Pursuing My Rejected Alpha
Chapter 1

"I wonder if I am that boring that Alpha is falling asleep in his seat while listening to me," so the woman in front of Ronan said with a sweet, indulging tone.

Ronan lifted his gaze to look into her mesmerizing brown eyes. Her blossoming red lips were pulled together into a slight pout. Delighted that the man finally deigned to give her some attention, Lillian Woodland leaned forward with both elbows pressing against the table. Her movement was very subtle but achieved the result that she wanted. Ronan's eyes were immediately drawn to the pair of ripe and delicious fruits that hung seductively right before his eyes, their tender buds were safely hidden beneath the low-cut dress that she wore for the blind date. "Does Alpha like what he sees?" Lillian teased. "Is he interested to see more?"

Ronan chuckled. His lips were curled up in a tyrannical smile. "Miss Woodland is quite eager. I was expecting you to be more innocent and timid in your approach."

The woman in front of him averted her eyes only for a second before she looked back at him with a fearless look in her eyes. There was a gleam of mischief in the bright brown eyes. She smiled sweetly and winked at him.

"I heard that Mr. Silverback likes to be rough on the bed."

"Ah, you did your research," Ronan slid his hand across the table and grabbed Lillian's wrist. As expected of an Alpha's daughter, she was immaculate in every way. A beautiful face, a slender body, smooth and slightly tanned skin, and a pair of shapely legs. Practically a goddess with both beauty and brain. She was supposedly a virgin, but she was definitely not as innocent as most Alpha daughters were. Intriguing.

.....

For the first time in years, Ronan was not repulsed by the dates that his father arranged for him to meet almost every month. It was natural to arrange only the best Alpha daughters of high status to match with him, but why must they be so boring? They did not have even an ounce of personality.

The highborn ladies were so afraid of displeasing him that they agreed with everything that he said. His favorite color was their favorite colors. His favorite food was coincidentally their favorite food. But when Ronan said that his life dream was to roll around on the bed with random women until they fell pregnant with his cubs, they all turned silent. Their eyes widened in trepidation as they stared at the shameless man in front of them.

Ronan was especially amused by a certain lady who rose to her feet immediately after she heard his words. Her cheeks flushed crimson due to a mix of embarrassment and anger and her lips trembled from unsaid reproachful words. She had stormed out of the restaurant without a word of farewell while Ronan rubbed against his lips to hide the smug smile beneath his fingers.

Ronan Silverback, twenty-five years old, was the recently anointed Alpha of the Infinite Eclipse Pack. Despite his boundless charm and gallantry on the outside, he was known to be quite eccentric. Ronan Silverback was very hard to please when it came to picking a Luna.

His long-suffering father, Dane Silverback, was the retired Alpha of the pack who meanwhile had become a member of the Werewolf Council. He believed that his son simply had not had the opportunity to meet with a woman that was gorgeous enough to spin his head, so he kept arranging blind dates for Ronan.

His hard work would have been easier if words of Ronan's supposed womanizing ways had not spread among the packs who looked to replace matches for their precious daughters.

On the other side, this created opportunity for rogue she-wolves who had no packs to rely on. They did not think that Ronan was hard to please. He wanted his woman to be feisty during the day but mellow and obedient during the night. It was the kind of personality that properly-raised Alpha daughters would never have.

Not that they had no desire to engage in promiscuity. They just could not afford to, because their fathers would kick them out as soon as they found out that their daughters had been intimate with anyone before marriage, or even worse, fallen pregnant with an illegitimate child.

Lillian Woodland, Ronan's latest match did not even flinch when Ronan slipped a hand under her skirt and traveled up her firm thigh. She even purred like a cat as if she truly wanted him to make her his. Ronan narrowed his eyes in amusement. Just how far was he allowed to tease an Alpha daughter without going past the point of no return? What would it take to disgust Lillian Woodland?

Before Ronan managed to muster a perfect plan, his train of thought was disrupted by his vibrating phone. He threw a brief glance at the display and saw that it was his Beta who called. His Beta, Jake, fully supported Dane in his attempt to get Ronan married as soon as possible, so he never once called during one of his blind dates before. If Jake called, then something serious was happening.

