THE ALPHA FORSAKEN LUNA

The moon hung high above Blackthorne Pack, bathing the forest in silver light. Wolves howled in the distance, their voices carrying through the cold night as members of the pack gathered in the grand courtyard. Tonight was the Moon Bond Ceremony. The night every unmated werewolf dreamed about. Selene Ashcroft stood near the back of the crowd, nervously smoothing the wrinkles from her simple white dress. Unlike the expensive gowns worn by the Alpha families, hers was plain. She had never cared much for fancy clothes, but tonight she wanted to look beautiful. Because somewhere in this crowd was her mate. Her heart raced as she glanced toward the grand staircase leading to the Alpha House. The doors opened. A tall man stepped out. Damien Blackthorne. The future Alpha of the Blackthorne Pack. His black suit fit him perfectly, making his broad shoulders look even wider. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his icy blue eyes swept over the crowd with confidence. Women couldn't stop staring. Men lowered their heads in respect. He was everything an Alpha should be. Strong. Feared. Untouchable. Selene lowered her gaze. Someone like him would never notice someone like her. "Selene!" She turned as her best friend, Aria Everwood, rushed over. "There you are!" Aria whispered excitedly. "Can you believe this? Tonight we finally meet our mates." Selene smiled weakly. "I hope mine is kind." Aria laughed. "Forget kind. I want mine to be handsome." Selene couldn't help laughing. Before she could answer, Elder Magnus stepped onto the stage. "The Moon Goddess has blessed this night," the old elder announced. "When your wolf recognizes its mate, do not fight the bond." The crowd fell silent. One by one, unmated wolves stepped forward. Some cried with happiness. Some embraced. Others laughed through their tears. Selene watched every pair, wondering when it would be her turn. Minutes passed. Then Her wolf stirred. A strange warmth spread through her body. Her heartbeat quickened. No... It couldn't be. The scent of cedar wood and rain filled her senses. Her wolf whispered one word. Mate. Selene slowly lifted her head. Her eyes met Damien's. At that exact moment, Damien froze. The entire courtyard seemed to disappear. His wolf had found her too. Gasps spread through the crowd. "The future Alpha found his mate!" "It's Selene?" "The orphan girl?" "No way..." Selene's heart filled with hope. The Moon Goddess had chosen her. She took one careful step toward Damien. Another. Then another. A smile slowly appeared on her face. But Damien's expression grew colder with every second. His jaw tightened. His eyes filled with anger instead of joy. "No." The single word echoed across the courtyard. Selene stopped walking. Damien stared directly at her. "There has to be a mistake." The whispers grew louder. "What did he say?" "He doesn't want her?" Selene's smile slowly disappeared. Damien walked down the stairs until he stood only a few feet away from her. He looked her up and down. Disappointment flashed across his face. "My mate..." he said coldly, "...cannot be someone this weak." The words struck harder than any slap. Selene's fingers trembled. "I..." She couldn't speak. "I reject you." Silence. Even the wind seemed to stop blowing. The crowd stared in disbelief. Damien's voice remained calm. "I, Damien Blackthorne, reject Selene Ashcroft as my mate." Pain exploded inside Selene's chest. It felt like her heart had been ripped apart. Her wolf cried out in agony. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of everyone. Around her, people began whispering. "I knew she wasn't worthy." "A future Luna? Impossible." "The Moon Goddess made a mistake." Selene lowered her head. Every word pierced her heart. Damien turned away without another glance. To him... She wasn't worth another second. Aria rushed forward and caught Selene before she collapsed. "Selene!" "I'm... fine." But she wasn't. Her chest burned. Her breathing became uneven. She felt as though something inside her had shattered forever. Without looking back, she pushed through the crowd and ran. She didn't stop. She ran past the training grounds. Past the pack houses. Past the gates. Only when she reached the quiet forest did her legs finally give out. She fell to her knees beneath an ancient oak tree. