The night smelled like betrayal.
It clung to my skin, thick and suffocating, mixing with the sharp scent of pine and damp earth beneath my feet. The pack grounds were alive tonight wolves laughing, glasses clinking, music echoing through the trees.
A celebration.
My celebration.
I tightened my grip on the silk of my dress, my heart pounding wildly against my ribs as I stepped closer to the clearing. Tonight was supposed to change everything.
Tonight, I would finally be claimed.
My mate.
My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless, anxious… hopeful.
He's here, she whispered.
I felt it too. That pull. That invisible thread tugging at my soul, guiding me forward like I had no control over my own body.
The bond.
Sacred. Unbreakable. Blessed by the Moon Goddess.
At least… that's what I used to believe.
A hush fell over the crowd as I stepped into the center of the clearing. Dozens of eyes turned toward me curious, expectant, some even envious.
After all, not everyone gets chosen by an Alpha.
And not just any Alpha.
Him.
He stood at the far end, tall, unmoving, his presence commanding the entire space without effort. Power rolled off him in waves, suffocating and undeniable.
My mate.
My lips parted slightly as our eyes met, and for a brief, fragile moment… my heart softened.
This was it.
This was fate.
I took a step forward.
Then another.
Each step felt heavier than the last, like something deep inside me was trying to hold me back but I ignored it. I had waited too long for this moment.
Dreamed too long.
Loved too long.
When I finally stood before him, close enough to feel the heat of his body, my wolf went still.
Silent.
Afraid.
That should have been my first warning.
"Alpha…" I breathed, my voice softer than I intended.
His expression didn't change.
No warmth.
No recognition.
No claim.
Just cold, unreadable eyes staring down at me like I was nothing.
A flicker of unease twisted in my chest.
"This bond" I began, my voice trembling slightly despite my effort to steady it. "We both feel it. The Moon Goddess has"
"I reject you."
The words fell like a blade.
Sharp. Final. Merciless.
For a second… I didn't understand.
The world went quiet. Too quiet. Like the forest itself had stopped breathing.
My heart skipped.
Then shattered.
"I… what?" My voice cracked, barely audible even to my own ears.
Gasps rippled through the crowd behind me.
"I, Alpha.." his voice rang out, loud and clear for everyone to hear, "reject you as my mate."
The bond snapped.
I felt it.
Not physically… but deeper.
Like something inside my soul had been ripped apart with bare hands.
A strangled sound tore from my throat as I stumbled back, my chest tightening painfully as if I couldn't breathe.
No.
No, this wasn't right.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
"M-My Alpha…" I whispered, desperation creeping into my voice as tears blurred my vision. "Why…?"
For a split second, something flickered in his eyes.
Regret?
No.
It vanished too quickly.
"You are not worthy of standing beside me," he said coldly.
Each word struck harder than the last.
Laughter broke out somewhere in the crowd.
Low. Mocking. Cruel.
My humiliation burned hotter than the pain.
Not worthy.
The words echoed in my mind, over and over again, drowning out everything else.
My wolf whimpered.
And for the first time in my life… I felt something crack beyond repair.
Under the watchful gaze of the Moon above
Fate had rejected me.