Ronan withdrew his hand from under Lillian's skirt and rose to his feet to pick up the phone.

"Jake? What's wrong?"

It was quite noisy on the other side of the phone. Jake sounded half exasperated half annoyed.

"Ronan, sorry to disturb your date. Please come back to the Pack House first. We have a situation here."

"Situation" usually meant that a pack member was stuck in a dire situation.

"I am coming right now," Ronan said while giving Lillian a look. The woman merely gave him a sweet and understanding smile.

"I have to go," Ronan said after he ended the call.

"I know."

Lillian pulled Ronan close and stuffed something lacy in his hand. She had taken off her underwear discreetly while Ronan was on phone.

"A memento for our next date," she whispered.

In light of the emergency, whatever it might be, Ronan would love to transform and run back to the Pack House in his wolf form. Unfortunately, it was not convenient to do that in the middle of a bustling city. Ronan thus decided to act more like a normal human being. One short phone call and five minutes later, his car had already pulled up in front of him.

As soon as they were alone inside the car, Ronan's wolf, Beowulf, started to talk. He always had a lot of opinions about the women that Ronan got introduced to. His comments were anything but savory. This time too, he had thought of a few adjectives to describe Lillian Woodland.

'I dislike her,' Beowulf said openly without any intention to sugarcoat his opinion. 'She looks cheap.

Ronan let out a chuckle.

'The last one was haughty. The one before her was stupid. I don't think there will ever be anyone who will be good enough for you, B. And you haven't even met her wolf!' Beowulf growled.

'Why would I want to meet her wolf if I don't even like her?'

Ronan sighed in his heart.

'We can't keep doing this, Beowulf. We will have to decide eventually!

'I decided, his wolf growled. 'Long time ago,' he added.

Ronan closed his eyes for a few moments to disperse the image of a certain young man from his mind.

'I know.

The Infinite Eclipse Pack House was a huge apartment complex that was situated at the center of a forest. The whole land belonged to the pack since hundreds of years ago. All pack members were born and raised in the safe enclosure until they were ready to go out and mingle among the human beings.

Traditionally, werewolf pack members used to go to predetermined educational institutions from kindergarten to university. This was done to ensure that the werewolf cubs' identity remained protected as they slowly grew up, met their wolves for the first time, and learned to get along with their wolves.

Although it was highly recommended to send the werewolf cubs to certain schools and colleges and universities only, some couples liked to be different. They let their children decide where to go.

A particular eighteen-year-old girl named Maya had decided to attend an art college that was located in a city that went by the name South Bedford City. The city was more than 500 miles away from the Great Lake City where the Infinite Eclipse Pack House and forest stood.

She had done so well growing up and mingling with other human beings that her parents were quickly convinced that nothing would go wrong. Something did go wrong.

Maya's identity was exposed in an unfortunate incident, and the poor girl in her transformed body escaped from her college and went missing.

The Infinite Eclipse Pack had been trying to locate the girl for a week. Scouts were sent out in all directions to replace out news about a possible rogue she-wolf who bore Maya's characteristics. Finally, there were some updates but they were not flattering at all. Ronan raised an eyebrow upon hearing the news.

"Are you sure, Robin?"

Robin, the Scout who found Maya, nodded and confirmed, "Yes, Alpha. There was no mistake. It was Maya, and she is currently living with a male human being."

"Impossible!!!" Maya's father roared in fury. "Not my daughter! NOT MY DAUGHTER!" he wailed in distress while pounding on the granite floor. Maya's mother was not able to bring out even a single word. She merely cried and cried. Judging from the redness of her eyes, she had been crying every day since her daughter went missing.

When speaking of an ideal son-in-law, most werewolf fathers had similar ideas in their minds.

First of all, it would be great if the son-in-law and the daughter were fated mates.

Second, it would be greater if the son-in-law was part of the same pack.

Third, if it was not possible to marry someone from the same pack, then it would be wonderful if the daughter could marry preferably a well-off werewolf with a good position in another pack.

The son-in-law did not have to be an Alpha. Could also be a Beta. Or a Gamma.

Basically, the son-in-law had to be a werewolf.

She-wolves who eloped with rogue werewolves were bad enough and risked lifelong exile. What about she-wolves who eloped with a human male?

