MARKED BY REJECTION

Lyra’s POV The Moon Ceremony was supposed to be the happiest night of a wolf’s life. At least, that was what everyone in the Silver Moon Pack believed. The large gathering hall glowed beneath rows of golden lanterns, their light reflecting off polished wooden floors and silver decorations carved with ancient wolf symbols. Laughter filled the air as wolves gathered in groups, dressed in elegant clothes for the special night. Some were excited, some were nervous but all of them were waiting for the same thing. Their mate. I stood near the edge of the hall, fingers nervously twisting the hem of my pale blue dress. The fabric felt too soft against my skin. “Relax, Lyra,” my friend whispered beside me. “You look like you’re about to faint.” “I might,” I muttered quietly. The truth was, my stomach had been in knots all day. The Moon Ceremony only happened once every few years. It was the night when wolves who had come of age gathered under the blessing of the Moon Goddess, hoping to discover the person fate had chosen for them. Some wolves waited years for this moment, some never found their mate at all. And some discovered they were bound to someone they never expected. I glanced around the crowded hall. Young wolves laughed together while elders stood along the walls watching the ceremony with quiet smiles. The scent of roasted meat and sweet wine drifted through the room, mixing with the natural musk of wolves. Everything looked perfect but inside my chest, something felt strangely quiet. My wolf had always been silent. While other wolves felt their inner wolves grow stronger as they got older, mine remained distant—like a faint voice I could barely hear. Many in the pack believed my wolf was weak, some even whispered that I might not truly have one but I tried not to listen to them. Tonight was supposed to prove them wrong. “Lyra.” I turned at the sound of my father’s voice. Beta Thomas approached with a gentle smile, his strong presence instantly making me feel a little calmer. As the Beta of the pack, he carried authority, but tonight his eyes were soft with fatherly concern. “You’re nervous,” he said. “Is it that obvious?” He chuckled quietly. “It’s normal. Every wolf feels nervous before meeting their mate.” “What if, ” I hesitated, lowering my voice. “What if I don’t have one?” My father placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Everyone has a mate, Lyra. The Moon Goddess would never forget you.” I nodded, though doubt still lingered in my chest. Before I could say anything else, a sudden hush spread through the hall. One by one, conversations stopped, heads turned toward the entrance. The large wooden doors slowly opened. And the moment he stepped inside, the entire room seemed to change. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair falling slightly across sharp features. The moment my eyes landed on him, my breath was caught in my throat. It’s Alpha Ryker. Even before becoming Alpha of the Nightfang Pack, his name had already spread across the territories. A ruthless leader, a warrior feared by enemies, a man known for his cold heart and brutal strength. Whispers rippled through the crowd as he walked forward with calm confidence, his golden eyes scanning the hall. He looked like someone carved from shadow and steel, dangerous and untouchable. I had seen him once before, from a distance during a territorial meeting. But standing in the same room with him was completely different. My chest suddenly tightened and a strange warmth spread through my body. And then my wolf stirred. For the first time in my life the quiet voice inside me suddenly roared awake. Mate. The word echoed inside my mind so loudly it made my heart pound. My breath hitched, no, this is not right, of all the wolves in the world why him? I forced myself to look away, hoping the feeling would disappear but the pull only grew stronger like an invisible thread tugging me toward him as if the universe itself demanded that I step closer. Before I could stop myself, my feet moved. One step, then another. The closer I walked, the stronger the bond felt. My heart raced so fast it felt like it might burst. Around me, the room continued buzzing with quiet excitement, but all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat. When I finally stopped, I was only a few steps away from him, Alpha Ryker stood surrounded by several pack elders, listening to them speak with mild impatience. Then suddenly his head snapped in my direction and our eyes met. Intense enough to make my knees weak. For a brief moment, something flashed across his face. Recognition, I knew his wolf had felt it too. Silence fell around us. Everyone seemed to sense something unusual was happening. My throat went dry, but I forced myself to speak. “Alpha Ryker.” The words came out softer than I intended. His gaze darkened slightly. I could feel the bond between us pulsing like a living thing. Hope fluttered inside my chest, he knew and he felt it. That meant— “You’re my—” Before I could finish the sentence, his voice cut through the room like ice. “I know.” The coldness in his tone made my stomach twist. He took one slow step closer, his towering height making me feel even smaller. His eyes swept over me from head to toe and then his lips curled slightly—not into a smile, but something colder. Disappointment, I guess. “You’re the one.” The words should have sounded meaningful instead, they felt like an accusation. Whispers spread through the crowd as wolves realized what was happening. A mate bond between the feared Alpha and the Beta’s daughter. My chest tightened with nervous anticipation, this was it, the moment every wolf dreamed about but the next words that left his mouth shattered everything. “I, Alpha Ryker Blackridge,” he said loudly, making sure the entire hall could hear him, “reject you as my mate.” For a moment, my world stopped. The words echoed through the hall like a thunderclap, gasps erupted from the crowd. My ears rang as the pain hit. It felt like something inside my chest had been violently torn apart, my wolf howled in agony. The bond between us snapped like a broken chain. I stumbled backward, struggling to breathe as the pain spread through my entire body. “W-Why?” I whispered weakly. Ryker’s expression remained completely cold. “You are weak,” he said without hesitation. The words struck harder than the rejection itself. “You have no power, no strong wolf, and no place beside an Alpha.” Humiliation burned through me as dozens of wolves watched in stunned silence but Ryker wasn’t finished. His voice carried across the hall like a final judgment. “I refuse to accept a weak Luna.” A woman stepped forward from the crowd. Serena Collins, she’s beautiful and confident, the woman many wolves believed should stand beside the Alpha. She slipped her arm around Ryker’s, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. “Well,” she said sweetly, looking directly at me, “that was embarrassing.” Laughter rippled quietly among some of the younger wolves. Tears blurred my vision and my legs felt too weak to hold me up. The pain from the broken bond was unbearable. I collapsed onto my knees, no one moved to help me, not even my father.The entire hall watched in silence as my world fell apart. Serena leaned closer to Ryker, whispering something that made him glance down at me again but there was no regret in his eyes. Only indifference like I meant nothing at all. “I suggest you leave,” he said coldly. “Your presence here is no longer necessary.” The words felt like another blade twisting into my heart. Slowly, painfully, I pushed myself to stand. My hands trembled, my chest ached with every breath but I refused to cry in front of them. Without another word, I turned and walked toward the exit. The large doors felt like miles away. Each step felt heavier than the last. Behind me, the celebration slowly began again. Music resumed, laughter returned. As if my rejection had never mattered, as if I had never existed. By the time I reached the doors, the tears finally slipped down my cheeks. The cold night air hit my face as I stepped outside. Above me is the full moon shining brightly in the dark sky. Once, I had believed the Moon Goddess would bless me with happiness. Now I knew the truth, she had given me a mate, only so he could destroy me. But as the wind brushed against my skin, something stirred deep inside my chest, not pain nor sadness, it’s something darker and stronger. Then a quiet voice whispered inside my mind. “This is not the end.” I wiped the tears from my face, staring up at the moon. One day, Alpha Ryker would regret what he had done tonight and when that day came I would no longer be the weak girl he rejected.