A Crown For The Rejected Alpha

ELARA'S POV "Stop pacing." Ava's voice followed me across the room. "I'll stop pacing when my heart stops trying to escape through my chest." My best friend rolled her eyes from where she sat on my bed. "You're being dramatic." I spun around so fast my silver dress swished around my knees. "Dramatic?" I pointed at myself. "Ava, it's the Moon Ceremony." "And?" "And?" I stared at her. "Do you know how many unmated wolves will be there tonight?" She shrugged. "A lot." "Exactly." A grin spread across her face. "Oh, I get it." I narrowed my eyes. "No, you don't." "I do." She stood and crossed her arms. "You're hoping tonight is the night." Heat rushed to my cheeks immediately. "Keep your voice down." The last thing I needed was the entire cottage hearing that. Ava burst out laughing. "Oh my Goddess." I groaned. "Don't." "You are hoping to find your mate." I threw a pillow at her. She dodged it easily. "Every wolf hopes to find their mate." "Not every wolf turns red when someone mentions it." I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Nothing came out. Because unfortunately, she was right. I wanted a mate. Not because I dreamed about grand romance. Not because I wanted some magical love story. I wanted someone who chose me. Someone who looked at me and saw more than the orphan girl everyone pitied. Someone who didn't lower their voice whenever they mentioned my parents. Someone who didn't make me feel like I was standing outside a window, watching everyone else belong somewhere. For once in my life, I wanted to belong too. A knock interrupted my thoughts. Three sharp knocks. Ava frowned. "Were you expecting someone?" I shook my head. "No." The knock came again. Louder this time. Something about it made my stomach tighten. Slowly, I walked toward the door. When I pulled it open, Elder Miriam stood outside. My smile immediately disappeared. Elders never visited without a reason. And it was rarely a good one. Her gaze swept over me. The silver dress. The carefully braided hair. The excitement I hadn't been able to hide. Something dark flashed across her face. Pity. My stomach dropped. "Elder?" She hesitated. Just long enough for dread to begin crawling up my spine. Then she reached into her robe and handed me a folded envelope. The paper looked old. Very old. My name was written across the front. In handwriting I recognized instantly. The world tilted. No. That couldn't be possible. My fingers trembled as I stared at the familiar script. I hadn't seen it in ten years. Not since my mother died. "Elder..." My voice barely worked. "Where did you get this?" Elder Miriam's expression tightened. "It was left with the council." The room suddenly felt too small. Too hot. Too difficult to breathe in. My mother was dead. She had been dead for ten years. So why was I holding a letter written in her hand? And why had the council waited until today to give it to me? "What's inside?" Ava asked quietly. The Elder answered before I could. "It was to be delivered on Elara's eighteenth birthday." My pulse hammered against my throat. Today. Today was my eighteenth birthday. A terrible feeling settled in my chest. The kind that comes right before something changes forever. Slowly, I broke the seal. The letter unfolded in my shaking hands. Only one sentence was written inside. Seven words. Seven words that made the blood drain from my face. Do not let the Alpha find you. My heart stopped. Ava leaned over my shoulder. The moment she read it, her eyes widened. "What the hell does that mean?" Before I could answer, a horn echoed through the entire pack territo ry. The Moon Ceremony had begun. And somehow... I knew that letter had just changed everything.