HER CHOSEN MATE

EIGHTEEN

Morning had barely begun when Liyana’s eyes flew open.

Before she could even blink.

‘Happy birthday!’

Nova’s voice echoed through their shared mind.

Liyana laughed.

“You’re too loud.”

Nova ignored her completely.

‘We’re eighteen!’

‘Today’s the day!’

Liyana smiled, but she couldn’t hide the nervous feeling in her chest.

She got dressed and carefully wrapped the shawl Maren had made around her shoulders.

When she stepped out of her room, Maren was already waiting.

She smiled warmly before pulling Liyana into a hug.

“Happy birthday.”

Liyana hugged her back.

“Thank you.”

The two of them ate breakfast together.

Everything felt normal.

Elsewhere, Kael woke up like any other morning.

Nothing seemed unusual.

Except Onyx.

The black wolf paced restlessly inside their shared mind.

He couldn’t seem to stay still.

Kael frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

Onyx shook his head.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Something feels different.’

Kael sat up.

“Different how?”

‘I don’t know.’

‘I just have this feeling… like something important is going to happen.’

Kael shrugged it off.

“It’s probably nothing.”

But as the day went on, Onyx remained distracted.

Liyana spent the morning doing what she always did.

She helped prepare breakfast.

She organized supplies.

She delivered things around the pack.

Almost everyone she met wished her a happy birthday.

Some of the older wolves smiled knowingly as she walked past.

Hours passed.

Nothing happened.

Nova sighed dramatically.

‘Why hasn’t it happened yet?’

Liyana smiled.

“Maybe you’ll have to wait a little longer.”

Later that afternoon…

Liyana stepped out of the storage house carrying a basket.

At the very same time…

Kael walked out of the Alpha House after finishing a meeting.

Neither of them was paying attention.

Then—

A scent.

Liyana stopped walking.

The basket nearly slipped from her hands.

Nova froze.

Her nose lifted into the air.

‘What’s that scent?’

She took another breath.

Her bright blue eyes widened.

‘Liyana…’

‘It’s him.’

Across the courtyard, Kael stopped in his tracks.

Onyx lifted his head sharply.

He breathed in once.

Then again.

His golden eyes went wide.

Another breath.

His heartbeat quickened.

‘Kael…’

‘Our mate.’

At the exact same moment, both of them turned.

Their eyes met.

Time stood still.

There was no confusion.

No hesitation.

The moment they saw each other…

They knew.

‘MATE!!’

Nova stared at Onyx.

Onyx stared back.

In that single moment, they both realized that the wolf they’d always had an unexplainable soft spot for…

Was their mate.

Liyana could barely breathe.

Kael’s heart pounded against his chest.

For one brief moment…

Everything felt right.

Reality crashed back around them.

Someone whispered.

“The future Alpha…”

Another voice finished the sentence.

“…his mate is an omega.”

The whispers spread through the courtyard.

Kael heard every single one.

Duty.

Expectation.

Fear.

They all crashed into him at once.

Before he could stop himself…

The words left his mouth.

“I, Kael, future Alpha of Moon Shadow Pack, reject you, Liyana of Moon Shadow Pack, as my mate.”

Nova froze.

‘No…’

Onyx stared at Kael in horror.

‘What are you doing?’

Neither wolf wanted this.

Liyana couldn’t move.

Tears filled her eyes.

Nova’s voice trembled.

‘Please don’t.’

Please don’t accept.’

Liyana looked at Kael.

She searched his face.

She saw no hope.

She wouldn’t force someone to stay with her.

Her voice broke.

“I, Liyana of Moon Shadow Pack, accept your rejection, Kael, future Alpha of Moon Shadow Pack, as my mate.”

Silence.

Then—

Pain.

Blinding.

Unbearable.

It tore through both of them.

Nova cried out in agony.

Onyx threw back his head and let out a heartbroken howl.

The mate bond shattered.

Both of them collapsed to the ground.

The courtyard erupted into chaos.

Some wolves rushed toward Liyana.

Others hurried to Kael.

“Liyana!”

Maren pushed through the crowd, dropping to her knees beside her.

Inside the broken silence of their minds, Onyx reached desperately toward Nova.

‘Nova!’

She reached back.

But it was too late.

The bond had already broken.

Around them, the entire pack stood frozen.

Watching in stunned silence.