The Rejected Alpha's Daughter

Lexi.

“Hey darling,” A deep voice sounds next to my ear and I smile, feeling the rock hard body against my back and arms around my waist as goosebumps cover my skin. I turn to face Conri, pressing a chaste kiss on his lips as he smiles down at me.

“How are you feeling babe? Ready for your big moment?” He asks as he guides me through the crowd of people with a hand on my lower back, and we greet pack members.

“I’m a little nervous but also excited. I really can’t wait,” I chuckle. Today is the day I’ve been waiting all my life for. My father, Alpha Alaric, is going to announce me as his successor today. It’s the most perfect moment as it is also the pack’s annual ball.

From the corner of the eyes, I see my father walk up to the podium and I immediately take my place in front of the crowd, excitement thrumming in my veins. I look around trying to spot my mother and I see her standing next to my sister on the other side of the crowd.

I wave at them and my mum just ignores me, while my younger sister–Penelope–gives me the stink eye. I’m shocked but I figure I can deal with it later, so I turn my attention back to my father.

“Members of Dynamite pack, I welcome you all to the 40th annual ball of our great pack. We have gone through hardships and tough times and we have succeeded together because of our trust and loyalty…” My father pauses and looks around at the hollering crowd of people, moved by his words.

“As we all know–and I’m sure this is the moment we have all been waiting for–one of my daughters will be succeeding me today. An old man needs retirement, aye?” There are outbursts of laughter around me and I also laugh. My father really knew how to work a room.

“This daughter is diligent, brave and above all, she has the interests of our people at heart–which are the three most important characteristics I believe a true leader must have. Please allow me to welcome on stage–” My father pauses for effect and I tense, my nerves bursting in all directions. This is my moment.

I feel a hand wrap around mine and look up to see Conri fix me with a reassuring look. I smile gratefully, counting down the seconds before I go to the podium.

“–Penelope Adawolf.” He concludes and I freeze in shock. No no no, this cannot be happening. I slowly turn to look at my sister making her way up the podium, smiling like she’s prepared for this.

As she stands beside my father and they start the ritual to crown her his successor, she makes eye contact with me and smirks.

I look at my mum, expecting to see some kind of shock on my face but she beams wildly at the stage, giving Penelope a thumbs up as she mouths ‘I'm proud of you’ to her.

The sharp sting of betrayal cuts through my chest and I turn away from the stage, pushing my way to the exit and thankfully the people part for me, looking at me with pity in their eyes.

I grit my teeth when I get out as a scream bursts out of me. I feel cheated and my wolf does too as she howls in agony in my head. I fall on the ground in a corner where I won’t easily be seen, still wearing my expensive ball gown as I sob into my hands.

How could father give away the title of Alpha to Penelope? She doesn’t even know the responsibilities of being an Alpha. While I was busy training and enhancing my skills, she was busy frolicking with the pack boys and being negligent towards pack affairs.

I was always going into the village, helping my people that seemed to be suffering. I had amazing healing abilities and I was always willing to heal everyone. My people loved me.

The way I was familiar with the doctors and nurses when I healed patients was the same way I was familiar with our soldiers when I trained with them or taught the new recruits. So why will my father cheat me out of my birthright? Is this some punishment of some sort?

I stay there crying for a long time and when I finally stand up, I see Conri sitting not so far away with pity in his gaze.

“Hey, are you alright?” He gets up and moves closer to me. “I followed you out but decided to give you your space.”

My heart warms at the kind gesture and I step into his arms as he hugs me. I’m happy that I have him on my side, especially now that the whole world is against me.

“So what will you do now?” He asks me as he places a kiss on my forehead.

“I really don’t understand what happened, Conri but I’m sure my father will have an explanation for it. I’m going to confront him.” I’m going to get to the root of the matter.

“Do you need me to come with you?” He steps back as I smoothen my clothes and dust it.

“No. I need to do this on my own. Go enjoy the festivities. I’ll let you know how it goes, okay?” I give him one last kiss before I stumble my way home, my head swarming with a lot of questions.

I get home and meet my parents but Penelope is nowhere to be found and I assume she’s still at the pack hall, enjoying her party.

“Dad, I don’t understand what’s going on,” I say once I have their attention.

“And what exactly don’t you understand?” My dad directs at me, disdain in his voice.

I’m almost shocked into silence but I press on, knowing that I had to get an answer. “Did I do something wrong? How did the Alpha title pass me by?” I was almost in tears again.

“You’ve grown bold thinking the Alpha title is entitled to you. Look here girl, this has gone on long enough. You are not our daughter, just a girl we picked up from the gutter and brought up as our own but I see that your wings are grown already.” I rear back in shock, not wanting to believe it but the condescending look I get from my mother tells me all I need to know.

I start inching backwards as tears fill my eyes. “You don’t have Alpha blood and I will never let a dirty-blooded orphan like you sit on my throne.”

As my father drops the final statement, I run out of the house towards my mate’s house. My wolf is weak and shattered and I really need Conri’s comfort right now.

I get to his house and slip inside, pretty sure he’s there because I heard people talking. But as I inch closer, I realize what I heard was moaning. I open the bedroom door with a frantic heart and I see my worst nightmare in front of me.

A naked Conri is on his bed with a naked woman under him as they lose themselves in the throes of pleasure. I howl because this hurts my wolf even more than my parents’ betrayal and it feels like the pain I felt before has increased a thousand fold.