Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha King (Liam and Hope) novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It had been six years since Alpha Liam rejected me when I ran into him at a bakery.

The moment he walked in, the clerk greeted him with a familiar smile.

“Alpha Liam, here for the red velvet cake for Luna again? Same as always? I’ll get it packed for you.”

Liam nodded.

When he noticed the two boxes of lemon pie in my hands, he spoke up before I could say anything.

“Put hers on my tab too.”

I refused politely and reached for my card first, but he was quicker and swiped his card before I could stop

him.

“These cakes are two hundred ninety–nine dollars each,” he said casually.

“You used to save up forever just to buy one. I’m a pack Alpha now, so I’m doing a little better financially. No

need to be so stiff.”

I still wouldn’t accept it. He glanced over my clothes and let out a quiet sigh.

“Hope, it’s been years. Are you really still holding a grudge?”

I smiled faintly. “You’re overthinking it.”

My fingers brushed the bonding ring on my ring finger.

I already had a new husband and a child. I didn’t have the time or energy to sulk over another man.

Liam had already paid.

When I insisted on covering my own bill, the clerk smiled apologetically.

“I’m so sorry, miss. The Alpha has already paid for you. Maybe you could give the money directly to him?”

I turned and tried to hand him the cash directly.

“Take it. I don’t need you paying for me.”

Liam sighed helplessly, dodged my hand, and instead placed the cake bags into my arms.

“Hope, just take it. In three days, it’ll be your birthday, let these be my gift.”

His voice was sincere.

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I said nothing and pushed the cash into his hand again.

“Please take it. I don’t like owing people.”

Especially not for two cakes. This was just afternoon tea for me and my daughter.

Seeing how stubborn I was, Liam went quiet for a long moment.

In the end, he stopped dodging and accepted the money.

“You’re still the same as ever.”

I said nothing, lowered my head, and put my wallet away.

Liam blocked my path.

“Hope, you really don’t need to be this serious.”

His gaze lingered on the old, washed–out jacket I was wearing, hesitation flickering across his face.

“I don’t care about six hundred dollars. You could use that money to buy yourself a couple of new outfits.”

I froze for a second, then understood and laughed.

Earlier that day, while volunteering, I had given my jacket to a young girl who had started her period unexpectedly, using it to cover the bloodstains on her skirt.

Autumn had already set in, and it had turned cold, so I had borrowed a cleaner’s jacket on my way back. Liam probably thought I was doing terribly now. Poor. Struggling.

I didn’t bother explaining.

I just said, “Thank you,” turned to leave, and felt someone grab my arm from behind.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

I stiffened and shook his hand off. “No need. Your current Luna might misunderstand.”

Liam’s hand froze in midair.

He knew better than anyone that his new Luna, eight years younger than him, was especially good at acting spoiled and jealous.

“Hope…” He still grabbed my arm again. “How about we exchange contact information?”

I lowered my head and stayed silent.

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Linn

Six years ago, when he rejected me and severed our mate bond, things had ended badly.

We had deleted and blocked each other everywhere and sworn that we would never cross paths again in this

lifetime.

I shook my head. “Let it go.”

“Hope, there’s no need to keep sulking,” he said earnestly. “So many years have passed. I just want to know you’re living a better life…”

He wanted my contact information so he could transfer me some money.

“Consider it… compensation for back then.”

I almost wanted to laugh.

Back then, I had torn my world apart, thrown away my dignity, and still hadn’t gotten a single cent in

compensation.

Now that I no longer needed him, he suddenly showed up, offering compensation of his own accord.

“Darling, I called you just now. Why didn’t you answer me? Who are you talking to?”

Before I could respond, a she–wolf in a pink coat came bouncing over and wrapped her arm around Liam’s.

When she saw me, her smile froze for a split second before blooming again.

“Hope, it’s you,” she said brightly. “It’s been so many years. Why don’t we all grab a meal together?”

Maggie linked her arm with mine in an overly enthusiastic way, her voice loud and falsely familiar.

“Hope, we’ve been trying to find you these past six years. There was never any news. Even your old friends thought you’d left the werewolf realm. Where did you go?”