Rejected Fate Chapter 01
I am Isabella, Daniel’s fated mate. For eight long years, I was the one chasing after him.
On my ninety-ninth confession, he finally said yes.
I thanked the Moon Goddess with all my heart, certain she had finally answered every desperate prayer I ever whispered.
Yet the very next day, Daniel wrapped his arm around a frail Omega and addressed the entire crowd.
“Everyone, meet Nora. My chosen mate, and the future Luna of this pack.”
Every pair of eyes locked onto me. The whole pack had watched Daniel accept my confession only a day prior.
Before I could utter a single word, Nora covered her mouth with feigned shock.
“Oh, Isabella, you poor thing. Didn’t you realize yesterday was April Fools’ Day?”
“To make it up to you, let me show you the token Daniel gave me. It’s absolutely stunning.”
My gaze fell on the wooden rose in Nora’s hand.
It was my first flawless Moonwood carving. Daniel had begged relentlessly for a whole month before I gave it to him.
Once, I poured all my patience into my carvings and into Daniel alone.
Now that patience has run out, forever.
*****
A heavy silence swept through the great hall of the packhouse.
I ignored Nora completely, fixing my eyes firmly on Daniel.
“Did you also take yesterday as a joke?”
Daniel had not expected me to react so seriously. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes, vanishing fast behind his usual careless smirk.
“Isabella, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Everyone knows what day yesterday was.”
His fellow pack members from Blackshadow Pack, all present at the werewolf mixer, chimed in one after another.
“Come on, Izzy, we’re all friends here. Don’t take it so seriously.”
“We all knew Alpha Daniel was just messing around with you.”
“Isabella, don’t be upset. None of us thought you’d actually take his answer seriously.”
They laughed to defuse the awkward tension, yet their stares lingered on me, brimming with nothing but malicious amusement.
In the past, I would have backed down. I would have forced a smile, played along, and quietly waited for another chance to tell him how I felt.
But not anymore. Every last bit of my patience was gone.
My inner wolf fell utterly silent, as if she had vanished entirely.
Perhaps agony had long grown familiar to us. She did not howl in grief, nor writhe in pain over my mate’s cruel mockery.
She only lay cold and still inside my chest, finally tired of watching this ridiculous farce.
“So all of you think this was nothing but a joke?”
No one dared to reply.
I stepped forward, snatched the wooden rose straight out of Nora’s grasp.
I carved this rose from rare moonwood with my own bare hands, shaping petals so thin they let moonlight filter through. It meant everything to me, and I had never intended to give it away to anyone.
But Daniel had begged me every single day for a month. On my coming-of-age night, I caught his signature pine scent drifting through the air—the scent of my fated mate.
I truly believed my wolf and I had found our destined love, so I handed the rose over to him without hesitation.
Now he had passed my most precious carving to another she-wolf as a mating gift.
I stared down at the rose that had changed hands again and again.
I snapped it clean in half and dropped the broken carving onto the stone floor.
Tears welled instantly in Nora’s eyes.
“Isabella, what are you doing? This was a gift from Daniel!”
Daniel’s brows knitted tight, sharp anger lacing his tone.
“Isabella!”
I brushed leftover wood dust off my palms, my voice steady and emotionless.
This was mine. I can do whatever I want with it.
Daniel let out a cold scoff.
“This mixer is held to announce the pack’s future Luna. You will not cause a scene here.”
He nodded toward the packhouse entrance.
“Then get out if you can’t act right.”
“Or apologize to Nora, and I’ll let you stay.”
Silence crashed over the hall once more. Two wolf guards standing by the main gate raised their weapons, locking their gazes on me.
For eight years of chasing Daniel, I had never embarrassed him in front of the pack.
But this time, I looked deep into his eyes for one long moment, then turned and walked away without a second glance.
Nora’s sobs broke out the second the door moved behind me.
“Daniel, she destroyed our mating token!”
Daniel’s voice softened instantly, warm and gentle for her alone.
“Hush, don’t cry. I’ll make her carve you a new one.”
Other pack members hurried to comfort Nora.
“Don’t grieve, Luna Nora.”
“Isabella always obeys Alpha Daniel. She will carve you as many roses as you want.”
The heavy oak door clicked shut behind me.
Cool night wind brushed my cheeks, and I finally snapped out of my daze.
Not a single tear fell from my eyes.
My inner wolf gazed up at the full moon suspended in the night sky.
She let out a quiet, cold laugh.
Daniel, my patience for you is gone for good.
