As I gazed at Asher, everything else around me gradually blurred into the background. The bond we shared seemed to breathe with life, intertwining us in a manner beyond my understanding. A surge of both thrill and dread quickened my heartbeat, sending a rush of emotions through me. This was the moment that would change everything.
Alpha Dominic's voice cut through the hushed whispers of the pack. We're about to start the ritual for accepting a mate, he declared in a slightly tense manner.
I paused, took a breath and attempted to calm my shaking hands. This is really happening Asher, the future alpha of our pack, was my mate. Me, Aurora Nightshade, the omega, the girl everyone looked down upon. It was a dream come true.
Following tradition, I reached out my hand to Asher, offering it with my palm up, anticipating his grasp to solidify our connection. I gazed into his eyes, hoping to witness the awe and happiness mirrored back at me.
Asher's expression had changed. The initial shock of our bonding had faded, replaced by something that made my stomach churn. Was that… disgust?
I faltered, my outstretched hand wavering. “Asher?” I whispered, too quietly for anyone but him to hear.
He didn't respond. His gaze once filled with warmth now appeared distant and chilly. The group surrounding us fell into a hushed silence, the air, with anticipation as we all awaited Asher's reply.
Suddenly, Luna Sarah pushed through the crowd. Her expression turned fierce as she approached her son, speaking urgently in his ear. I couldn't catch the words. Asher's reaction was swift. His jaw tightened, his gaze becoming more intense.
Time seemed to slow down as Asher took a deliberate step back from me. The loss of proximity made the mate bond ache, a physical pain that radiates through my chest.
“I Asher Thorn rejects Aurora Nightshade as my mate and future Luna of this pack,” Asher declared, his voice ringing out clearly across the clearing.
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stumbled backward, my mind reeling. This couldn't be happening. Mate bonds were sacred, unbreakable. To reject one was… unthinkable.
Gasps and murmurs erupted from the pack. I was vaguely aware of people pointing, whispering, but it all felt distant, as if I was underwater.
“Asher!” Alpha Dominic's voice boomed out, silencing the crowd. “Explain yourself.”
I glanced up at Asher praying that there had been an error, and he would retract his words. However, the expression on his face crushed any lingering hope, instantly.
Asher sneered down at me, his handsome features twisted into something ugly. “Explain myself?” he spat. “It's simple. I won't be saddled with her as my Luna. She's weak, pathetic. The omega.” He practically spat the word. “Can you imagine her bearing my pups? Leading this pack beside me? It's laughable.”
Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart. I had the urge to escape, to find shelter. My limbs refused to cooperate. I remained motionless, unable to move, while Asher shattered all the hopes and dreams I had.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Beta Marcus and Gamma Tyler exchanging satisfied smirks. They never liked me. Now they are enjoying seeing me humiliated…
“Stupid omega thought she could be Luna!”
“As if Asher would ever want you!”
“Go back to the kitchen where you belong!”
Their disapproval weighed heavily on me. I collapsed, my legs failing me. I dropped to the ground, the force sending a shockwave through my body. Tears ran down my cheeks, though I was hardly aware of them. How could this turn of events unfolds? How could the pinnacle of my existence unravel into such an ordeal?
Luna Sarah stepped forward, her face a picture of smug satisfaction. “My son has made the right choice,” she announced to the pack. “We can't let someone like her tarnish our family line. She's a servant. That's all she'll ever amount to.”
Her statement was greeted with cheers of approval. I cowered down attempting to shrink into the background, wishing I could vanish.
All a sudden something struck me. I raised my head to see Kara, a bully who had plagued me for years, picking up another clump of soil. “Here you go omega " she jeered, this is your specialty – wallowing in the dirt!”
She threw the dirt at me, and others quickly joined in. Clumps of earth and small stones pelted me, adding physical pain to the emotional agony I was already enduring.
Through it all, Alpha Dominic stood silent. I looked to him, a last desperate hope for intervention. But his face was a mask of resignation. “If this is your decision, Asher,” he said finally, “then as Alpha, I… I accept your rejection of the mate bond.”
Those words sealed my fate. The tiny bit of hope I was holding on to just shattered. It felt like the end. All my dreams and aspirations had vanished.
I reached my breaking point. I needed to leave that place. I quickly stood up planning to flee, desperate to get out of this horrifying situation.
