Page 51 of Rejected by My Stepbrother Alpha (Billionaire Shifter Club #1)

The steward gives me a nod and moves quickly, mixing the drinks before setting a glass of the dark liquid in front of me. I take a sip—and instantly freeze.

It tastes… different. Off.

My brows pull together, and the poor guy must catch the look on my face.

“Is everything okay, sir?” he asks.

I nod, forcing a small smile. “Yeah. It’s fine,” I say, waving him off.

But I know exactly what the problem is.

This isn’t how she makes it.

I’ve gotten so used to the way Vesper does these cocktails that anything else just feels wrong. There’s a way she blends the sweetness, how she draws out the cola flavor just enough to dance with the alcohol, not fight it. It keeps my taste buds engaged while the buzz smooths everything out.

This one? It’s just bitter.

“Where’s my wife?” I ask before the steward walks away.

He pauses, like the question caught him off guard. “I’m not sure, sir. I don’t believe she’s back yet. She mentioned something about media rounds earlier today.”

Right. She did.

I lean back and let my thoughts drift to her. As the alcohol settles in, so does that familiar feeling. The same one I had the night I first saw her. I remember how her appearance hit me that day.

That jet-black hair, falling down her back in smooth waves. Those sharp grey eyes, holding a quiet mix of hope and caution, like they’d seen enough in life to be wary, but hadn’t given up just yet.

Her skin was pale, almost luminous under the light, and her frame… slender, graceful, looked like it had stepped off the glossy page of some high-end magazine.

And then there was that small beauty mark, right at the edge of her left eye. It didn’t distract from her face. It completed it.

That night was wild.

And when I found out she was an actress barely getting by because of the constant prejudice against halfbloods, I felt this strange pull to help.

The contract made sense. She got a boost in her career, and I got the perfect excuse to shut my mother and the pack elders up about finding a mate.

Still… right now, I kind of wish she’d walk in. Maybe even throw a fit, pick a fight with me about the mating ceremony.

Maybe she hasn’t heard yet. Maybe she has—and she’s just being professional. Not making it a big deal.

I finish the last of the drink, swallowing down the bitter aftertaste.

Some part of me thought—hoped—that being married, even if it was just on paper, would be enough to stop the moon goddess from tying me to someone else.

But I should’ve known better.

The moon goddess doesn’t care about contracts.

But it doesn’t matter. Because no matter what fate thinks it wants from me, I know exactly who I am. I know exactly what happens to any woman who is mated to the Alpha of the Lunaris Pack. And I will not put anyone through that.

I push away from the counter, rolling my shoulders back, shaking off the thoughts. The night awaits, the stage is set, and I have one thing left to do.

I step outside, my gaze immediately drawn to the sleek black Ferrari parked in the driveway. Without hesitation, I slide into the driver’s seat, the leather cool against my skin. The engine roars to life, a deep, guttural sound that vibrates through my bones.

And then, without another glance back, I drive out of the estate, heading straight for the banquet hall where the mating ceremony awaits.

The moment I step out of my car, the flashing lights of cameras explode around me, blinding and relentless, like a pack of starved wolves descending on fresh prey. Voices shout from all angles, overlapping in a chaotic mess of questions, each one more intrusive than the last.

“Alpha Thane, how does it feel to find your fated mate?”

“Will you be annulling your marriage with Vesper now?”

“When can we expect the official wedding ceremony?”

I don’t stop or give them any answers. I don’t even acknowledge them beyond a brief, polite nod before walking straight ahead. Let them speculate. Let them scramble to interpret my silence. It doesn’t matter. None of this matters.

Inside the banquet hall, the atmosphere is thick with expectation.

The room is lavish—gold chandeliers casting warm light over a sea of well dressed guests.

Dignitaries from both the Lunaris and Crimson packs are scattered throughout, engaged in conversations that halt the second I step inside.

Their gazes flick toward me, and I feel their curiosity, their excitement.

The entire evening has been orchestrated around one singular event—my acceptance of Celeste as my mate.

I move through the room, offering nods of acknowledgment, shaking hands when necessary. Then I hear her before I see her—my mother’s voice, brimming with excitement, cutting through the noise like a blade.

“Alexander!” She practically glides toward me, eyes bright, cheeks flushed with joy.