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks. "Why?" she whispered to the moon. "What did I do wrong?" The forest answered with silence. Suddenly a cold breeze swept through the trees. The ground beneath her began to shake. A faint silver glow appeared around her feet. Selene frowned. "What...?" The glowing light spread across the forest floor like flowing water. Ancient symbols slowly appeared beneath her knees. She had never seen them before. Then a gentle female voice echoed through the night. "The blood of the First Luna has awakened." Selene's eyes widened. The silver light burst into the sky, bright enough to turn the entire forest white. Miles away, every Alpha in the Northern Territories looked toward the Blackthorne forest. Including one man. A ruthless Alpha whose crimson eyes narrowed as he felt the ancient power rise. A slow smile crossed his face. "So..." He stood from his throne. "After all these years..." His wolf growled. "She's finally awake." The night was colder than Selene remembered. She didn't know how long she had been running. Her feet ached, her dress was torn by branches, and every breath felt heavier than the last. She finally stopped beside a small stream deep inside the forest. The water reflected the full moon. Selene stared at her reflection. Red eyes Pale face Tears still clinging to her cheeks. She barely recognized herself. "He rejected me." Saying the words aloud made them hurt even more. She wrapped her arms around herself as another wave of tears threatened to fall. "I wasn't asking to be his mate." Her voice cracked. "I just wanted a chance." The forest remained silent. After a while, she knelt beside the stream and splashed cold water across her face. "I'm not going back." No matter how painful it was, she couldn't return to Blackthorne Pack. Not after everyone had watched her humiliation. Not after Damien had looked at her as though she were nothing. She took a deep breath. "Tomorrow..." "I'll figure something out tomorrow." But first... She needed somewhere safe to spend the night The deeper she walked into the forest, the quieter everything became. Even the insects had stopped making noise. Selene frowned. Something wasn't right. A twig snapped behind her. She turned quickly. Nothing. Only darkness. Another sound came from her left. Then her right. Her heartbeat quickened. "Who's there?" No answer. She hurried her pace. The feeling of being watched only grew stronger. Suddenly a low growl echoed through the trees. Selene froze. Two glowing yellow eyes appeared between the bushes. Then another pair. And another. Wild wolves. Not werewolves. Real wolves. There were five of them. Slowly, they stepped out into the moonlight. Their bodies were thin, but they looked hungry. Selene took a careful step backward. "I don't want to hurt you..." The wolves continued advancing. She searched the ground until she found a thick branch. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. One wolf lunged. Selene swung the branch with all her strength. It struck the wolf's shoulder, forcing it back. Another wolf circled behind her. Her breathing became uneven. "I can't do this..." Just as the pack prepared to attack A sharp whistle cut through the air. The wolves immediately stopped. Another whistle followed. This time, they lowered their heads. A tall figure stepped out from the shadows. He wore a dark cloak that hid most of his face. The wolves quietly retreated behind him. Selene tightened her grip on the branch. "Who are you?" The stranger glanced at the frightened wolves before looking at her. "You shouldn't be alone in these woods." His voice was calm and steady. "I can take care of myself." He looked at the broken branch in her hands. "Can you?" Selene said nothing. The stranger sighed softly. "The forest becomes dangerous after sunset." "I don't have anywhere else to go." For the first time, the man noticed the dried tear stains on her face. "You've been crying." Selene looked away. "That's none of your business." "No." "It isn't." He respected her silence. After a moment, he spoke again. "My cabin is nearby." She looked at him suspiciously. "I have food." Silence. "You can leave at sunrise if that's what you want." Selene hesitated. Every lesson she had ever learned told her not to trust strangers. But she was cold. Hungry. And exhausted. The stranger took a step back instead of toward her. "I'm giving you a choice." His calmness caught her off guard. Most Alphas demanded obedience. This man simply waited. Finally Just for tonight." A small smile touched his lips. "That's enough." He turned and began walking. After a moment's hesitation... Selene followed. She didn't know the stranger's name. She didn't know why he had helped her. And she had no idea... That the quiet man leading her through the moonlit forest was one of the most feared Alphas in the Northern Territories.