The Alpha's Rejected mate

's

e years since I

from nothing. Every late night I stayed up, every breath I held when things got t

ind every shadow, every street corner. I didn't come back to open old wounds. No

n I ever dreamed. I was stronger now. I felt more sure of myself. T

wasn't

tightly. Adrian. My son. My secret. The livin

nt from other kids-stronger, smarter, somehow... older than he should be. When he smiled or thought har

looked after Adrian when I had to work. The two of them had built their little world-a q

ght of Zane-the man who once had been fire and storm, but who crushed me wi

t go. To not let that

plans. It likes t

gala, I never guessed my world

e tried to help me without expecting anything back. But tonight, her smile h

someone," Mollie said,

rowd, my heart steady but my

a

stood tall, dressed in a sharp suit that made him look like he owned the world. His eyes l

reach his eyes. They s

d, Mollie's voice cut th

Nyx Hart. Nyx,

le to ignore. For a moment, time stopped. My breath caught in my

sses-faded into nothing. All I could hear was the pounding o

r-just a flash-of surprise in his eyes. Then confusion. His brows pulled t

aw and tangled. Something I could almost see breaking through the surf

. There was a flicker of pain-maybe regret?-hidden deep in his eyes. But then,

us like a wave we had no choice but to face. It wasn't just a meeting-it was every lo

ng in around us. The air grew heavy, thick with ten

but this time with a sharp edge of anger beneath the hurt. Anger at the years lost, at the pai

side him-the conflict, the shock, the pain. His lips parted slightly like he wanted to say s