“Where do you think you're going, omega?”
“Stay here and entertain us!”
“Yeah, dance for us, reject!”
Their cruel laughter washed over me. I turned around searching for an escape route only to find Asher walking away without a glance. He was accompanied by his friends, all chuckling at my situation. Watching him depart emphasized the reality of the situation. There was no coming back from this.
The excitement of the mate ceremony was over, replaced by the thrill of new gossip. I heard snippets of conversation as they left:
“Can you believe what happened?”
“I always knew she was worthless.”
“Thank the Moon Goddess, Asher didn't get stuck with her.”
What would happen to me now? I was still an omega, but now I was worse than that. I was the rejected mate.
As I came to terms with my circumstances, a fresh feeling started to emerge, growing stronger with each passing moment. Anger. Not just at Asher, or Luna Sarah, or the cruel pack members. I was angry at myself. For daring to hope. For believing that I could be more.
I glanced at the blue dress I was eager to put on earlier. It was now dirty and ripped from my tumble. Just like my hopes, it had started out lovely and full of potential, but ended up damaged and left behind.
At that instant, I felt a change within me. The part of me that always believed things could get better, faded away and was gone… In its place, a cold determination took root. I couldn't stay here.
I had to leave.
The thought should have terrified me. I had never been outside of pack lands, never had to fend for myself. Standing there, alone and feeling defeated, the thought of going away seemed like the only choice I had.
I ran into the dark woods, leaving everything familiar behind, I silently promised myself. One day, in some way, I will grow strong.
I sprinted quickly, with tears streaming down my face and mingling with the sweat.I had no idea where I was heading. . I didn't mind. All I knew was that I needed to flee, to escape the shame, the exclusion, and the deep hopelessness that felt like it could consume me entirely.In my hurried escape, I didn't notice the twisted tree root sticking out of the ground. My foot tripped over it, and I suddenly fell. I landed hard, the force making it difficult to breathe. As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I felt my once-lovely blue dress rip even more. It seemed appropriate, I thought sadly. The dress, like my hopes, was now just torn pieces.Gradually, I lifted myself up. At that moment, it dawned on me, the scents around me had changed. The familiar smells of the Clearwater Pack territory were gone, replaced by the unknown scents of unclaimed forest. I had crossed the pack boundary.For a moment, fear made me unable to move. I had never been outside pack lands before. But then I
I slowly opened my eyes, trying to prevent the light from blurring my eyesight. I looked around. This place wasn't the forest, nor was it the infirmary of my old pack. The walls were a gentle beige, and the room had a scent of cleaning supplies mixed with pine. Where am I?Before I could figure out my location, someone hurried over to me. My vision was still a bit unclear, but I could make out wide shoulders and eyes full of concern. As my sight cleared, I saw the face of the most attractive man I had ever laid eyes on. He had a firm jawline, tight with worry, and his dark green eyes looked at me with seriousness.“You're awake,” he said, sounding both relieved and anxious.I wanted to speak, but my throat felt very dry. The man – Alpha, my wolf whispered – reached out to touch my arm.I instinctively moved back, which caused a sharp pain in my body, and I couldn't help but let out a small sound of pain. But what really made me step back was the memory of Asher rejecting me. The unhap
I heard the sound of the infirmary door creaking open. Looking over, I spotted Alpha Xander entering with a tray filled with food. His expression lit up at the sight of me being awake. His smile sent a flutter through my chest.“Morning, Aurora” he greeted me in a soothing tone, his voice resonating warmly. “How are you doing today?”I tried to answer, but I hesitated. How was I feeling? “I… I think I'm feeling better,” I said.Alpha Xander nodded, setting the tray down on a nearby table. “That's good to hear. Do you think you can sit up? You should try to eat something.”I nodded and then started to carefully lift myself up. A sharp pain went through my side, making me flinch… Without a word, Alpha Xander was there, his strong hands gently supporting me. I tensed at first, the memory of Asher's cruel touch still fresh in my mind. But Alpha Xander's hands were different—warm, gentle, steadying. I allowed myself to lean into his support, just a little.Once I was settled, Alpha Xander
