Chapter Two

—MOONSHADOW PACK TERRITORY, AETHERIA—

The words hung in the air, sharp and cold, like shards of ice piercing Madeleine’s heart. Her smile faltered, then crumbled completely. She looked at Philip, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Philip, what… what are you saying?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

A ripple of murmurs went through the crowd. Werewolves shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Madeleine and Philip.

Philip released her hand, his touch now feeling like a burn. He looked at her, and Madeleine saw something in his eyes that she’d never seen before. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t even indifference. It was… revulsion.

“Did you actually believe this ceremony was for you?” he asked, his voice laced with cruelty. He let out a harsh, humourless laugh. “Did you honestly think I would ever choose you?”

Madeleine’s breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn’t understand. All the assurances, the whispered words of affections, the promises of forever. Had it all been a lie?

He turned away from her, his gaze sweeping over the assembled pack members. “My fellow pack members. Elders,” he began, his voice ringing with authority. “I stand before you today to ask you one simple question. Why should I be mated to Madeleine Blackwood?”

He gestured towards her, his expression contorted with disdain. “Why do we call her a member of our pack? Why do we call her a werewolf? Is it because she’s the daughter of the Alpha? Is a wolf that cannot shift, really a wolf?”

His words were like daggers, each one twisting deeper into Madeleine’s soul. She was different. She’d always known it. While other werewolves could shift into their wolf forms, she couldn’t. She was… flawed. Defective. She’d tried so hard to hide her shame, to pretend that it didn’t matter, but Philip’s words ripped away the facade, exposing her deepest insecurities to the harsh light of judgment.

The crowd murmured, their whispers now louder, more pointed. Madeleine felt their eyes on her, their gazes filled with pity, disgust, and something that looked like satisfaction.

“Philip, what is going on?” she pleaded, her voice choked with tears. “What are you doing?”

He turned back to her, his face a mask of cold indifference. “I’m doing what should have been done a long time ago,” he said, his voice dripping with venom. “Getting rid of a useless and defective piece of crap.”

Madeleine gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The words echoed in her ears, each syllable a hammer blow to her heart. She took a step back, her eyes wide with horror. “What do you mean? You love me, don’t you? You said so. You’re my mate. What’s going on?”

Philip barked out another laugh, devoid of any warmth. “Love you? I don’t even hate you. I’m just repulsed that a being like you exists, and I almost bonded myself to you.”

“You’re lying,” Madeleine screamed, tears streaming down her face. “Why? Why are you doing this? I know you. You won’t hurt me.” She clung to that belief, to the memory of their shared moments, the stolen kisses, the whispered promises. Surely, that couldn’t all have been a lie?

“You know me?” Philip sneered. “If you do, you’ll know I feel nothing for you. You’re not worth having any feelings towards.”

Madeleine’s world was crumbling around her. The man she loved, the man she believed loved her in return, was standing before her, his eyes filled with repulsion, his words laced with cruelty. The future she’d imagined, the forever she’d dreamed of, shattered into a million pieces.

“Enough of this,” a voice boomed. Titus Blackwood stepped forward, his face a thundercloud. Madeleine turned to him, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. Surely, her father wouldn’t let this happen. Surely, he would protect her.

But as she watched her father approach the Oracle, the hope died a slow, agonizing death. Titus Blackwood stopped in front of the Oracle, his gaze filled with not anger, not disappointment, but something way worse. Cold, calculated indifference.

“That… thing,” he said, pointing at Madeleine, his voice devoid of any warmth or affection, “is no daughter of mine.”

The words, spoken with such cold finality, echoed through the grove, each syllable a nail hammered into the coffin of her heart. Her father, the man who was supposed to love and protect her, had disowned her. Just like that. As if she were nothing more than a discarded toy or a broken piece of furniture.

“Hear me,” Titus continued, his voice ringing with authority. “I hand over the title of Alpha to Philip Grey. He will do with the aberration as he sees fit.”

A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Madeleine’s head snapped towards Philip, her eyes wide with terror. He would do with her as he saw fit? What did that mean? The implications were terrifying.

The pack members erupted in cheers, their howls of approval deafening. Madeleine looked around at the faces she’d known her whole life, faces that were now contorted with bloodlust. They were celebrating her downfall, her rejection, her misfortune.