Exile was not even enough. The she-wolf must be recovered before she exposed her identity to the man and shamed her whole pack.

Maya's father looked as if he would rather have Maya lying dead at his feet rather than hear the preposterous story that the Scout had to tell.

"Please, Alpha!" he begged. "Please bring Maya back to the pack. This must be a huge misunderstanding!"

Ronan closed his eyes in irritation for a while before he opened them again with a slight frown between his brows. Whether the she-wolf that Robin found was truly Maya or not, he had to replace out by himself. If she was indeed Maya, then he was going to force her to come back with him to the Pack House.

In order to not attract too much attention, Ronan decided to go with only Jake and Robin.

The man's house was located on the outskirts of South Bedford City. It was a lone and humble house, one of many at the end of a vast sunflower field. Most houses in the area were separated by at least a hundred meters from each other.

The inhabitants did not spend time outside of their houses other than to attend to their flourishing gardens meticulously or sit on the verandah to enjoy the beautiful spring day.

When Ronan, Jake, and Robin walked past the other houses on their way to the house where Maya lived, the neighbors subtly lifted their heads and shot them curious looks.

Ronan could not care less about the neighbors. His eyes were trained on their target. There were movements in the garden before they even came close to the white picket fence.

The one who was working in the garden quickly noticed the three uninvited guests. A young woman with long, light brown hair emerged from behind a bush with huge garden shears in her hand.

Maya's eyes widened upon seeing the three werewolves in front of her. The hand that was holding the garden shears trembled violently before dropping the pointy blades to the ground. The end of a blade scratched the lower part of her leg and a little blood came

out.

Ronan, Jake, and Robin walked toward Maya like a tornado that was about to sweep Maya off her feet and rip her apart. There was terror in Maya's eyes, but her voice was stuck in her throat. She was not able to speak, let alone scream for help or run. The Alpha's presence commanded absolute deference from his pack members.

One command echoed in Maya's mind and erased everything else in her mind.

'Kneel.'

It was the first time Maya ever met the currently reigning Alpha. Up until before she left to attend the college at South Bedford City, she had always been an ordinary pack member who never had one wrong toe out of line. There was no event big enough in her little inner family circle that required the Alpha's presence in person. Not until today.

Maya's legs gave up voluntarily and she dropped to her knees. Her head was tilted forward to a certain degree and her eyes were unfocused.

"Yes, Alpha." Maya answered in her head.

Ronan raised his chin slightly and looked down at the young woman who was kneeling before them.

"Take her."

"Yes, Alpha."

Jake and Robin each took one of Maya's sides, intent on dragging her up by the arms. A loud banging sound followed by a shout that came from inside the house startled them and caused them to stop. "Stop right there!"

Their heads snapped up to look at a man who just emerged from inside the house. He regarded them with an icy look. There was an unusual chill that emanated from him, giving him an aura of authority and grandeur. Both Jake and Robin froze on spot. Both of them were thinking about the same thing.

An alpha?

Impossible. Because they could sense that this person had no wolf! He was only a normal human being. There was no such thing as ranks in human society.

While Jake and Robin were eyeing this newcomer with eyes full of curiosity, Ronan's face grew darker by the second.

"Lucien Clearwater," Ronan growled under his breath, narrowing his eyes at the man in front of them. Beowulf was literally screaming in Ronan's head.

'It cannot be,' the wolf howled. 'I cannot sense Landon at all. Landon, where are you???'

Ronan pressed at his aching temple.

'Calm down, Beowulf.

Unless the Moon Goddess pulled a joke on Ronan and gave him a second fated mate who looked and acted exactly like Lucien, he could impossibly be wrong.

Despite the rejection, the fated connection that the Moon Goddess herself bestowed upon them was still strong and potent, coursing inside Ronan's blood like lava and screaming for release.

If Lucien had been surprised to see Ronan, it was only shown for a split second in the form of a passing glint in his eyes that quickly disappeared. Ronan smirked when he saw Lucien's fleeting, barely noticeable reaction.

It was really none other than Lucien Clearwater. No other person had a temperament that was as cold as a frozen lake in the middle of a long and harsh winter.

