Claiming the Rejected Mate

by Jade Marshall

Rejected.
Broken.
Left to die.

Thorne thought her mating ceremony would seal her destiny. Instead, Gabriel shattered her in front of the entire pack, tearing away her bond and leaving her to bleed in the forest.

But fate isn’t finished with her.

Altero, the Stygian Pack’s exiled loner, never wanted a mate and never wanted to be tied down. Yet when he finds Thorne half-dead on his land, the bond between them ignites … wild, dangerous, and undeniable.

He’s her second chance. She’s his greatest risk.

But when the past comes knocking, will their bond survive?

72 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 13, 2026

About the author

South African author of romance with a dark side
Mother, wife, animal lover, alcohol consumer...
English, Afrikaans, and sarcasm are the only languages I understand.

Evernight Publishing Author & Acquiring Editor.
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Reviews

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claiming the Rejected Mate by Jade Marshall is a raw, emotional shifter romance that grabs your heart in the very first pages and doesn’t let go. This is a story about betrayal, survival, and the kind of love that doesn’t break you down—it rebuilds you stronger than before.

Thorne believes her mating ceremony will finally give her a place in her pack. Instead, she’s publicly rejected, brutally wounded, and abandoned by the very people who should have protected her. Gabriel’s cruelty is devastating, but what cuts even deeper is the silence of her family as she’s left to crawl into the forest, bleeding and broken, convinced she’s been left to die. The pain of that moment lingers, making Thorne’s journey one of the most emotionally gripping parts of this story.

Enter Altero—exiled, solitary, and determined to remain untethered. He never wanted a mate, never wanted the vulnerability that comes with it. But fate has other plans. When his wolf senses Thorne and he finds her unconscious by the river, dying on his land, the bond snaps into place—powerful, instinctive, and impossible to ignore. Altero’s quiet devotion as he saves her, brings her to his cabin, and stays by her side is deeply moving. He doesn’t make promises. He shows up.

When Thorne wakes and feels the bond, hope and fear collide. After being rejected once, the possibility of being rejected again is almost unbearable—especially when Altero resists giving in to the bond. That tension, born from shared trauma and fear, gives their relationship depth and authenticity. These two aren’t just falling in love; they’re learning how to trust, heal, and believe they are worthy of being chosen.

The chemistry between Thorne and Altero is tender, fierce, and emotionally charged. Their connection grows naturally as they navigate pain, loyalty, and the threat of the past catching up to them. Suspense threads through the story, keeping the stakes high and the pages turning, while the emotional payoff delivers exactly what readers of rejected-mate romances crave.

Claiming the Rejected Mate is a powerful start to the Moon Bound Mates series—an unforgettable tale of a broken heroine finding her strength and a reluctant hero discovering that love is not a weakness, but a lifeline. If you love second-chance mates, protective loners, emotional healing, and bonds worth fighting for, this book deserves a spot at the top of your reading list.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorne is rejected, thrown out like garbage, bleeding, heartbroken, body broken left with no one to help her, including her own family leaving her to die and discovered near a river nearly dead. Altero sexy as all get out banished shifter who has learned to live alone now wanting nothing, but solace didn’t want a mate, but when he saw the beautiful yet broken women by the river dying and everything in him knew he needed to save her making sure she lived. Thorne was grateful but she didn’t want to be rejected again and he wasn’t sure how to be a mate but the more they were around one another the more the bond healed their hearts, opened their minds to accept what was right in front of them allowing them to realize everything they wanted was right there in front of them in each other but is it enough, where are they headed, and have they found their happiness?

[Rah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fine, I guess. It’s short, but somehow the middle is just the same conversation & inner monologues over and over. They barely get to have a conversation.

[Andra Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claiming the Rejected Mate kicks off the Moon Bound Mates series with exactly the kind of emotional punch I want from a new shifter romance: high stakes, intense emotions, and a love story that has to fight its way into the light.

Altero and Thorne both carry wounds that cut deep, and what hit hardest for me is that those wounds weren’t inflicted by enemies. They were caused by the very people who should have loved and protected them. The pack dynamics are brutal, and the betrayal has real consequences, shaping who these two characters are and what they believe they deserve. When one of them is left to die in the forest and the other becomes an unexpected savior, the story snaps into focus: this is going to be about survival, trust, and rebuilding a sense of worth from the ground up.

