Chapter 16 Riven pulled me close, one strong arm wrapping around my waist like a shield. I could feel the hum of power beneath his skin-Alpha magic, wild and ancient, laced through his every breath. "If you don't want to acknowledge parents like that," he said, his voice low and commanding. "then cut the bond. Simple as that." He said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. And maybe it was for an Ashton Alpha-born from primal bloodlines and unshackled by shame -it was. But for someone like me? Cutting ties with blood was akin to betrayal in the eyes of the pack. A she-wolf who severed family bonds was seen as unnatural. Unforgivable. Ungrateful. But Riven saw what they never did. He saw the bruises behind my silence. The scars buried beneath my skin. He hadn't been there when I tried to walk away from them before. But now? Now that he'd witnessed it firsthand-the cruel humiliation, the twisted truths, the blood on my wrists-he didn't flinch. He stood by me. As my mate. As my Alpha. For the first time in my life... someone chose me without hesitation. Robert's expression tightened. "Alpha Riven... with all due respect, this is a private family matte "She's my mate now," Riven cut in, his voice like stone cracking through frost. "Her battles are mine. If she's mistreated, then you're insulting me. You're insulting the Ashton Pack." Chad, loyal and protective even through the tension, took a step forward. "Sir, you weren't here earlier," he said, voice firm. "But this entire family turned on Ma'am Avelyn. They even accusec me of seducing her. Everything she prepared-the gifts, the respect-was thrown back in her face." I closed my eyes, swallowing the heat burning behind them. "All that care, all that effort-wasted on wolves who never saw her worth," Chad finished. A silence settled over the room. No one dared speak in their defense. Alpha Darius was still unconscious on the floor, leg mangled by Riven's silver bullet. Blood soaked the carpet, but no one even looked at him anymore. He was just a fallen brute-forgotten like the mess he created. "Well," Riven said coolly, "since they clearly don't value it-take everything back." "Yes, Alpha," Chad said, already turning toward the front door. He didn't leave quietly. "One moment," he called, pausing just inside the threshold. Then, with sharp clarity, he began listing the contents of the gift boxes. "Ten billion in gold and bonded cash. Ten luxury dens across the territory. Ten rare-bloodline steeds. And a dozen heirloom treasures from the Ashton vault." Chad smirked. "What a waste. 7:04 pm Let's go." The color drained from Robert's face. He looked sick-green and red like a wolf poisoned by his own pride. "We're not fools, Riven," he sputtered. "Surely this is just a misunderstanding. Avelyn is still our daughter. She's Moonveil-blood. Why would we not love her?" "Because your love has always had conditions," I said softly, lifting my gaze to him. "We may share blood," I added, "but we were never a family." He moved toward me. "Avelyn, you've misunderstood us-" "I'll make it simple," I said, cutting him off. "You want my forgiveness? Then Lexie leaves this family. Now." Myra flinched. Robert stiffened. "You can't possibly mean that," he said, brows furrowed, "She's your sister." "Sister?" I echoed. "The woman who clawed into my marriage bed like a bitch in heat? Who helped ruin what little trust I had left? You call that sisterhood?" Silence. "You say you want to fix things?" I asked, my voice is colder now. "Choose." I looked between them. Neither of them moved. That was enough answer. A bitter smile touched my lips. "If you hate me this much, why did you even bother giving birth to me?" Then I turned to Myra, who had remained frozen in place. "From this day forward," I said clearly, "we are no longer kin. Not in the name. Not in blood. No in the soul." I slipped the bracelet from my wrist-the one 'gift' Myra had ever given me. It wasn't even mean for me, just a leftover from a purchase for Lexie. Still, I had worn it like a desperate pup clinging to a scrap of affection. Not anymore. "Here," I said, setting it down on the nearest table. "You can have it back." We turned to leave. Riven wrapped his fingers around mine, grounding me as my heart hammered in my chest. Just as we reached the door, Josephine broke. "Avelyn!" she cried. "I do love you... I just... I never knew how to show it." Her words cracked in the air like brittle lies. I turned my head slightly, meeting her eyes with the emptiness I had learned to carry all my life. "Save those words for Lexie," I said. "I'm sure they'll mean more to her." Lexie, who had fallen to her knees moments ago, now clung to my pant leg, sobbing like the world was ending. "Mom! Big sis! Please... don't let them throw me out! I have no one else!" I looked down at her, calm and unmoved. Happy Rejection My Alaba 1/3 70 0% 7:04 pm Chapter 16 Riven pulled me close, one strong arm wrapping around my waist like a shield. I could feel the hum of power beneath his skin-Alpha magic, wild and ancient, laced