The Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER TWO; ALPHA KELLEN

—EVERLY

"I reject you."

The words hit harder than any blow I've ever felt. My chest constricted, and the air seemed to disappear. I was frozen, unable to breathe or think, as I watched him stand there, his gaze unwavering.

When he'd walked in, I thought I was seeing the impossible. I believed the Moon Goddess had finally smiled on me—that I had found my mate. I had felt it the moment his aura filled the room, powerful and overwhelming. It wasn't just his presence; it was him. The way the air seemed to part for him, the world clearing space for his power.

When he stopped in front of me, my heart raced—not from fear, but from need. He was here. He was mine. I was his.

His hand reached up, cupping my cheek, and my body melted under his touch. My wolf, Ava, who had been silent for so long, finally stirred. She had been lying dormant since the day we learned Evelyn was Rhys's mate, and we would forever be nothing more than an omega.

But now, Ava was alive, thriving. The bond between us surged with a joy I hadn't felt in so long.

We were going to be saved.

His touch grounded me in the moment, his warmth seeping into my skin, and I felt like I was drowning in it. I wanted to drown in it. I wanted to press myself into him, to feel his lips on mine, his body against mine. I wanted all of him.

In that instant, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

I leaned in, desperate for more. My hands ached to pull him closer. But before I could reach for him, his voice broke through the haze.

"What's your name, little mate?"

His voice was deep, rich, vibrating through me. My heart raced as I whispered, barely able to speak.

"Everly."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—regret? Guilt? But it was gone before I could process it. His gaze turned cold.

"I'm sorry, little mate."

And then, the words I never expected to hear:

"I reject you."

The cold hit me like a bucket of ice water. His eyes, once full of promise, now seemed to swallow me whole, erasing everything I'd felt.

Pain.

A searing pain shot through my chest, spreading outward like fire. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The world spun as the rejection echoed in my ears.

Ava fought for control, desperate to howl, to scream out the agony. I couldn't hold her back.

A scream tore from my throat, raw and jagged, and I collapsed to the floor. My body trembled with the weight of it all. The pain was too much.

Tears streamed down my face, hot and relentless, as sobs racked my body. I felt like I was suffocating.

Then, a voice cut through the fog.

"Alpha Kellen."

Ava disappeared to hide herself in the corners once more, finally letting me take control. I looked up, my vision blurred. A short man approached, flanked by two hefty men in black. The room around me seemed to close in as I realized everyone was watching—some with pity, others with cruel indifference.

"Alpha Kellen, what brings you here? Are you looking to buy any slaves?" The short man grinned, not even acknowledging me, as though I was invisible.

Alpha Kellen's eyes flickered to mine for a moment, and something—regret, maybe?—flashed there before the coldness returned. He turned away, indifferent, and spoke, his voice flat, "I'll buy her."

I blinked, disbelief hitting me like a second wave. He rejected me... and then wanted to buy me.

—

The air outside the auction house was heavy, and everything felt strangely still, as if the world had paused just for a moment. Alpha Kellen walked ahead of me, his steps steady and unhurried, like someone who had nothing to prove. The tension between us felt thick, wrapping around me with each step. His silence only made the questions in my head grow louder.

He hadn't even spoken to me after the transaction. His face was a mask—impassive, unreadable. He'd paid for me, and then he'd simply turned, as though I was nothing more than a possession to be carried away. I wasn't sure what I'd expected, but it wasn't this.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, the pain of his rejection still stinging with each breath. I had to know why. I had to ask.

"Alpha Kellen," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He didn't stop, but I saw his shoulders tense. Slowly, he turned his head, his eyes cold but full of something else—something I couldn't read. He didn't say anything, but I knew he was waiting for me to speak.

"Why?" I asked, barely above a whisper. "Why did you reject me?"

For a long time, there was only silence between us. I thought he might not answer, or maybe he'd just keep walking, leaving me behind with all the unanswered questions. But then his voice cut through the air, low and heavy, like it came from a place deeper than the present moment.

"Because I couldn't let myself," he said, his words tight, like they were hard to get out. He took a breath, his eyes not quite meeting mine. "I couldn't let you be the one to fix me."

I didn't understand at first. "Fix you?" I repeated, confused.

He paused, looking at the ground for a moment, like he was collecting his thoughts. Then, his eyes lifted to mine, and I saw it. Pain. It was in his gaze, in the way he spoke, like something from his past still had a hold on him.

"My mate," he started, his voice a little rough, "she was murdered." He looked away, his face twisting with the memory. "I couldn't lose someone again. Not like that."

His words hit me harder than I expected. I felt the ache in my chest—deep, raw. His grief wasn't something I could fight. It was a wound he couldn't heal. And I understood, then. It wasn't about me. It was about his pain, his fear of loving again.

"But... you don't have to be afraid of me," I said quietly, stepping a little closer to him. "I'm not her. I'm not asking you to forget her. I'm just asking for a chance."

His face softened for a moment, and I saw how tired he really was—how much he carried inside. But then, as quickly as it came, the softness disappeared, replaced with something colder. He sighed, like he was carrying a weight I could never fully understand.

"I couldn't do that to you," he said, shaking his head slightly. "You deserve more than to be with someone broken. I couldn't give you that."

I wanted to say something—to argue, to convince him that I didn't mind, that I could handle it. But I knew now it wasn't about me. It was about him, about his past, his grief that he couldn't let go of.

For a moment, we just stood there in silence, the sun warming the back of my neck as the world seemed to spin on without us. But then he spoke again, his voice softer, almost apologetic.

"I bought you," he said, looking down at me with a mix of resolve and regret. "I bought you your freedom. You won't be sold again. You won't live in that place anymore."

I blinked, not sure I'd heard him right. "Freedom?" I asked, the word feeling strange in my mouth.

He nodded, his eyes steady. "Yes. I couldn't leave you there. I couldn't let you be treated like that." He hesitated, then added, "But that's all I can give you."

I felt a wave of confusion and relief wash over me. He'd bought me—not to own me, but to set me free. I had my freedom now, and it was more than I had ever hoped for. But there was still a part of me that wished I could have something more—something he couldn't give.

"Thank you," I said softly, the words not feeling enough for everything he had done, everything he had given me.

He gazed at me for a long moment, as if searching for something in my face. Without a word, he stepped closer, his large hand gently cupping my forehead. The warmth of his touch lingered as he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead before pulling away.

"I hope you find peace, Everly," he said quietly. "You're free now."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, the weight of everything pressing on me.

I was free. But at what cost?

I watched him walk away, and the ache in my chest deepened. He was too broken to let anyone in, and I was nothing but a reminder of his past.

But for now, I was free. That was all I could hold on to.