The Alpha I Rejected Was My Fated Mate

I grow up with Elliot and Leon, twin brothers my father takes in as children and chooses as candidates to become my future mate. Elliot is warm and attentive. When I'm sick, he stays by my bedside all night. Leon is his complete opposite. He's cold, distant, and so indifferent that in ten years, he barely says more than a few words to me. So when my father asks me to choose my mate, I don't hesitate. I choose Elliot. But the night before our engagement banquet, I overhear both brothers making promises to Vivian, a maid's daughter. "Once I become Alpha, you'll be the only mistress of this estate." "I wouldn't even touch that useless little princess. You're the only woman I'll ever accept as my mate." That's when I finally understand. Elliot's devotion is never truly mine. And Leon isn't nearly as cold as I thought. He simply saves his tenderness for someone else. The next day, everyone gathers for my engagement banquet, waiting to see which of the two brothers I'll choose. Instead, I walk straight past both of them. I stop before the man I once rejected and hold out my hand. "Alistair, I've made my choice. I'll be your mate." Chapter 1 Eleanor Winslow's POV I was the only daughter of the Alpha of the Moonveil Pack, and its future Luna. My mother died when I was young, leaving my father to shoulder the responsibility of leading the entire pack alone. His greatest fear had always been that everything he built would crumble after he was gone. So when I was five, he personally selected two young werewolves and brought them to our estate. To everyone else, they were his adopted sons. Only the three of us knew the truth. They were candidates to become my future mates—Elliot Hawthorne and Leon Blackwood. Elliot was all warmth and fire. He would stand in line for two hours just to buy my favorite orange souffle, then tuck the box inside his coat to keep it warm on the way home. By the time he placed it in my hands, the top would still be soft and airy, as though it had just come out of the oven. Leon was the complete opposite. He was cold, distant, and impossible to approach. We lived under the same roof for ten years, yet whenever he saw me, he could barely be bothered to look my way. If I tried to start a conversation, he would simply turn around and leave. There was only one exception. I happened to be blocking the hallway, and for once, he actually spoke to me. "Move. You're in my way." So when Father called me into his study and asked if I had made my choice, I barely had to think about it. "I choose Elliot." I had never once doubted how Elliot felt about me. How could I? He remembered every little habit of mine, even things I barely noticed myself. "I remember everything Eleanor likes," he would say with a smile. Every smile, every thoughtful gesture, every time he sought me out seemed to carry the same unmistakable devotion. Elliot's affection had always felt as certain as the sun rising each morning. I never imagined there could come a day when I would have reason to question it. As for Leon, I didn't give him a second thought. The engagement banquet was set for two days from now. By pack tradition, I would choose my mate in front of everyone and place my family's crest ring on his finger. Once I made my choice, our futures would be bound together. There would be no taking it back. Before the banquet, I wanted Elliot to hear my answer from me. So that evening, I slipped the ring into my palm and went looking for him. But just as I reached his room, I heard Vivian Bellamy's voice from inside. Vivian was the daughter of one of our maids, Martha Ashlock. She was my age and had grown up on the estate alongside us. She had an innocent face and a sweet smile for everyone she met. I used to think of her as the little sister I'd never had. It wasn't until much later that I realized every one of Vivian's smiles came at a cost to me. When we were children, she once stood behind me and pushed me on the swing. "Ms. Eleanor likes going higher," she'd said cheerfully. I kept begging her to stop, but she only pushed harder. Eventually, I flew off the swing and split my forehead open. Blood was running down my face, but Vivian burst into tears so loudly that everyone rushed over to comfort her. She was frightened, they said. Meanwhile, I was left sitting alone on the grass with blood dripping down my face. Years later, Vivian brought me a cup of hot tea when I was on my period. Not long after I drank it, my throat began to swell, and I could barely breathe. When Father demanded an explanation, Vivian stood before him with tears in her eyes. "I only wanted to help Ms. Eleanor feel better. I just added a little ginger." She made it sound like an innocent mistake—except Vivian had known since we were children that I was allergic to ginger. Now, Vivian's tearful voice drifted through Elliot's half-open door, soft and wounded. "Just hold on a little longer. Once I become Alpha, you'll be the only mistress of this estate." His deep voice was warm and tender, the way a man might soothe the most precious person in his world. I stopped dead. Cold crept through me, starting at my fingertips. "Everything Eleanor has put you through, I'll make her