Marked for the Alpha

Selene Run. That word prowled at the edges of my mind, though my feet hadn’t yet moved. I stood frozen under the silver-washed sky, heart hammering like a terrified animal. But before you judge me—or pity me—you should know something. I didn’t come to this ceremony expecting miracles. I didn’t come expecting to be noticed. I came because every wolf in the Blackthorn Pack was required to. Servants, warriors, cooks, elite families—every rank, every class. Tonight wasn’t about us. It was about him. Darius Blackthorn. The Alpha’s son. The heir. The warrior carved from the darkest shadows and sharpened by legacy. Tonight was his Mating Ceremony. The ancient rite in which the Moon Goddess revealed the future Luna to the entire pack. A thousand women dreamed of walking onto that stage. I was not one of them. I was born of nobody. Daughter of orphans who died in a pointless inter-pack clash. I grew up scrubbing floors, washing armor, carrying trays—background noise in a world that had no place for me. So no… I didn’t stand among the hopeful girls at the front. I stayed in the back, behind the rows of noble families, close enough to hear their whispers, far enough to avoid their disgusted looks. I knew my place. Or… I thought I did. If I’m being honest, the ceremony was beautiful—painfully so. The courtyard glowed with a thousand lanterns. Moonflowers curled around pillars, their petals trembling in the breeze. The air smelled of wild mint and fresh rain as if the Goddess herself hovered close, waiting. Music hummed low—drums, flutes, the thrum of anticipation. And when Darius stepped onto the altar platform, the entire pack inhaled at once. He was devastating. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dark hair ruffled by the wind. Eyes like storm clouds. Every inch of him radiated authority. The women around me sighed. One even whispered, “Let it be me… please let it be me.” I scoffed under my breath—but quietly. Servants weren’t allowed to scoff audibly. The elder priest raised his staff, voice ringing out: “Under the gaze of the Moon Goddess, we gather to witness the choosing of the fated mate of Darius Blackthorn.” The drums quieted. The air thickened. A shimmering glow began pooling in the sky above the altar—soft, silver, alive. Wolves gasped as threads of moonlight spiraled downward like falling stars. That light sought one wolf alone. It touched him first—Darius—and then spread outward like a searching whisper. I held my breath despite myself. The magic drifted over the rows of noble-born women. It bypassed them. It skimmed over warriors’ daughters. It slipped past the highest-ranking families. And still, the light kept drifting. Towards the direction of the girl standing next to me. No. Not towards the girl standing next to me. No, no—this wasn’t possible. I felt it before I saw it. Warmth. A pulse. A tug deep inside my chest, like a thread tied around my heart being pulled forward. The moonlight turned. Shifted. And then— It hit me. A column of silver poured down and wrapped around my body like a living veil. The crowd gasped. My knees buckled. No. Moon Goddess, no. This couldn’t be right. Whispers rippled like fire: “Her?” “The servant girl?” “Impossible!” “She’s weak—she doesn’t even shift properly—” The moonlight didn’t care. It lifted my face gently toward the stage. Toward him. My heart cracked open, emotions spilling too fast to catch—fear, disbelief, attraction… to him. I looked at Darius. His eyes widened. I smiled. I knew he could feel it too. I knew this feeling I had in my heart was mutual. I kept my gaze on him as I stepped forward, walking through the crowd of guests that stared at me with disbelief. I was so happy looking at the shock on their faces. My life was going to change for the better and they all hated it. My legs still trembled as I walked through the parted crowd, guided by the Goddess’ glow. The magic pushed me onward. Toward him. Toward the man fate had bound me to. I climbed the altar steps slowly, breath shaking. My hands were cold. My pulse roared in my ears. Darius stared at me as I stood before him. I whispered, my voice barely audible, “Alpha Darius… the Goddess has—” “No.” The word cracked through the silence like a whip. I blinked. Darius stepped back, revulsion twisting his lips. “No,” he said again, louder. “This—this must be a mistake.” Gasps. Whispers. A few outright laughs. My stomach dropped. “Mistake?” the priest stammered. “Young Alpha, the Goddess herself—” “Is playing a cruel joke,” Darius snapped. “A prank. A test. Something.” He jabbed a finger toward me, his voice dripping venom. “She is the daughter of nobodies. A servant. Weak. Barely a wolf. You expect me to believe she is meant to stand beside me as Luna?” My breath shattered. He wasn’t done. “I reject the bond,” he declared. “I reject her. I will not accept this… this embarrassment as my mate.” The crowd erupted. Some shocked. Some amused. Some gleeful. I felt every word hit like a blow—sharp, humiliating, final. The moonlight flickered around me, sputtering as if stunned. I took a step back. Then another. My voice broke. “Darius…” “Stay away from me,” he snarled and turned to walk away, leaving me by myself on the stage. The priest stared but didn't try to stop him. I stood there, hoping and wishing the ground would swallow me but unfortunately for me, dreams don't always come true.