Rejected

Layla Lightborn's POV

I could still remember the first year I was accepted into the Blackwood Pack.

Moonlight streamed through my window, turning my messy desk into a silver jungle. Outside, the pines whispered secrets in the wind. Every night, it was the same - me, Layla Lightborn, curled up with a book, lost in dreams too good to be true.

Those dreams were of Magnus, Alpha Thor Blackwood's son. Magnus was strong, confident, his eyes holding the mysteries of the night, and I loved him from a distance. I never told him about my feelings because he had a girlfriend, Mia.

Mia was everything I was not. She was the girl who glittered like stardust, and their love story seemed like it was written in the stars. Me? I was just a quiet one, always on the edge of their world. The orphan who the Blackwoods took in after the death of my parents. 

But on my eighteenth birthday, everything changed. The pack gathered, and there was Magnus, his gaze fixed on me. He spoke words that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Layla Lightborn," he declared, "you are my fated mate and you will be my future Luna."

The Moon Goddess, it seemed, had favored me. Magnus had chosen me over Mia. Happiness bloomed in my chest like a wildflower.

Luna Seraphina, Magnus's mother, took me under her wing. She was strict, and I thought she didn't like me, but she taught me the ways of a Luna, how to support my mate, how to lead the pack, how to walk with grace.

Our love story blossomed under the moonlit sky.

Three years had flown by under the tutelage of Luna Seraphina, transforming me from a shy bookworm into a confident leader. Etiquette lessons had become second nature, pack politics as clear as night skies, and my connection with Magnus stronger than moonlight-forged silver.

I smiled at the memory.

This evening, excitement hummed through the pack like electricity, buzzing in excited chatter. Tonight wasn't just any night - it was my twenty-first birthday, and with it, our ascension as Alpha and Luna. 

My heart hummed with nervous excitement as Mathilde, the pack's oldest seamstress, fussed with the back of my gown. 

"Easy there, dearie," Mathilde chuckled. "Don't want to rip this beauty before you even step out."

Two young she-wolves, Anya and Wren, fluttered around me like excited butterflies. Anya held my golden tiara while Wren smoothed the folds of the skirt.

"Look at you, Layla," Anya whispered. "A real Luna, just like the stories."

Wren squeezed my hand. "You're going to be an amazing Luna, Layla."

I smiled, my breath shallow against the corset's tightness. Outside, the pack buzzed with excitement. Distant chatter drifted through the thick stone walls, a reminder of the crowd waiting for the ceremony. Even other packs had come to witness our ascension, their presence adding a weight to the air.

Anya, sensing my nerves, winked. "Remember what Magnus said? You were born for this, Layla. Tonight, you shine."

Her words calmed me a little. Magnus. My Alpha, my love, my rock. Tonight, we'd take our rightful place together, two halves of a whole, leading our pack into the future.

Mathilde finished with a satisfied sigh. "There, my future Luna. You look like a goddess come down from the moon."

The diamonds in the gown snagged my eye as I turned to the mirror. They shimmered like stars woven into silk, hugging my curves without feeling heavy. Mathilde had been right – it really did make me feel like a goddess.

"Thank you," I said, turning back to them. "You all did an amazing job."

Mathilde beamed, her wrinkles deepening. "Just doing our duty, our Luna-to-be. You wear it well."

The nerves started buzzing again, but this time, it was the good kind, the kind that made me giddy and tingly. It was time to find Magnus. We were supposed to walk out together onstage for the ascension.

Excitement bubbled through me as I left the room, the gown rustling behind me like a promise. Reaching for the pack link, I tried to find him. Where are you, Magnus? 

He did not answer. 

"Maybe he's just keeping the suspense up," I muttered to myself, a smile playing on my lips. He always loved a good entrance.

I pushed into the lawn where the setup was, weaving between excited pack members. "Natan, Tig, have you seen Magnus?" I asked, spotting the two muscular warriors by the entrance.

They exchanged an odd glance, a flicker of something in their eyes I couldn't quite place. "Not yet, Layla," Natan finally rumbled. "But I'm sure he'll be along soon."

Their hesitation, though subtle, sent a pang of unease through me. But I brushed it aside. Natan and Tig were loyal to the bone. Magnus must be just around the corner, playing another one of his games.

"Alright, thanks," I chirped, forcing a smile. "I'll keep looking."

The minutes ticked by, each one stretching like an eternity. The unease morphed into gnawing worry. Where was he? Why couldn't I reach him?

My heart pounded a double beat against my ribs as I bypassed the last table, ignoring the whispers that followed me like shadows. My feet carried me towards the wide, darkened stretch of the backstage. 

Where was Magnus?

Even though the pack link remained silent, Magnus's scent hit me suddenly, a familiar musk carried on a cold breeze. My heart hammered in my chest, urging me forward. The scent led me to a small, makeshift tent made out of thick curtains on the stage.

My fingers trembled as I touched the fabric, adrenaline coursing through me. 

Taking a deep breath, I parted the curtains.

"Magnus?" my voice barely a whisper. "Are you-"

My mouth fell open. 

Magnus was there, alright. He was butt naked, eyes closed in pleasure as he thrust his hips. And in front of him, on top of a small table, was Mia. Her legs were sticking up in the air, her moans echoing in the small space.

My blood ran cold.

"Fvck!" Magnus choked out as he climaxed inside his ex-girlfriend.

In that instant, the world warped and spun. My dreams shattered like glass on stone. The happiness, the love, the future we swore to build together – all of it evaporated like mist in the morning sun.

"What have you done, Magnus?!" I asked, my voice shaky with anger and hurt.

My Alpha-to-be turned around. He tried to pick up his clothes, trying to look less embarrassed. "Layla, please, let me explain," he said.

But I wasn't listening. I kept my eyes on the smirking Mia, who didn't seem to care that she was naked.

"Why? Why did you do this to me? On my birthday? On the night we were supposed to ascend?" 

"I... I'm sorry, Layla. It just... it just happened. I didn't know what I was doing." His words sounded like a lame excuse.

Mia interrupted, "Just tell her and get it over with, babe."

Babe? "Tell me what?" I asked.

Before Magnus could answer, Mia stood up and pulled down the curtains with force. The tent fell down, showing everything to the guests on the lawn. They all gasped in shock, and I felt stuck in place.

"Oh, Goddess, Mia! Why did you do that!" Magnus exclaimed.

"What? I'm doing you a favor." Mia sneered. "Tell everyone our secret. There's no point in hiding it now." 

Magnus took a deep breath and dropped his clothes. He was a werewolf, after all, so being naked wasn't a big deal for him. Except in this situation where the future Luna was watching her Alpha naked with his ex-girlfriend.

Magnus turned to me and said, "I'm sorry, Layla, but I choose my heart over what the Moon Goddess has chosen for me. I won't let fate control me. Mia is my true love."

It hurt so much. Everything felt like a lie. I looked at the crowd and saw Magnus's parents. They didn't seem surprised, like they knew all along.

"B-but...," I stammered, tears blurring my vision. "What about me?"

"I'm sorry, Layla. But this is for the better," Magnus spoke again. "I, Magnus Blackwood of the Blackwood Pack, reject you as my mate, Layla Lightborn."