pay back tenfold." I instinctively took a step back, my shoe making the faintest sound against the floor. No one noticed. Because another voice came from inside the room. It was Leon; the tenderness in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "That useless little princess? Even looking at her disgusts me. You're the only she-wolf I'll ever accept as my mate, Vivian." My mind went blank. My fingers curled around the crest ring without me even realizing it. Its metal edge dug painfully into my palm, but I barely felt it. All this time, I had believed Elliot's love was as certain as the sunrise. I was wrong. Even the sun could fall from the sky. Chapter 2 Eleanor Winslow's POV Vivian spoke again, her voice small and shaky. "But Ms. Eleanor looked at me so frighteningly today… Did I do something to upset her?" "Don't be scared." Elliot's voice remained impossibly gentle. "I'm here. She won't dare touch you." A bitter taste filled my mouth as I stood outside the door. I hadn't even seen Vivian today. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid her whenever possible. But somehow, Vivian always found a way to cross my path. Either she would appear before me with tear-filled eyes, begging me not to be mad at her, or she would suddenly stumble and fall for no apparent reason. I could be standing several feet away without so much as brushing the hem of her dress, and somehow, in their eyes, I was still the monster waiting for an opportunity to hurt her. There was a soft rustle of fabric from inside the room. It sounded as though Leon had moved to sit beside Vivian. He murmured something too quietly for me to make out. Vivian suddenly laughed through her tears. "Leon, you're always like this. The second I start crying, you forget how to talk properly." Leon laughed with her. So Leon could soften when a girl cried. He could lower his voice and comfort someone. He could even make her smile again. He simply had never done any of those things for me. "If Ms. Eleanor becomes Luna, do you think she'll throw me out?" Vivian asked timidly. "She has to choose one of us as her mate," Leon said, his voice gentle. "Whether she chooses Elliot or me, we'll protect you." Vivian sounded uneasy. "But what if she gets angry because of me and chooses some other werewolf just to spite you?" Elliot scoffed. "Who else could she possibly choose? Everyone in the pack knows she won't even go to a ball. Where would she have met another werewolf?" "No werewolf would put up with her temper and entitlement," Leon added calmly. "Especially not one worth having." I stood frozen outside the door. It felt as though I'd been plunged into ice water, the cold seeping all the way into my bones. "Don't worry about it, Vivian." Elliot seemed determined to cheer her up. "Did you like the birthday present I gave you?" "I did." A shy note slipped into Vivian's voice. "The bracelet was beautiful. But how did you know I like sapphires, Mr. Elliot?" Elliot chuckled. "I remember everything you like." Vivian let out another soft chuckle, her voice turning wistful. "I'll never forget the valley you took me to for my birthday last year. "There were so many fireflies that night that they looked like more stars than the sky could hold. And when I made my birthday wish, both of you were sitting right beside me. It was the best birthday I've ever had." My heart clenched. So that was the "urgent business" Elliot and Leon had to take care of on my birthday last year. They had taken Vivian to a valley to see the fireflies. While I spent the entire night clutching my phone, waiting for even a simple birthday message from either of them, they had been by Vivian's side, helping her celebrate hers. I closed my eyes as all the little things I'd deliberately overlooked began resurfacing. Whenever Elliot brought home souffle for me, there were always three flavors. One was my favorite, orange. The other two were strawberry and caramel. He always claimed the bakery had thrown them in for free. Yet for some reason, he never once let me have them. The night I fell sick, Elliot stayed by my bedside until morning. I'd always thought it was because he cared about me. Now I understood. Vivian had been scheduled to work the night shift, and Elliot had stayed with me so she wouldn't have to lose a night's sleep. Then there was Leon. I'd always told myself he was simply cold by nature and treated everyone with the same indifference. But whenever Vivian passed behind him at dinner, he would instinctively shift aside to give her more room. Whenever she approached the hallway carrying a tray of tea, his steps would slow ever so slightly. The signs had always been there. I'd simply never wanted to see them. "Mr. Elliot, Mr. Leon... you both treat me so well." Vivian began to cry again. "Ms. Eleanor will be upset if she finds out..." "Everything we've done for you, it's only because we wanted to," Elliot said quietly. Then his voice hardened. "As for Eleanor Winslow, if I didn't owe her father for taking me in and raising me, I would never agree to become her mate." Leon picked up where he left off. "Once one of us becomes Alpha, you'll never have to worry about pleasing her again." Outside the door, I fought back the sting