The Enforcer's Rejected Mate: Red River Rejected Mates

by Rebel Carter

“I reject you, Cordelia…”

I’ve been rejected by my fated mate. Not once, but twice.

What can I say? I’m an overachiever.

_______________________________Cordelia

My entire world falls apart the night my mate rejects me. He’s the Alpha’s son, the future leader of Frostclaw Pack, and the strongest of us all. And me? I’m the wolfless orphan who’s never quite fit in.

Worthless. That’s what I’ll always be if I stay here, and I can’t abide that. So I run.

In all my running, I never thought it would lead me to Bloodstone Pack, the place where I was born—and where the fates offer me a second shot at happily-ever-after. This is my chance to finally have a true home and a pack that loves and accepts me. I’m even blessed with another mate— the pack Enforcer. The fates, however, have a cruel sense of humor. I’m rejected again. But this time there’s nowhere to run and even if there was I wouldn’t go. I’m done running. I won’t give up the home I’ve found all because another alpha wants better than the fates decided.

I survived one rejection and I’ll survive this one too.



Thorne

They say bad things come in threes…

There are ferals roaming the woods, the new healer is as mouthy as she is a pain in my ass, and the cherry on top is she’s my fated mate.

Once the moon goddess selects a match, a war on your part does not constitute an emergency on hers and they insist Cordelia is my mate. But I’m the pack Enforcer and a mate is a weakness I can’t afford. Not now. Not ever. I do the only thing I can when biology kicks in.

I reject her.

Stupid plans have stupid results. Each day I don’t claim her eats at my insides and the starving only gets worse when I'm in her presence. Even an idiot like me knows I made the biggest mistake of my life not claiming her. When a war sets its sights on us, the only soul I care about is the mate I rejected. She’s the one my heart beats for, and if she’s not safe nothing in this world matters.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Omegaverse, Abuse, Romantasy

490 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

Rebel Carter loves love. So much in fact that she decided to write the love stories she desperately wanted to read. A book by Rebel means diverse characters, sexy banter, a real big helping of steamy scenes, and, of course, a whole lotta heart.

Rebel lives in Colorado, makes a mean espresso, and is hell-bent on filling your bookcase with as many romance stories as humanly possible!

Reviews

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quickish Review

Rejected mate trope is a guaranteed long suffering FMC, which I have a soft spot for. But having that same FMC finding love with someone else was one I hadn’t read before and I did like it. The only Eason in not rating higher is the plot holes are giant and the inner monologues are too repetitive. But the story overall intrigued me so I’d give this another shot if it continued as a series.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ FIVE STARS, baby! 🌟

The beginning of this book? HOOKED me. 🎣 Bestie wasted no time getting into the story, and I love her for that. Nothing takes me out of a book faster than useless yapping and filler chapters—like please, get to the guts of the story. AND SHE DID. 😮‍💨🔥

When I tell you those first few chapters had me locked in and staying up way past my bedtime?? 😩📖 I was investeddd.

I loved Cordelia. She had such a big, compassionate heart—like, she was literally the definition of someone born to wear her heart on her sleeve ❤️‍🔥 and she truly deserved the world. Did she frustrate me sometimes? YES. 😤 Especially when she let other people’s words shake the confidence she and her wolf were finally building after Frostclaw and with Red River. But honestly? That’s only because she felt like such a mirror. It was giving “wow… is that me fr?” 🪞😭

I kept yelling “girl, STAND UP” but also? I get it. Been there.

I was so proud of her when she finally stood her ground with Kieran and his daddy toward the end 😤👊 My girl didn’t fold—even when her wolf was MIA from that wolfsbane mess. She said “Not today, sir,” and held it down. 🐺✨

Now THORNE. Listen… he’s my favorite kind of grump. 😮‍💨💀 That man and his poor wolf were going through it. I’m just glad it wasn’t some cliché “reject the bond” nonsense—he wanted her, he just wanted to make their world safer for her first. Taking down Moonshadow and Frozenclaw before officially claiming her? THAT’S LOVE. 😭🖤

Even before he admitted his feelings, he was already soft for her in secret. It was in the small things. His thoughts. His quiet actions. You know he cared. 😩

Did he go about it the dumb way? Absolutely. 😂 The moment Jazzy hit him with the prophecy, he should’ve locked it in that same night—but nooo, he wanted to “wait for the right moment.” 🙄 Sir… THERE IS NO RIGHT MOMENT. Be serious.

Still, Thorne and Cordelia’s bond felt bigger than both of them. It was giving soul tie that transcends every lifetime 🫶🏼 and I really loved that.

Also—shoutout to the side characters because 😭 The scene where Maud told Cordelia that Gus, Carla, Jenny, and the other townsfolk got together to find her when they realized she was in trouble? I got teary eyed in the middle of Tops. All she ever wanted was a family. A pack. A forever home. And she GOT IT. 🥹🐾

This was a SLOW burn, y’all. Like… the slowest of slow burns 😂 But that was on Thorne. So hot and cold. Was it noble? Yeah. Was it also kind of silly? Also yes. But you don’t even care because the plot and character moments are so good you’re not mad. And when they finally get together? It’s perfect. 💕🔥

I love smut like the next girl, but I hate when a book is drowning in it and forgets the plot. This had a perfect balance. There was heat 🔥 but it never overwhelmed the story.

