“I refuse to be bonded to a wolfless, weak mate.” The words sliced through me. My knees nearly buckled. “I reject you, Mildred Pierce, as my fated mate.” My body went numb as the contract slipped from my hands. Tears burned my eyes. So this was fate’s gift? A mate who despised me—someone I met under the worst circumstances. Was this it? No love, no choice—only horror standing beside him. “Take her away,” he said flatly. “She’s useless.” I had just been rejected. Called useless. And now… they wanted me in a wedding dress? The Alpha King’s voice cut through my daze. “You’re going to be my bride tonight.” “But you just rejected me,” I blurted. His eyes narrowed. “And? You’ll stand in for Ximena until she’s found. After that, you’re free.” Free. The word meant nothing to him. “You will sign a contract,” he said coldly. “You will be her substitute. And you will do exactly as I say.” Hayden Gayle. The Alpha King. My mate. My rejector. Mistaken for a runaway bride, Mildred’s life shatters when she’s forced to marry the Alpha King. Trapped in a castle of secrets, she becomes a pawn in a deadly game. When danger strikes, Mildred must face her greatest fear to save a kingdom—and the heart of a king who never wanted her. Will their bond destroy them… or save them? n the The Mate Contract Werewolf Romance Series.