Chapter 1: The Alpha's Betrayal

As the full moon hung high in the sky, sending its ethereal radiance over the towering trees that surrounded the Moonstone pack's territory, the air was filled with the astringent aroma of pine and soil. Although the air was calm and dense with expectation, it had a chilly and harsh sensation as it came into contact with Aria's skin. As she stood on the edge of the meadow, her heart was pounding, and her wolf was quietly prowling inside her, longing to be let free. She was meant to have a special night tonight, the night when everything would be different.

Ever since she was sixteen years old, when she first felt the spark of her wolf, she had been waiting for this moment, the time when she would discover her mate. That one who was supposed to be her partner in life. In addition, she had prayed and hoped that it would be Damien Blackwood, who would eventually become the Alpha of the Moonstone pack. Her first love, the only love she ever had.

Since childhood, they had been united, growing up together, training together, and dreaming together. They began their lives together. Since the beginning, she had never left his side, encouraging him and having faith in him. But tonight, as her twenty-first birthday drew near, the connection ought to have snapped into place, bringing them together as mates for the rest of their lives.

She did not experience any warmth; rather, she was just aware of coldness and remoteness. As Damien stood in front of her, his countenance was impenetrable, and his black eyes were icy as he peered at her with a piercing and distant glare that she had never seen before. A terrible clenching of Aria's heart occurred with each passing second of quiet, as if a dagger were being inserted deeper into her chest.

The question "Damien?" With a thick layer of perplexity and pain, her voice was hardly audible above a whisper.

It seemed as if she caught a glimpse of hesitancy in his eyes for a brief instant, but it vanished as fast as it appeared. His jaw tensed, and she believed she saw it for a minute. His stance became hard, and he straightened his back, as if he were getting himself ready for what he was going to do.

"Aria, I am unable to do this," he continued, his tone solid but devoid of the warmth that she had before experienced in his voice.

Within her, her wolf began to stir impatiently, feeling the rejection before she did. A low growl could be heard vibrating deep within her. "What do you mean by saying that you are unable to complete this task?" She took a step forward, her hands shaking as she reached for him, but he retreated, pulling away from her so that he was no longer within her grasp.

The words "I've made my decision" came out of his mouth as he looked away from her face. "The elders and my father are in agreement. It is imperative that I ensure the future of the pack. I require a companion that is capable of bolstering the Moonstone pack via the formation of alliances and authority.

Her heart came to a halt. "You're going to turn me down?" On her tongue, the words seemed strange, as if they did not belong in this world, as if they could not possibly be true of what they were saying.

It was sufficient for Damien to remain silent as a response.

Her breath caught, and she could feel the earth swaying under her feet. Aria's breath caught. She had heard about rejections in the past, but she never in her wildest dreams imagined that it would happen to her—by the guy who had held her heart for such a long time.

The words "I... I'm your mate" came out of her mouth in a stuttering manner, and her eyes began to flood up with tears. "It is in our best interest to be together."

The remorse that was seen in his eyes was evident, but it was too late to change his mind. He finally met her gaze. Aria, "It's for the best," she said. It is imperative that I put the needs of the pack first. We must need more powerful partnerships, and you... you are not sufficient."

The words struck her like a sharp punch to the body. It is not sufficient. This was her biggest dread, the uncertainty that she had hidden deep inside her, and it had always been her greatest fear. It had now come to life in the most excruciating manner that could possibly be imagined.

While she stumbled back, her wolf screaming in misery within her head, her vision became blurry as tears began to fall from her eyes. The connection that was supposed to develop between them was severed before it could ever take root, and in its place, an emptiness that is both empty and distressing was left behind.

Damien turned and walked away without uttering a single word, leaving her to fend for herself in the clearing, her heart crushed beyond repair.

After being rejected by him, Aria fell on her knees, feeling the weight of his rejection crushing down on her like a tsunami. Her chest was filled with a burning agony that threatened to suffocate her. The pain was intolerable and spread throughout her chest. In the back of her mind, her wolf whined, curling up into a ball, just as broken as she found herself.

