I ACCEPT SELENE

CELESTE

I had always fantasized about today in my twenty-two years of existence. When I'd finally get to see my mate. He wouldn't hesitate to accept me and love me regardless of being at the bottom of the rank.

I had thought a feast would be thrown, especially if he was of a higher rank than I was, and he'd parade me around the pack house, declaring how fortunate he was to have me as his mate.

But I guessed I was being delusional.

I didn't expect to see disgust on his face either.

The feeling from before instantly vanished leaving behind fear and confusion.

Alpha Kieran scowled, moving three steps away from me. Then he turned back to me again.

"You called for me," I stuttered as he said nothing.

"Why did you call me mate?" he asked me.

I shook my head. I didn't know what to say. Why else would I call him that if he wasn't my mate? Wasn't that obvious?

He was concerned about me calling him mate, while I was concerned about the reason he had summoned me.

Even though it was common knowledge that omegas were a pleasure thing for werewolves of higher ranking, I didn't think Alpha Kieran would ever take notice of me, let alone want me to pleasure him.

Or maybe he had requested an omega to be brought, and Owen had told me to go out of spite.

"I fucking asked you a question," He snapped, causing me to jump.

"I-I..." I stuttered, my eyes going wide as he neared me.

My mouth opened and I breathed noisily through it. He must have seen how terrified I looked, and that made him stop in his tracks.

Alpha Kieran grimaces, pushing a hand through his golden brown hair.

He frowned at me briefly. His face relaxed and he began to move towards me again. But that didn't make me less afraid of him.

With each step he took, I moved backward twice to ensure he didn't get too close the distance between us.

"I'm not hurting you," he assured me, causing me to stop moving.

Well, I didn't have anywhere else to move to because taking even one step would cause my back to hit the wall.

I sucked in a deep breath, refusing to let it out as he finally reached me.

Alpha Kieran places both his hands above my head, caging me.

"What did you see?" he asked me.

"What?" I questioned, confused.

"Two nights ago, in the woods at..." Alpha Kieran trailed off. He shut his eyes, his teeth gritted, and when he opened them once again, his once lovely hazel eyes became golden.

"Get out of my sight," he ordered.

"What?" I blinked several times to understand what was happening.

First, he was my mate. Then he acted weird and asked what I saw two nights ago, and now he wanted me to leave!

I swear by the goddess; I got confused as each second ticked by.

"Get out of here before I lose my cool!" he bellowed.

"I'm sorry, Alpha," I rushed out, scurrying out of the room, ignoring the eyes of the guards that were on me.

I didn't stop running until I was safe in my room. Sliding down the length of the old wooden door, I brought my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Why?" I murmured, blinking back the tears that gathered in my eyes.

"Why me?" was I cursed? The goddess indeed despised me.

She didn't want me to have a happy life and desired for me to be sad all the days of my life and be an omega until I die.

My body trembled as the tears began to pour down my cheeks. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I didn't want to be strong any longer. The pain was fucking too much to bear.

***

Should I be in here? No. But it wasn't as if I had a choice. I wasn't acting on my own accord and needed to obey every authority that came from above.

It was the Luna selection ceremony; by tradition, the omegas were meant to be the server on every occasion.

The event was sacred, grand, and highly anticipated, during which the alpha publicly announced and claimed his luna. It was deeply rooted in tradition and served as both a political and symbolic declaration of power, ensuring that the pack's future leader was strong, respected, and worthy of the title.

After yesterday's confirmation that Alpha Kieran was my mate, I was hoping he would have a change of heart today. I could have feigned sickness; that was the only thing that'd keep me away from this event because there was nothing that they were more afraid of other than an omega coming down with an unknown illness.

The great hall was packed with high-ranking wolves, pack house elders, warriors, and influential families, many from neighboring packs.

Alpha Keiran was yet to be in the hall. I watched everyone who came into the room while I was serving.

"I want you in my bed tonight, Omega," one of the guests slapped my butt.

I grimace, swallowing back the rude retort. I didn't want to get into trouble by insulting one of the alpha's guests. People were watching, and any move from me could bring about punishment.

"The Alpha is here."

