### Chapter 10: The Bonds of Fate **Oliver’s POV** Today was meant to be a celebration, a moment marked by triumph and joy—my ascent to the title of Alpha, standing proudly beside Tia, my chosen one. My hopes were high; dreams of making her the Luna of our pack danced in my mind like flickers of sunlight on water. Tia’s twin sister was set to be paired with my Beta, who had suffered the sting of rejection by another pack member. Why anyone would dare turn him away was beyond my understanding. After all, I was accustomed to females striving for my attention, drawn to the power I wielded. But there was only one girl who remained blissfully untouched by the allure of my status—Jasmine. From our childhood days, a gut instinct whispered that she was destined to be my mate. I’d watched countless males attempt to charm her, and a rush of fury surged through me each time. Deep down, she had always seemed like mine to protect. An Alpha does not share what belongs to him. She stood out, vibrant and radiant, yet I masked my feelings beneath layers of teasing and bullying, concealing my true intent. But as she hit her teenage years, that invisible tether between us intensified—each day, it pulled at my heart like a tide drawing me closer to the shore. Then came the crushing blow: she was human. No wolf, no destiny intertwined with mine. "Hell no," I scoffed at the revelation, pushing away the shambles of hope. "She’s still perfect," my wolf Shane growled, a rebellious spirit voicing the struggle within me. But I refused to yield to this. I was the Alpha; I had responsibilities far greater than harboring feelings for a mere human. My father had insisted I bolster the pack’s strength, nudging me towards Jasmine on more than one occasion. “I have a feeling about her,” he’d said, but I remained obstinate. I didn’t want her—perhaps I did, but that was irrelevant. The chaos following the tragedy of her parents’ death, the relentless violence at the hands of Darnell, pushed me to confront my buried emotions. I had watched them break her, feeling Shane howl in indignation as she lay battered and bruised, but my feet remained rooted to the ground, paralyzed by my own confusion. Only when she smiled, a brave flicker of hope that seemed to accept her fate, did Shane erupt in anger. How dare she reconcile her pain with such a smile? She wasn’t leaving me. Not now, not ever. I intervened, yanking Darnell away, my heart racing with a protective instinct. But with my pack watching, I hurriedly twisted my hurt into cruelty, dismissing her gratitude with a callousness that stung both of us. My departure was punctuated by her bitter word—an accusation of my callousness that pierced deeper than I cared to admit. In retaliation, I kicked her leg, knowing full well it left a mark—which must have felt trivial to her, for she was merely human. “Stop this! You are only digging a grave for yourself,” Shane snarled within me, but I was deaf to reason. I couldn’t shake the memory of her torment, nor could I overlook the influence of my mother, whose disdain for Jasmine was palpable. In her eyes, Jasmine was nothing more than the runt of the pack, scorned and ridiculed even as her plight tugged at my conscience. She had suffered at the hands of others, and my pity twisted into frustration because it would be easier to ignore my heart. Years drifted by painfully slowly. Each stolen glance at Jasmine revealed the blossoming beauty she was becoming—an exquisite woman, despite the scars that marked her skin. I couldn’t help but ache at the sight, caught in the cyclone of my conflicting duties as an Alpha and my own desires. I had vowed to remain steadfast for the pack, even as my heart yearned for her presence. Today was supposed to be the fulfillment of my destiny; I would assume my rightful place as Alpha. As I scanned the crowd, a sense of unease settled in—where was she? Shane bounced excitedly in my mind, restless with anticipation. “What’s going on?” I questioned, trying to suppress the wave of anxiety. His cryptic answer only deepened my confusion, "You will see. Just wait." The air buzzed with a charged energy when I found my mother persisting in a dispute with a figure who sent a shiver down my spine. As I drew closer, the astonishing sight of Jasmine stole my breath. Wrapped in a flowing black dress, her hair pulled back simply into a ponytail, she was radiant—a testament to the resilience she wore like armor. The aroma of freshly picked apples wafted towards me, drawing me nearer, each step ignited by the conflicting emotions cascading inside me. But as I approached, a jolt coursed through me—an electric connection crackling in the air as our gazes met. Her hazel eyes flared wide, a flicker of something I hadn’t anticipated luminous within their depths—a moment of recognition that felt like destiny itself. My heart raced as Shane surged forward, eager to claim our connection, but I stifled him, aware of the storm brewing around us. In the silence that followed, the word I had always yearned to hear hung between us, laden with gravity, an echo of both hope and despair. “Mate,” she breathed, yet, the disappointment etched on her face shattered my heart. Shane was howling for recognition, but I was ensnared in the turmoil of rejection. Before I could respond, others murmured concern—as if they sensed our bond unraveling. My mother’s expression soured, and I felt the weight of collective disapproval weighing heavily on my shoulders. Jasmine stood, and in that suspended moment, I swore her eyes flashed with color, transcending the ordinary. But then the hammer fell—the words spilling forth like daggers. “Jasmine White, the runt of the Red Valley Pack, rejects you, Oliver Shemus, as my mate. I renounce my title of Luna, and I will NEVER belong to you!” The breath left my lungs, a tidal wave of heartbreak crashing over me as whispers of shock rippled through the guests. A few turned away, unable or unwilling to bear witness, while my father leaned in, the gravity of the situation cutting through the noise. “Pull yourself together. I’ll find a way to reclaim her for you. You don’t understand what she means yet, but I will explain in time. For now, greet your guests. You’re an Alpha. Act like it,” he growled, his voice a rallying cry. I forced composure, summoning a mask of strength as I reached for Tia, clasping her hand with a practiced smile that felt like a betrayal. Tia’s warmth could never compare to what Jasmine lit within me, yet now I had to retain the pretense of stability. Jasmine thought she could cast aside our bond without consequence? She had chosen to reject me, but the moon goddess had woven our fates intricately. She was mine. No proclamation could sever what lay between us. A diabolical plan began to unfold in my mind, fueled by the ember of rage and defiance. I caught my mother’s approving nod as I revealed my thoughts, understanding that I was not alone in this vile intent. Jasmine, brace yourself, for the grip of vengeance was tightening, and when I was through with you, you would understand the true depth of what it meant to cross an Alpha. As the gathering resumed around us, my heart twisted with resolve, the battle lines drawn. This was far from over.