behind my eyes. So that was how they felt. Becoming my mate was apparently such an unbearable sacrifice that they had to console themselves with the thought of repaying my father's kindness. Fine. If being with me was such a burden, I wasn't going to force either of them to keep playing along with this charade. After all, Elliot and Leon weren't my only choices. Chapter 3 Eleanor Winslow's POV There was, in fact, someone else—Sterling Alistair. Calling the Silvermoon Pack the most powerful member of the Pack Alliance would have been an understatement; Sterling stood at the very top of it. He carried one of the purest werewolf bloodlines in existence. Rumor had it that on the day he came of age, the Council of Elders personally approached him and asked him to take his place as Alpha King of the Pack Alliance. The news sent every pack scrambling. One after another, they presented their most eligible she-wolf to Sterling, all hoping to secure a marriage alliance with the future Alpha King. He rejected every single one. Instead, he sent only two things to the Winslow estate—a letter and a ring set with a wolf's fang. The letter contained only a few lines. "You are my destined Luna. You don't have to give me an answer now. I'll wait until you're ready to make your choice." Back then, I hadn't even bothered to reply. I sent the ring back untouched and had someone inform Sterling that my heart already belonged to someone else. Looking back now, the irony was almost unbearable. I didn't stay outside Elliot's room to hear another word. I simply turned and walked away. I held myself together all the way back to my bedroom. But the moment I shut the door and turned the lock, the tears finally fell. I walked over to my vanity, wiped away the last of my tears, and opened one of the drawers. Sterling Alistair's letter was still inside. I'd kept it all this time, even though I'd been certain I would never touch it again. Now, it felt like the only way forward. I sat down and pulled out a fresh sheet of stationery. My pen hovered over the page for a moment before I finally began to write. "Alpha Alistair, you once told me you would wait for my answer. I've made my decision. I accept you as my mate." Later, I told my father that I had changed my mind about whom I intended to choose. I didn't tell him what I'd overheard outside Elliot's room. He studied me for a long moment before finally nodding. "You're old enough to make your own decisions." After that, everything seemed to move at twice the normal speed. My coming-of-age ceremony and engagement banquet were scheduled for the same day, and I spent nearly every waking hour helping the estate manager with the preparations. Even when Elliot came looking for me, I always found an excuse to send him away. At first, he seemed suspicious. But apparently, rumors had already spread that I intended to choose him as my mate. Elliot must have assumed I was simply nervous about the engagement, because he eventually stopped questioning me. He even tried to reassure me. "You really don't need to make such a big production out of it." I didn't bother correcting him. There was no point. Once the engagement banquet began, Elliot and Leon would find out soon enough exactly who I had chosen. By the next day, nearly every prominent family in the pack had arrived for the engagement banquet. Long tables stretched from the ballroom all the way into the gardens. The crystal chandeliers overhead were almost painfully bright, while a live orchestra filled the estate with cheerful music. From a second-floor window, I spotted Elliot and Leon standing side by side near the entrance. Elliot was all smiles. Leon looked as calm and indifferent as ever. They both carried themselves with the easy confidence of men who had already decided there could only be two possible choices. I glanced down at what I was holding, then turned toward the stairs. It was time. I had almost reached the side entrance to the ballroom when an arm suddenly blocked my path. It was Leon. For once, he was the one who spoke first. "Why have you been avoiding us lately?" His voice was low. "What are you upset about?" I stopped but didn't answer him. "The Council of Elders is already here," he continued. "Try to behave with some dignity today. Don't embarrass the pack in front of our guests." I looked up and met his eyes directly for the first time. His eyes were a cold gray-blue, and now that I was finally looking at him without all the excuses I'd once made for him, I saw something I'd somehow missed before—condescension and absolute certainty that I would do exactly as he expected. "Understood." I gave him a cool nod. "Thanks for the reminder." For the first time, his composure cracked. I'd never spoken to him like that before. I used to chase after every scrap of attention he gave me. If Leon offered me a single sentence, I could happily fill the silence with 99 more. But now? For once, Leon seemed to want to talk, and I had nothing left to say to him. Chapter 4 Eleanor Winslow's POV The moment I entered the ballroom, the entire room fell silent. Dressed in a custom-made silver gown, I walked toward my father beneath the glittering chandeliers. Every head turned as I passed, every gaze