Their relationship is a slow burn in the best way, not because the chemistry isn’t there, but because the healing has to come first. One of them has to unlearn the idea that love makes you weak. The other has to discover that strength isn’t just about endurance, it’s about choosing yourself and choosing your mate even when the world says you shouldn’t. Watching them grow into that, step by hard-won step, is what made the romance so satisfying.

And for readers who like their romance with teeth, this one delivers: starting with the betrayal and rejection, drama that keeps the tension tight, suspense and action that hit at the right moments, a couple of interesting twists, and steam that feels like a payoff instead of a distraction. Even when the turmoil is relentless, you can’t help rooting for Altero and Thorne, because every victory feels like something they’ve bled for.

If you love rejected mate stories with emotional depth, protective instincts, and a bond that’s forged through fire rather than convenience, Claiming the Rejected Mate is for you. This is a strong start to the series. I finished it already eager for the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura Moylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stygian Pack is meeting for the ceremony of a prophecy being fulfilled as the Moon Goddess had chosen Thorne and Gabriel, her fated mate. Thorne had grown up, different from those of her pack and she grew up with Gabriel, but as they got older and knew they were fated, he became more and more held back and emotionless with her. Her mother is Vitamancer Mireya, once a warrior, and her father, the keeper of the old laws. Having been raised to be the next Luna of the pack, Thorne is ready to do her duty. However, Gabriel rejects her, the pain of it, almost kills her as she runs away. Alpha Maddox had once had a brother, and they were raised by their father and Alpha to be rivals. Altero is Maddox’s brother and the loser, and he lives alone outside the border of the pack’s land. There he finds Thorne and realizes that she is his fated mate. He doesn’t like this and yet, he is able to save her life because of it. As they talk, they begin to admit the feelings for each other that being a fated mate brings to them. Things get weirdly romantic and steamy then. Then, someone from the pack shows up and causes a bit of a problem that they need to deal with. I loved this book, even if I felt it was too short. lol. I can’t wait to see if there are more books in the series. I cried for her pain a few times and once for Altero’s.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon Bound Mates

This was a good story about love, betrayal, rejection and second chances. A good first book to a new series. The only critique I have would be to add some more detail throughout the story to help the reader clearly picture this new world. This is our first time reading about this setting, so when there’s not enough detail, it can leave unanswered questions.

Other than that, it was a good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alter and Thorne’s story has him finding her near death after she was rejected and hurt body and soul by her mate and family. Altering helps her and they feel the bond forming, but they don’t trust or know if they want a mate. But spending time together they find that the second-chance mate will help heal them both and form a never-broken bond.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Loved Altero, the lone wolf and Thorne the rejected mate. Thorne was rejected by Gabriel the alpha, I didn't like him at all. I also didn't like her family, all of them just turned their backs on her. Poor girl is dying in the woods, when Altero finds her helps her heal and claims her. I would have liked them starting a pack of their own though.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great shifter book that grabs you from the start and doesn't let go but I really wish it was longer. Thorne and Altero's story begins with a heartbreaking betrayal then takes you on a journey of survival, discovering the power of love and the healing strength of a bond. I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Helena · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was just OK if I'm being honest. it feels very surface level, not much happens, there's almost no romance and the smut is over too soon and not as engaging as I'd like.

It's basically - she gets rejected, he finds her, a bunch of monologues from each of them, they sleep together, the old mate comes back to get her, she turns him down, it's over.

[Trixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really glad everything turned out well in the end! I'm a bit puzzled by why the FMC has two fated mates and why their levels of want are so different. One seems to struggle to walk away, while the other doesn't seem to care at all. Still, I enjoyed reading the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful read about healing and free choice. It is a shifter story and so that plays into the story but the read really focuses on the healing aspect. The characters were strong and fit together.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting

Good book.
Enjoyed it.
Well written, charming and interesting
Lots of loving, drama and intense action
Good shifter romance.
Good job on interactions between a back, and broken bonds.

