The Luna Who Could Not Shift

CHAPTER 3: The Girl Without a Wolf

CHAPTER 3

The days after the Shifting Ceremony became the hardest days of Seraphina Ashbourne's life. Not because of the humiliation. Not because of the laughter. Not even because of her father's cruel words. It was because nothing changed. The world kept moving forward. Everyone else continued living. While she remained trapped. Every morning, she woke up hoping things would somehow feel different. Every morning, disappointment greeted her instead. The words of her father haunted her constantly.

"You are not my daughter."

"You are my greatest failure."

Those words followed her everywhere. When she ate., when she slept… When she looked into a mirror. She couldn't escape them. Three days had passed since the ceremony. Three days since the entire kingdom laughed at her. Three days since her father shattered her heart. And somehow things were only getting worse.

That morning, Seraphina left the Ashbourne Estate hoping fresh air would clear her mind. The moment she stepped into town, she regretted it. The marketplace was crowded. Merchants sold fresh produce. Children ran through the streets. Customers haggled overprices. Everything seemed normal. Until people noticed her. Then the whispers began. Again. Always the whispers. Seraphina lowered her gaze and continued walking. Maybe if she ignored them, they would stop. They didn't.

"That's her."

"The girl without a wolf."

"I heard she failed again."

"Poor Alpha Rowan."

"I can't imagine having a daughter like that."

A woman shook her head. "What a disappointment."

The words struck like tiny knives. Not enough to kill. Enough to hurt. Every single time. Seraphina kept walking. Pretending she couldn't hear. Pretending she didn't care. Pretending her heart wasn't breaking. She stopped at a fruit stall. The elderly merchant immediately stiffened. His smile vanished.

"Good morning," Seraphina said softly.

The man avoided eye contact.

"Morning."

"I'd like some apples."

The merchant quickly placed several apples into a small bag. His movements were rushed. Almost nervous.

Seraphina frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

"No, Lady Seraphina."

A lie. A very obvious lie. The merchant handed her the bag. Then immediately turned toward another customer. Dismissing her, and avoiding her. As if standing near her too long might be contagious. Seraphina quietly paid and walked away. Her chest tightened. It shouldn't hurt anymore. She should be used to it. Yet somehow every rejection still felt fresh. Still felt painful. Still reminded her she didn't belong.

As she crossed the town square, laughter suddenly erupted nearby. A group of children stood near the fountain. At first, Seraphina smiled. Until she realized they were looking at her. One boy stepped forward dramatically. He puffed out his chest. Raised his hands toward the sky. Then squeezed his eyes shut. Several children burst into laughter.

"I'M SHIFTING!" the boy yelled.

Nothing happened. The children laughed harder. Another child joined him.

"Oh no!" she cried dramatically.

"My wolf forgot about me!"

More laughter, more pointing… more mocking. Seraphina froze. The children continued imitating her failed ceremony. Every detail, every movement… every humiliation. Like it was some kind of joke. Something entertaining. Something funny. A little girl noticed tears forming in Seraphina's eyes. Instead of feeling guilty, she giggled.

"Maybe she's not really a werewolf."

The others laughed. One boy barked. Another pretended to howl. Seraphina quickly turned away. The laughter followed her. Echoing behind her. Chasing her down the street. She didn't stop walking until she reached a quieter part of town. Only then did she allow herself to breathe. Only then did she wipe away the tears. She hated crying. Hated appearing weak. But lately it seemed impossible to stop.

"Seraphina!"

A familiar voice called out. She turned. Relief immediately filled her chest.

"Elara."

Her best friend rushed toward her. Unlike everyone else, Elara's smile never disappeared when she saw her. Unlike everyone else, Elara still treated her like a person. Not a failure. Not a disappointment. Just Seraphina. The blonde-haired girl immediately pulled her into a hug.

"You disappeared after the ceremony."

Seraphina forced a smile. "I wasn't exactly in a social mood."

Elara frowned. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes." But that’s a lie. But she can’t fool Elara.

"When was the last time?" Elara sighed when she didn’t answer her. "I knew it."

"I'm fine, Elara."

"No, you're not."

"I'm surviving."

"That's not the same thing."

The words lingered between them. Painfully true. Elara gently grabbed her hand.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"The bakery."

"I'm not hungry."

"Tough."

A small smile appeared on Elara's face. "We're getting pastries."

Seraphina laughed softly. The first genuine laugh she'd had in days.

The bakery was one of the few places that still felt normal. At least for a moment. The smell of fresh bread filled the air. Warmth replaced the coldness she carried inside. The girls found a table near the window. For several minutes, they simply talked. About random things. Books. Childhood memories. Anything except the ceremony. It felt nice. Almost normal. Then reality returned. A group of young warriors entered the bakery.