“My son, do you even understand how happy I am right now? This… this is everything I prayed for. The Moon Goddess has blessed you, finally, with a mate—a real mate. Do you know how rare this is? You must be overjoyed!”

Overjoyed. Right.

I keep my expression unreadable, offering a measured nod as she continues talking. Her happiness is palpable, radiating off her in waves, but I feel nothing but the cold steel of inevitability. She has no idea what’s about to happen, no idea how badly this will go.

“Mother,” I say evenly, careful to keep my tone neutral, “we’ll talk later.”

Before she can press further, another figure approaches. Gabriel Garcia.

Broad shoulders, silvering dark hair, sharp, assessing eyes that gleam with satisfaction.

He walks with undeniable confidence , and in a way, I can’t blame him.

In his mind, his daughter has just secured the most powerful mate possible, tying the Crimson Pack and Lunaris Pack together in an unbreakable bond.

His heavy hand clasps my shoulder. “Alexander,” he greets, his voice thick with approval. “It brings me great pride to see my daughter stand beside a man like you. A true Alpha. A leader among leaders.”

Then he grins, and his next words slip out like poison.

“Now that you have your fated mate—a real woman—you can finally discard that half-blood thing you’ve been wasting your time with.”

My jaw clenches.

Vesper.

I swallow the immediate anger that flares up inside me, keeping my face impassive.

I won’t give him a reaction, but the sheer disrespect in his words grates at me.

Vesper has been nothing but loyal, nothing but steadfast. She has played her role perfectly.

She has never asked for more than what was agreed upon.

And yet, to men like Gabriel, she is nothing more than something to be “discarded.”

I say nothing. Instead, I turn my attention to Celeste.

She steps forward, her hands reaching for mine, her touch soft, warm.

The mate bond flickers between us—something just beneath the surface, a current of energy that should be overwhelming, should be all-consuming…

but isn’t. There’s something there, a slight spike in my pulse, but it’s nothing like the stories say.

Celeste looks up at me, her caramel skin glowing under the golden lights, her blonde hair cascading in perfect waves. She is beautiful. Flawless, even. Any man would be thrilled.

But I am not any man.

“I’m so happy, Alexander,” she murmurs, her voice sweet, earnest. “I’ll be devoted to you, to our bond. I promise.”

A pang of something like guilt stirs in me, but I push it down. This is not about Celeste. This is about what I know, what I refuse to allow.

And then, it begins.

The ceremony moves forward, the guests take their seats, the hall settling into a hushed, expectant silence.

I sit beside my mother, Celeste on my other side, Gabriel nearby, his presence looming.

The speaker—a well-respected elder—takes the stage, his voice rich and commanding as he addresses the audience.

“We are gathered here tonight to celebrate something truly extraordinary,” he begins, his words carrying through the hall.

“The mate bond—sacred, divine. A gift from the Moon Goddess herself. And tonight, we honor the fated union of Alexander Thane, Alpha of the Lunaris Pack, and Celeste Garcia, daughter of the esteemed Gabriel Garcia of the Crimson Pack. A union that will strengthen not only their bond but the bond between our people.”

A ripple of agreement spreads through the crowd.

I remain still.

The elder gestures toward me, smiling. “And now, we invite Alpha Thane to address us on this joyous occasion.”

I rise to my feet, exhaling slowly. The room watches me with bated breath, hundreds of eyes filled with expectation. I take my time, scanning the crowd—my people, Celeste’s people, my mother, Gabriel, Celeste herself.

She is looking at me with nothing but hope.

I steel myself.

“Thank you all for being here tonight,” I begin, my voice steady, commanding. “I appreciate your presence. I understand the importance of this evening, and the significance of what is meant to take place.”

A hush falls over the room, anticipation thick in the air.

“But,” I continue, “I must be clear—I hereby reject the fated mate bond.”

The hall plunges into stunned silence.

Then, chaos.

Gasps echo from every direction. Murmurs break out, spreading like wildfire. The journalists in the back scramble to capture the moment, cameras flashing furiously. Gabriel stiffens, his face twisting in shock, disbelief. My mother—her expression crumbles, confusion giving way to horror.

Celeste… Celeste just stares at me, lips parted, her entire body frozen in place.

I do not falter. I do not explain.

My decision is made.

For some reason I can’t name, amongst all the chaos, my eyes rest on the wedding ring on my finger. And all I can think about is the taste on a long island cocktail made by my contract wife, Vesper.