Page 5 of Rejected and Regretted

“Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “What is your alpha’s proposal to me?”

I raised my head in relief. This part I had rehearsed over and over - I wouldn’t mess it up. “As you might know Azure Smoke Pack has no allies. Despite having received numerous proposals, they were all turned down, as none of them were deemed worthy in the eyes of our alpha.”

“And Whispering Hills is?” he wanted to know.

“Your pack is traditional and long-standing. Both are traits an emerging pack like mine seeks for its first alliance,” I clarified.

“I see. What are you willing to offer us?”

“Azure Smoke might be much smaller in size compared to Whispering Hills, but I’m sure you’ve heard about how fast we are growing. That’s because we have the best warriors,” I observed. “In exchange for your support, we are willing to lend you a few of our men.”

He was thoughtful for an instant. “Not a lot is known about your pack. Why should I believe you?”

“You don’t have to.” I shrugged. “Another reason why my alpha sent Theo and Elijah with me was so they could show you what they’re capable of.”

“Alright. I’m interested,” he gave in - much sooner than I expected, but I’d take it. However, as he leaned over the table with his fingers intertwined, I realized our conversation wasn’t over yet. “The only thing I’m still curious about is why your alpha didn’t come to me in person?”

Already expecting that question, I relaxed against my seat, the answer on the tip of my tongue. “Two reasons. First, she doesn’t want to reveal her true identity yet…” Well, that wasn’t a lie. “Second, she wants to know she can trust you first, which is why she sent me. Since I was once a member of this pack, she trusted me with the task of evaluating if you are worthy of her loyalty.”

“Fair enough.” Koen nodded. “You and your friends are welcome to stay as long as you need, though I hope I can change your perception about us soon.” He made a brief pause. “Avril, Whispering Hills isn’t the same as it used to be. I didn’t like the way my father ruled, and I made sure to do better.”

That we would see. I resisted the urge to scoff, instead forcing a smile, “It’s good to know.”

He stared into my eyes for another second before sighing and rising from his seat. “Well, if that is all…” Heading to the door, he opened it for me.

Theo and Elijah, who were standing guard on the other side, immediately turned to me, eager to make sure I was okay.

“I’ll link my beta and have him show you to your guest suites,” Koen informed just as he walked past me. “The suites are more like little cottages outside of the town square, so you guys will have your own space. As much as I would like to doso myself, I unfortunately have other matters that demand my attention.”

“Of course,” I acknowledged, trying to sound sympathetic. “I’m sure your luna is also wondering where you are.”

At my statement, Koen stopped dead in his tracks. After an instant, he revealed, to my utter shock. “Whispering Hills doesn’t have a luna.” Before I could process what he said, he shot me a glance, a profound warmth in his eyes as he added, “At least not yet.”

4

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A V R I L

The alpha’s lastsentence kept hammering in my head all night.

It didn’t make any sense. Koen was engaged to Nerine, the beta of a prestigious pack, roughly a month before I was exiled. While I, thankfully, didn’t stay long enough to witness their wedding, everything was already planned. All everyone talked about was howin lovethey were. It used to make my stomach turn.

At first, I considered they might have had to call off the wedding, but Alpha Rockwell would never pass down his title to his son before he was mated. If Koen was the leader of Whispering Hills now, he must have claimed someone as his luna. Maybe something could have happened to Nerine…but the way Koen talked about it, it was almost as if she never even existed. Who would talk about their late loved one like that?

“I wouldn’t put it past him to be the one to end her out of boredom,”Kea suggested with disdain.“What does it matter to you anyway? Mated, unmated, divorced, widower - who cares,”she scoffed, though I suspected she sounded too bitter for someone who truly didn’t give a damn.

“I don’t care,”I let her know.“It just bothers me not knowing what kinda game he’s playing.”

From the way my wolf lowered her ears inside my head, I sensed her readiness to argue, but our conversation was abruptly cut short by the sound of a voice pulling me from my thoughts.

“This place is actually pretty nice,” Elijah exclaimed, his eyes scouring the endless hills Koen’s pack got its name from.

Instinctively, I stopped to look at our surroundings. The lush greenery blanketing the landscape was more resplendent than I remembered. Quaint wooden cottages matched the pack’s rustic and traditional vibe. In the distance, the rich cultivated fields, the mainstay of Whispering Hills’ economy, bloomed with abundance.

I once found these lands beautiful, too, but now all I could see were the rotting roots beneath this radiant façade.

“Agreed,” Theo chimed in, lowering his voice as he turned his attention to me. “Sure doesn’t look like the hellhole you described, Alpha,” he teased.

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