The morning sun filtered through Seline’s window, casting warm streaks of light across the floor. She sat on her small, secondhand couch, her knees pulled to her chest. Her mind replayed the events of the previous night over and over like a broken record. Austin’s words echoed in her head, each one cutting deeper than the last.
I don’t want a hybrid for my mate.
It wasn’t just the rejection—it was the way he’d looked at her, like she was less than. Less than a wolf, less than worthy, less than… enough. The weight of it all pressed heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. Wiping at her face, she rose and crossed the small room to answer it. Standing on the other side was Lily, her best friend and neighbor. Lily was petite but fiery, her red curls framing a face that was perpetually alight with mischief or concern, depending on the day. Today, it was concern.
“You look like you’ve been run over by a truck,” Lily said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. She held up a bag of pastries. “Emergency carbs?”
Seline managed a small smile. “I guess.”
Lily set the bag on the coffee table and plopped down on the couch, patting the spot next to her. “Alright, spill it. What happened?”
Seline hesitated, then sank onto the couch beside her. She hadn’t told Lily about Austin or the whole fated mates ordeal. But now, the words were tumbling out before she could stop them. She told her everything—about the fight in the alley, Austin saving her, the realization that they were mates, and, finally, his cruel rejection.
By the time she finished, her voice was raw, and her hands were trembling. “He doesn’t want me, Lily. He said he could do better.”
Lily’s green eyes flashed with anger. “That arrogant, self-righteous… jerk!” She threw up her hands. “He’s your mate. He doesn’t get to just walk away from that!”
“He already did,” Seline said quietly. “He doesn’t care that we’re mates. All he sees is that I’m a hybrid and… and that I’m broke.”
Lily’s expression softened, and she reached out to squeeze Seline’s hand. “Screw him. Seriously, if he can’t see how amazing you are, then that’s his loss. But I don’t think you should give up so easily.”
Seline frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re his mate, Seline. That bond is there for a reason. You owe it to yourself to fight for it. For him. Don’t let his stupid pride ruin something that could be beautiful.”
Seline opened her mouth to argue, but Lily cut her off. “Look, I know you’re hurting. And I know it feels like he doesn’t care, but maybe… maybe he’s just scared. Or confused. Give him a chance to see the real you. The you I know.”
For a long moment, Seline didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure if Lily’s words made her feel hopeful or just more exhausted. But deep down, she knew there was truth in them. She couldn’t let this end without a fight.
“I’ll think about it,” she said finally, and Lily nodded, satisfied.
---
Seline spent the next few days trying to focus on work and keep herself busy, but the tension lingered like a storm cloud overhead. The pub was bustling as usual, patrons laughing and drinking as she moved from table to table. Her landlord had stopped by that morning, reminding her—again—that rent was overdue. The weight of her financial struggles pressed heavily on her, but she shoved it aside. She couldn’t afford to crumble now.
It was late afternoon when she saw him. Austin was walking down the main street with a few of his packmates, their tall, broad-shouldered frames unmistakable. Her pulse quickened, and before she could think better of it, she was crossing the street toward him.
“Austin!” she called, her voice firmer than she felt.
He turned, his amber eyes narrowing as he saw her. His packmates exchanged glances but hung back, lingering just within earshot.
Seline stopped a few feet away, her heart hammering in her chest. “We need to talk.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you,” he said coldly, turning as if to walk away.
She stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Well, I have plenty to say to you.”
His jaw tightened, and he glanced over his shoulder at his packmates, who were watching with thinly veiled curiosity. “This isn’t the time or place, Seline.”
“I don’t care,” she shot back, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and determination. “You don’t get to decide when this conversation happens. Not after what you said to me.”
Austin crossed his arms, his expression hardening. “Fine. Say what you need to say.”
Seline took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. “I’m your mate, Austin. Whether you like it or not, that’s the truth. And just because I’m a hybrid doesn’t make me any less of a wolf. It doesn’t make me any less worthy of the bond we share.”
His eyes darkened, but she pressed on, her voice rising. “You don’t get to reject me because of something I can’t control. And as your mate, I have rights. I deserve respect. I deserve a chance.”
The tension between them crackled like a live wire. Austin’s packmates shifted uncomfortably in the background, clearly aware of the weight of the moment.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Austin said finally, his voice low and dangerous. “You don’t understand what it means to be part of a pack like mine. To have responsibilities. You don’t belong in my world.”
Seline’s chest tightened, but she refused to back down. “That’s not your decision to make.”
His expression twisted with anger, and he took a step closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. “You should have stayed away.”
“I can’t do that,” she said, meeting his gaze with a fiery determination. “I won’t.”
Austin’s fists clenched at his sides, and for a moment, she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes—something like doubt or regret. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by a cold, unyielding fury.
“I don’t want someone like you as my mate,” he said, his voice cutting through her like a blade. “Even if we are fated mates, I could do much better than you. And I don’t want you.”
The words hit her like a punch to the gut, leaving her breathless. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him.
“You know about my situation, don’t you?” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “You know about my rent. About how I’m barely scraping by.”
He didn’t respond, but the silence was answer enough.
“This isn’t just about me being a hybrid,” she said, her voice rising. “You think I’m beneath you. You think I’m not good enough because I’m struggling. Because I don’t have what you have.”
Austin’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he took a step back, his gaze cold and unrelenting.
“You’re right,” he said finally. “It’s not just about you being a hybrid. It’s everything. Your life, your choices, your… circumstances. I don’t want that dragging me or my pack down.”
Seline’s heart shattered at his words, and she felt the tears she’d been holding back spill over. She swiped at them angrily, refusing to let him see her completely break.
“You’re a coward,” she said, her voice shaking with fury and pain. “You’re afraid of what people will think. Of what it might cost you to be with me. But you’re the one who’s losing out, Austin. Not me.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked away, his packmates following silently behind him.
Seline stood there, her chest heaving as she watched him go. The bond she’d felt—the connection that had once seemed so unbreakable—now felt like a chain, dragging her down into a sea of pain and despair.
For the first time, she truly understood what it meant to be rejected by a mate. It wasn’t just heartbreak—it was a tearing apart of something fundamental, something that couldn’t be put into words.
As the town bustled on around her, oblivious to the storm raging inside her, Seline made her way back to her tiny apartment. She closed the door behind her and sank to the floor, her body wracked with silent sobs.
Austin had made his choice. And now, she had to live with it.