Broken mate bond

Elowen slowly stirred, her body was aching and her mind was foggy. As her eyes fluttered open, she found herself lying in the backseat of a car. Panic gripped her heart as she jolted upright, her pulse quickening. 

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, hands trembling as she looked around.

The driver, noticing her movements, glanced back at her with a calm smile. "Oh, you're awake," he said, almost casually. 

But Elowen felt no comfort in his words. The pain from her rejection was still bare, coursing through her like a poison. She could feel the severed bond, a hollow ache where her connection to Cassian was broken. Her mate bond was broken. 

Worse still, her inner wolf, Lyra, was silent—wounded, just as broken as Elowen.

She could barely comprehend the reality of what had happened. Never in her wildest nightmares did she imagine being rejected by her mate. And yet, Cassian had cast her aside like she meant nothing.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, her voice hoarse with fear. "Who are you?"

The man turned his head slightly, offering her a sympathetic glance. "I'm Cassian's Beta," he replied gently. "My name is Darius. I'm taking you to our pack—Darkmoon Ridge."

Her fear spiked, the name of Cassian's pack sending waves of dread through her. "Why?" she stammered. "Didn't you hear? Cassian rejected me! Why would you take me there?"

Darius' expression softened with something akin to pity. "I know," he said, his voice gentle. "And I'm truly sorry for what you've been through. But our Luna, Liora, heard about what happened. She was furious with Cassian for what he did to you. She asked me to bring you to our pack personally. She wants to apologize on behalf of the pack and welcome you. Don't worry," he added. "When Luna Liora speaks, Cassian listens. He never denies her."

Elowen sat there in stunned silence, her mind spinning. But just as she was beginning to process what Darius had said, a sudden realization slammed into her chest like a freight train. "My brother!" she yelled, her eyes wide with panic. "Where is my brother?"

Darius frowned, clearly confused. "Brother?" he echoed. "I don't know anything about a brother. You were alone when I found you."

Elowen's heart sank, her panic intensifying. "No, no, no," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "He was there! He's only ten! He was with me!"

Darius looked at her, his face full of concern, but there was a hint of apprehension in his eyes. "Elowen," he said carefully, "I swear, when I found you, you were alone. There was no sign of anyone else."

Tears welled up in her eyes as dread clawed at her chest. 

Elowen's panic surged. "Take me back to my pack," she pleaded, her voice shaky with fear. Her heart pounded as she imagined her brother, scared and alone. She couldn't leave him behind, not after everything they'd been through together.

Darius sighed heavily, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "It's no use, Elowen. Going back won't help." He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with what he had to say next. "Your family…your pack…they've already discarded you."

Elowen's eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. "What are you talking about?"

Darius kept his eyes on the road, his voice soft but firm. "Once an Alpha like Cassian rejects an omega…Well, they don't want anything to do with you. To keep their relations good with Darkmoon Ridge, they threw you out. If I hadn't come along, you'd still be lying there."

She froze. Her own pack had abandoned her. The people she had grown up with, who were supposed to protect her, had tossed her aside without a second thought. It was like a punch to the gut. Her chest tightened, her breath shallow as she tried to process the betrayal.

"They…they threw me out?" Her voice trembled as disbelief washed over her. The realization cut deep, the sting of abandonment adding another layer of pain to her already broken heart. 

That's why she couldn't feel linked to her pack. The Alpha already threw her out cutting all links that would connect her to the pack and make her the pack member. 

Darius looked at her, his gaze full of empathy. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "But don't worry. Once we get to Darkmoon Ridge, Luna Liora will speak with Cassian. She'll make sure he accepts you back with respect, and he'll have to apologize."

Though she appreciated his attempt to comfort her, Elowen could barely feel the warmth of his words. "Did Cassian know you were bringing me to your pack?" she asked softly, afraid of the answer.

Darius fell silent for a moment too long. His hesitation was enough of a reply.

"No," he finally admitted.

Her heart broke further. So, Cassian wanted nothing to do with her. It wasn't his decision to bring her into his pack; it was all Luna Liora. 

The rejection replayed in her mind—his cold, indifferent eyes, the way he dismissed her as nothing more than a "pathetic omega." The pain was unbearable.

"Stop the car," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Elowen," Darius started, his voice gentle but firm, "I know it's hard, but—"

"Stop the car!" she cried, her voice trembling with urgency. "I need to go back. I need to get my brother. I'm not going anywhere without him." Her voice broke, tears streaming down her cheeks imagining in which condition her little brother might be. How her stepmother might be abusing him. "He didn't e-even eat anything…I don't even know if he's okay…"

Darius looked conflicted, his hands tightening around the steering wheel. He hesitated, clearly unsure of what to do. But when he saw the desperation in her eyes, he relented. Slowly, he pulled over to the side of the road.

The moment the car stopped, Elowen bolted out, her feet hitting the ground in a frantic dash. She didn't wait for Darius to say anything more. Her only thought was of her brother—she had to find him. She raced back towards her pack.