The Alpha's Mark

Chapter One

WREN’s POV.

I stepped into the bustling Full Moon Festival, my heart racing with excitement and my fingers trembling slightly .

Tonight was the night I would finally meet my mate, the one destined to be mine. The air was filled with the voices of the wolf who were also there to find they mate and have fun. The wolves chatter filled the cool night air. The smell of roasting meat and freshly baked bread was carried through the air , making my stomach growl and my mouth water.

As I made my way through the crowd, my best friend, Kiara, grabbed my arm, her eyes filled with childlike excitement . "Wren, I'm so nervous! What if we don't find our mates?"

I smiled reassuringly, trying to calm her nerves. "We will, Kiara. We have to. We're meant to find our true loves tonight. We will find the one who we will spend the rest of our lives with. The one who will be there for us through the darkest of nights and the worst of days. The one who will be our shield in the face of danger and who will be our warmth in the coldest night… the one-“

“Okay, okay, I get you want to find your mate but first let’s hear what the alpha has to say.” Keira said, cutting me short.

Together we squeezed our way through the crowd.

We stopped in front of the alpha's table, where the pack's alpha , Asher, sat with his only son, Damien.

Damien's piercing green eyes scanned the crowd, his gaze stayed on me for a moment before moving on. I felt a shiver run down my spine as our eyes met, my heart skipping a beat.

"Welcome, young ones," Asher boomed, his voice warm and inviting. "Tonight, you will find your mates, and our pack will be blessed with new unions. You will find the one for you, and be with that person and have the moon goddess’ blessings.”

With that, the full moon festival officially began.

Kiara and I exchanged a look, our hearts racing in unison. This was it. This was the moment we'd been waiting for.

As the ceremony began, Damien stood, his eyes meeting mine once more. I felt a jolt of electricity run through me, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. This was my mate.

All the signs were there, the sweet alluring scent from Damien filled my nostrils, clouding my senses. I could not help but get anxious, is he feeling the same way? Does he know he is my mate?

But as he approached, his expression turned cold, his eyes flashing with disdain. "Wren, I...I don't feel the bond," he said, his voice dripping with disappointment.

My heart shattered into a million pieces. What did he mean? We were meant to be mates! The scent, the synchronization of heartbeat, all the signs where there.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me.

Kiara stepped forward, her nose twitched slightly as she stepped closer to him. "Damien, I feel it. … the scent . It’s your scent?”

Damien's face lit up, and he turned to Kiara, his eyes filled with admiration. "Kiara,” he said, his voice deep and husky as he placed a hand on her chest and the other on his. “Mine…” he said and a wide smile spread across his face.

I felt like I'd been slapped in the face, my eyes stinging with tears. This couldn't be happening. Damien was my mate, not Kiara's!

“I have found my mate!” Damien’s shout made the chattering crowd turn silent.

As the crowd erupted into cheers and congratulations, I stood frozen, my hearfelt like a knife has been driven through it . I was rejected, cast aside like a worthless thing.

Kiara's laughter echoed through the night, her joy stabbing, my soul like a dagger. I turned and ran, disappearing into the crowd, leaving behind the shredded remains on my dignity lying on the floor.

My vision blurred my tears, I stumbled through the crowd, desperate to escape the pain and humiliation. How could he reject me like that? Didn't he feel the bond too? How could Keira do this to me? The moment my mate could not feel the bond, she swooped in immediate and snatched him, without giving me a chance to convince him.

My lungs burned and my legs trembling beneath forcing me to stop rubbing , gasping for air. I leaned against a tree, my heart still racing with shock and pain.

Why had Damien rejected me? What was wrong with me? The questions raced in my mind.

“Why are you still here?” Keira’s voice rang in my head and I turned back to face her.

“What? You snatched my mate from me, you betrayed me in front of the whole pack. What happened to being friends and sticking to each other through thick and thin?” I yelled at her, my voice choked with emotion.

“He is Damien, you know that I have been crushing on him since the first day that I saw him. You say you are my friend right? Then leave me for me, after all he chose me. Why are you being so emotional?” Keira hissed, her voice dripping with contempt.

I stared at her, my mouth wide open in shock.

“Look, it is not my fault that he did not feel that connection or that bond with you, and felt it with me. I mean you were the one who dragged me here. And by the way, he chose me on his own free will. Stop being so extra.” She said and walked away.

My eyes welled up with tears again, but this time I refused to let them drop.

I’ll flee and never return.