The moment Kael’s eyes met Aria’s, something strange happened inside her chest.
It felt like an invisible thread had suddenly tightened between them.
Aria’s breath caught.
Her fingers slowly curled around the edge of the lantern post beside her as she tried to steady herself.
Why was he looking at her again?
Kael rarely even noticed the lower-ranking members of the pack, especially someone like her.
Yet his sharp grey eyes remained fixed on her.
Studying.
Almost confused.
Across the clearing, several young wolves had already stepped into the ceremonial circle. The Alpha began guiding them through the ancient ritual, asking them to focus on the pull of the Moon Goddess.
Soft murmurs and nervous laughter spread among the crowd as the ceremony officially began.
But Aria barely heard any of it.
Her attention remained trapped by Kael’s gaze.
For a brief moment, it looked like he was about to walk toward her.
Then—
“Kael.”
The Beta’s voice interrupted the moment.
Kael turned his head slightly as the Beta stepped closer to him.
Several wolves nearby moved aside respectfully.
“The ceremony has started,” the Beta said quietly. “You should step forward.”
Kael remained silent for a second.
Then he gave a small nod and walked toward the ceremonial circle.
The strange tension between him and Aria disappeared almost instantly.
Aria released a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.
“What was that…?” she whispered to herself.
Her heart was still beating faster than usual.
But there was no time to think about it.
In the center of the clearing, the ceremony was continuing.
One by one, young wolves began discovering their mates.
Gasps.
Excited shouts.
Tears of happiness.
A young she-wolf suddenly laughed as she ran toward a boy across the circle, throwing her arms around him.
“He’s my mate!”
Cheers erupted around them.
Another pair found each other moments later.
Some wolves looked relieved.
Others looked shocked.
The Moon Goddess rarely made predictable choices.
Aria watched quietly from the edge of the clearing.
The happiness around her felt distant.
Almost like she was watching someone else’s world.
Lila still stood confidently near the front of the crowd.
Her eyes kept drifting toward Kael.
Everyone could see what she was hoping for.
The future Alpha and the Beta’s daughter.
It would be the perfect match.
Whispers spread among the wolves.
“Imagine if those two are mates.”
“That would make her the next Luna.”
“They would be the strongest pair in the pack.”
Aria lowered her gaze.
She knew she shouldn’t even be standing this close.
Her role tonight was to serve food and drinks, not watch the ceremony.
Still, she couldn’t seem to leave.
Something inside her chest felt restless.
Unsettled.
As if the moon above was quietly calling to something deep within her.
Then suddenly—
The air shifted again.
This time the feeling was stronger.
Aria stiffened.
A strange warmth spread through her chest.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Around the clearing, several wolves paused in confusion.
Some looked around as if they had sensed something unusual.
Kael suddenly froze in the middle of the ceremonial circle.
His expression hardened slightly.
His wolf had clearly felt it too.
The Alpha stopped speaking.
Even he seemed to sense the change.
A low murmur spread through the crowd.
“What’s happening?”
“Why does the air feel strange?”
Aria pressed a hand against her chest.
The warmth was growing stronger.
Almost like a quiet pulse inside her body.
Across the clearing, Kael slowly turned his head again.
His sharp gaze searched through the crowd.
Then—
It locked onto Aria once more.
This time, the pull between them was undeniable.
A deep frown appeared on Kael’s face.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
Something inside him had clearly reacted.
But before anyone could understand what was happening—
A sudden, powerful howl echoed from the distant forest.
The sound rolled across the territory like thunder.
Every wolf in the clearing went completely still.
Because that howl carried something unmistakable.
Authority.
Power.
Dominance beyond any ordinary Alpha.
Even Kael’s expression changed slightly.
Some of the older wolves looked toward the forest with shock in their eyes.
One of the warriors whispered in disbelief.
“That howl…”
Another wolf finished the sentence quietly.
“…belongs to the Alpha King.”
YOU ARE READING
Rejected By My Mate,Claimed By The Alpha King
WerewolfAria has spent her entire life as the unwanted girl of the Silver Moon Pack. Orphaned at a young age and unable to shift into her wolf like the others, she is treated as weak, useless, and unworthy. While the rest of the pack prepares excitedly for...
