Blessed Luna Rising

The scent of blood and herbs clung to my skin, a mixture of life and death that had become all too familiar. My hands trembled slightly as I pressed down on the open wound of a young warrior, his skin slick with sweat as he writhed beneath my touch. The pack’s doctor, an elder wolf with sharp eyes, nodded in approval. “Good work, Selene,” he murmured. “Now, stitch him up.” I didn’t need his encouragement. I had done this a hundred times before. The sharp needle in my hands was more of a comfort than the idea of a mate bond ever had been.I had long since stopped believing in mates.There was a time when the thought of finding my fated partner had sent a rush of excitement through me. But that was before life had beaten me down, before I had become the lowest-ranked member of the Silverfang Pack—an Omega who had been rejected before she could ever be claimed. My wolf, Alera, stirred inside me, her presence faint but steady. We don’t need anyone. I finished the stitches, wiping my hands on my already bloodstained apron before stepping back. The warrior would live. They always did. I had made sure of that. Yet, despite my dedication, I was invisible to them. I saw it in their eyes—the way they looked past me, the way they whispered when they thought I couldn’t hear. An unmated Omega was nothing in their world, and a rejected one? Even less. “Selene.” I stiffened at the sound of his voice. Alpha King Killian. I turned slowly, lowering my gaze instinctively, though every fiber of my being told me not to. He stood at the entrance of the infirmary, his towering frame draped in authority and power. His golden eyes swept over me, unreadable, but I could feel the weight of his presence like a crushing force. “You’re the healer,” he stated, as if confirming my existence for the first time. “Yes, Alpha,” I answered, my voice calm. His gaze lingered. Something flickered in his expression—something dark and knowing. I had seen the way wolves reacted to their mates, the instant connection that pulled them together. But there was nothing. No spark. No claim. Nothing but a distant curiosity before he turned away, speaking to the pack’s Beta about an upcoming war. I released a breath, tightening my grip on my apron. Of course not. Why would the Moon Goddess give me a second chance? And yet, deep in my soul, something felt wrong. Something was missing. I just didn’t know what yet.