I could say more, but I’m trying not to spoil too much. Just know: if you’re new to the omegaverse like I am, this is a GREAT starter. I love Rebel’s writing and I can’t wait for the next four books in the series. 🐺📚

Also… please give salt and pepper daddy Ronan his own book. Thank you. Okay bye. 😘✌️

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes for me

Beginning is typical. Cordelia is an orphan and hated by the pack. Kieran the Alphas son meets her in secret. Full moon she gets her wolf and Kieran announces his chosen mate. Seems he’s known Cordelia is his true mate, but didn’t tell her. His rejection of her is extended and cruel.

She’s close to a witch, Maude. After the rejection she sends her to a relatives pack. As she gets in on the bus Kieran shows up wanting to stop her. I’m just petty enough that it did my heart good.

She’s crossing the field and a black wolf tries to stop her. It’s Thorne from the Bloodstone pack. He calls her his Omega. They are struck by lightning which he and the other Defenders know means they are fated mates.

This is a little too long. Thorne denying he has feelings for her. Finally at 89% the action takes off.

Safety: OWD Kieran rejects Cordy and takes another mate.
Cassidy is obsessed with Thorne and convinces Cordy they are engaged and he loves her. Due to Cordy’s past trauma she can’t help but believe her.

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

This left me conflicted cause I wanted both more and less from this book.
I need less blurb, this blurb gave away the whole plot up to 87% but made it sound as if it was just the start of the book. So i spent the whole time reading waiting for what happened in the blurb to happen, which took out so much of the intrigue because I was waiting on it happening and it happened like 400 pages into a 490 page book.
I wanted more connection. I think we really got to see the FMC bond with her friends and I loved that, but I felt like she had no pull towards the MMC outside of the mate bond. I needed to feel them connect as humans to root for them more.
I adored the first 100 pages. It had me so gripped but from then on it just sagged. I felt like there was no plot, and no real answers given about the minimal attempts at plot, like with Maud, her mums past, and ending with the rival alpha? Just so much left incomplete. But on the other side we have 300 pages of nothing happening in the middle that. So very unusual and conflicting. But at the same time I did keep reading, and I did enjoy the writing style. I just think it needed polished more

[Pilar · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible. It was way too long. Too many coincidences with other books.

[K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like there were plot holes. Why didn’t the pack go after the kids? They hoped the kids would return but then we find out they cast a memory spell on them? How did they expect children to return after being kidnapped and a memory spell cast on them? Just didn’t make a lot of sense.

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book needs some heavy editing. I think that would help cut it down too because there was so much that I felt like didn’t matter or was repetitive.

[kayla ⋆.˚ ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to rate this a 2.5/5.

I’m definitely a sucker for the whole rejected mate trope - I love when men grovel. HOWEVER, this book felt extremely flat to me.

The first few chapters, where we are introduced to our FMC and her conflict within the Frostclaw pack, are very entertaining. As the book progressed, the story kind of started to go downhill in terms of interest. I got extremely bored and had to force myself to continue reading.

After Cordy leaves Frostclaw, the conflict is kind of, nonexistent for a majority of the book. I feel like there were more filler chapters than anything else - the author definitely should’ve condensed the book a bit more and focused more on building that relationship with the FMC and MMC. I was 80% of my way through the book before they outwardly showed mutual romantic interest in each other (aka they kissed). It was difficult for me to root for them because I felt like they only had attraction towards each other due to the mate bond.

Also, I’m not usually someone that cares too much when a book has a spelling or grammar error, but I found many errors throughout this book which kind of frustrated me.

If you’re going into this book expecting heavy romance, I don’t really think this is the book for you.

🌟 Cordy’s strength was admirable and the way that she gained confidence in herself after what she’d been through was empowering. I loved watching her stand up for herself.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

SURPRISINGLY GOOD!! It's rare to see a rejected mate story written so well in terms of the heroine's pain, trauma and suffering at the hands of being rejected by the male she gave her heart and soul to. Usually it's the alpha's son who rejects the heroine (but they're not friends or lovers) or even the MMC who rejects the heroine and grovels later.

This was refreshingly unique and enjoyable because it's a heroine rediscovering herself and healing, at the same time falling in love with a gruff, overprotective male lead who happens to be her true fated mate.

OVERALL this was enjoyable, and I urge you to read it if you're into the rejected mate troupe!

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say 2.5 stars. Some parts I had to skim through. I enjoy this trope but I would’ve made the relationship more - more yearning, more tension just something wasn’t enough. Throughout the book I felt like something was missing and on some parts I found the FMC to be mildly annoying and wanted to get in there and scream at her.
I think it needs some editing this book.
I felt like some parts were not necessary or they could’ve been rewritten and some cut out completely.
I did finish it though unlike some books that made me ditch them.

[Maria Fernandez-Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk if it was just me but I thought Kieran was going to be the mmc & have a redemption arc. The antsy was only the first few chapters.I feel like it took Thorne way too long to accept that he was mated to Cordelia. We really didn’t to get see them a a couple. I would’ve really loved to see them develop their relationship.

[Marissa Thoma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fell down the Omega verse rabbit hole and stumbled across this one. I mean it was fine for a standalone but the ending was rushed and it’s hard to build a big plot line in such a short book but overall I was entertained, so that’s all that matters really

[Claudia Reinbrecht · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprisingly heartfelt read.

There are gap points, but nothing that affects the story overall.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a solid shifter romance. It was just a bit too cozy for my liking.

[Butter L · Rating 2 out of 5]

did not live up to the TikTok hype in my opinion

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s giving 2013 Wattpad werewolf/shifter and that’s exactly what I needed right now