The Wolf King cried and begged me to go back after I gave up

Everyone in the pack knew Andrew, the alpha, and I were destined mates. Hell, I thought so too. Then, the night before the ceremony, rogues attacked. Andrew shoved me aside to protect Elsa. My heart shattered. I chose Gabriel, who'd been quietly by my side for years. But after I let Andrew go, he suddenly had regrets. He begged me to even look at him. I leaned against Gabriel, gave Andrew a blank stare, and said, "Sorry, do I know you?"

1.

“Andrew, I don’t want to be your mate anymore.”

I said it while the battlefield was being cleared. Everyone was busy tending to the wounded, no one noticed us. Andrew hadn't shifted back from his wolf form yet. His crimson eyes stared at me, full of impatience.

“Are you done with this drama? If so, let's go.”

He was still shielding Elsa, making sure she was safe. That careful, protective look… I’d never seen it directed at me. A sour taste filled my mouth. I looked down and repeated myself.

“I’m not playing. I mean it.”

He was already gone, protecting Elsa as he walked away. The way Elsa leaned against him, so familiar, made her look like his true mate. And me? I was the joke.

Gabriel appeared behind me. He followed my gaze, sighed, and said, “Let me take you back. You’re an omega, you can't do much here.”

I tried to smile, to thank him, but I couldn’t. I hurt everywhere. My chest ached, a deep, throbbing pain that made it hard to speak. A gust of wind carried the sweet, sickening smell of blood.

Gabriel’s nose twitched. His face changed. “Are you hurt? Where?”

I shook my head, clutching my chest. “It’s nothing. I’ll take care of it.”

There was always a risk of another rogue attack while cleaning up, so an alpha or beta had to stay. Andrew was with Elsa, which meant Gabriel, a beta, had to stay behind.

Gabriel nudged me gently with his wolf nose. "Go get patched up by the medic. I'll take you to the hospital when I’m back."

He didn’t wait for an argument. He scooped me up with his arm and strode towards the medic, who was bandaging another pack warrior. Gabriel unceremoniously pushed the warrior aside and set me down.

“Chest wound. Take care of her.”

The medic’s eyes widened. "An omega? You want me to treat an omega on the battlefield?"

Gabriel growled, his eyes slitting.

The medic quickly backpedaled. “Alright, alright.”

But as soon as Gabriel was called away, the medic sneered. "I wonder what you did to get Gabriel so wrapped around your little finger."

The pack warrior beside her gave me a disgusted look. “Yeah, clinging to Gabriel, still acting like you’re the Luna. If the old Alpha knew, he’d turn in his grave.”

My face paled. “That’s not true!”

“Oh really? We all saw you just now!”

The medic jabbed the cleaning swab hard into my wound. The pain made me flinch.

“Get off!”

“You think I want to do this? You’re a nuisance!”

I struggled, but the pack warrior held me down. They were too strong. I had no choice but to endure it.

“What’s going on here?”

Andrew’s voice. The pack warrior instantly let go.

“Alpha!”

...