REJECTED YET CHOSEN

Chapter 7

_Lyla’s POV_

The door creaked open softly, pulling me out of my thoughts. My heart jumped when I saw Aaron walk into the room. His tall figure filled the doorway, his dark eyes locking onto mine the moment he stepped inside. There was a quiet strength about him, but today, I saw something else in his eyes—concern, maybe even worry.

He walked over to the chair beside my bed and sat down, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. His scent wrapped around me like a warm blanket—earthy, fresh, and comforting. It made my heart ache in a way I wasn’t ready for.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice low and soothing. "How are you feeling?"

I forced a small smile even though my chest felt tight. "I’m okay," I whispered, though I wasn’t okay at all. My mind was spinning, my heart heavy with fear and confusion.

Aaron’s gaze searched my face, as if he could see past the words I had just spoken. He didn’t say anything for a moment, and the silence grew thick between us. Then he leaned back slightly, his jaw tightening as if he was struggling with something.

"Lyla," he finally said, his voice a little more serious now, "are you from the Moonshadow Pack?"

The question hit me like a slap. My breath caught in my throat, and I stared at him, my mind racing. Why was he asking me this? What did he know?

If I told him the truth—that yes, I was from the Moonshadow Pack—he would know that I had run away. He might even figure out that my mate had rejected me, that I was nothing more than an omega who wasn’t wanted. But if I lied and said no, he would find out eventually, and then he would think I was a liar. Either way, I felt trapped.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My hands gripped the blanket tighter, my fingers trembling.

Aaron noticed my silence. His eyes darkened slightly, his lips pressing into a thin line. Then he spoke again, his voice lower now, filled with something I couldn’t quite name.

"The Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack has sent some of his warriors here," he said quietly.

"They’re asking for you. They claim you’re a traitor. They say that’s why you ran away from your pack."

His words felt like ice water pouring over me. I froze, my heart thudding so hard it hurt. My breath came out in short, shallow gasps. Traitor? That’s what Dorian was calling me now?

I felt like the walls were closing in on me. My body started to tremble, and I couldn’t stop it. Dorian wasn’t just content with rejecting me—he wanted to ruin me completely. He wanted to drag me back, to humiliate me, to break me.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. I had cried enough over him. I didn’t want to give him that power anymore.

“Please believe me,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I am not a traitor.”

Aaron’s face didn’t change. He just sat there, staring at me with those unreadable blue eyes. His silence scared me more than his words.

My chest felt tight, and I knew I had to tell him the truth. I couldn’t risk him believing Dorian’s lies.

“The truth is…” I swallowed hard, my throat dry and tight. “Dorian was my first mate.”

There. I had said it. The words felt like glass in my mouth.

“He rejected me,” I continued, my voice barely a whisper now. “He didn’t think I was good enough to be his Luna because… because I am an omega. That’s why I ran away. I couldn’t stay there, not after that. But Dorian isn’t satisfied. Now he is trying to make me look like the bad one. He is lying. I’m not a traitor.”

The room went so quiet I could hear the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. Aaron just stared at me, his face blank, his blue eyes dark and deep. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and it terrified me.

What if he didn’t believe me? What if he thought I was exactly what Dorian said I was?

But then, after what felt like forever, he finally spoke.

“I believe you.”

His voice was soft, but those three words hit me harder than anything else. My chest loosened, and I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My vision blurred with tears, but this time they weren’t from fear. They were from relief.

Aaron leaned in a little closer, his eyes softer now. “I can feel it through the mate bond,” he said quietly. “You are not lying.”

I covered my face with my hands, trying to hold back the sob that escaped my lips. His words felt like a lifeline, pulling me back from the edge. I wasn’t alone. Someone believed me.

“Thank you,” I whispered, lowering my hands and wiping my tears away quickly. I hated feeling so exposed, so vulnerable, but Aaron didn’t seem to mind. He didn’t look at me like I was broken. He just… looked at me.

Aaron reached out, his hand brushing mine gently. His thumb moved in slow circles over the back of my hand, sending tiny sparks of comfort through me.

“Don’t worry,” he said, his voice low but filled with something fierce. “You are safe here. No one will harm you. I’ll make sure Dorian regrets ever hurting you.”

There was a fire in his eyes now, a quiet, controlled rage that sent shivers down my spine—not from fear, but from something else. He was angry for me. That thought alone made my heart ache in a way I couldn’t explain.

Aaron stood up, his jaw clenched, his posture tense. But before he turned to leave, he did something I wasn’t expecting. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

It was quick, gentle, but it felt like the world stopped for a second. His lips were warm, and the touch sent a wave of warmth through my entire body. My heart raced, but not from fear this time. It was something else. Something softer, scarier.

When he pulled back, his dark eyes met mine, and for a second, I thought he was going to say something. But he didn’t.

“Get some rest, Lyla,” he said softly. “I’ll handle this.”

I nodded silently. I watched as he left the room. When the door closed behind him, I let out a shaky breath.

I sank back into the bed, staring at the ceiling. My heart was still racing, but it wasn’t from fear this time.

It was hope.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I wasn’t completely alone.