The moon was full, casting its silver glow over the forest clearing where the entire Bloodfang Pack had gathered. Lanterns floated in the air, music echoed from the lodge, and wolves in their human forms celebrated what was supposed to be a sacred night—the night the Alpha would claim his mate.
Me.
I stood under the moonlight, my heart pounding. My name, Aria Lowell, had just been announced. My scent had changed hours ago. The signs were undeniable—I was Alpha Lucien Blackthorn's fated mate.
But instead of joy in his eyes, I saw fury.
Lucien stepped forward, towering and cold, his midnight-black hair brushing his brow. His eyes—once warm when we were kids—were now full of something cruel.
"No," he growled. "The Moon Goddess made a mistake."
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
"I reject you, Aria Lowell," he said, his voice as sharp as a blade. "You are not worthy to be my Luna."
Silence.
Then laughter—low and bitter—from his Beta. Whispers. Pity.
My chest cracked open. I could feel the bond tearing inside me, like someone had ripped a thread from my soul.
Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall. I stood tall. I would not beg.
"You've made your choice," I said, voice trembling. "Don't expect me to crawl back when you regret it."
Lucien smirked, as if the idea amused him.
I turned and walked away with nothing but the shredded pieces of my heart and the haunting weight of rejection.
What I didn't know was that this wasn't the end of my story.
It was just the beginning.