THE MOON GOODNESS REJECTED MATE

The moon had never looked so beautiful. It hung above the Silvermoon Kingdom like a giant pearl, bathing the forest in pale silver light. Tonight was the Night of Choosing. Every eighteen-year-old wolf-born girl and boy in the kingdom would stand beneath the sacred moon and wait for the Moon Goddess to reveal their fated mate. For most people, it was the most beautiful night of their lives. For me, it was the night I was certain would break my heart. I stood at the edge of the crowd, my fingers trembling as I stared at the enormous stone altar in the center of the clearing. Hundreds of wolves and pack members surrounded it. Everyone was dressed in white. Everyone except me. My dress was simple, old, and slightly too large around my waist. I had never been the kind of girl people noticed. My name was Lyra Vale, and as far as the Silvermoon Pack was concerned, I was nothing special. I wasn't the strongest. I wasn't beautiful like the Alpha's daughter. And unlike most girls my age, my wolf had barely awakened. Some people even whispered that the Moon Goddess had forgotten about me. I tried not to listen. Tonight would prove them wrong. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. A deep howl suddenly echoed through the forest. The crowd became silent. The Alpha stepped onto the altar. Everyone bowed their heads. "Tonight," he announced, his voice carrying across the clearing, "the Moon Goddess will reveal the mates of those who have come of age." My heart pounded. I looked toward the other side of the clearing. And then I saw him. Alpha Kael Draven. The future king of the northern packs. Tall. Powerful. Untouchable. His black hair moved slightly in the night breeze, while his silver eyes scanned the crowd with an expression that could freeze blood. Everyone feared him. Everyone admired him. And, unfortunately, I had spent years secretly admiring him too. He was everything I wasn't. Strong. Confident. Powerful. I quickly looked away when our eyes almost met. Don't be foolish, Lyra. Someone like him could never be your mate. The ceremony began. One by one, names were called. Girls stepped onto the altar. Some were chosen immediately. Some weren't. Whenever a pair was revealed, cheers erupted through the crowd. I waited. And waited. Until finally— "Lyra Vale." My heart stopped. For a moment, I couldn't move. Then someone behind me whispered, "Her?" Another person laughed. "Maybe the Moon Goddess really has a strange sense of humor." My cheeks burned. I forced myself forward. Each step toward the altar felt heavier than the last. When I finally reached the center, I looked up at the moon. Its light suddenly became brighter. A strange warmth spread through my body. My breath caught. Something was happening. The wind began to swirl around me. The crowd gasped. Then I heard it. A voice. Soft. Beautiful. Ancient. "My chosen one." My eyes widened. Chosen? The moonlight grew brighter until it completely surrounded me. Everyone fell silent. Then I felt it. A pull. A connection. It came from somewhere behind me. I turned. My eyes landed directly on Alpha Kael. His expression had changed. For the first time that night, the powerful Alpha looked shocked. His eyes widened. He took one step toward me. Then another. The crowd began whispering. "No..." "It can't be." "The Alpha?" I could barely breathe. Kael stopped directly in front of me. For one beautiful second, I thought the impossible had happened. The Moon Goddess had chosen him for me. My heart filled with a happiness I had never known. Then Kael's face hardened. He looked directly into my eyes. And said the words that shattered everything. "I reject you." The entire clearing went silent. My smile disappeared. "What?" His voice remained cold. "I, Kael Draven, Alpha of the Northern Wolves, reject you, Lyra Vale, as my mate." Something inside my chest cracked. The moon above us suddenly disappeared behind a cloud. And somewhere deep inside me, my sleeping wolf finally opened her eyes. "Run."