[Carol Roll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This was really good. Good characters and storyline along with good twists and turns plus action and suspense. Keeps your attention. Needed to be longer.

[Bahar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice novella

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and short read focusing on Thorne who is rejected by her mate - Gabriel leading to her being shunned by the rest of her pack. Having to learn to rely on herself until she is found by Altero. Someone who has been hurt by his own pack. So like attracts like in regards to both of them. Close proximity gradually kicks off a steamy relationship between both of them. I would have liked more book time with Thorne and Altero but I enjoyed reading this anyway.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 .75stars-CLAIMING THE REJECTED MATE is the first novella in Jade Marshall’s contemporary, adult MOON BOUND MATES paranormal, erotic romance series. This is wolf shifters Altero and Thorne Lioren story line.

NOTE: CLAIMING THE REJECTED MATE was originally released as part of the SHIFTING HEARTS paranormal, anthology. The lead characters are now wolf shifters, and their names have been changed in the new release.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Thorne and Altero) including memories from the past, CLAIMING THE REJECTED MATE focuses on the fated relationship between wolf shifters Thorne and Altero. Like Thorne, Altero is a former member of the Stygian Pack but having lost the bid to lead to his brother Maddox, Altero is now a rogue without a pack , without a family to call his own. Finding Thorne, struggling to survive, Altero knows immediately our heroine is his fated mate but the rejection by another is threatening our heroine’s survival. As our heroine begins towards her journey of recovery, Altero struggles to claim the woman that calls to his heart.

The world building is fast and furious. From rejection to desperation to claimed, Thorne finds herself battling between head and heart, hoping for a second chance at love, a relationship decreed by fate and love.

The relationship between Thorne and Altero begins as a rescue, a rescue in which Altero is determined to claim Thorne as his own but the past returns demanding a second chance, a chance Thorne rejects in the face of humiliation and prior personal rejection. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are limited. We are introduced to wolf shifter Gabriel, the man who rejected our storyline heroine, and through memories, Altero’s brother Maddox.

CLAIMING THE REJECTED MATE is a story of power and control, rejects and betrayal, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is limited but fated; the characters are desperate and determined.


copy supplied for review

[Kat Jowett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it was only short but it was very sweet, my main issue with it was that it could have been so much more, the storyline was brilliant and had so much promise but then ending seemed rushed, there was a lot of build up to the the two main characters bonding after finding each other. Amidst there own feelings and fears and having to face there issues to bond properly for the FMC ex mate who rejected her turning up having his own rejection handed back to him and him announcing they would regret it. To the epilogue a year later, mmc now friends with his estranged brother, the ex mate no where insight and everyone’s moved on.

Now Iplease don’t read this and assume it’s not a good book because it absolutely is and if you want a short, sweet book this is perfect. The author did a fantastic job writing it I just think there could of been more to the end of the story… how did they deal with the ex mate, how did the brothers overcome there issues etc.


All in all if your after a quick, fast paced, page turner that’s easy to read a pretty light then you’ll enjoy this.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow. This book wrecked me in the best way. Thorne being rejected and disposed of like trash. Bleeding and broken with no one to help her. Not even her own family. And then she discovered by Altero on his land. Near a river, dying. He draws near only to find that mate bond suddenly grab him. But I don’t blame him for being afraid. He wanted solace, didn’t want to be with someone. But there she was. And it pulled me in when he took me to his home and tended to her. Made sure she was okay. And the poor woman washed to feel the same bond. Both are in a world of the unknown at this point. She doesn’t want to be rejected again.
This story was so beautiful. The way their trust was found as time went by. That their hearts healed as they got to know one another. Mates. And in time there were able to come together and be such. Their love was deserved, earned, protected. And I loved this for them. This was an absolutely amazing book. I’m so looking forward to the others.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claiming the Rejected Mate is a literal cabin romance. That’s where Thorne ends up when she’s publicly rejected by her fated mate Gabriel and nearly dies from the severed connection. But I guess if one mate bond is gone another can form, as self-exiled loner Altero knows Thorne’s his mate when he finds her perilously close to death and takes her to…his cabin.

