2.The Bonding Ceremony
937 Words
I barely slept after the dream.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the silver-haired woman standing in the mist.
When the Alpha rejects you, everything will begin.
The words haunted me long after dawn.
By sunrise, the entire Silver Moon Pack was already awake.
Excitement buzzed through the village like electricity.
Today was the Bonding Ceremony.
The biggest event of the year.
I sat quietly on the edge of my bed, staring at my reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall.
Nothing about me looked special.
My dark hair refused to stay in place.
My grey eyes looked tired.
My simple blue dress was plain compared to the expensive gowns the higher-ranking she-wolves would wear.
I looked exactly like what everyone expected me to be.
An Omega.
Forgettable.
The sound of laughter drifted through my window.
The ceremony would begin soon.
Taking a deep breath, I stood.
Whatever happened today, it would be over by nightfall.
At least that's what I thought.
---
The ceremonial hall was packed.
Hundreds of wolves filled the massive room.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Moon symbols decorated the walls.
The scent of flowers mixed with excitement and nervous anticipation.
Every unmated wolf stood waiting.
Every hopeful heart beat for the same reason.
Fate.
I slipped into the back of the crowd.
Nobody noticed.
Nobody cared.
Exactly how I liked it.
Then the hall suddenly fell silent.
Every conversation stopped.
Every eye turned toward the entrance.
The future Alpha had arrived.
Kael Ravencrest entered surrounded by warriors.
A collective gasp swept through the room.
Even I found myself staring.
He was taller than I imagined.
Broad shoulders.
Dark hair.
Cold silver eyes.
Power rolled off him in waves.
The kind of power that made every wolf instinctively lower their gaze.
A future king.
A future Alpha.
The strongest wolf in the kingdom.
The girls around me practically melted.
"He looks incredible."
"I hope he's my mate."
"I would die if he looked at me."
I quickly looked away.
Someone like him belonged to a different world.
A world far above mine.
The ceremony began shortly after.
The elders stepped forward.
Ancient prayers were recited.
The Moon Goddess was honoured.
One by one, wolves were called forward.
Some discovered mates.
Others did not.
Tears and laughter filled the hall.
Hours passed.
Then my name echoed through the room.
"Aria."
My stomach dropped.
Every head turned toward me.
Of course.
An Omega being called this late in the ceremony attracted attention.
I forced myself to move.
One step.
Then another.
The crowd parted as I walked toward the centre platform.
Whispers followed me.
I ignored them.
The elder smiled kindly.
"Place your hand on the Moon Stone."
I obeyed.
The smooth crystal felt cold beneath my fingers.
The room grew silent.
The stone suddenly began to glow.
A bright silver light exploded across the hall.
Gasps erupted everywhere.
I blinked in shock.
That wasn't normal.
The light intensified.
Brighter.
Stronger.
The Moon Stone vibrated beneath my hand.
Then I felt it.
A pull.
Powerful.
Unavoidable.
My heart skipped.
My wolf stirred violently.
For the first time in years, I felt her clearly.
Awake.
Alert.
Excited.
The bond.
The mate bond.
My breath caught.
Someone in this room was my mate.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
And found silver eyes staring directly at me.
Kael.
The future Alpha.
The future king.
My mate.
The entire world seemed to stop.
The connection slammed into me with overwhelming force.
Warmth spread through every part of my body.
My wolf practically purred.
Mate.
The word echoed inside me.
Shock froze me in place.
This couldn't be happening.
Not him.
Not the most powerful wolf in the kingdom.
Not an Omega like me.
Around us, murmurs exploded.
The crowd had realised it too.
Kael's expression hardened.
His jaw tightened.
Something dark flashed through his eyes.
Not happiness.
Not surprise.
Disgust.
My stomach twisted.
No.
No.
No.
Please no.
The silence stretched.
Every wolf watched.
Waiting.
Then Kael stepped forward.
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"I reject this bond."
The words hit me like a physical blow.
The room erupted.
Gasps.
Whispers.
Shock.
I couldn't breathe.
Surely I had heard wrong.
Surely this wasn't real.
Kael's silver eyes remained fixed on me.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
Without a trace of regret.
"I, Kael Ravencrest, future Alpha of Silver Moon, reject Aria as my mate."
Pain exploded through my chest.
My knees nearly buckled.
The mate bond screamed.
My wolf howled in agony.
Around me, the crowd watched in stunned silence.
An Omega had been rejected.
Publicly.
Before the entire kingdom.
Humiliation burned through me.
Yet beneath the pain, something else stirred.
Something ancient.
Something angry.
The Moon Stone suddenly cracked.
A sharp sound echoed through the hall.
Everyone froze.
Another crack appeared.
Then another.
Silver light burst from the stone.
The floor trembled.
The chandeliers shook.
A powerful wind exploded through the room.
People screamed.
The elders stared in horror.
"What have you done?" one of them whispered.
Kael's expression finally changed.
For the first time, uncertainty crossed his face.
The silver light wrapped around me.
My skin burned.
My veins felt as if fire flowed through them.
The strange symbol from my dream suddenly appeared on my wrist.
Glowing.
Alive.
The elder closest to me turned pale.
His eyes widened with fear.
"No..."
The room shook again.
The elder staggered backward.
"No, this can't be possible."
I looked at him through the pain.
"What?"
His voice trembled.
"The prophecy."
The wind roared louder.
Silver light engulfed the hall.
And somewhere deep inside me, something awakened.
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