Reclaimed By The Alpha King Chapter 2

When I saw Alpha Derrick hoist Mona's hand into the air, everything stopped.

For a split second, my mind froze. I blinked, taking in more light than I expected. Everything ca to a standstill as my thoughts caught up with my actions.

My body went numb, and an overwhelming pain invaded my soul. My chest tightened so hard like it might burst.

I stared blankly at Alpha Derrick's warm smile as he hailed Mona as his "Future Luna!" The joy on his face left dumbfounded.

A rush of panic flooded , like I'd had too much coffee. But then, it sank deeper. What I feared most had shown itself—REJECTION.

It wasn't the rejection itself that hurt the most; it was the consequences. I wanted to run, hide, and disappear at that mont.

It reminded of when I was a child, terrified of being rejected by my mate once I turned eighteen.

Ti seed irrelevant. The fear felt as fresh as it did then. I thought adults had everything figured out, but standing here, I realized that wasn't true.

I was still the sa person, just older.

My anxiety spiked as I stared at him, wondering what would happen next.

In Moon Stone Pack, an Alpha must never reject a she-wolf from the pack. If it happens, the rejected wolf is forced to leave and beco a slave to the Alpha that rejected her.

She must sever all ties with her family and pretend not to know them if they ever cross paths.

Ten years ago, I saw Miss Laura being dragged from a gathering like this. She was taken away by the Alpha who had refused her as his mate.

She lasted less than a year before taking her own life. I couldn't believe I was facing the sa fate.

The crowd erupted in cheers, snapping back to reality. They were celebrating Alpha Derrick and Mona.

I turned and saw my father's face. He looked away, his cheeks flushed with sha. His disappointnt was clear.

"So, you're choosing Mona as your future Luna over Kimberly?" Luna Catherine's voice rang out, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, and that's my final decision!" Alpha Derrick announced.

I tossed my hair back, glancing at Mona, expecting her to be upset. I braced myself to calm her down if she said anything reckless.

But what I saw crushed my heart.

Mona was smiling, holding Derrick's hand tightly. She looked at ease, happier than I'd ever seen her. She wasn't thinking about at all.

"Is that really Mona?" I whispered, my gaze locked on her. I couldn't understand what was happening.

Just monts ago, she was cheering for . Now, she was soone completely different. I stood there, speechless, my mind blank.

"Alpha Derrick, may I remind you that you initially chose Kimberly?" My father's voice cut through the noise, surprising everyone.

"Yes, I did. But now, I'm rejecting her," Alpha Derrick said firmly, still holding Mona's hand.

"That's unacceptable!" My father's eyes blazed with anger. "We had an agreent! I expect you to honor it!"

"Have I broken our contract?" Alpha Derrick smiled, lifting Mona's hand again. "Isn't she your daughter as well?"

"She is, but she hasn't had her first shift yet," my father argued.

Alpha Derrick let go of Mona's hand and walked over to my father. "So?"

"She could be bonded to her true mate by then, causing problems!" my father snapped.

"I won't let her go, no matter what happens after her first shift! She is mine, now and forever!" Alpha Derrick declared.

As I listened, my heart sank. I had already given up on finding my mate, but hearing Derrick's harsh words felt like a dagger to my chest.

My father was left speechless. With Derrick's strong feelings for Mona and his insistence that she would be his Luna, I saw no way forward for .

"Please, calm down, both of you," Luna Catherine urged, stepping between them. "Whether it's Mona or Kimberly, the alliance between our packs will remain. There's no need to argue."

My father glared at her, then stord out of the hall, unable to hide his frustration. I knew he'd tried his best, but words alone couldn't change Derrick's mind.

I looked at Mona, who seed thrilled with how things were unfolding.

"I guess we can begin another engagent arrangent now that you've chosen Mona," Luna Catherine said to Derrick, her smile wide.

"Great! Let's begin the planning. We'll get engaged in three days!" Alpha Derrick announced.

The crowd cheered as Derrick delivered the news. In three days, on my stepsister's engagent night, I would beco Derrick's slave. It felt like a nightmare.

I wanted to leave, but I couldn't move. Embarrassnt kept rooted to the spot. I buried my face in my hands, too ashad to look up.

People quickly shifted their focus away from , returning to their conversations. Luna Catherine went off to apologize to the other Alphas for my father's sudden departure.

Alpha Derrick was busy giving orders, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

"Were you surprised by how things ended?" Mona's voice suddenly rang out, full of excitent as she approached .

I lifted my head, eting her gaze.

"How could...you?" I stamred, lost for words as she grinned, glowing with happiness.

She scoffed and stepped closer. "Alpha Derrick would never choose you! He's always been mine!"

"Yours?" I gasped, my eyes wide with disbelief.

"Of course, he's mine!" Mona said proudly, her voice dripping with smugness.

This was the first ti in all our years as sisters that I felt this way about Mona. I felt uneasy, as if everything had changed.

"How is that possible? Why didn't you talk to ? Why are you saying it now?" I asked, my anger bubbling up.

I clenched my hands tightly, trying to stay calm.

"Because I wanted to see Alpha Derrick reject you!" Mona laughed, the sound cruel and sharp.

I froze, struggling to process her words. Even though she knew the consequences of rejection in our pack, she wished it for ? She wanted to suffer this fate?

I don't really understand...

"So...you want to beco his slave?" I asked, my voice trembling. Tears welled up, but I held them back. I had to stay strong in front of her.

"Exactly. And more than that, I don't want you in our lives at all," Mona said, leaning close to whisper in my ear.

"Do you really think you had a chance with Alpha Derrick? Of course not, Kimberly. I had a plan to get rid of you from the start!"

Her words stunned , tears streaming down my face. I felt dizzy, like I might faint. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I looked at her smile, and it felt like my chest was burning.

She wrapped her arms around herself, laughing softly as she watched .

"Oh my! Look at you! Crying already... Kim, save your tears. This is just the beginning of your suffering!"

"You're my sister! How can you be so cruel?" I cried out, my voice breaking.

"Who's your sister? Have you forgotten you were just rejected? You're not part of this family anymore!" Mona sneered.

I couldn't hold back my anger any longer, then I shoved her away.

"How dare you say that? You're a traitor!"

Mona stumbled back, falling to the floor with a dramatic cry. I knew she was faking it, but I didn't care. My eyes stayed fixed on the drama queen lying on the floor.

Everyone's attention imdiately turned to us, shocked to see Mona on the ground, crying.

"Mona, my dear!" Luna Catherine rushed to her, her face full of concern as she tried to help her up.

Before I could react, I felt a sharp sting on my cheeks. A loud slap had landed on my face, my cheek burning with pain as I turned to see who did it...