I struggled a bit with Marshall giving these wolf shifters the ability to form another mate bond almost instantly. That seemed a bit wild when someone would be healing from the trauma of a severed bond. But if you can work with that, you’ll enjoy this book. Both Thorne and Altero are good at heart even when each is dealing with rejection. And their longing for one another is palpable. The ending was a bit pat, with rather inexplicable actions on Gabriel’s part. But I had a good time reading Claiming the Rejected Mate, and I bet you will, too.

[ltfrom bc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a totally different take on the whole Shifter/Fated Mates. This is story about what happens when the bond between two mates is broken by one. It first becomes a story of survival for Thorne when her bond is stripped from her, her wolf disappears and she is left to die. Then it becomes a story of fated mates when Altero, a banished shifter finds her but who then refuses to accept that bond. It was a quite an interesting read. I debated on whether or not to give it 3 stars or 4 stars. I decided to give it 4 stars due to the uniqueness of the plot. I was disappointed at how short of a story it was (that was why I was thinking maybe 3 stars). It was a very, very short read. I think the author could have expanded on it to make it a longer book and it would have been a much better book. But she didn't and that is her decision. What I did read, was quite enjoyable.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an engaging series opener that starts off with tragedy and pain. Thorne gets publicly rejected by her mate and is left to flee and die on her own. Altero, an exiled shifter, finds her and immediately feels the mate bond to her. He, however, didn't want a mate. Had intended to live his life out on his own. Well, fate had other ideas and it took a while for her to heal enough to be claimed. These two had a strong connection that had challenges to overcome but ended in a fab and steamy HEA. I do wish the book was longer to smooth out their journey more but I really enjoyed how this unfolded. I'm looking forward to the next. Good fun!

[Lisa Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorne never felt like she really belonged in her pack. She figured her mating ceremony to Gabriel, her fated mate, things would be better. When he rejects her as his mate, the pain almost kills and no one in the pack helps her. She is found almost dead by Altero, an outcast who lives by himself.

His wolf knows she is his mate, something he never wanted after leaving his pack. He tries to fight the pull while she heals, thinking that would be best for her, but it is not.

This is a steamy read with so much angst and drama, looking forward to the next in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally prefer books where the rejected mate moves on to find a new mate rather than taking back the one who originally rejected them. And that's exactly what you get with this book, but what makes it even better is that the one who rejected her comes back and tries to win her back. Thorne didn't think she would survive the rejection. Not only did she survive, she thrived. Altero knew once he smelled her that she was his. His fear held him back. Even though she was recently rejected, she had to be strong enough for both of them to show him that what they had could last.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional Shifter Read

A beautiful read with a wonderful HEA in this entertaining read with a rough beginning.

After her rejection and being found, she never expected to be given the gift of a bond but the chemistry between Altero and Thorne is felt from the moment they met.

Their connection is perfect and their love everlasting as this storyline takes you from a heartache of a beginning to a wonderful feeling of tenderness and love as you follow their journey into love and happiness.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 1 of the Moon Bound Mates series. I look forward to more from this world.

'Rejected.
Broken.
Left to die.'

The characters were very complex and complicated and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. All in all a great start to the series. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyndsay L · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing more painful than being rejected by your mate in front of everyone in your pack. Going on the run and being scared of what is going to happen next is terrifying. This was so well- written and kept me on the edge of my seat while I was waiting to see what would happen next. Jade has really gotten into her groove with her shifter series and I have come to love her writing more and more. This is a must read!!!

[Jordan Fiest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claiming The Rejected Mate is book one of the Moon Bound Mates Series.

Here we have two characters who have been through something painful and traumatizing to them. But they are able to heal with each other when given the chance. There is a lot of love felt between these two as they navigate their new future together. Some suspenseful moments as the story progresses.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altero and Thorne needed a second chance. What happened in the past, and not so distant past, shattered emotions and broke faith. Trusting a tenuous connection and nurturing that to a full blown relationship required hope and faith and the willingness to try despite all hesitancy. Book 1 in the new Moon Bound Mates series.

[Joanne Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throne is cruely rejected by Gabriel at their mating ceremony. She is left for dead by everyone in the pack when Altero comes across her.
Altero is surprised when he realises that she is his mate, one that he never wanted.
Throne is determined to make her second chance work even if Altero is not convinced.