TAKEN BY THE DEMON WOLF

REJECTION

CHAPTER 1:

AURORA:

I stood anxiously in the middle of the grand open court house waiting for the final decision on my fate, with Lucien standing beside me by my right.

“I, Eden, Alpha of the Crescent moon pack, grant you, Lucien, the approval to nullify your engagement with Aurora, who stands guilty of deception!” Alpha Elan thundered, issuing his decree.

“NO, WAIT!” I grasped onto Lucien's arm, desperately trying to stop the inevitable. My face contorted in shock.

“I, Lucien, Beta warrior of the Moon light pack, reject you, Aurora, as my chosen mate!” Lucien yanks off my hand, tightening his jaw in a cold, hardened gaze as he accepts Alpha Elan's verdict.

I dropped to the cold, hard floor, clutching my chest in agony to the excruciating pain of rejection that surged through my body.

Because I was yet to have my shift and be a complete wolf like the rest my age, the pain felt twice as much as it was supposed to be. I caught a smile of freedom, tugging Lucien's lips as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his chest. After my fifteenth birthday, he started to see me as an embarrassment, a disappointment he so eagerly wanted to get rid off.

Alpha Elan had chosen me as Lucien's mate on my thirteenth birthday, in celebration of the last full moon of the season and my coming of age ceremony.

It was a joyous celebration, most especially for me. I have had the biggest crush on Lucien, Alpha Elan's nephew, ever since I turned ten! He wasn't thrilled, but he wasn't frowning either.

Being born under the blood moon, the pack had many expectations of me, but everything had turned sour when at fifteen, I still couldn't feel my wolf. I am now seventeen turning eighteen by the end of the season, and the laughing stock of the pack.

The hatred from my pack grew and I was gossiped to be the reincarnation of the traitor, Muna, who had traded her own for gold and got punished by the goddess. I got whipped whenever I faulted—which was almost every time seeing they grew impatient with me, including my own parents.

“What a shame!” They'd snarl, whenever a full moon passes and I remain the same.

Other werewolves my age, and even older ones, would tie me up against the shame tree, spitting and calling me all sorts of names whenever it was a full moon—an order from the Alpha to incite my wolf to surface.

“indespicable!” Someone in the crowd yelled, throwing a pebble at me that landed on my lower lip, bruising me.

A small strangled cry escaped my lips, my eyes brimming with tears as I focused on Lucien, ignoring the barrage of stones now darted at me.

“Enough!” Alpha Elan roared, raising his hands to silence the uproar of the crowd, as Lucien moved closer to him and whispered something in his ears.

“To spare your life and grant you a second chance mate, you have until the last full moon of the season to prove yourself! For now, you shall face the consequences of deceiving not only your Alpha, but also the entire pack.”. He turned to some gammas and signalled for them to take me away.

My body brushed roughly against the polished stone of the court hall and into the harsh, muddy ground as I am dragged by the hair to the punisher, a dreadful looking gamma, less merciful than the executioner.

“Please—” my words weared out at the first stroke of the whip on my back. My face crumpled, tears streaming down my cheeks, my vision started to blur out as I counted each stroke until I saw nothing but darkness.

Someone splashes water on my face, startling me awake and up to my feet. No, not water now that I smell it. It is pee—Animal pee.

“Wake up, you useless brat! Time to serve” Madam loon barked, her voice full with disdain, shoving three jugs of wine in my hand and pointing at a table of ugly, thirsty, seated werewolves already growing impatient.

My steps unsteady and faltering, I walked to the table, barely managing to hold all three without spilling any.

I said coconut wine, you i***t!” One of the men slammed his fist on the table, scowling at me.

Scared, I took a step back away from him.

“Get out of my way, You b***h!” Another werewolf pushes me, causing me to crash face first into a hot bowl of chicken soup.

One of the men stood up pulled me up by the neck, my back facing him. “You've ruined my dinner, shall I drink your blood to suffice?” He snarled, baring out his fangs at me with flaring yellow eyes.

“Forget it! Staining my lips with your foul blood would be sacrilege to my ancestors!” He adds, tossing me to the ground like battered meat. Those who cared to watch erupted in laughter.

Clenching my fist unable to do anything, I managed to get up and rushed out as fast as my speed could carry me into the dark, thick forest. Fresh streak of tears blurs the vision of my already swollen eyes.

Slipping on the muddy ground, I fell and tumbled further down the woods, finally crashing into a tree.

“Ouch!” I yelp, managing to sit up, resting my back against a tree.

Looking down at the bruise I sustained on my ankle, I winced and tore out the hem of my dress to wrap around it.

I tried to get up and walk back, but the pain sent me back to sitting on the ground. Sitting out here for long didn't bother me, I knew no one would be concerned with my whereabouts, if at all they notice.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps fast approaching behind me. Afraid, I turned to see who or what it could be.

“Need a little help there, Princess?” Dyna mocked, and behind her was Mona, my biggest bully in the pack.