REJECTED BY THE ALPHA, CLAIMED BY THE VAMPIRE

Erica’s POV

“Come on, Erica. My uncle really wants all my friends there,” Lena whined. That sugary-sweet voice she uses when she wants something, yeah, that one.

I pushed my glasses up and gave her my best deadpan expression. “What part of me says party girl? The cardigan? Or maybe the fifty-pound textbooks strapped to my back like a fashion statement?”

She just rolled her eyes and grabbed my arm like she could drag me across campus if she had to. “It’s my cousin Elijah’s birthday. Everyone who is anyone will be there.”

“Then explain why I’m invited.”

“Because you’re my best friend.” She paused, smirking in that way that made me want to kick her. “And also… you’re a special case.”

There it was. Not a person. A novelty act. Come see the human at Willow College! Step right up, folks, don’t touch the glass.

Honestly, I should’ve fought harder. But I’d already lost the war months ago. Grandma had made sure of that.

I still remember the morning my acceptance letter came. Me standing in the kitchen, waving the letter like it was a death sentence.

“I don’t even like wolves,” I’d said. “The ones I have met look at me like I’m a snack, not a person.”

Grandma’s eyes had glinted, sharp even behind her glasses. “Willow College is the best place for you, Erica.”

“For me or for you?” I’d muttered.

And then she picked up her medicine bottles, holding them like weapons. “If you want me to keep taking these chemicals, you’ll go there and stop fighting me on this.”

Classic Grandma. Emotional blackmail with a side of guilt. So here I am. A human in wolf territory.

The Donovan mansion was glowing like a palace when we arrived, golden light spilling out of the windows, music thumping from inside. If Cinderella’s ball had been hosted by werewolves instead of mere royals, this would’ve been it.

Inside was worse. Laughter, pounding bass, that weird buzzing energy wolves always carry that makes my skin crawl. They filled every corner, tall, gorgeous, confident. Predators in cocktail dresses and button-downs.

And then there was me.

I tugged at the hem of the silver dress Lena had shoved me into. On her it would’ve been jaw-dropping. On me, well, I looked like a baked potato wrapped in foil. The heels were actual torture devices.

I tried not to stare, but my blood ran cold as I looked around. This was the high society of wolfkind, future Alphas, Betas, heirs with more power in their pinkies than I’d ever touch. They didn’t need fangs to remind me I didn’t belong, their eyes were doing a marvellous job.

“All eyes on me, wonderful,” I muttered as Lena squealed and dragged me to a table.

She threw an arm around me like I was her prize pet. “Guys, this is our school nerd and the first human in Willow College, Erica Ferdinand!”

Perfect. Just perfect.

“Hi,” I managed, forcing a weak smile.

The wolves gave me the once-over. Some smirks, some polite nods, most of them just bored. Like I was entertainment, and not a guest.

“Truth or Dare!” someone shouted. Oh God, I hated that game. I joined them anyway.

At first, the game was harmless. Who kissed who, who hooked up with who. But it didn’t take long before things got messy, they started daring people to strip, make out, take shots. Wolves thrived on chaos.

Then the bottle landed on me.

“Truth or dare, human?” the guy asked, grinning wide enough for me to catch a flash of fang.

“Truth,” I blurted out before he could dare me to… I don’t know, streak through the mansion or something equally horrifying.

“Figures.” He leaned back, unimpressed. “What’s it like knowing you’ll die easily before any of us?”

Laughter. So much laughter.

My cheeks burned, but I forced a smile. “It’s great. Waking up with existential dread every morning really keeps me humble.”

A few chuckles. Mostly more snickers. Lena elbowed me like lighten up, it’s just a joke.

It wasn’t.

By the time the bottle spun again, I was done. “I need to head to the bathroom,” I mumbled, sliding away before anyone noticed how tight my chest felt.

I wove through the crowd, heels wobbling, brain screaming. This was my life now, a human freak show in a school where strength was everything. Grandma swore it was destiny, but destiny felt a hell of a lot like punishment.

Just grab a drink. Hide in a corner. Breathe.

But the universe wasn’t about to let me off easy. My heel caught on the rug.

“Shit—”

Instead of slamming into the floor, I landed in someone’s arms.

Someone's strong steady arms.

The smell hit me first, pine, smoke, danger. Then I looked up, and it was Elijah Donovan.

Lena’s cousin. The heir. The future Alpha and birthday boy. I’d seen him a million times around campus, cold, untouchable, like he lived on a different planet. I have had a crush on him for a while now, but he’d never once looked at me like I was anything but… nothing.

Until now.

Green eyes. Sharp, piercing, locking on mine.

And then it hit me.

Lightning and fire. A shock tearing through my veins, heat spiraling in my chest, breath catching in my throat. Every inch of me, alive and burning.

This must be the mate bond Lena kept telling me about.

Gasps exploded around us. Whispers cutting through the music.

“No way—”

“Her? She’s human—”

“The Goddess wouldn’t—”

My knees shook. My heart thundered. I wanted to laugh, scream, cry, me? Him? This couldn’t be real.

For half a second, Elijah’s grip tightened. His gaze softened, just a flicker. Like maybe he felt it too. Like maybe fate hadn’t completely lost its mind.

Hope sparked, fragile and stupid.

And then his face closed off. Cold. Hard. Cruel.

“A human?” His voice dripped with disgust. He dropped his hands like I’d burned him.

“Pathetic.”

The word cut straight through me.

Gasps. Snickers. Whispers.

“The Moon Goddess must be joking.”

“Of course he rejected her.”

“Humans don’t belong.”

Elijah’s eyes blazed, his jaw tight. “I reject this bond.”

The words hit harder than fists. Something inside me snapped, a cord ripping in two. Pain crashed through my chest, sharp and raw, tearing the air from my lungs.

I stumbled back, clutching at myself, blinking back tears I refused to let fall.

Every whisper was a knife. Every stare felt like I was being branded.

And I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. I couldn't believe fate had dangled hope in front of me only to crush it in the same heartbeat.

In the middle of the chaos, one truth seared into my bones, cruel and clear.

My Alpha mate had just destroyed me in front of everyone.