Lucien pulled the dazed Maya up to her feet and pushed her behind himself.

"What are three mighty werewolves such as yourselves doing at my doorstep? If I didn't know better, I would say that you were bullying my little friend here."

"Maya here is a member of our pack. We are here to take her home to her family." Jake said, crossing his arms before his chest. "Come here, Maya."

Dazed Maya was still under the influence of the Alpha voice.

She mumbled a hollow "Yes Beta" before moving out of Lucien's protective back.

"Wait for a second," Lucien said, stretching his arm to the side to grab Maya by her wrist. "I cannot let her leave like this."

Jake took a deep breath and the air around them changed. A strong scent permeated the air, sending bitter and pungent-smelling pheromones in Lucien's and Maya's direction. Jake was about to forcefully grab Maya but Ronan placed a steely hand over Jake's shoulder.

For some reason, the Alpha looked extremely displeased with his attempt to intimidate this inconsequential male human being that bewitched Maya. Thinking that he had offended Ronan with his domineering attitude, he stepped back cautiously. Little did he know that he was using his pheromones to threaten his Alpha's fated mate. Rejected or not, neither Ronan nor Beowulf could stand it when another werewolf was getting too close to Lucien.

Ronan yanked Maya away from Lucien's grip and shoved her in Jake's and Robin's direction. Lucien only managed to let out an "Ah...!!!" before Ronan pushed him through the door. He turned his head slightly to the side and said to his two subordinates, "Go and replace a hotel nearby."

Then, he went inside Lucien's house and closed the door behind him. Dumbfounded, Jake stared at the door with his mouth slightly open.

"Um... Beta, shall we go...?"

"Uh... yes, of course. Let's go."

Jake threw one last glance at the door, wondering what his Alpha was doing with the person inside. He did not hear the violent sound of a body hitting the ground yet, so maybe Maya's boyfriend was still alive...

Behind the closed door, Alpha Ronan Silverback was pinning Lucien Clearwater at the wall. The last sun rays before sunset flooded into the humble living room, illuminating Lucien's features and bringing warmth into his otherwise cold caramel-brown eyes. "Why are you here and where is Landon?"

Ronan only had these two questions to ask. Even Beowulf turned quiet, waiting for Lucien to speak. He thought that he deserved to know as much. Unfortunately, the man in front of him did not think the same way.

"None of your business," Lucien snapped none-too-friendly.

Ronan tightened his grip around Lucien's wrists. The man was like an ice blade, and his words were like poison. It was evident that past affection left no trace in Lucien's heart. Lucien was the lucky one out of the two. Ronan gritted his teeth in fury and shot the man a burning glare.

It had been seven years, but there was not a day when he did not ask the Moon Goddess for the reason for the injustice. For his one-sided suffering.

Why was it that the rejection only had an effect on Lucien?

Why was it that Ronan was still plagued by endless turmoil and heartbreak night after night after separating from Lucien?

Why was it that nothing could quench his thirst for this man? Neither man nor woman could satisfy him in bed no matter how many or how often.

Once, Ronan thought that maybe Lucien tricked him. Maybe the werewolf who rejected the fated mate would suffer more than the one who was rejected. His theory was quickly toppled by the Pack Elder who claimed the other way. The one who got rejected was supposed to suffer more.

"So why is Lucien doing fine while I am hurting every day??" Ronan had asked indignantly.

.....

And how did the Elder respond to him?

The elder werewolf had drawn a deep breath before he gave Ronan a compassionate look.

"The pain that we feel after a rejection is related to the feelings that we have for our fated mate. Ronan, you have just met Lucien two times. It is perfectly normal if your fated mate is not overly attached to you yet."

What the Elder did not say out of kindness was that it was abnormal for Ronan to feel that much for Lucien. Despite the fated connection, they did not know each other that well.

Ronan was the fool who insisted on pursuing Lucien. Lucien was the sensible, wise alpha who knew when to stop the momentary infatuation between two Alpha heirs that was not meant to last.

"Let me go," Lucien snarled at Ronan. "Damn it, let me go!"

