CHAPTER 1
1039 Words
My hands shook as I served breakfast to the ranked wolves. Today was the day. The Silver Creek Pack would arrive for the annual gathering, and every unmated wolf would have a chance to find their other half. At eighteen, this was my first gathering, and my wolf, Lily, hadn't stopped pacing in my mind since dawn.
"Emma! Stop daydreaming and refill the Alpha's coffee!" Martha, the head omega, snapped at me.
"Yes, Martha." I grabbed the coffee pot and hurried to the main table where Alpha James sat with his Beta and Gamma. They didn't even look at me. Omegas were invisible unless we made mistakes.
I'd been invisible my whole life. My parents died when I was three, killed in a rogue attack. The pack took me in, but orphaned omegas were the lowest of the low. We did the cooking, cleaning, and laundry. We ate last. We lived in the servants' quarters behind the pack house.
But none of that would matter once I found my mate. The Moon Goddess paired every wolf with their perfect match. Someone who would love us completely. Even omegas found their mates, and when we did, our rank didn't matter anymore. We became whatever rank our mate was.
"They're here!" someone shouted from outside.
My heart jumped. Through the dining room windows, I saw three black SUVs pulling up. The Silver Creek Pack. They were one of the strongest packs in the region, led by Alpha Lucas Blackwood. He was twenty-two and still unmated, which was unusual for an Alpha.
"Omegas, line up!" Martha ordered. "Remember your place. Eyes down. Don't speak unless spoken to."
We formed a line by the wall as the ranked members went outside to greet our guests. Through the window, I caught my first glimpse of Alpha Lucas. My breath caught. He was the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Tall and strong, with black hair and a face that looked carved from stone. Even from here, I could feel his power.
The Silver Creek wolves entered the dining room for the welcome breakfast. Their Beta and Gamma came first, then their warriors. Finally, Alpha Lucas walked in. The moment he crossed the threshold, his whole body went rigid. His gray eyes swept the room until they locked onto mine.
The world stopped. A golden thread seemed to connect us, pulling tight around my heart. My wolf howled one word that changed everything: "Mate!"
His eyes widened. I saw the recognition there, the same pull I felt. But then his expression changed. His perfect features twisted into something I didn't understand. Disgust? Disappointment?
"No," he said, so quietly only I could hear. Then louder, "No!"
Every wolf in the room turned to stare. My legs trembled. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Mates were supposed to be happy. They were supposed to run to each other.
"Alpha Lucas?" Alpha James asked. "Is everything alright?"
Lucas's jaw clenched. His hands fisted at his sides. "I need a moment." He turned and walked out, leaving me standing there with tears burning my eyes.
Martha grabbed my arm. "Get to the kitchen. Now."
I stumbled through the rest of the morning in a daze. My mate had found me and walked away. Maybe he just needed time to adjust. Maybe he was surprised. Alphas usually mated with Betas or strong warriors, not omegas. But the Moon Goddess didn't make mistakes. We were meant to be together.
"Emma." Beta Carol found me scrubbing dishes. "Alpha Lucas wants to see you. He's in the garden."
My heart soared. He'd changed his mind! I dried my hands and smoothed my old dress. It was faded and patched, but it was clean. I hurried outside.
Lucas stood by the fountain, his back to me. Even from behind, he was magnificent. "Alpha Lucas?"
He turned slowly. His gray eyes were cold as winter storms. "You're the omega? Emma?"
"Yes." My voice came out small.
"You're my mate." It wasn't a question. He said it like he was confirming a terrible diagnosis.
"The Moon Goddess paired us," I whispered. "I know I'm just an omega, but I promise I'll work hard to be a good Luna. I can learn—"
"Stop." He held up his hand. "This is a mistake."
"A mistake?" The words hit me like physical blows. "But we're mates. I felt it. You felt it too."
"What I felt was the mate bond. Nothing more." He started pacing. "I'm Alpha of Silver Creek. My Luna needs to be strong. She needs to be able to fight beside me, to lead the pack females, to birth strong pups. You're..." He looked me up and down, and I wanted to shrink into the ground. "You're weak. Small. An orphan with no bloodline. No training. No education beyond basic servant work."
Each word cut deeper than the last. "I can learn," I said desperately. "Please, just give me a chance."
"I've made my decision." His voice was final. "At tomorrow's ceremony, I'll formally reject you and choose a chosen mate instead. Beta Michael's daughter, Sophia, has already agreed."
"You can't!" The words burst out before I could stop them. "Rejecting a true mate... it hurts both wolves. Some never recover."
"I'm strong enough to survive it. And you?" He shrugged like I didn't matter. "The pack will take care of you, I suppose."
He started to leave, but I grabbed his arm. Sparks shot through my palm where we touched. He felt it too—I saw his eyes flash gold as his wolf responded.
"Please," I begged. "Just give us a week. If you still want to reject me after actually knowing me—"
He jerked his arm away. "Don't touch me again. Don't speak to me. Tomorrow, this ends."
He left me there in the garden, tears streaming down my face. But even through my breaking heart, I felt that thread between us, golden and warm. Maybe tomorrow he'd change his mind. Maybe when he saw me again, his wolf would fight for us.
I spent that night praying to the Moon Goddess. Surely she wouldn't let this happen. Surely my mate would want me.
I was wrong.
- Writer
