chilling the air.

"Stop pretending to be pitiful. A slight fever will pass."

The suffocating darkness of the damp basement paled in comparison to Jaxon’s words...

"Mom, it hurts..."

Zora’s trembling voice pulled me back to the present. I stared at Jaxon, who was now praising Pierce as he pinched his cheek, his Alpha aura radiating approval:

"Good job! The Simpson legacy should be carried on by my true heir."

Seeing Zora shaking in pain, Jaxon chuckled, his Alpha tone mocking:

"The drama she puts on is just like her mother!"

As his words fell, Pierce’s face suddenly went pale, and with two streams of blood, he collapsed, lifeless as a log.

"Pierce!" Jaxon’s roar seemed to shake the room, his Alpha aura exploding in a wave of fury. Holding the unconscious boy, he turned to me with a fierce hatred that made me shiver, his Alpha tone dripping with venom. In the chaos, Alayah screamed, stumbling down the staircase, her voice hysterical:

"Clara, what have you done to my son?! Even if you resent me, you can’t harm a child!"

I laughed at the absurdity, my Luna authority flaring as I stepped forward: "Are you serious? I’ve never touched him. Besides, Pierce was the one who pushed Zora. Don’t you dare—"

Before I could finish, Jaxon’s rage interrupted, his Alpha tone commanding:

"Take them away!"

Suddenly, guards seized my arms, their Beta authority pressing down on me. Zora cried, trying to shield me, but she was violently pulled away. Seeing her pinned to the ground, gasping for breath, I fought desperately, screaming in fury, my Luna authority clashing with theirs:

"Jaxon, you monster! Zora is your daughter; how can you—"

In the next instant, something struck the back of my head, and I lost consciousness, immersed in darkness.