through his every breath. "If you don't want to acknowledge parents like that," he said, his voice low and commanding "then cut the bond. Simple as that." He said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. And maybe it was for an Ashton Alpha-born from primal bloodlines and unshackled by share -it was. But for someone like me? Cutting ties with blood was akin to betrayal in the eyes of the pack. A she-wolf who severed family bonds was seen as unnatural. Unforgivable. Ungrateful. But Riven saw what they never did. He saw the bruises behind my silence. The scars buried beneath my skin. He hadn't been there when I tried to walk away from them before. But now? Now that he'd witnessed it firsthand-the cruel humiliation, the twisted truths, the blood on my wrists-he didn't flinch. He stood by me. As my mate. As my Alpha. For the first time in my life... someone chose me without hesitation. Robert's expression tightened. "Alpha Riven... with all due respect, this is a private family matte "She's my mate now," Riven cut in, his voice like stone cracking through frost. "Her battles are mine. If she's mistreated, then you're insulting me. You're insulting the Ashton Pack." Chad, loyal and protective even through the tension, took a step forward. "Sir, you weren't here earlier," he said, voice firm. "But this entire family turned on Ma'am Avelyn. They even accused me of seducing her. Everything she prepared-the gifts, the respect-was thrown back in her face." I closed my eyes, swallowing the heat burning behind them. "All that care, all that effort-wasted on wolves who never saw her worth," Chad finished. A silence settled over the room. No one dared speak in their defense. Alpha Darius was still unconscious on the floor, leg mangled by Riven's silver bullet. Blood soaked the carpet, but no one even looked at him anymore. He was just a fallen brute-forgotten like the mess he created. "Well," Riven said coolly, "since they clearly don't value it-take everything back." "Yes, Alpha," Chad said, already turning toward the front door. He didn't leave quietly. "One moment," he called, pausing just inside the threshold. Then, with sharp clarity, he began listing the contents of the gift boxes. "Ten billion in gold and bonded cash. Ten luxury dens across the territory. Ten rare-bloodline steeds. And a dozen heirloom treasures from the Ashton vault." Chad smirked. "What a waste. ་ 212 90.5% 7:04 pm Let's go." The color drained from Robert's face. He looked sick-green and red like a wolf poisoned by his own pride. "We're not fools, Riven," he sputtered. "Surely this is just a misunderstanding. Avelyn is still our daughter. She's Moonveil-blood. Why would we not love her?" "Because your love has always had conditions," I said softly, lifting my gaze to him. "We may share blood," I added, "but we were never a family." He moved toward me. "Avelyn, you've misunderstood us-' "I'll make it simple," I said, cutting him off. "You want my forgiveness? Then Lexie leaves this family. Now." Myra flinched. Robert stiffened. "You can't possibly mean that," he said, brows furrowed. "She's your sister." 'Sister?" I echoed. "The woman who clawed into my marriage bed like a bitch in heat? Who helped ruin what little trust I had left? You call that sisterhood?" Silence. 'You say you want to fix things?" I asked, my voice is colder now. "Choose." looked between them. Neither of them moved. That was enough answer. A bitter smile touched my lips. "If you hate me this much, why did you even bother giving birth to ne?" Then I turned to Myra, who had remained frozen in place. From this day forward," I said clearly, "we are no longer kin. Not in the name. Not in blood. Not n the soul." slipped the bracelet from my wrist-the one 'gift' Myra had ever given me. It wasn't even meant or me, just a leftover from a purchase for Lexie. Still, I had worn it like a desperate pup clinging o a scrap of affection. Not anymore. Here," I said, setting it down on the nearest table. "You can have it back." We turned to leave. Riven wrapped his fingers around mine, grounding me as my heart hammered in my chest. Just as we reached the door, Josephine broke. 'Avelyn!" she cried. "I do love you... I just... I never knew how to show it." Her words cracked in the air like brittle lies. I turned my head slightly, meeting her eyes with the emptiness I had learned to carry all my life. "Save those words for Lexie," I said. "I'm sure they'll mean more to her." Lexie, who had fallen to her knees moments ago, now clung to my pant leg, sobbing like the world was ending. "Mom! Big sis! Please... don't let them throw me out! I have no one else!" I looked down at her, calm and unmoved. Chapter 16 213 80.5% 7:04 pm Tooked down at her, camm and unmoveu. You reap what you sow. Myra rushed toward her daughter-not me. Of course, she did. In the end, there is always a favorite. And I... was never the chosen one. Riven and I walked out without another word. Behind us was only silence. And the wreckage of wolves who thought they could crush me. They would learn. 7:04 pm