The Ugly Luna

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

ALDRIC

I had been waiting for what felt like an eternity to meet my mate, chosen for me by the Moon Goddess. My father always told me to take care of my mate when I finally met her. With each passing day, I grew more excited to meet her. I visited many packs, hoping she'd be there. But when I finally saw my mate, my excitement turned to disappointment.

My wolf, Nero, suddenly appeared in my mind. "Oh, my mate!" he exclaimed, wagging his tail and gazing at our mate as if she were the most beautiful woman, even though she wasn't.

I locked eyes with the ugly woman in front of me. Her eyes seemed to say she'd been waiting for me for a long time. There was an unusual sparkle in her eyes that I couldn't explain. Of all the werewolves I'd met, she was the ugliest creature I'd ever seen.

"Shut up, Nero. I won't accept her as my mate!" I firmly told Nero in my mind.

Nero suddenly looked sad at my words. "She is our mate. I love her already!" he protested, giving me a sharp look, but I ignored him.

"Alpha Aldric, this is Thalia. She grew up in the orphanage here since she was a baby," Alpha Ezekiel introduced her to me.

I merely nodded.

"Thalia, this is Alpha Aldric, the Alpha of the Blood Rose Pack. You take care of him for now, and I'll go attend to my Luna," Alpha Ekzekiel instructed her.

Nero dreamily whispered her name in my mind. I blocked my wolf's thoughts to focus on her.

"Alpha Aldric, I'll leave you for a moment. I'll be back. Thalia will take care of you," Alpha Ezekiel said before leaving.

I just nodded.

I couldn't believe the Moon Goddess had chosen such an ugly mate for me. I felt like complaining and blaming her for this. How could I be proud of her in front of my pack and other Alphas? She even looked weak.

"You're my mate. I know you can feel it. I've been waiting for you for so long, Alpha Aldric," she said happily.

I felt disgusted by her words. Nero growled at me, sensing my reaction. He didn't appreciate my response to his mate.

I looked at Thalia seriously, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to hurt this ugly creature, but I also wanted to be honest with myself, rather than deceive myself.

"I'm sorry, but I won't accept you. I'll ask the Moon Goddess to replace the mate she chose for me," I told her.

Her eyes widened in shock at my words. The happiness in her eyes slowly turned to pain as she realized I didn't want her.

"You can't do that! S-she chose me for you!" she exclaimed hysterically.

"I am Alpha Aldric Maxwell, and I reject you as my mate!" I declared without hesitation.

She gasped at my words.

We both clutched our chests as I uttered those words. Our bond began to sever, but it would only break completely when she accepted my rejection. Tears started flowing from her eyes as she shook her head.

"I am Thalia Burgundy, and I don't accept your rejection," she said, her voice firm.

I was taken aback by her defiance. She seemed desperate to be my mate. One corner of my lip curled up in amusement at her stubbornness.

"No matter what you do, I'll never accept you!" I said firmly.

Thalia looked at me with sadness, as if pleading with me. Her eyes were unusual and mesmerizing, but a part of me warned me not to be swayed.

"If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be over there with the flowers. I won't force you to like me, but I also won't accept your rejection because I've been waiting for you for so long," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

She didn't wait for my response and turned away, walking towards the flower garden nearby. From behind, she didn't look ugly at all. Her body was well-shaped, except for her face.

I sighed deeply. What's done is done. I wouldn't take it back.

"Nero, I'm sorry," I said to my wolf, unblocking him and feeling his pain.

He didn't respond. I knew he was upset about my rejection of our mate. I let it be, knowing he'd eventually accept it. She's not worth us.

My phone rang a few moments later. I smiled when I saw Tamarra's name - my girlfriend.

"Hello, sweetheart!" I answered.

"Where are you? I miss you, sweetheart. I'm feeling down today," she said sweetly.

'I'm here at the Gold Heart Pack. We are feeding the kids at the orphanage. Don't worry, I'll visit you tomorrow," I said to Tamarra.

"You should have brought me along. I'm so bored here," she replied, pouting.

"It's a family event, and I'm with Daisy and Sheila. You know they'll tell my dad if they find out you're with me," I explained.

Tamarra and I had been together for a long time, but my dad didn't approve of our relationship. He wanted me to wait for my mate, and that was the only one he wanted me to be with.

Only my dad had issues with Tamarra. My mom was always supportive of my choices. But according to my dad, I wouldn't become a great Alpha if I didn't wait for and take care of my mate.

But I didn't expect my mate to be like this. I wondered if my dad would understand me if I told him I rejected my mate because of her appearance. How could I love someone like her? How could I be with her? Why, out of all the possible mates, did the Moon Goddess choose her for me?

I gazed at Thalia's back as she tended to the flowers.

"Sometimes I want to end our relationship, Aldric. You can't even stand up for me against your dad and siblings. Do you love me?" Tamarra asked, her voice laced with sadness.

