Chapter 1: Rejected under the moons gaze
"Run!"
The panicked shout reverated across the pack square.
Ava's heart skipped a beat as wolf-like creatures tore through the northern gate with ease. Tower and menacing, their dark fur, some jet black and others a grim brown tinged with dirt and blood, gleamed under the moonlight as predatory eyes fixated on the crowd gathered for the Moon Blessing.
Children shrieked and fled for safety.
Mothers clutched their loved ones close.
Warriors seamlessly transformed into their wolves form , ready for battle.
What had been a tranquil celebration swiftly turned into pandemonium.
Ava stood paralyzed with fear, her eyes wide with dread.
She had never witnessed a rogue attack before.
A rogue knocked down an elderly wolf, while another lunged at a young girl.
"No!" Ava's voice rang out.
Acting on pure instinct, she dashed forward and yanked the little girl to safety just as the rogue's sharp claws gouged the earth where the child had stood a moment ago.
The impact sent Ava crashing to the unforgiving ground.
Pain shot through her.
The child wept as Ava urged her towards her mother.
"Go!"
The mother scooped up her daughter and vanished into the chaos of the crowd.
Struggling to rise, Ava's legs trembled beneath her.
Another rogue turned its attention towards her.
Its piercing golden eyes into hers.
But instead of attacking, it hesitated.
For a fleeting moment, it to simply gaze at her.
Almost as if...
It recognized her.
Before Ava could make sense of the situation, another wolf lunged at the rogue.
It was the Alpha ,he had lustrous black fur that shimmered under the moon's glow, and eyes of striking emerald green that seemed to outshine the stars.
The ground quaked beneath the fierce battle that ensued.
The Alpha's claws ripped through the rogue with unyielding force, driving it back.
Soon, other warriors joined the fray.
In a matter of minutes, the survivors retreated into the shadows of the forest, leaving behind a sense of partial.
Gradually, silence over the square.
Smoke drifted lazily through the air, mingling with the scent of chaos.
Injured pack members groaned in pain, calling out for aid.
Ava released a trembling breath.
"It's over," she murmured.
Then, a firm grip seized her wrist.
A rush of warmth flooded her veins.
A strange resonance pulsed deep within her chest.
Her heartbeat thundered like war drums.
MATE!!
The single word reverberated in her mind.
Ava lifted her gaze slowly.
Before her stood Alpha Damon.
His hand still clasped around her wrist.
As their eyes locked, the world seemed to fade away.
The injured, the blood, the battle - all vanished.
All she could see was him.
Her mate.
Tears welled in her eyes.
The Moon Goddess had finally bestowed her blessing.
This moment, cherished since her childhood, had become a reality.
Perhaps she wasn't as insignificant as everyone believed.
Perhaps fate had not forsaken after.
Around them, the crowd hushedAll eyes were fixed upon them.
"The Alpha has found his mate..."
Whispers rippled through the square.
Draven’s countenance hardened.
His jaw clenched.
He regarded Ava as though fate's hand had played a cruel trick.
"No," he muttered.
Ava's smile faltered.
"My Alpha..."
He released her wrist abruptly.
His voice resounded across the silent square.
"I, Alpha Damon Blackwood..."
Every gaze turned towards him.
"...reject Ava Grey as my mate."
The words cut deeper than any blade.
Ava felt something within her shatter into myriad of shards. An anguish unlike other surged through her chest.
Speechless, she felt her legs give way aching disbelief and sorrow.
Slowly, her knees met the unforgiving ground. It was as though her heart was being wrenched apart.
Onlookers.
Some appeared shocked, others smirked, and a few openly laughed.
"The feeble omega?"
"Did she truly believe she could be?"
"What a jest."
Ava quivered uncontrolled, her hand pressed against her chest, where the pain throbbed.
It hurt to draw breath.
She raised gaze to Damon, hoping for a reprieve, a denial of the cruel truth.
But instead, he spoke once more.
"I require a Luna who can safeguard this pack."
His tone was frigid and cold
"Not one who requires protection herself."
Each word pierced deeper.
Ava cast her eyes downward.
Tears eluded her eyes
The torment was too profound.
Damon turned his gaze away.
"Attend to the wounded."
Without another glance, he departed. The crowd trailed after him, one by one.
No one looked at Ava
No one inquired after well-being.
Silent questions as to why remained solitary in heart of the people.
Hours later, after the healers had tended to the injured, Ava rose quietly.
She wiped away the tears she had restrained.
I will be fine," she whispered to herself.
Though she harbored no in those words Quietly, made her way, the word NO echoing in her head.
The streets were deserted.
moon loomed above the trees. Midway on journey, she heard movement behind her.
Crunch.
Crunch.
She heard
The sound kept getting closer,
A chill went down her spine,she slowly pivoted.
.
She decided to continue moving onward.
Crunch, the footsteps returned closer this time much closer.
Ava's breathe hardened,
She ran deeper into the woods,some branches snapped in pursuit.
Heavyfalls echoed behind her
She dared not look back.
Suddenly,a shadow descended before her. A rogue wolf, its fur a dark gray, with golden eyes .
Ava stumbled back.
The rogue made no move to attack.
, it inclined it’s head and fixed with a steady gaze.
Then to her utter astonishment, it bowed
"You have been found , a deep voice intoned.
"The true heir must come with us."
Before Ava could question his meaning, another howl reverberated through the forest.
This one distinct.
More ominous.
The rogue's expression altered.
"They have found us," he growled.
A dozen crimson eyes appeared amidst the trees but these wolves harbored intent not harm Ava.
Their aim was to eliminate her.
Ava's heart nearly stopped beating.
She couldn't fathom why.
But somehow…
Her night mare had only begun
