Chapter 1 Rejected

• The clearing glowed under the brilliance of the full moon, silver light bouncing off the treetops as the pack gathered. Excitement and anticipation rippled through the crowd. Tonight, under the Moon Goddess’ gaze, destinies would be revealed, fates intertwined.
• “Lily, you look like you’re about to pass out,” Marcy whispered, there's a teasing edge to her voice.
• Lily stood on the outskirts of the ceremony, her heart hammering in her chest. “I just have a bad feeling about tonight.”
• Marcy rolled her eyes, tugging Lily closer to the gathering. “A bad feeling? Please. It’s the Moon Ceremony, not a death sentence. Tonight could be the most magical night of your life.”
• Lily tugged nervously at her dress, wishing she had chosen something less plain. “What if I don’t have a mate, Marcy? Or worse—what if it’s someone who doesn’t want me?”
• Marcy scoffed. “You’re overthinking. You’re smart, kind, and gorgeous in your own quiet way. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” She paused, her gaze darting to the crowd. “And who knows? Maybe your mate is someone unexpected. Someone… important.”
• “Important?” Lily frowned.
• Marcy smirked, nodding toward the center of the clearing where Alpha Damon had just entered. “Like him.”
• Lily’s breath caught. Damon was hard to miss. The moment he stepped into view, the air seemed to shift. His towering frame, chiseled features, and commanding aura drew every gaze in the clearing. He was the perfect Alpha—strong, confident, and utterly untouchable.
• “Don’t be ridiculous,” Lily muttered, tearing her eyes away.
• Marcy laughed. “I’m just saying. Imagine if—”
• Before she could finish, the crowd grew silent. Damon’s piercing blue eyes scanned the pack, his presence alone enough to still the air. When his gaze landed on Lily, the world seemed to tilt.
• ---
• Damon stopped in his tracks, his expression is briefly faltering. He stared at her, his sharp features hard to read. Lily’s breath hitched, her wolf stirring inside her.
• Mate.
• The word echoed in her mind, loud and undeniable. Her heart swelled with hope, the bond tugging at her soul like an invisible thread.
• “Lily,” Marcy whispered, gripping her arm. “He’s looking at you.”
• Lily swallowed hard. She took a tentative step forward, her knees are now trembling. “Alpha Damon,” she said, her voice is soft but trembling.
• Damon’s eyes locked with hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
• But then, something shifted. His jaw tightened, his gaze cooling.
• “This must be a mistake,” Damon said, his tone cold and clipped.
• Lily froze. “A mistake?”
• Damon crossed his arms, his posture rigid. “The Moon Goddess must have erred. I need a Luna who can stand beside me, someone strong, capable, and worthy of the title. You… you’re none of those things.”
• Gasps rippled through the crowd. Lily felt the ground tilt beneath her feet, her heart shattering at his words.
• “I’m sorry,” Damon continued, though his voice held no real apology. “I reject you as my mate.”
• ---
• “No.”
• The word slipped from Lily’s lips before she could stop it. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried a weight that stilled the air.
• Damon raised an eyebrow, his expression is unreasonable. “No?”
• “You can’t… you can’t just reject me,” Lily said, her voice is still trembling. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”
• Damon’s gaze hardened. “Do you think I have the luxury of following tradition? Of letting emotions dictate my choices? I am an Alpha. My decisions are for the good of the pack. And you—” his eyes raked over her dismissively— “are not what I need.”
• Lily’s vision blurred as tears welled up, her chest tightening painfully. Around her, the crowd began to murmur.
• “She’s always been quiet,” someone whispered. “Not exactly Luna material.”
• “An omega as the Alpha’s mate? That would’ve been a disaster,” another voice chimed in.
• The whispers grew louder, each word cutting into her like a knife.
• ---
• Marcy stepped forward, fury blazing in her eyes. “You’re a bastard, Damon,” she spat. “You don’t deserve her!”
• “Marcy, stop,” Lily whispered, grabbing her friend’s arm.
• “No, Lily! He doesn’t get to treat you like this.”
• “It’s over,” Lily said, her voice breaking. “Just let it go.”
• Marcy’s lips pressed into a thin line, her hands clenching into fists. “You’re better than this, Lily. Better than all of them.”
• ---
• As the ceremony resumed, Damon turned his attention to another she-wolf, his confident smile returning as if nothing had happened. Lily watched, her heart breaking anew.
• The whispers, the stares, the humiliation—it was too much. She couldn’t stay here. Not after this.
• She turned and walked away, her steps quickening as she moved further from the crowd, deeper into the forest. The cool night air stung her cheeks, tears streaming down her face.
• When she reached the edge of the woods, she collapsed to her knees, sobs wracking her body.
• ---
• “Why wasn’t I enough?” she whispered to the silent trees.
• The forest offered no answer. Only the distant hum of the pack’s celebration reached her ears, a cruel reminder of the life she no longer belonged to.
• “Lily?”
• She turned to see Marcy standing a few feet away, her expression soft with concern.
• “I thought I’d find you here,” Marcy said, kneeling beside her.
• “I can’t stay,” Lily said, her voice trembling.
• “What do you mean?”
• “I mean I’m leaving. Tonight.”
• Marcy’s eyes widened. “You’re serious?”
• Lily nodded, wiping at her tears. “There’s nothing left for me here. Damon made that clear.”
• “You don’t have to do this,” Marcy said, her voice breaking. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
• Lily shook her head. “I can’t. Every time I see him… every time I hear their whispers… I’ll break all over again. I need to go.”
• Marcy was silent for a long moment, her jaw clenched. “Fine. But promise me something.”
• “What?”
• “Promise me you won’t let this destroy you. You’re stronger than this, Lily. Stronger than him.”
• Lily hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll try.”
• ---
• As the forest swallowed her whole, the weight of rejection pressed heavy on h
• er shoulders.
• Yet deep within, a tiny spark flickered—a whisper of hope, a reminder that the Moon Goddess made no mistakes.