Chapter 1: The Rejection

The full moon hung high in the ink-black sky, casting an eerie glow over the gathering crowd. The air in Crescent Falls was electric, buzzing with anticipation. Tonight was the Alpha’s annual gathering a celebration of pack unity, power, and tradition. But for Seraphina Gray, tonight was more than that. It was the night everything was supposed to change.

Her heart pounded as she stood in the centre of the Silver Moon Pack’s grand courtyard, her breath visible in the crisp air. She adjusted her dress a flowing silver gown that hugged her curves and tried to steady her nerves. The murmurs of the pack surrounded her like a tide, threatening to pull her under. They all knew why she was here, why she was glowing with nervous energy.

She was turning eighteen. Tonight, the mate bond would activate, and fate would reveal her other half.

She scanned the crowd, searching for him. Alpha Kael Ashford.

He stood near the grand bonfire, his commanding presence drawing every eye in the crowd. The firelight danced across his sharp jawline and the faint scar cutting through his left eyebrow. His black suit fit him like a second skin, exuding dominance and authority. Kael wasn’t just the Alpha; he was the Alpha. Ruthless, powerful, and utterly unattainable.

Except tonight, he was supposed to be hers.

Seraphina swallowed hard. She had waited years for this moment, had dreamed of the day the bond would snap into place, tying her to him for eternity. The stories of fated mates—the unbreakable connection, the overwhelming love—had been her guiding light. And though Kael was cold and distant, she believed that the bond would soften him, reveal the man hidden beneath the armour.

As Kael’s piercing grey eyes locked onto hers, her breath hitched. The world seemed to slow, the crowd fading into the background.

It was happening.

The mate bond surged through her veins like a lightning bolt, setting every nerve alight. Her wolf howled in joy, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She could feel the pull, the magnetic force drawing her toward him.

“Kael,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she stepped forward.

But his expression didn’t soften. If anything, his eyes grew colder, his jaw tightening. He raised a hand, silencing the murmurs of the pack.

“I know why you’re here, Seraphina,” he said, his voice like steel.

Her heart soared at the sound of her name on his lips, but the cold edge in his tone sent a shiver down her spine.

He stepped closer, towering over her. The space between them felt like an abyss.

“Fate,” he began, his voice carrying over the silent crowd, “has deemed us mates.”

Seraphina’s lips parted in a tentative smile, her heart hammering in anticipation.

“But,” he continued, his voice sharp enough to cut, “I reject you.”

The words hit her like a physical blow, knocking the air from her lungs.

“What? What do you mean?” she breathed, barely able to process what she had just heard.

“I, Kael Ashford, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Seraphina Gray, as my mate.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Her legs wobbled, threatening to give out beneath her. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“Wait! Why?” she choked out, her voice breaking. “Why would you do this? Why would you suddenly reject me?”

Kael’s eyes burned into hers, unrelenting and merciless. “You’re weak, Seraphina. A Luna needs to be strong, capable of standing beside an Alpha. You’re... ordinary.”

His words were daggers, each one sinking deeper into her chest. The pack’s whispers grew louder, a cacophony of judgment and pity. Her vision blurred with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

“You don’t even know me,” she whispered, her voice trembling with anger and heartbreak.

“I know enough,” he replied coldly. “This pack deserves a Luna worthy of its strength, not a girl who clings to fairy tales about fate.”

The crowd erupted into murmurs, some shocked, others agreeing with their Alpha. Seraphina’s fists clenched at her sides. Her wolf growled, furious at the rejection, but she forced herself to stand tall.

“If I’m so weak,” she said, her voice rising despite the lump in her throat, “why not give me a chance to prove you wrong?”

Kael stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. “You think strength is something you can prove? Strength is innate. It’s earned through battle, through blood, not by pleading for validation.”

His words were venom, but beneath the icy exterior, Seraphina caught a flicker of something else, regret? Pain? It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his cold mask.

“But” Saphrina said 

“Enough,” he said, turning his back to her. “This conversation is over.”

The finality in his tone was like a door slamming shut. Seraphina stood frozen, the weight of his rejection pressing down on her chest like a boulder. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to make him see her worth, but the words wouldn’t come.

Instead, she turned on her heel and ran.

---

The woods swallowed her whole, their dark embrace a welcome refuge from the prying eyes of the pack. Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled through the underbrush, her breath ragged.

“Stupid,” she muttered to herself. “How could you be so stupid?”

Her wolf whimpered in her mind, mourning the severed bond. The pain was unbearable, like a piece of her soul had been ripped away.

She didn’t stop running until she reached a clearing, the moonlight bathing the ancient stones in a ghostly glow. Her chest heaved as she collapsed to her knees, the sobs she had been holding back finally breaking free.

“Why?” she cried, her voice echoing in the silence. “Why wasn’t I enough?”

The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a strange energy that pricked her skin. Seraphina looked up, her tears blurring her vision. In the centre of the clearing stood a stone pedestal, its surface etched with runes that seemed to pulse with light.

Drawn by an unseen force, she rose to her feet and approached the pedestal. Her fingers brushed the surface, and a jolt of energy shot through her, igniting her veins with fire.

Her wolf stirred, alert and wary. What is this?

The runes flared brighter, and a voice ancient and powerful whispered in her mind.

“You are not weak, child,” it said, sending chills down her spine. “You are chosen.”

Seraphina’s heart raced as the pedestal’s light engulfed her, wrapping her in warmth and power. Images flashed through her mind wolves battling in the moonlight, a crown of silver resting on her head, Kael kneeling before her.

The light faded, leaving her breathless and trembling. She looked down at her hands, which now glowed faintly with the same runic light.

“What’s happening to me?” she whispered, her voice shaking.

Before she could process what she had just experienced, a low growl echoed through the clearing.

Her head snapped up, and her heart leapt into her throat.

Kael stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes wide with shock and something he couldn’t quite place.

“Seraphina,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “What have you done?.......”