Lucien thrashed against Ronan's grasp, but the Alpha refused to let him go. The more Lucien struggled, the redder Ronan's eyes became. Until desolation, anger, and frustration bubbled up in his heart and consumed the last bits of his self-restraint. Against better judgment, Ronan lowered his head and captured Lucien's lips in one movement.

"Mmmh... Nggh...!!!"

It was not a gentle kiss. It was ravenous and wild. Ronan half-sucked and half-bit Lucien's lips, then he moved to plunder the inside of Lucien's mouth. The latter was not prepared to be at the receiving end of such a violent display of intimacy at all. He was slowly running out of breath.

Ronan stopped restraining Lucien and pulled him into a tight embrace, but the man refused to cooperate. He used his fists to punch every part of Ronan's body that he could reach and his feet to stomp on Ronan's boots.

Like oil that was doused in a burning flame, it did nothing but ignited the Alpha's desire to conquer him even more.

Adult Lucien was shorter than him by half a head. He was strong, but Ronan was stronger. He dragged the man by force to the bedroom and threw him on the bed. Dizzy from being thrown, Lucien did not get up in time. When he wanted to get off the bed, Ronan was already pinning him on the bed.

An exasperated sigh escaped Lucien's lips.

"What do you want, Ronan?"

It was their first meeting after seven years but Lucien was acting as if there had never been anything between them. As if they were complete strangers. Ronan could not accept it, and neither could Beowulf. His wolf was as agitated as he was, and it only served to irritate Ronan further.

"I asked you two questions. Answer me."

Lucien looked away from the man on top of him and sighed again before giving him the most perfunctory answer.

"I am, as you see, living by myself away from my pack. Landon has left me."

Lucien refused to look at Ronan. He also stopped trying to get away from the Alpha. He just lay there on the bed, his head turned to the side, and his gaze unfocused.

"Why are you not with your pack and why did Landon leave you?"

The follow-up question displeased Lucien even more.

"I do not have to answer any of your questions. Ronan, are you or are you not letting me go?!"

Ronan finally released Lucien and climbed off his body. He stood by the bed and observed Lucien.

"So," he said with a hint of mockery in his eyes. "You stopped being a werewolf just like that and then you seduced a young woman into your bed? Heh. I am not sure if it is luck or unluck that your little lover just has to be someone from my pack." Lucien grabbed a pillow from behind him and threw it at Ronan's smug face.

"It is Maya's misfortune to have an Alpha that is as ignorant as you. If you had known all the facts, you would do more than just come here to drag her out of my house."

They were both alpha werewolves, but Ronan refused to take criticism from someone who not only failed to be an Alpha but also lost his wolf and got exiled from his own pack. Compared to Lucien, he had achieved a lot more! It was absolutely unacceptable for someone like Lucien to describe him, the Alpha of the great Infinite Eclipse Pack, as ignorant!

A sneer appeared on Ronan's handsome face. He looked down at Lucien and spoke each word slowly and clearly to make sure that Lucien did not miss even one word.

"And it was Landon's misfortune to be paired with someone like you. Look at your pathetic self. You are so cold-blooded that not even your wolf is willing to stay with you."

When Ronan saw hurt flashing across Lucien's eyes, he knew that he had won. The Alpha roared in laughter as he walked out of the bedroom and left the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. When Maya recovered from the Alpha Voice and regained her consciousness, she was almost frightened to death by the domineering presence of the three werewolves around her.

The Alpha and Beta personally had come to pick her up. The poor young woman retreated to the corner of the bed while clutching the quilt in distress.

Jake tried to talk to Maya, but the young woman started to scream in distress. They were starting to attract unwanted attention.

Three grown men and an eighteen-year-old young woman in a hotel room already invited a lot of suspicious glances at the reception desk. Hearing the young woman let out a blood-curdling scream was not going to improve their standing.

Jake turned to look at Ronan and spoke to him via mind link.

'Ronan, let's take her back as soon as possible. It is best to let her heal slowly in the Pack House and then we can slowly ask her what is going on.

.....

'Hmm. Alright!'

Ronan took a step toward Maya who immediately started to shiver in fear again. She did not dare to scream but tears kept streaming down her face like rivulets.

For some reason, Lucien's words kept haunting Ronan. It might be his ego that yearned to prove Lucien wrong and demanded him to properly apologize to him.