Madeleine stumbled back, her legs trembling. She felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare, a cruel and twisted dream from which she couldn’t wake. She reached out a hand towards her father, a silent plea for help, for understanding, for love.

“Dad, what are…?” she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

Titus turned towards her, his eyes cold and hard. He raised his hand, and before Madeleine could react, he struck her across the face. The force of the blow sent her sprawling into the dirt, pain registering from the blow and the impact with the ground, but it was nothing compared to the agony in her heart.

“You are no daughter of mine,” he stated, his voice flat and emotionless. He turned away, his back to her, and walked towards the other pack members, leaving Madeleine lying in the dirt, alone and abandoned.

The world swam before her eyes. She could hear the cheers of the pack, the triumphant laughter of Philip, but it all seemed distant, muffled, as if she were underwater. She felt numb, disconnected from reality. How could this be happening? How could her life, her dreams, her love, be shattered so completely, so brutally?

The Moon Oracle, who had remained silent throughout the entire ordeal, finally spoke. Her voice, though soft, carried an undeniable weight of power silencing the crowd. “To whom will you be mated?” she asked Philip, her gaze unwavering.

Philip, his face flushed with triumph, stepped forward. “To the one with whom my wolf is most at peace,” he declared, his voice ringing with confidence. “To my true half, Rebecca Grimlock.”

He extended his hand towards Rebecca, who stepped forward with a triumphant smile, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee.

Madeleine watched in horror as Rebecca took Philip’s hand, their fingers intertwining. They stood together, facing the Oracle, their bodies close, their eyes locked. The picture of perfect, destined love. A love that Madeleine had so desperately craved. A love that had been ripped away from her in the blink of an eye.

The Oracle nodded her consent. “I will bless the union,” she said, her voice echoing through the grove.

Madeleine stared in shock at the Oracle. How could she bless them? How could she condone this cruelty? What about her? What about the bond that was supposed to exist between mates? What about the love that she had believed, with all her heart, was real?

“Who will be the witness to your consummation?” the Oracle continued, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Rebecca’s smile widened, her eyes locking onto Madeleine’s. “Madeleine Blackwood,” she said, her voice dripping with venomous sweetness.

“I refuse,” Madeleine screamed, her voice raw with pain and anger. “After all this, you expect me to watch as he… as he…” The words caught in her throat, choked by tears and disgust.

“You have no choice,” Philip replied, his voice laced with a cruel taunt. “It is an order from your Alpha.” He let his eyes shift to their golden yellow, his aura heavy with Alpha dominance, and his voice resonated with power. “Obey.”

Despite her inner turmoil, despite her hatred and disgust, Madeleine felt her body respond to the Alpha’s command. She had no choice. She was bound by the will of the Alpha. Her own desires, her own feelings, were irrelevant.

With a heavy heart and with tears streaming down her face, Madeleine followed Philip and Rebecca towards the marriage tent. She knew what was going to happen inside, and the thought of it made her stomach turn. She couldn’t bear to witness their intimacy, their consummation, the final, brutal confirmation of her rejection.

Madeleine felt her heart break again as she watched Rebecca kiss Philip. She tried to turn away from the sight but she couldn't fight the pull to obey the Alpha's orders.

She watched as Philip bit down on Rebecca's neck, drawing blood and marking her as his own.

Rebecca looked up at Madeleine, her gaze filled with malice and spiteful satisfaction. Rebecca locked her gaze with Madeleine’s as she bit down on Philip's neck and marked him as hers.

Madeleine cried out with rage and pain as she attacked them both, fighting off the pull of the Alpha's command. Philip turned and caught her by the neck before her attack could be completed.

He gave her a cold and emotionless smile as he squeezed, hindering her breathing. Madeleine felt the life leaving her body as she beat at his arm.

Philip let her go and she sank to the floor, the world around her fading away with the moans from the consummation she was being forced to witness ringing in her ears.

So, this was it. Her whole life and her dreams, gone. All because she was different. A curse. An aberration. A defect.

Hearing those words from Philip's mouth had broken something deep within her. Something she believed would never be fixed again.