REJECTED AT THE ALTAR, CHOSEN BY FATE

~Selene~ Everybody has a pivotal moment in their life when they realize their life will never be the same. You have no control over the change that will undoubtedly take place, whether it is for better or worse. That's when Alpha Edward Harrington of Ashcombe, my fated mate, and I stood at the altar. The only thing I could do was to live through it, even though I wished I could snap my fingers and stop the moment. My legs just stayed motionless. A voice in my head kept telling me to run. My wolf, Ella, had retreated; this was just for me. My f*****g moment, my moment. Everything had gone wrong on the evening of the blue moon. The signs were there, and I should have figured it out. Denial is an essential coping strategy, and I had used it throughout, ignoring the warning signs and continuing. Lately, there have been unexplained absences, missed calls, control, late nights, and reluctance. I simply continued even though it was there. "What you don't know won't hurt you, Selene." "Keep your eyes on the prize, Selene," "We own him. It's this. We are unable to lose. I repeatedly reminded myself, "Selene, we can't f*****g lose." I pushed past the whispers, blocking my ears. Why shouldn't I? Edward had no excuse for lying to me. For crying out loud, he owed me nothing because he was Alpha. Together with my best friend, I operated a small orphanage as a menial gamma. I mean, I didn't exist. If there was a problem, Edward would have informed me. We were doomed. The deal was meant to be sealed. It was meant to be completed. Even though this shouldn't be happening right now, it did, and I was the target of amusement. When Pearl and I relocated our orphanage to Ashcombe, I got to know Edward. The purpose of the visit was to get to know the Alpha and, if they invited us, become a part of the community. It was "fated" at first sight, or love, if I may use that term. We clicked right away. Edward was gentle, kind, and warm. It was very easy to fall in love with him. He lavished me with affection. He persuaded me that it would succeed. We would work. Beatrice, his mother, was ecstatic. She kept me busy and talked about the future with my grandchildren. People would assume I was her child based on the way she treated me. Edward wanted to wait for the Bluemoon, but she was ready to move on. Despite my lack of patience, I concurred. Beatrice wanted Edward to have children because he was the only child, and she wanted to see her grandchildren and see how their family grew. She had hope. Beatrice would force me to perform Luna's tasks and make minor choices. She did it to get me ready for the job. Of course, there was a price for it. Pearl and I ran a bakery together, and it suffered. Pearl had to manage the bakery by herself, since I was constantly preoccupied with Luna's responsibilities. Because our recipes were unique, we were unable to hire additional staff, and the kids were too young to assist. Our income decreased as a result of a decrease in production output. We were no longer earning enough to feed the kids and cover the orphanage's rent. However, Edward handled it, so it was alright. He actually did more than we could afford, and since the Luna's responsibilities included caring for the orphans, it was acceptable to rely on Edward a little. Correct? Although Pearl and I were outsiders of Portsmouth and not native to Ashcombe, fate had brought us here, and we were both surviving. To get it over with, claim each other, and move on, I would occasionally bother Edward. He wanted to wait for the Bluemoon, but we were fated and didn't need it to claim each other. He claimed to have discovered that it was more intense and that the bond we would form in its blissful light would be worthwhile. He wanted it to be even more memorable than our first s****l encounter. Edward was a gentleman and a romantic. He was loyal to his people and his duty above all else. Although Ashcombe's life was difficult due to the embargo, he persisted. We had to resist the bond and the desire to assert our identity, which made waiting difficult. In order to soothe both of our wolves, Edward had marked me with his scent. I was a complete i***t around him. I was unable to think clearly. It seemed as though all of my intelligence had left me and would only come back when we were apart. It didn't bother me. It was all right because the Bluemoon was closer than my 21st birthday. A few months should be tolerable if I can wait two years to find my soul mate. Shouldn't it? In order to keep myself occupied during those months, I was anxious and excited as the Bluemoon drew near. Edward seemed content to me as well. Yes, I did. I was mistaken in believing that being fated was inevitable because I am unable to force myself on anyone. It was an odd wedding morning. There wasn't a lot of energy in the air, and