A DEAL WITH ALPHA DAMIAN

Chapter 4: The Moonlit Hunt

The Moonlit Hunt is one of the most sacred traditions in our pack. Every year, we gather as one, preparing to test our strength, loyalty, and unity. The fire from the torches flickers in the cool night breeze, casting long shadows over the clearing. The tension is palpable, the pack buzzing with excitement. But tonight, something is different. The Hunt should be the most thrilling moment of the year, yet all I can focus on is him.

Max.

He stands beside his father on the elevated dais, the focal point of the crowd. His dark hair falls perfectly around his face, and his broad shoulders fill out the black shirt he wears like it was made for him. His presence is magnetic, and even though I’m surrounded by our pack members, it feels as though the world has narrowed down to just him and me.

It’s like everything else disappears.

I take a shaky breath, clutching the sides of my dress to steady myself. The night, the Hunt: it doesn’t matter. What matters is the promise. The unspoken vow that Max made to me without a single word passing between us. It was in the way he looked at me, the way he kissed me, the way he made me feel like I was the only one who mattered. He made me believe that we were meant to be together, that he loved me.

And now… Now, tonight would be the night he would claim me as his mate. I could feel it in my bones. It had to be.

I try to push away the nervous flutter in my stomach, but the closer we get to the moment, the more my anxiety rises. Alpha Killian, Max’s father, steps forward and raises his hand, commanding silence. His deep, steady voice reverberates through the clearing.

"The Moonlit Hunt," he begins, his tone carrying the weight of history, "is a tradition that has been passed down for generations. It is not just a test of our strength and skill, but a reminder of who we are as a pack. Tonight, it is more than that. Tonight, it will mark the beginning of a new era for us."

The crowd erupts into applause, but my eyes are glued to Max. I can barely hear the rest of the words Alpha Killian says, the excitement of the pack growing louder as they sense the significance of the night. My heart races as I wait for the moment when Max will step forward, announce me as his mate, and take his place as the new Alpha, with me by his side.

But then, the unexpected happens.

Maxwell steps up, his gaze sweeping over the pack, his expression unreadable. I hold my breath, waiting for him to look at me, to say the words that will make everything real.

“I’ve chosen Sabrina MoonShade as my mate.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. For a moment, I’m sure I misheard him. There’s no way. He didn’t just say that. Not after everything. Not after all we shared. My chest tightens as the crowd erupts into deafening cheers.

I can’t breathe. I can’t think.

Sabrina.

She steps forward, a radiant vision of perfection, with her golden hair cascading down her back and a smug smile on her lips. Her dress shimmers under the torchlight, and she looks like a goddess standing beside Max. It feels like the world is closing in on me.

I can’t move. My legs won’t work. I feel frozen in place.

I stand there, staring at them, my heart sinking deeper into my stomach. The celebration around me feels distant, like I’m caught in some nightmare. This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening. Not like this.

I try to blink, to clear the fog in my mind, but it doesn’t help. The reality of it hits me harder than anything ever has. Max isn’t choosing me. He never was.

The crowd surges forward, surrounding them, congratulating Max and Sabrina. I can’t be here. I can’t be anywhere near them.

I turn, pushing through the bodies, trying to escape, my vision blurry, my body shaking. The night has become a nightmare, and I can’t wake up from it.

I find a quiet corner at the edge of the clearing, away from the noise, away from the people. I try to steady my breathing, but the pain in my chest makes it hard to do anything but gasp for air. This isn’t real. It can’t be real.

I just need to see him. I need to hear him say it’s a mistake. That he didn’t mean it. That he loves me.

I find him, standing near the edge of the forest, casually talking to one of the elders. His back is turned, his expression calm, like nothing in the world matters to him. I clench my fists at my sides, my breath hitching as I approach him.

“Maxwell,” I call, my voice shaking.

He turns, his eyes meeting mine, and for a fleeting moment, I think I see something: guilt? Regret? But it’s gone as quickly as it appears, replaced by that familiar cold, detached expression.

“Raven,” he says, his voice flat, unfeeling.

I take a step forward, anger bubbling in my chest. "What the hell was that?"

Max sighs and runs a hand through his hair, a gesture that normally would have melted me, but now it only fuels the fire burning in my chest. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

“Harder than it has to be?” I repeat, my voice rising. “You just announced your engagement to someone else! You promised me, Max. You said—”

“I never promised you anything,” he interrupts, his tone sharp.

I stagger back, feeling like the ground beneath me is slipping away. “You’re lying,” I whisper, barely able to get the words out.

He shakes his head, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not. I told you this was complicated from the start. You knew what this was, Raven.”

“What this was?” I repeat, my voice cracking. “You told me you loved me.”

“That was all a lie,” he says, his voice cold, his eyes hard.

“Then why—” I begin, but I can’t find the words. What did I do wrong?

“Because you’re an Omega,” he snaps, his voice biting. “Do you have any idea what it would do to the pack if I chose you? It’s not just about me. It’s about all of us. About the future. And you… you don’t fit into that.”

The words feel like a slap across my face. I stagger back, my chest tight with the weight of his rejection. “Don’t you dare use the pack as an excuse,” I say, my voice trembling with fury. “This isn’t about them. This is about you.”

He doesn’t respond, his gaze cold, distant. He’s already made up his mind.

“You’re a coward,” I spit, tears streaming down my face now. “You’re a f*****g coward, Max.”

Before he can answer, a voice cuts in,soft, mocking, and full of venom.

“Well, this is pathetic.”

I whirl around, heart hammering in my chest. Sabrina stands there, arms crossed, a smug smile on her lips. She looks at me like I’m nothing more than an inconvenience, her eyes glinting with malicious delight.

“What do you want?” I snap, my voice raw.

“I just wanted to see the girl who thought she could actually compete with me,” Sabrina says, her tone dripping with disdain. “You must be delusional, Raven. Did you really think he’d choose you? You?”

My hands shake with rage as I glare at her. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Oh, I know enough,” she says, stepping closer. “I know you’re a nobody. An Omega. A little stray who doesn’t know her place.”

“We should go,” Max says, his voice low and warning, but she doesn’t listen, her eyes locked on me.

“Here’s a reality check for you, sweetheart,” she sneers, taking another step toward me. “Maxwell and I? We’re the same. Power recognizes power. And you?” She laughs, cruel and light. “You’re nothing.”

“Sabrina, that’s enough,” Max says sharply, his voice filled with authority.

She smirks but doesn’t say another word, instead linking her arm through his.

I turn to Max, my voice breaking. “Please, Max. Just tell me why. Why are you doing this to me?”

For a brief moment, his eyes soften, and I see the boy I thought I knew, the one who whispered promises in the dark, the one who made me believe in us. But then his expression hardens, and he shakes his head.

“Because you were never Luna material, Raven.”

His words are final. Cold.

Tears stream down my face as Sabrina gives me one last smug smile before the two of them walk away, their hands entwined. The celebration continues around me, but I stand frozen, drowning in the weight of his rejection.

Maxwell was never mine. And I was never enough.