Or maybe because he discovered something amiss. Ronan just knew that there was something else that was hidden beneath the surface.

"No," Ronan decided, startling both Jake and Robin. "We are not going back yet. Get me a Healer to stay with her during the night."

Upon hearing that they were not going back to the Pack House yet, Maya stopped crying and her expression became more tranquil.

This did not escape Ronan's observation, but it did not make the matter any clearer than before. Why would Maya not want to go back to the Pack House? Why did she choose to stay with Lucien instead?

Jake hated to question Ronan's decision, but as a good Beta, he still had to ask via mind link.

'Alpha, I know it is late, but we can still make it back home before midnight.

'I am sorry that you need to stay away from your mate tonight. Please relay my apologies to Cassie!

Cassie, short for Cassandra, was Jake's mate. She was currently pregnant with the couple's first child, which explained Jake's reluctance to be apart from her.

Jake pursed his lips, trying hard to suppress his annoyance. Unlike Ronan who enjoyed bedding random men and women and switched partners every week, Jake was a traditional-minded werewolf who cared to spend his spare time with only one woman who was no one other than his mate.

Of course he wanted to go back home to spend time with Cassie, but it did not mean that he would neglect his responsibilities as a Beta.

'That is not it. I am worried that the man might come back for Maya. I don't know what his deal is, but he is not a normal human being. I smelled his scent on Maya.

Ronan's face turned sour as soon as he heard that Lucien's scent stuck to Maya. He marched to the bed, grabbed the shrieking young woman, and took a whiff.

'No, Ronan denied with furrowed brows. 'This is not his scent.'

'Huh? It's not?'

Granted, Lucien did not release any pheromones during their short encounter today so Jake could not be sure about the scent that stuck to Maya, but then whose scent was it?

There was also another interesting question...

Jake stole surreptitious glances at the Alpha. Ronan, how did you know what the man smelled like? Just what did you do with him behind a closed door after we left...?

Jake decided to take the questions with him to the grave. He must not interfere in Ronan's private life.

'Well then, I will uh, get a Healer first!

'Hmm.'

'Robin, come with me...

'Sure, Beta.'

Jake and Robin left, and Ronan was left alone with Maya in the room.

'Maya, look at me,' Ronan commanded using the Alpha voice. Maya unwittingly turned to look at Ronan.

'Go rest.

Maya's eyes fluttered shut and she fell to the side like a rigid corpse. Ronan exhaled and went to tuck the young woman inside the quilt properly. When he caught a whiff of the scent that stuck to Maya again, Ronan furrowed his brows.

For some reason, somewhere sometime, he smelled this scent before. But who, where, and when?

Ronan thought hard about it but he still could not figure it out. It did not help that Beowulf kept wanting to go back to talk some more with Lucien.

'B, Landon is gone. I doubt that he excused himself and told Lucien where he was going, Ronan told his wolf.

'I know but Landon must have his reason to leave Lucien. They are supposed to stay together for a lifetime, just like you and I are going to be together until you die!

... How romantic!

'So let's go and ask Lucien for more details!

Ronan groaned in his heart. Beowulf was clearly smitten with Landon. Ronan was not sure if he should be happy or miserable when facing the fact that the wolves were getting along better than him and Lucien.

Jake returned alone to the room with cards for two other rooms.

"Ronan, you must be tired. Go get some rest. The Healer is coming in a bit."

"Ok," Ronan said. "Come to my room to report Maya's latest condition before you retire for the night."

"Yes, Alpha."

Ronan took a shower and ordered a cup of wine for the night. Jake dutifully came to report that the Healer had arrived and checked on Maya. She was going to stay with her until they were ready to go back home.

"Ok," Ronan said. "Go to sleep, Jake."

Jake did not move from his spot.

"Is something the matter?"

"It's just... I just realized that I smelled the scent on Maya somewhere before, but I cannot remember."

Ronan narrowed his eyes at Jake.

"... You too?"

"Yeah!" Jake said. "But when? Where? And who?"

The Alpha and Beta were deep in thoughts. At night, the surrounding area was very quiet. The tranquility of the night was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass, followed by a muffled cry. Ronan and Jake stormed out of the room as fast as lightning.