REJECTED BY THE ALPHA, CLAIMED BY HIS BROTHER

Aria's POV "Congratulations, Aria," My best friend, Solara, greeted as she walked towards me with a wide smile. "I know yeah, I'm so happy, I can only imagine, who'd have thought I'd be the Luna of this pack," I said again, giggling happily. "Come on, we need to get you a dress for the ceremony tomorrow, you've to look your best," She said, and pulled my arms, leading me away. We passed the pack house, when I saw my sister, Selene, walking out of the alpha's quarter with a smug grin. "What are you doing here?" I asked, pulling my arms out of my best friend's grip. "Is that supposed to be any of your business?" Selene retorted, rolling her eyes disgusting at me. "I was just asking, what you were doing here," I snapped back, my voice harsher than i intended. "But well, I'm not here to do anything, I just had some things to help the alpha with, I can only think that the moon goddess was blind to have made you his mate," she murmured and turned to walk away from me. "W-what did you say?" I asked, my eyes already brimming with tears. "Come on, let's go, you're not going to lose your stand as the Luna just because of what your sister is saying to intentionally get you emotional," Solara said and pulled my arms in hers. "You'd better be ready for tonight, because I'm not sure you're even fit to be a maid talk more a Luna," She taunted, and turned to walk away. I stood there, frozen, Selene’s words ringing in my ears like a cruel echo I couldn’t silence. My chest felt tight, and though I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, it only grew heavier. “Aria,” Solara’s voice cut through, gentle but firm. She squeezed my hand. “Don’t. Don’t give her the satisfaction of seeing you break. That’s what she wants.” But my sister’s smug grin stayed burned into my mind, each word stabbing at the fragile happiness I’d been holding onto. My joy, the dream I had carried for years, suddenly felt… tainted. “I don’t understand her,” I whispered, more to myself than to Solara. “Why is it never enough? Why does she always—” My voice cracked, and I bit down hard on my lip to stop the tears from spilling. Solara tugged me forward. “Because she’s jealous. Plain and simple. Look at you, Aria. You’ve been chosen. You’re stepping into a role most women in this pack only dream of. And her? She’s nothing but bitter, lashing out because she can’t stand it.” I nodded slowly, but my heart still trembled. Selene’s parting words clawed at me: You’d better be ready for tonight… “What did she mean by tonight?” I asked, halting mid-step, my voice dropping to a whisper. Solara paused too, her brows furrowing. “Probably just empty threats. You know how she is. Always scheming, always trying to get under your skin. Don’t let it eat you alive.” But the unease gnawed at me anyway. I knew Selene. She didn’t just say things to say them. Every word that left her mouth had intent behind it—sharp, cutting, and sometimes dangerous. I glanced back over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of her disappearing into the woods beyond the Alpha’s quarters. That smug tilt of her chin. That air of confidence. It wasn’t just bitterness—it was as if she knew something I didn’t. “Solara…” I said softly, almost afraid to voice my thoughts. “What if she tries to ruin tomorrow? What if she does something?” Solara turned to me, eyes blazing with protectiveness. “Then she’ll have to go through me first. And Aria, listen to me.” She tilted my chin up so I’d meet her gaze. “Tomorrow is your day. Not hers. No matter what she says or does, she can’t take that from you. Don’t let her.” Her words steadied me, at least enough to take the next step forward. But deep down, a sliver of fear rooted itself in my chest. Because Selene wasn’t just jealous—she was cunning. And if she truly meant what she said about tonight… Then maybe tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed at all. I shook my head, smiling tensely. "Even if she's making any attempts to sabotage the mating ceremony tomorrow, I trust Alpha Damien..." I said, even though, my voice was shaking with doubts. "Come on, you'll be good, let's get you the perfect dress for tomorrow," Solara said and grabbed my arms along to the packs boutique, making sure I picked the most beautiful, light And befitting dress. "Do you think he'll like it?" I asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror. "If course he will, you're not only beautiful, you're smart, hardworking, I mean... He'd be mad if he tries to do anything funny tomorrow," Solara coed, taking the dress from my hands to the counter to pay. We paid and left the boutique, both of us headed to my parent's house to get ready for the pack ceremony tomorrow. Selene was standing in a corner, staring at me with a smug knowing smirk as she watched Solara and me get ready for the mating ceremony. "I feel... Uneasy," I said to Solara but she just shook her head, and held my arms. "She's just jealous, you're the alpha's mate, the Luna of our pack and there's nothing she can do about it," she said and pulled me in to a hug. "I'll be here tomorrow evening, so all you need to do is get yourself quality sleep, don't think about anything else, especially your sister, you don't want your alpha staring at you like the moon goddess made the wrong choice do you?" She asked and I shook my head in response. "Good, so now sleep," she said, and pulled me in for a hug, her hands trailing down my back. “I’ll be here tomorrow, to dress you up,” she whispered, pressing my hands gently before stepping back. I forced a smile, though the unease still clung to me like a second skin. “Thank you, Solara. For everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She tilted her head and gave me that confident grin she always wore when she wanted me to believe her strength was enough for the both of us. “You don’t have to know. Because you’ll never have to find out.” With that, she slipped out into the night, leaving me standing in my room, dress hanging neatly on its rack, shimmering faintly under the pale glow of the moonlight sneaking through the window. I sat on my bed, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I would stand beside Damien as his Luna. Tomorrow, every dream I’d carried close to my heart would finally be real. But then Selene’s voice echoed again—You’d better be ready for tonight…