While she was kneeling in the mud and stared blankly at the location where Damien had stood, she was unsure of how long she had persisted in that position. When she was in the midst of her despair, time lost all significance.

However, when some time had passed, the numbness started to take hold, and it gradually replaced the sharp edges of the agony with a chilly, empty emptiness. As she brushed away her tears, her heart became more resolute with each every second that passed.

It was necessary for her to go. The situation was hopeless for her in this place. There was no longer a sense of security in the pack that she had always considered to be her home. Soon enough, the rejection would go around the pack, and there would be rumors of the rejected Luna, who may not have been sufficient for the future Alpha. It was too much for her to endure to face such humiliation.

Aria struggled to get to her feet and pushed herself to breathe, think, and move. She stood up with trembling. Getting away from this place was necessary for her; she wanted to get away from the memories and the anguish. The ideas that were running through her head about where she might go and what she could do were already rushing as she headed toward the woodland.

However, just as she was taking her first stride toward freedom, she heard a voice calling out from the darkness. When are you going to go, Aria?

As she turned around to see the person emerging from the shadows cast by the trees, her blood began to run cold. Lucas Ashford, the mysterious millionaire who had just developed an interest in the realm of the supernatural, was the one doing the talking. With his towering stature and commanding presence, he exuded both authority and menace. When he looked at her with a smile that sent thrills down her spine, his black hair was slicked back, and his piercing eyes glinted in the moonlight. He was the one who was looking at her.

At the same time that her voice was raspy from sobbing, it was filled with the defiance that was still burning within of her. "What do you want?" she screamed.

A grin spread over Lucas's face as he approached her, and his eyes never left hers as he did so. "I heard you were available," he replied in a casual manner, as if they were talking about the weather. The phrase "I'm in need of a wife"

Aria's eyes blinked as her mind struggled to comprehend what he had just spoken. Please excuse me.

It seemed as if he had all the time in the world as he came to a halt a few feet away from her with his hands tucked into his pockets. "For a considerable amount of time, I have been searching for an individual who can play the character of Luna. For some reason, you are the perfect candidate.

The pounding of her heart in her chest was excruciating, but she was unable to determine if it was caused by rage or perplexity. She snapped, "I'm not interested," in response. Seek out another individual.

On his face, Lucas showed a look of amusement by raising an eyebrow. I was not requesting your attention in anything. I was presenting you with a solution to get out of this predicament. His hand pointed in the direction of the area where Damien had left her, and the remembrance caused her stomach to churn into a knot.

While she was gazing at him, she crossed her arms. Furthermore, what gives you the impression that I would ever agree to it?

She felt a shiver go down her spine as Lucas moved closer to her, his eyes darkening with a seriousness that stole her breath away. To put it simply, Aria, you have nothing left in this place. Your partner has turned you down, and the rest of the pack will follow his example. You are going to be a burden and an outcast. With me, however, you have the opportunity to have a future—one in which you are not only some rejected Luna. You may become strong if you were with me.

The words lingered in the air, luring her in ways that she did not want to acknowledge the existence of. Indeed, he was correct. She had nothing left in this place, and the idea of remaining in this pack while Damien moved on without her was the most intolerable thing in the world to her. However, the concept of being bound to Lucas, a guy whom she had only a passing familiarity with, was like exchanging one prison for another.

"I do not trust you," she said in a direct manner.

The deep and menacing sound of Lucas's laughter was audible. It is not at this time that I need your faith. The only thing I need is your consent. Later on, we will take care of the rest."

While Aria was considering her choices, her thoughts were racing. Even though she did not want to accompany him, she had no other option than to do so. There were two options available to her: either she could remain in this place and wallow in her unhappiness, or she could take charge of her life and construct a new route, even if that road was unpredictable and risky.

In spite of the turbulence that was occurring inside of her, she maintained her composure and met his eyes while taking a deep breath. "That's fine. Yes, I will marry you.

A sneer appeared on Lucas's face once again, and he extended his hand. "Therefore, we have reached an agreement."

There was just a brief moment of hesitation on Aria's part before she took his hand and bind her destiny.

Despite the fact that she had no clue what was going to happen next, she knew for a certain that this was just the beginning.