I sighed deeply at her question. Of all the times we'd argued, she was now doubting my love for her.

"You know why my dad disapproves of our relationship. First, it's because of what your dad did to our company. Second, you're not my mate," I explained, getting annoyed. "We've been over this before, and you still can't understand?"

How many times have we broken up because sometimes we couldn't get along? But I don't know why I keep coming back to her. Maybe because we've been together for a long time and she's also the one who relieves the heat that my body feels sometimes.

"Okay, fine. Let's just break up then. Wait for your mate, see if I care!" Tamarra shouted before hanging up on me.

I took a deep breath and looked at Thalia again. I still couldn't understand why the Moon Goddess chose her as my mate.

A few minutes passed before Alpha Ezekiel returned.

"Sorry, I took so long. You didn't touch the food Thalia brought, did you?" he asked.

I hadn't even noticed Ezekiel's return. I forced a smile.

"I'm full already. How were the kids at the orphanage?" I asked.

"They're fine, especially with Omega Thalia's care. She feeds them during meal times. Even when the kids bully her, she's used to it. Thalia may not look like much, but she's kind," Ezekiel said proudly.

My wolf, Nero, chimed in again.

"You see? The Moon Goddess chose a kind mate for us. I'm excited to get to know her."

"I already rejected her, Nero. Let's just ask the Moon Goddess for a new mate," I replied.

But Nero countered, "Do you think the Moon Goddess will easily give us a new mate? And she didn't accept your rejection, so she's still our mate!"

To shut Nero up, I asked Alpha Ezekiel about Thalia.

"How long has Thalia been living in the Gold Heart Pack?" I inquired.

"Like the other kids, Thalia grew up here in the orphanage. Omega Lenette, the head of the omegas, took care of her. Omega Lenette found her near the border of our territory, but we don't know who brought her to our pack. Omega Lenette cared for her until Thalia was mature enough to help her," Alpha Ezekiel continued to tell me about Thalia.

I nodded, listening to his story.

"As Thalia grew up, she became a target for teasing by the other kids. Unlike everyone else, she never shifted into her wolf form. Sometimes we didn't even see her try. We knew she was one of us, but maybe her wolf was too shy to come out because she was always laughed at," Alpha Ezekiel added.

I remained silent, unable to accept Thalia as my mate.

We spent a few more hours at the Gold Heart Pack before I said goodbye to Alpha Ezekiel and headed home. My siblings and some pack warriors stayed behind, enjoying their time playing with the kids.

Since the Gold Heart Pack was only an hour and a half away from our pack, I arrived home quickly. I went straight to my apartment on the top floor of the building, took a shower, made some coffee, and headed to the terrace.

Staring out into the distance, my mind wandered back to what happened earlier.

Nero kept whining in my head while I was on my way home because I left our mate at the Gold Heart Pack. I had to block him so I wouldn't hear his complaints. He was acting out of character just because of his ugly mate.

She dared to reject my rejection.

I decided to reach out to my Beta using our mind link to ask for updates on what happened in the pack while I was away.

After a few moments, I sensed my father's arrival. I invited him to enter my room through our mind link and directed him to the terrace where we could talk.

He patted my shoulder before sitting down.

"How was the feeding program at the Gold Heart Pack's orphanage?" he asked.

My father, Imre Maxwell, had an impressive build even in his retirement as an Alpha. He still possessed a commanding presence and intellect.

"It went well, so I left my sisters there since they still enjoy playing with kids," I replied.

He nodded, gazing at me intensely. "What's wrong?" He seemed to sense my unease.

I took a deep breath. "I met my mate, Dad, but I rejected her."

He stood up abruptly, his eyes wide in shock. "What? Why did you reject your mate? Don't you know how that would affect Nero?"

"I couldn't accept having a mate who's ugly, Dad!" I exclaimed.

My father's expression turned angry. "Whether she's ugly or not, she's the one the Moon Goddess chose for you. You can't reject her."

I frowned, taken aback by his reaction. It seemed like he was eager to know more about my mate.

"She's an omega at the Gold Heart Pack. Our pack is known for being excellent, wealthy, and respected by other packs. And yet, the Moon Goddess gives me an ugly mate?"

My father's face turned red with anger. "Damn it, Aldric! You're an Alpha, and I've always told you that when you find your mate, you'll take care of her and love her. But what did you do? You rejected your mate!"

I stood my ground. "Because I couldn't accept her, Dad. What would other Alphas say when they find out my mate is an ugly Omega?"

My father's voice became stern. "You don't know what you're talking about, Aldric. Whether you like it or not, you'll accept your mate!"

He turned his back on me, furious. I let out a deep sigh.

Meanwhile, Nero was celebrating, having found an ally in my father. I clenched my fist in frustration, still unable to accept the mate the Moon Goddess had chosen for me.