The moment they noticed Seraphina, their expressions changed. One of them snorted. Another whispered something. The entire group laughed.

Elara rolled her eyes. "Ignore them."

Seraphina looked down at her tea. Too late. The warriors approached.

"Well, look who it is."

The tallest one smirked.

"The famous Broken Wolf."

Elara immediately stood. "Leave her alone."

The warrior laughed. He looked at his friends. "Aww, she's defending her pet."

The others laughed. Elara's face reddened.

"Say that again."

"I said—"

"You heard me."

The atmosphere immediately grew tense. Customers started watching. The warrior stepped closer.

"You know, Elara." His smile widened. "You'd be much more popular if you stopped hanging around failures."

Seraphina stood quickly. "Elara, let's go."

"No."

"Elara."

"No."

The warrior laughed. "See?" He pointed at Seraphina. "Even she knows she's a failure."

Before Elara could punch him, Seraphina grabbed her arm.

"Let's just leave."

The warrior's smile grew. He had won. And they all knew it.

Unfortunately, things only became worse. Word spread quickly. Everywhere Seraphina went, people stared. Some pitied her. Others mocked her. Most simply avoided her. The loneliness became unbearable. Even inside her own home. Her father barely spoke to her. The servants walked carefully around her. The Ashbourne Estate no longer felt like home. It felt like a prison.

One afternoon, while walking through the marketplace alone, trouble found her again. A group of young wolves blocked her path. Five of them. All around her age. All smiling cruelly. Seraphina immediately recognized them. Troublemakers and bullies. The kind of people who enjoyed causing pain. One stepped forward.

"Look who it is." Another laughed. "The curse of Lunaris."

Seraphina sighed. "Move."

"No."

"I don't want trouble."

"Funny."

The boy smirked. "Trouble seems to follow you anyway."

The others laughed. Seraphina tried walking around them. They blocked her again. Her patience was disappearing.

"What do you want?"

The leader folded his arms. "A question."

She stayed silent. The boy leaned closer.

"Are you even a werewolf?"

The words hit harder than expected. The others laughed.

One girl added, "Maybe she's human."

Another shook her head. "No."

"I've seen stronger humans."

More laughter. Seraphina clenched her fists. But the leader wasn't finished.

"Seriously."

He tilted his head. "Have you ever actually heard a wolf? Because maybe there isn't one."

The crowd nearby began watching. Nobody intervened. Nobody helped. They simply watched. Just like they always did.

The boy smiled. "Maybe the Moon Goddess rejected you."

That one hurt. Because part of her feared it might be true. The laughter continued. And suddenly it became too much. The humiliation, the loneliness… the pain and the rejection. Everything. Without another word, Seraphina turned and walked away. The laughter followed her. But this time she didn't cry. She was too exhausted. Too numb… too broken.

As evening approached, her feet carried her toward the only place she could think of. The Moon Temple. The sacred center of Lunaris. A place of prayer. A place of peace. Or at least it used to be. The massive temple stood atop a hill overlooking the kingdom. Silver pillars gleamed beneath the setting sun. Moon symbols decorated every wall.

The moment Seraphina stepped inside, silence greeted her. The temple was empty. She didn't want company, sympathy, or pity. She only wanted answers. Slowly, she walked toward the enormous statue of the Moon Goddess. The goddess stood tall and beautiful. Her stone face carried an expression of eternal kindness. At least that's what everyone claimed.

Tonight, Seraphina wasn't sure she believed it. She knelt before the statue. Her hands trembled. For several moments, she simply stared. Then she spoke. Not as a noble. Not as an Alpha's daughter. Just as a hurting girl.

"Why?" A tear rolled down her cheek. "Why me?" Her voice cracked. "What did I do wrong?"

Nothing. No answer came. Fresh tears fell on her cheeks.

"I tried." Her shoulders shook. "I really tried. I prayed." A sob escaped her lips.

"I believe in you." Her voice broke completely. "So why won't you answer me?"

The temple remained silent. Seraphina lowered her head and cried. And beneath the ancient temple floor... Hidden under layers of stone older than history itself... Something stirred. An ancient symbol carved thousands of years ago suddenly began glowing. Silver light pulsed through forgotten chambers. Ancient seals trembled. Dust fell from ceilings untouched by time. For the first time in five thousand years... The symbol awakened. Responding to the tears of a girl who believed she had been abandoned. Responding to the blood flowing through her veins. Responding to the last descendant of a forgotten race. But above, inside the temple... Seraphina never noticed. No one did. She remained kneeling before the statue. Alone and heartbroken. Completely unaware that while the kingdom continued calling her weak... Ancient powers older than gods themselves had finally begun to awaken beneath her feet.