followed me across the room. Then, without warning, the doors burst open. Vivian stumbled into the ballroom. Her hair was disheveled, one cheek was swollen and red, and the hem of her dress was streaked with mud. Scrapes covered her knees and elbows. She rushed toward me in panic and dropped to her knees at my feet. "Ms. Eleanor! I'm sorry! I swear I'll never do it again!" she sobbed. "I shouldn't have spoken to Mr. Elliot and Mr. Leon. Please don't lock me in the cellar again. Please don't have anyone hurt me... I've learned my lesson. I promise!" Her entire body shook with sobs. Then she bent forward and struck her forehead against the floor. Within moments, blood appeared along her forehead. Elliot shoved his way through the crowd. He pulled Vivian off the floor and gathered her into his arms, his eyes burning with fury as he turned on me. "Eleanor! Vivian has never tried to steal either of us from you! She's like a little sister to us. Why do you always assume the worst of everyone? How could you do something like this to her?" Leon came over as well. Without hesitation, he removed his jacket and draped it around Vivian's shoulders. Then he turned to me, his expression colder than I'd ever seen it. "Apologize. Right now. In front of everyone. Apologize to Vivian." Every guest in the ballroom was staring at me. Shock. Disgust. Judgment. I stood at the center of it all, cold from head to toe. "I have no idea what she's talking about," I said. "If you don't believe me, check the security footage." Vivian immediately clutched the front of Elliot's shirt, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath. "It's not Ms. Eleanor's fault... I fell. I did this to myself… "She's never locked me in the cellar. She's never had anyone hurt me. It's my fault. Someone like me shouldn't even be here..." But with bruises and scrapes covering her body, her desperate attempts to "defend" me only made me look more guilty. Father's face darkened. Several members of the Council of Elders exchanged meaningful looks. Finally, an elderly man with white hair rose from his seat. "Allowing a scandal like this to erupt during an engagement banquet will damage the Moonveil Pack's reputation. Eleanor must choose her mate today. Once the bond is established, her mate will be responsible for keeping her behavior in check. Anything less will not satisfy the pack." I drew a deep breath and opened my mouth to respond. Elliot beat me to it. "As long as she learns to behave herself and stops making trouble for Vivian, I'll still accept Eleanor as my mate." Leon stepped forward as well. "If she doesn't choose Elliot, I'll do it. The future Luna needs a mate capable of cleaning up the messes she leaves behind." The butler hurried over and leaned close to my ear. "Ms. Winslow, please, just choose one of them. If this goes on any longer, the Council will decide for you..." So that was their plan. They wanted to use the Council of Elders to corner me into choosing one of them. I almost laughed. "I don't want either of you." I looked from Elliot Hawthorne to Leon Blackwood, my voice steadier than it had been all evening. "I've already chosen my mate." Elliot's face darkened. "Wake up, Eleanor. Everyone in the Pack Alliance knows what you're like. Spoiled, arrogant, impossible to please. Other than Leon and me, what decent werewolf would even look twice at you?" For the first time, genuine anger flashed across Leon's face. "Don't make a ridiculous claim just because you're angry. You'll only humiliate yourself when you can't back it up. Choosing one of us is the best future you could hope for. It's the only thing that gives you any value at all." Before I could answer, the ballroom doors swung open. Every head in the room turned at once. Alistair stood in the doorway in silver hair and his perfectly tailored black suit. The Sterling family crest gleamed coldly against his chest beneath the crystal chandeliers. Behind him marched two rows of his personal guards. Their footsteps struck the marble floor in perfect unison, each one landing like a drumbeat against the hearts of everyone in the room. Alistair stood at the threshold between light and shadow. His gaze swept past the disarray in the ballroom, past the crowd gathered around us, and settled on me. "Sorry I'm late." Without looking anywhere else, he walked straight toward me. The crowd parted for him instinctively. When he passed Elliot and Leon, he didn't spare either of them so much as a glance. They might as well not have existed. Alistair finally stopped in front of me. The elders immediately rose to their feet. "Alpha Alistair, we weren't informed that you would be joining us. Please forgive our poor welcome. And for you to arrive while the banquet is in such chaos... How embarrassing." They thought Alistair had come as an honored guest to witness the engagement ceremony. The corner of Alistair's mouth lifted slightly, but his silver-gray eyes never left mine. "You misunderstand." He held out his hand to me. At that moment, despite the ballroom full of people, his eyes reflected no one but me. His voice was deep, calm, and utterly certain. "I'm not here to watch someone else's engagement. I'm here to celebrate my own… with my Luna."