even though I was content, I didn't feel the excitement that came with anticipating a joining. I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find it. I had a hollow feeling. I was good at denial, as I mentioned before, and this was one of those times, but that was my sign. I walked myself down the aisle because I was an orphan. Edward was waiting for me at the altar, looking dapper. I wanted to rush over to him. Though I knew it was custom, the slow steps seemed to take an eternity. I wasn't the patient type, did I mention that? Edward lifted my veil and gave me a blue-eyed stare as I reached the altar. He inherited his blond hair and blue eyes from his mother, who was from the South, but his father gave him the rest of his features. I couldn't believe he was mine because he was so attractive. I was holding back the tears of joy that were on the verge of falling as I grinned broadly. I was afraid they would ruin my makeup if I let them fall. I regulated my breathing to stop the tears because I didn't think the makeup was waterproof. Despite all the emotions rushing through me, I failed to notice the pain in Edward's eyes, so I suppose I was a blind b***h. He lacked confidence. He was clearly trying to hide his fear and sadness. I ought to have noticed it. However, I didn't. After all, we were both at the altar for our wedding. Later on, the remaining issues could be settled. We would work things out later, but not right now, not during the wedding, if I asked him what was wrong. Edward motioned for the officiator to halt as he was about to start. It was an act of kindness. He spoke as though he had forgotten something unrelated to the ceremony. I didn't give it much thought because he said it as though he wanted to gather himself before we started, but when there was a pause, and he didn't tell the officiator to begin, people started whispering. His eyes appeared hazy. They begged me to comprehend, but I was unable to do so. I was stuck in the grip of the dread that swept over me because I couldn't comprehend it. I ought to have run away. I should have kept what came next to myself. However, I stayed for it because I was the slow b***h that I was around Edward. I hung around for the whole thing, curious to find out, hoping he would reconsider. I was foolish, but I was always optimistic. Edward gently took my hands. With tears running down his cheeks, he gazed at me tenderly while slowly caressing my fingers. His grip trembled a little, as though he was making himself do this. "Selene, I adore you. I was perplexed when he linked me and said, "I love you so much, and I hope you will forgive me for this." I had no time to consider what he had said. As if on cue, he started talking as his eyes glazed over, indicating that he was speaking to someone. When he said, "Selene, you are an amazing woman," everyone fell silent. "I have observed your qualities in the brief time I have known you. You are selfless and have a big heart. It's everything a pack could possibly want for their Luna. Someone who will love, care for, and protect them. Selene, you possess all the attributes. My pals adore you. The people accept you, and my mother loves you. Despite being new to Ashcombe, you seem to have lived here your entire life. I will always be appreciative of how well you fit in and made the orphanage kids happy." I questioned why he couldn't hold off until we were asked to exchange vows. Unless I was hallucinating, this sounded like him saying his vows. "We were bound together by fate. I have no idea why, but it did. The hall fell silent as he said, "And you are an amazing gift, Selene, but you are not for me." I became completely motionless. I sensed that I had been struck. I should have run at this point, but I was forced to stay. "I've been thinking about this for two weeks. We aren't compatible, despite my best efforts to justify it by saying that I never intend to hurt you. His eyes began to well up with tears as he went on. Edward pretended to be reciting a script that he had gruellingly committed to memory. "If anything I am about to say is hurtful, please accept my apologies in advance. I think it's best that you are aware of my truth. I knew I was screwed when he said that and changed his posture while staring at me with icy, heartless eyes. I stayed when I should have gone. I stood there and took his s**t, f*****g. "Selene, we aren't compatible. You are uninteresting. You have no idea how to enjoy yourself. You take life too seriously, and I am embarrassed by your clumsiness when we go out. You don't know how to act or dress like a lady in public. You pretend to be uneducated. Your shortcomings bother me, which is the worst part. He remarked, "You say and do things that a proper lady would never do." My feet refused to move, and I stood motionless. I realized that it was too good to be true.