REJECTED YET CHOSEN

Chapter 15

_Lyla's POV_

I couldn’t take it anymore. The words echoed in my head like sharp daggers, piercing deeper with each breath. “She is not worthy of the title of Luna.”

My heart clenched painfully. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe. My vision blurred with tears threatening to spill.

Without thinking, I shot up from my seat, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. My legs moved on their own as I rushed out of the dining room. I could hear Aaron’s voice behind me, angry and tense, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

I sprinted up the stairs, my footsteps pounding in my ears louder than anything else. My heart was racing, not from the run but from the ache inside me. My chest burned with emotions I couldn’t control—shame, sadness, fear.

I reached Aaron’s room, flung the door open, and slammed it shut behind me. My hands trembled as I locked the door. My breathing was ragged.

Then I collapsed onto the floor.

The tears came fast and hard, rolling down my cheeks like rivers. I tried to hold them back, but it was useless. They poured out, a release of all the pain I had been holding in.

This is all my fault.

Aaron was fighting his father because of me. Because I was an omega. Because I wasn’t good enough.

I am ruining everything.

I buried my face in my hands, the sobs shaking my body. My chest felt hollow, empty, like a part of me was breaking apart. I didn’t know how long I stayed like that, drowning in my misery.

Then I heard it—the sound of the door handle turning.

“Lyla,” Aaron’s voice came through, soft but filled with worry. “Open the door.”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My body felt too heavy, weighed down by sadness. I stayed where I was, curled up on the floor, wishing I could disappear.

“Please, Lyla,” he said again, his voice more urgent this time. “I need to talk to you.”

Still, I didn’t move. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to mourn my fate, the life which I had been given. I was born an omega, and no matter what I did, no one would ever accept me.

But Aaron was persistent.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash. The door burst open, the lock snapping with the force. I looked up, my tear-filled eyes meeting his.

His face changed the moment he saw me—my red, puffy eyes, my trembling body, the broken look in my gaze. His anger melted away, replaced by something softer. Pain. Worry.

He rushed to me, dropping to his knees without hesitation.

“Lyla,” he whispered, his hands gently cupping my face. His thumbs brushed away my tears, though more kept falling.

“This is not your fault,” he said firmly, his blue eyes locked onto mine. “My father is an asshole, but he will not have his way. I’m the Alpha now. I can do as I please.”

I sobbed harder, shaking my head. “But he’s right,” I choked out. “I’m not worthy to be Luna. I’m just an omega. I’m nothing—”

“Stop,” Aaron cut me off, his voice sharp but filled with emotion. “Don’t you ever say that again. You’re not nothing, Lyla. You’re everything to me.”

His words broke me all over again. I cried harder, and Aaron didn’t hesitate. He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly as if he was afraid I would slip away.

“Please don’t cry,” he whispered against my hair, his voice trembling slightly. “Don’t worry. With time, he’ll accept you. But even if he doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. I love you. That’s all that matters.”

His arms were warm and strong, wrapping around me like a shield. I clung to him, my fingers gripping his shirt as if he was the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.

“I don’t want to be the reason you fight with your father,” I whispered, my voice shaky.

“You’re not,” he replied, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. “This is his problem, not yours. He is stuck in his old ways, blinded by pride. But I see you for who you are—strong, kind, beautiful. You’re more than worthy to be my Luna.”

His words wrapped around my heart, softening the pain just a little. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, feel it in his touch.

“I don’t feel strong,” I admitted.

Aaron smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair from my face. “That’s because you don’t see yourself the way I do. You survived so much, Lyla. You’ve faced things that would have broken others, but you’re still here. That’s strength.”

His words made my chest tighten, but this time, it wasn’t from sadness. It was something else—hope.

Aaron leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine. His breath was warm, his presence comforting.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered. “We’ll get through this together.”

I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in. His scent, a mix of pine and something uniquely him, calmed my racing heart.

For the first time since running into the room, I felt like I could breathe again.

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in silence, our hearts beating in sync.

Eventually, Aaron pulled back slightly, his fingers still intertwined with mine.

“Let’s forget about him for now,” he said softly. “Just you and me.”

I nodded and wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks.

Aaron stood up, pulling me gently to my feet. He led me to the bed, sitting down and tugging me onto his lap. I curled into him, resting my head against his chest. His heartbeat was steady, grounding me.

He stroked my hair softly. His fingers were tracing gentle patterns along my back. “I love you, Lyla,” he whispered, his lips brushing against my temple. “Nothing will ever change that.”

I felt the tears return, but this time they weren’t from sadness. They were from something warmer, something stronger.

“I love you too,” I whispered back, my voice trembling with emotion.

Aaron held me tighter. His arms were a protective cocoon around me.

In that moment, despite everything, I felt safe. I felt loved.