The Girl The MOON Shouldn’t Want

Daphne Nightshade had learned to make herself smaller than she already was. It wasn’t difficult. Hunger had done most of the work for her. Her reflection in the water barrel was never something she lingered on, but today—just for a second—she looked. And immediately wished she hadn’t. Her face was too thin. Not in a delicate way. Not in a way that could be called beautiful. Hollow. Her cheekbones pressed too sharply against her skin, her lips dry and cracked from days of too little water meant for herself and too much carried for others. Her eyes… they looked too big for her face, sunken slightly, with faint shadows beneath them that never seemed to fade. Her hair, once thick and dark, now hung in uneven strands down her back—tangled, dull, and unwashed more often than not. It clung to her skin in places, rough from ash, sweat, and neglect. She didn’t look like an Alpha’s daughter. She looked like something the pack had already thrown away. “Are you planning to admire yourself all day?” The voice sliced through the air. Daphne flinched before she could stop herself. “I—no,” she said quickly, lowering her head. Mara stood a few steps away, arms folded, eyes sharp with the kind of cruelty that didn’t need effort. “You dropped water again this morning.” “I cleaned it.” “After wasting it.” Daphne said nothing. There was no correct answer. Mara stepped closer, her boots stopping just inches from where Daphne stood barefoot on the cold ground. “You know,” she said lightly, tilting her head, “sometimes I wonder how it’s possible.” Daphne kept her gaze fixed on the ground. “How what is possible?” “That someone born into the Alpha bloodline could turn out like…” Mara gestured vaguely at her, lips curling. “This.” A pause. Then softer, more cutting— “Your parents must be embarrassed. Wherever they are.” Something in Daphne’s chest tightened. But her face stayed still. It had to. “My parents are dead,” she said quietly. Mara smiled. “Yes. Exactly.” The slap came fast. Not hard enough to knock her down. Just enough to remind her of her place. Daphne’s head snapped slightly to the side, but she didn’t make a sound. Didn’t touch her cheek. Didn’t react. Because reacting made it worse. “Get back to work,” Mara said, already turning away before leaving her order, “Clean the Alpha house next. My Alpha doesn’t like dust.” My Alpha Not your uncle. Not your Alpha. My identity not acknowledge by my own pack Daphne picked up the bucket again. Her arms ached immediately. They always did. But she didn’t stop. The Alpha house stood at the center of the pack, larger than all the others—clean, structured- castle like even, untouched by the dirt and wear that covered everything else. She wasn’t allowed inside unless she was cleaning. And even then, she wasn’t allowed to be seen. “Move.” The command came before she even stepped fully inside. Daphne froze, then quickly stepped aside, lowering her head. Alpha Howell Howard walked past her without a glance. Tall. Controlled. Untouchable. The man who had taken everything from her… and never once looked back. For a brief, dangerous second— Daphne wondered if he even remembered she existed. “Still here?” Another voice. Sharper. Younger. She turned slightly. Kael Howard. Her cousin. The future Alpha. His eyes swept over her, slow and deliberate, like he was inspecting something unpleasant. “You’re making the place smell.” “I just came in—” “Then leave.” Daphne hesitated. “I was told to clean—” Kael stepped closer. Not fast. Not angry. Just enough. And somehow that made it worse. “Do you need me to repeat myself?” “No.” Her voice was barely audible. “Good.” He turned away, already dismissing her. Like she was nothing. Like she had always been nothing. From the staircase above, a soft laugh echoed. Daphne didn’t need to look to know who it was. Lyria Howard. Kael’s sister. “Honestly,” Lyria said lazily, leaning against the railing, “why is she even still here?” No one answered. No one needed to. Daphne turned and left. Because staying would only make it worse. ********* The forest felt colder than usual. Or maybe she just felt it more today. By the time she reached the clearing, her steps had slowed. Not from hesitation. From exhaustion. The lake sat still in the center, reflecting the fading light of the sky. This was the only place she allowed herself to exist without shrinking. She set the bucket down and glanced around once. No one. Good. Quickly, she stepped into the water. The cold hit instantly. Sharp. But clean. Cleaner than anything else she had touched all day. She closed her eyes. For a moment… She wasn’t the runt. Wasn’t the failure. Wasn’t the girl no one wanted. “You came late.” Daphne’s eyes snapped open. She turned quickly, water shifting around her. “Eric.” He stood at the edge of the clearing, back already turned. Like always. “I didn’t hear you,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I know.” His hands were clenched at his sides. Not in anger but in restraint. “I’ll be quick,” she added. “You don’t have to rush.” “I do.” A pause. Then softer— “If someone notices I’m gone too long…” “I know.” Silence settled between them. Not uncomfortable. Just heavy. “You didn’t eat again, did you?” Daphne didn’t answer. She didn’t need to as he already knew the answer to that. He had watched her suffer tremendously in the hands of his pack members for years. He was a mere omega so he can’t do anything to stop it but his heart aches for her. She doesn’t deserve any of this, no. Not someone as kindhearted as she. Eric exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “They’re going to kill you like this.” “No, they won’t.” “They don’t have to,” he said quietly. “They just have to keep doing this.” Daphne stepped out of the water, quickly wrapping herself in the thin cloth she had brought. He didn’t turn. Not once. “You could leave,” Eric said after a moment. “We’ve talked about this.” “I’m serious this time.” “So am I.” He turned slightly—not enough to see her, just enough that his voice felt closer. “I can take you out of the territory. Past the ridge. They won’t track us immediately—” “They will.” “I can handle it.” “No,” she said firmly. That stopped him. “They’ll kill you,” she continued, quieter now. “You’re a werewolf. Leaving the pack isn’t just leaving—it’s betrayal.” “I don’t care.” “I do.” Silence. “I won’t be the reason you lose everything,” she added. “And you?” he asked. “What do you have to lose?” That— That hurt more than anything else today. Daphne didn’t answer. Because she didn’t know how to explain that having nothing… Still felt like something when it was all you’d ever known. Eric sighs “I brought food for you” He knew she wouldn’t listen so he hands her a bag containing food “Thank you” Daphne says in a small voice as she felt something warm in her chest. She wasn’t surprised because this was their daily routine ever since Eric found her secret spot. She honestly was entirely grateful for Eric, the only person who was able to see her and care. He had a big heart and she didn’t dare to think of it as something else cause why would a werewolf like himself like a runt like her, who has been shamed by the entire pack and looks like utter ugliness. She simply smiled at him while he stared into her eyes hoping to somehow communicate his words through them to her but she looked way too quickly and soon enough they parted ways as staying longer could risk their spot being found. By the time she returned, night had settled fully over the pack. But something was different. Voices. More of them. Sharper. Tense. She slowed, instinct telling her to stay hidden. “…not optional,” someone was saying. “They don’t get to demand that.” “They already have.” Daphne stepped closer, just enough to hear. “The Blood Moon Pack is coming.” The words settled over the crowd like a shadow. “Serge Voltro,” the Beta added quietly. Even the name felt heavy. “They’ll be here within days.” A pause. Then— “We prepare.” Daphne stepped back into the darkness. Because something told her— This wasn’t just about the packs. This was the beginning of something else. Something worse. And for the first time in a long time… She felt it again. That strange, quiet shift beneath her skin. Not pain. Not fear. Something waking up.