I heard murmurs swirling around me. I felt the shift in the room too. I glanced towards the moon as I was next to the window. It was a full moon and the perfect time for the alpha to arrive, seeing as he needed to address the pack to start the ritual and process before the elder blessed him and the selection began.

"Come with me, servants," Owen ordered as he stepped into the room.

Idiots. I mumbled. How could he come here when the event was about to start? I needed to know everything that was happening!

Owen stepped towards me, making my attention snap to his. He clutched my chin, glaring. "Mumble once more and I'll have your tongue cut off,"

He let me go after his threat. I knew he could do as he said. No one would give a fuck if I was without a tongue and they'd all believe I had disobeyed him. So, I nodded, following him like the obedient mutt he always termed us to be.

By the time I returned to the main hall, it was already time for the alpha's final decision. He had pre-selected women that were placed in front of him. They were all from noble bloodlines and warrior families.

My heart began to pound as I watched him make his way towards the beauties in front of him. I pushed myself through the crowd to be closer to him.

Perhaps if he saw me he would stop the madness and mistake he was about to make. I was his mate!

Why would I want to choose someone else to stand in my place?

I wouldn't say I was dressed in my best, but I wasn't dressed in my worst either. It wasn't as if I had a choice to pick the kind of outfit I'd wear for this event. It was already chosen, and all omegas were made to wear an ugly, khaki plain and shapeless dress reaching just the knee.

I exhaled as I finally moved closer. Alpha Kieran stilled, his eyes darting around. I saw the frown on his face as his eyes searched the crowd and when they finally met mine, he narrowed them.

A brief look of disgust flashed in those gorgeous hazel eyes, and rather than coming towards me as he had done yesterday, he pointed to a she-wolf in a blue ball gown made with tulle.

"You," he said to me.

"Me?" the she-wolf, Selene Hawthorne, gorgeous with raven-black hair and emerald green eyes. One of the Alpha's daughters of a neighboring pack house.

"Yes you," Alpha Kieran affirmed, his voice slightly impatient.

As Selene began to move forward, she tripped and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Gasp rang throughout the hall while two guards rushed forward to lift her.

"Are you alright?" Alpha Kieran rushed to her, touching her arm.

His voice was gentle and filled with concern. He'd never spoken so softly with me before.

Selene shook her head, turning around at a three-sixty degree, tears pouring down her cheeks. "She pushed me. Celeste Ravaryn!" she pointed at me.

"Me?" it was my turn to ask.

I looked around with a frown. I was the only one with that name here. Besides, I wasn't even next to her. She was in front of Laura, a beta's daughter.

If anyone had pushed her, it would have been Laura and not me who was in no one next to her.

"You little shit," Kieran snarled. "Bring her forward."

The two guards that had helped Selene forward dragged me out of the crowd.

"I did nothing wrong!" I defended myself.

But neither the guards nor Alpha Kieran was having it. It felt like I was speaking to the air.

"I, Alpha Kieran, accept Selene Hawthorne as my mate and the woman the goddess has chosen for me. She'll be my Luna, bore my children, and lead alongside me in this packhouse. I want everyone to accord her the same respect as they accord me, and anyone found guilty of disobedience shall be punished." Alpha Kieran declared.

I whimpered, holding onto my aching heart as I felt a searing pain.

He turned to me with fury burning in his eyes. Gripping my hand tightly, he pulled me into him.

"You're my mate. Why will you do that to me?"

"Did you really think I'd accept an omega as my mate? Pathetic." his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. He didn't need to say it out loud.

The room was silent. It was too silent as if there was no one in it. I'd have desired there was no one in here. At least, like yesterday, he had denied the mate bond. That would have been better!

"But the goddess mated us,"

"You want to be my mate so bad, huh?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out because Alpha Kieran was kissing me.

Shit! He was kissing me.

The kiss took about a millisecond, then he shoved me to my knees, spitting on me.

The once silent room burst out into a peal of laughter. I was embarrassed, rejected, and humiliated.

Alpha Kieran turned away from me and began to address the crowd as if I wasn't there.

I gathered myself up, using the rest of dignity I had left, and hurried out of the hall, ignoring the eyes that followed me.

I couldn't stay in the event any longer; I was too embarrassed to.