On The Night Of Our Mating Ceremony, My Alpha Chose Her

Her Name, Not On It

CHAPTER 5

Her Name, Not On It

Mara's POV



"She prepared something special," Caden said, already reaching for his coffee. "I knew you wouldn't mind."

The fork in my hand dropped against the plate.

"I wouldn't mind?" I questioned.

"Yes? Do you have a problem with that?" His voice was cold, his eyes still fixed on his phone.

I was the one who had organised this Monthly Pack Ceremony. I was supposed to give the speech.

This was his way of slowly erasing me from my own Luna duties.

Slowly. Deliberately.

The words burned inside my chest.

But I couldn't say them.

"No, Alpha."

My voice sounded formal. Distant.

It had been three months of acting like everything was fine. Three months of silence.

When I arrived at the event hall, people were already filing in. I picked up the ceremony programme.

My eyes scanned the page.

Once.

Then again.

My name was nowhere.

Not Luna.

Not host.

Not organiser.

Not speaker.

Cold washed through me.

The sleepless nights I had spent planning this.

Without a word, I folded the programme and slipped it into my pocket.

I had deliberately sat in the midst of the crowd, where I could watch everything clearly. Just then, I spotted Isala and Caden entering the hall together. Laughing. Walking side by side.

But then something caught my eye.

The necklace.

The Moonstone Luna necklace.

A symbolic Luna heirloom.

The same one I had once searched for after it went missing.

Except now I understood.

It had never gone missing.

My eyes lingered on the necklace for exactly three seconds. Then I looked away and reached for the glass of wine across the table.

Across the hall, Isala's eyes found mine. A smirk formed on her lips. Right then, I felt a figure sit beside me.

Elder Rowan.

He picked up the ceremony programme.

His eyes moved over the page.

He had noticed that my name wasn't there.

"Some things removed from paper do not disappear in truth."

I didn't say a word.

My eyes went back to the stage. Isala was standing right beside Caden, delivering the Luna speech. I watched as the pack applauded her.

It was as though I had already been forgotten.

My eyes drifted to Caden. There was visible admiration in his eyes. Something I had never seen directed at me. Not even once.

Then I heard a voice beside me.

"She speaks so beautifully."

It was one of the elders.

He didn't seem to notice me.

"You're right," the other elder agreed. "A Luna should command a room like that."

They had all unconsciously erased me.

About thirty minutes into the ceremony, a sharp pain twisted low in my stomach. At first it came in waves, light, almost easy to ignore. Then it deepened. Heavier. Sharper.

Everything around me started to blur. The voices in the hall became muffled noise, the applause distant, as though I was hearing it from underwater.

A bead of sweat rolled down my temple.

I gripped the edge of my seat.

Just as I was about to stand, I saw them walking toward me. Caden and Isala. Side by side.

"Where do you think you're going?" Caden's voice was cold.

Several heads turned in our direction.

"I need to use the restroom," I said, forcing the words out through the pain.

Silence spread across the hall. Every eye was on me.

Then Isala's voice cut through the air.

"Oh? Why is she suddenly going to the restroom now?"

I turned to her, confusion crossing my face despite the pain.

"What are you talking about?"

Her lips curved.

"The Ceremonial Moon Crest Seal is missing."

The hall went still.

My blood ran cold.

Then Caden spoke.

"And Isala said she saw it in the Luna's chambers earlier."

His eyes locked onto mine.

"Why would it be in the Luna's chambers?"

A bitter scoff left my lips.

"And you believed her?" I asked quietly.

"You believed I could steal it?"

Caden's jaw tightened.

"I don't know, but you've just been acting—"

Before he could finish, the guards entered.

"We searched the Luna's chambers," one of them said. "It isn't there."

A murmur spread through the hall.

Before the guard could say more, I cut in.

"Check the Sacred Box. It's there. That is where the Ceremonial Moon Crest Seal has always been kept."

For a moment, no one moved. Then the guards rushed toward the ceremonial altar. A few seconds later, they returned carrying the carved wooden box. When it was opened, the golden Moon Crest Seal sat inside. Untouched. Exactly where it was supposed to be.

The silence that followed was heavier than any accusation.

The shift. Disappointment on some faces. Shock on others.

And in Caden's eyes—guilt.

"I'm so sorry, Mara."

Isala's voice trembled as tears filled her eyes.

"I thought I saw it in your room earlier."

Instantly, the attention shifted.

Pity. Sympathy.

For her.

"It's okay," Caden said softly, pulling her into his arms. "It's not your fault."

Something cold moved through me.

Not heartbreak. Not even anger.

Just cold.

Then the pain hit again. Harder. So sharp that my breath caught. I pressed a hand against my abdomen. Without another word, I grabbed my purse and stood.

As I turned away, I slipped my phone out and quickly typed a message.

Tema, pack every single thing I own. I'm leaving.

I hit send and shoved the phone back into my purse.

The words were clear. Final.

I had barely taken a few steps when I saw her. Isala. Standing in the corridor. Waiting. The Moonstone necklace gleamed at her throat.

She touched it lightly and smiled.

Then she stepped closer.

"Don't you think it suits me better?"

Her voice dropped into a whisper. Sweet. Cruel.

I said nothing. I only jerked my arm away from her touch.

But before I could move past her, she caught my wrist.

Her fingers tightened.

Then she leaned in.

"Sorry for your loss."

The words froze me.

My heart stopped.

A terrible chill ran through my body.

Slowly, I looked down.

Blood.

A dark stain spreading across my dress.

Wet. Warm.

My breath hitched.

For one second, everything around me disappeared.

The music. The voices. The lights.

Nothing existed except that stain.

Without hesitation, I turned and rushed toward the restroom.

My mind raced. This could only mean one thing. I was pregnant. I had no idea. I tried to piece it together—the last time I had seen my period, the night of the mating ceremony, the one moment Caden and I had been together.

The sharp pain tore through my body, each second worse than the last. I struggled to reach my purse. Finally, I managed it. I pulled out my phone and dialled the first name saved.

Tema.

"I'm dying. Please—I'm at the restroom."

The words left my lips, but the call disconnected before she could answer.

My eyes struggled to stay open.

The pain was too heavy. I was already fading.

Then—a knock. Relief washed over me, thinking it was Tema.

But when the door opened—

it wasn't her.

It was Isala.

And she wasn't alone.

Four masked men flanked her.

"Everything is prepared," she said, smiling. "Carry her out. Dump her body into the sea."

The men moved in.

I couldn't plead. I couldn't speak. I couldn't fight.

My eyes blurred. Tears slipped down without me noticing.

The next thing I knew, I was in a car.

My mouth covered. Face covered.

I could only watch. Helpless.

And then—a car roared into the parking lot, cutting right in front of them.

"f**k!" one of the men shouted.

"I thought Isala said no one was coming?"

My heart skipped.

Then I saw her.

Tema.

Holding something dark in both hands, dressed like she was ready to fight.

"It's just a girl," one of the men scoffed. "We'll take her down."

Two of them lunged forward.

Gunshots rang out.

Several more cars followed in a convoy.

"It's the Western Council!" someone shouted.

And then I saw him.

Elder Rowan.

His eyes were dark, unreadable.

He opened the car door and pulled me out.

"Thank you," I managed.

Then I gave up.