Chapter 1 The Rejection

The night I had been waiting for all my life finally arrived.

The moon hung high above the clearing, silver light spilling across the gathered crowd. The air buzzed with anticipation; whispers, laughter, and footsteps merged into a restless hum that made my heart race even faster.

I stood near the edge of the ceremony grounds, my palms clammy despite the cool night breeze. This was it-the night I turned eighteen. The night the Moon Goddess herself would reveal my fated mate. Every wolf in the pack dreamed of this day, and now it was finally mine.

I tried to steady my breathing, but excitement and fear tangled inside me until I felt like I was floating. My chest rose and fell quickly, as if my body already knew that everything was about to change.

I smoothed my trembling hands down the skirt of my pale-blue dress. It wasn't fancy-nothing compared to the gowns some of the other girls wore-but it was mine. Aunt Clara had sewn it for me, insisting I looked "ethereal" in blue. I wanted to believe her, though part of me feared that no matter what I wore, I'd always look like the pack's fragile orphan girl.

But tonight, none of that should matter. Tonight, the Moon Goddess would prove I belonged.

"Selene!" My cousin Lila hissed, waving from a group of girls. "Come stand with us!"

I shook my head quickly. My nerves were too tangled to join their chatter. If I opened my mouth, I might throw up.

The drums began to beat at the edge of the clearing. My heart lurched at the sound. One by one, the conversations died down, until only the steady rhythm filled the night. The crowd parted, and all eyes turned toward the raised platform where the Alpha stood.

Kael.

The sight of him made my chest tighten. Even before the mate bond, I knew he was everything a wolf could want. He towered above most men, broad-shouldered, strong, and devastatingly handsome beneath the moonlight. His hair, dark as midnight, framed a face carved with sharp lines and an expression that rarely softened. He was only twenty-three, yet already the Alpha of our pack. Feared. Respected. Desired.

And tonight, one lucky woman would be bound to him forever.

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. I didn't dare imagine it, but deep down, my heart whispered a dangerous wish: Please, Moon Goddess... let it be me.

---

The ceremony began with the Elder's chant, words in the ancient tongue flowing over us like wind. Couples stepped forward one after another, sparks igniting as bonds were revealed. Each time, the crowd cheered, the air filling with joy and envy alike.

I tried to pay attention, but my eyes kept sliding back to Kael. He stood with the authority of a king, his expression unreadable, his hands clasped behind his back. His wolf aura radiated strength so potent it made the air vibrate. He was everything I wasn't-strong, sure, untouchable.

"Next." The Elder's voice rang out. My name echoed across the clearing.

"Selene."

My heart stopped. My knees wobbled, but somehow I moved forward, each step heavy with the weight of destiny. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Whispers chased me like shadows.

"She's the orphan girl."

"Too weak. She can't even shift yet."

"The Alpha won't accept her..."

I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to block them out. My hands trembled as I climbed the steps, until I stood before Kael. His eyes-piercing, silver-gray-met mine. The bond snapped into place instantly.

Sparks raced across my skin, igniting every nerve, setting my soul on fire. My breath caught. My heart thundered. This was it-proof from the Moon Goddess herself. He was mine. My fated mate.

A smile, shaky but radiant, tugged at my lips. "Kael... we're-"

"Enough."

His voice cut like a blade, cold and final.

The crowd fell silent. My smile froze, confusion spreading through me like ice.

Kael's gaze hardened. "The Moon Goddess may have made you my mate, Selene. But I do not accept you."

The words slammed into me with the force of a blow. My stomach twisted. My lungs seized.

"I reject you."

Gasps erupted around us. The sound tore through the night, cruel and sharp. My vision blurred, tears stinging my eyes, but I forced myself to stand tall. "W-What?" My voice cracked, too small, too broken. "You... you can't mean that."

"I mean every word." His tone was merciless, his silver eyes flashing with disdain. "You're weak. Pathetic. You can't even shift. How could someone like you ever be Luna of this pack? I will not bind myself to weakness."

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Whispers turned venomous.

"He rejected her!"

"I knew it!"

"She's worthless."

My knees trembled, but I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms. My heart screamed inside me, but my pride begged me not to fall apart before them all. "Kael... please. The bond... the Moon Goddess chose us-"

He stepped closer, towering over me, his voice low but sharp enough for all to hear. "The Moon Goddess made a mistake."

The words shattered me. My chest felt hollow, my breath ragged. The sparks I'd felt moments ago burned out, replaced with a pain so deep it sliced through my soul.

I staggered back, tears spilling down my cheeks despite my fight to hold them in. Lila's wide eyes found mine in the crowd, her hand covering her mouth. Even she looked pitying.

Kael turned away from me as if I were nothing. "The ceremony continues. Next."

The Elder hesitated, but one glare from Kael silenced him. Another couple was called forward, as if my world hadn't just been ripped apart.

I stumbled down the steps, my vision hazy, my heart splintering with every step. People whispered, laughed, sneered, but I couldn't hear them clearly anymore. My chest was too tight, my breaths too shallow.

Rejected. By my mate. In front of everyone.

---

I don't remember how I made it to the edge of the clearing. My legs carried me blindly, my tears blurring the world. I pushed through the trees, branches scratching my skin, the cool night air biting at my wet cheeks. My wolf whimpered inside me, wounded, broken, lost.

When I could no longer run, I collapsed against a tree, gasping. My chest ached as if claws had ripped it open. The bond still pulsed faintly, a cruel reminder of what I'd lost, of what he'd thrown away.

"Why?" My voice cracked as I whispered into the night. "Why me? Why would you give me a mate, Goddess, only to let him destroy me?"

No answer came. Only the rustle of leaves and the distant laughter of the pack that no longer wanted me.

I buried my face in my hands and wept.