The conversation I'd overheard between Alpha Xander and Beta Jaxon echoed in my mind. Border breaches. Rogue wolves. Was I bringing danger to this pack that had shown me nothing but kindness?As the early morning light started to shine through my window, I hugged my blanket closer, feeling uncertain thoughts fill my head. How could I possibly be the Luna this pack needed? I was broken, cast aside by my former pack. What if I am not good enough?A sudden knock at my door interrupted me. “Aurora?” Alpha Xander's deep voice called softly. “Can I come in?”I hesitated before responding, “Yes, come in.”Alpha Xander entered, he was worried with concern as he took in my huddled form. “Aurora, what's the matter?” he inquired, moving to sit beside me on the bed.I couldn't meet his gaze as I quietly admitted, “I'm not sure if I can manage this, Xander. To be your Luna. What if I don't measure up?”He extended his hand and clasped mine, a gesture that felt comforting and warm. “Aurora, please
I stood my ground as Lyra moved closer, her eyes showing her ill intentions. I could feel my heart beating fast. But beneath the fear, a new strength was rising. I was the Luna of this pack, and I wouldn't let Lyra intimidate me.Just as Lyra opened her mouth to speak, a loud crash interrupted our standoff. Beta Jaxon burst into the room, his face etched with urgency.“Luna Aurora!” he called out, barely sparing a glance for Lyra. “Alpha Xander needs you at the border immediately.”Relief and concern flooded through me in equal measure. I gave Lyra one last steady look before turning to follow Beta Jaxon. Whatever was happening at the border, it had to be serious for Xander to send for me.As we raced through the pack grounds, Beta Jaxon filled me in. “A group of wolves appeared at our border, seeking sanctuary. They're in bad shape, Luna. Alpha Xander wants your input on whether to grant them refuge.”My first major decision as Luna. The thought made me feel anxious, but I tried to i
The chaos that broke out when the wolf transformed was more than anything I've witnessed before. Xander's strong leadership prevented the pack from becoming overly anxious as we tried to control the situation. With Zara's expertise, we managed to sedate the wolf, his unnaturally red eyes finally closing as the sedative took effect.“Take him to the dungeon,” Xander ordered, his voice grim. “We'll question him when he wakes.”As the unconscious wolf was carried away, Xander turned to me, his eyes filled with concern. “Aurora, are you alright?”I nodded, though my heart was still racing. “I'm fine. But Xander, what was that? I've never seen a transformation like that before.”He shook his head, looking worried. “I haven't either. But we'll figure this out.” His expression became gentle as he held my face. “For now, get some rest. We'll handle this tomorrow.”I couldn't sleep that night because my mind kept thinking about the scary change over and over. When morning finally came, I was t
I couldn't stop thinking about my dream and the words I heard. “Prepare yourself, Aurora. Your destiny awaits.” What did it mean? And how did it connect to the strange abilities I'd discovered yesterday?Before I had time to think more about it, a gentle knock on my door broke my concentration. Selene peeked inside, her friendly smile a nice break from my troubling thoughts.“Good morning, Aurora,” she said cheerfully. “I hope I'm not disturbing you?”I shook my head and returned a small smile. What's up?Selene's eyes sparkled with excitement. “Well, Zara and I were thinking… How would you like to join us for a girls' night tonight? Just the three of us, some wine, good food, and lots of girl talk.”I hesitated. The offer was really appealing, but I still felt a bit cautious about fully trusting them. Selene seemed to pick up on my hesitation and said, “It would be really important to us if you joined. We'd enjoy the opportunity to become better friends with you.”Before I could say
I inhaled deeply and knocked on Xander's office door. We were close, but I still felt a bit nervous every time I saw him.“Come in, Aurora,” his deep voice boomed.He was bent over the desk, his forehead creased, looking at some paper. The sight of him so focused made my heart jump, but I just tried to ignore the feeling.“You wanted to see me,” I asked.Xander looked up, his intense gaze softening as it met mine. “Yes, please sit down. We need to discuss this message from the High Alpha Council.”I settled into the chair across from him, curiosity piqued. “The High Alpha Council?”He nodded, “There is so much you don't know, Aurora. The Council is the highest governing body in werewolf society. They oversee all packs, mediate disputes between alphas, and make decisions that affect our entire species.”As Xander explained the intricate political structure of our world, I found myself fascinated. It was so much more complex than I'd ever imagined during my time in the Clearwater Pack.