Chapter 1: Rejected
Serena's POV
"You will never be my Luna."
Alpha Amit's voice rang loud in my head.
"I can never and would never be mated to a weak omega like Serena. I'd rather have her as a maid, satisfying my s****l desires."
He had declared this in front of the whole pack.
My eyes scanned through the hall to read their reactions. Some were giggling silently, some whispering. My eyes went to my mom, whose eyes were now clouded with tears. I looked away to avoid crying.
Today was my eighteenth birthday, and I had been waiting for this day forever, or at least I thought I had. I had dreamt of meeting my mate, of feeling... complete, of freedom, but not someone like this. Not Amit, who was known for his ruthlessness.
He was cruel. He r***d almost all the young She-wolves in the pack, as soon as they strike the age of eighteen, stripping them of their innocence, and now, he's my mate?
After my dad had died fighting during a rogue attack when I was eight, life had been hard for my mom and me, and now even my dream of going to university was being shattered.
The Alpha had left the hall, and slowly everyone else did. My mom held my hand slowly and moved me toward my room.
"Serena..."
she caressed my head softly. Her eyes locked deeply into mine, as if she could read into them.
"I need some time alone, Mom," I said blankly, as she hesitantly went for the door.
"Just made sure you're fine" she said slowly before locking the door behind her.
Tears rolled down my eyes as I sat with my head facing the roof of my small room. After all I've faced, why would the Moon Goddess mate me with someone like that? I rolled from one side of my bed to the other, struggling to sleep. I couldn't.
I had imagine myself in bed with my dream mate this night, we should probably be kissing by now, and getting ready for something more intense.
Just when I knew it, sleep took over. Just when sleep was starting to take the best part of me.
There was a soft tap on my shoulder. I opened my eyes slowly to see my mom crouched on my bed.
"Selena... Selena..." Mom's voice trembled, urgent, low. My eyes shot open, heart hammering in my chest.
"Pack a few things you'd be needing," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder as if someone might see.
"You... you have to run. Now."
I froze for a moment, barely breathing. "Run? My voice was hoarse.
"Mom... what?"
"No time," she said, pressing a trembling hand to my cheek. Her eyes burned with desperation.
"Go, pack now. Run. Keep running until you cross the border. Go to your aunt at the Blue Moon Pack. She'll take care of you. Please, Selena... I can't keep you here. Not tonight."
Fear and disbelief collided in my chest, sharp and suffocating. But I didn't question. Not when Mom's hands shook and her eyes were wild with worry.
I scrambled from my bed and grabbed the big traveling box I had stashed in the corner. My hands shook as I stuffed clothes, a few small keepsakes, the little things I thought I might need. Nothing else mattered. I just had to run. That one word repeated in my mind, louder and louder with every heartbeat.
I threw the lid on, shoved it to the side, and grabbed it. Mom held me for a moment, her fingers tightening on my arm, then she whispered,
"Go... don't look back."
The hall was dark, silent except for the soft thump of my bare feet on the floor. I paused at the door, listening. There was nothing.
I sneaked out of the pack quietly, trying as much as possible to not wake the guards that gave fallen asleep by the pack's huge gate.
I had to go throught the back door.
I kept running, legs pumping, lungs burning. I didn't stop. Not even when my muscles screamed and my chest felt like it would explode. I had to keep moving.
I could sight the forest ahead of me. Branches scratched at my arms, my face, my hair.
My box thudded against my side, heavy but necessary. I stumbled over roots, tripped over rocks, but didn't slow. I couldn't. Every shadow, every rustle of leaves set my heart racing.
I heard something in my ears, I stopped. My stomach dropped. My pulse thundered in my ears.
Rogues! Wolves without packs, they are unpredictable and dangerous. My mind scrambled for what to do. Stop? Hide? Fight? No. I didn't have time. I just kept running. My legs burned, my breaths came in ragged gasps.
Branches tore at my clothes and skin, my box swung wildly against me, and still, I ran. Panic was fuel, fear the only thing keeping me moving faster than my exhaustion should allow.
I sighed hard when I sighted the border afar off. I could see the faint lights of the Blue Moon Pack territory just beyond it.
I pushed harder, ignoring the pain slicing through my legs and back. My vision blurred.
Every step was agony, every breath a struggle, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't.
Then the exhaustion hit like a wave, dragging me under. My knees buckled, my box tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud.
Somewhere far off, I heated a wolf howled. It was probably a warning? Or even a threat? But I didn't care. My mind barely functioned beyond go, run and survive.
Suddenly, the ground tilted beneath me. My legs gave way completely. Everything went blurry, with the lights of the blu
e moon's pack still in sight.
And then... darkness swallowed me whole.
