The Broken Luna

The bucket hit the stone floor with a loud splash. Gianna Enzo froze. For one terrible second, the kitchen fell silent. Then laughter burst from every corner of the room. “Look at her,” one of the maids whispered. “The Alpha’s daughter can’t even carry water.” Gianna dropped to her knees and reached for the bucket. Cold water soaked the front of her faded dress, but she said nothing. She never said anything anymore. The Shadowmoon pack house was enormous, with high walls and silver banners hanging from every window. Warriors trained in the courtyard outside. Servants hurried through the halls. Pack members bowed whenever Alpha Enzo walked past. Everyone treated the Alpha with respect. Everyone except his youngest daughter. “Move faster.” The sharp voice belonged to Elena. Gianna looked up to find her mother standing in the doorway, dressed in dark silk, her beautiful face twisted with disgust. “It’s your eighteenth birthday, yet you’re still useless.” Elena crossed her arms. “I should have known the Moon Goddess was punishing me when she gave you to me.” Gianna lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mother.” “Sorry?” Elena laughed bitterly. “Will your apologies give you a wolf? Will they erase the shame you bring to this family?” The servants kept working, pretending not to listen, though Gianna knew every word would spread through the pack before noon. She pressed the rag harder against the floor. Eighteen years old. Every werewolf in Shadowmoon received their wolf before that age. Some shifted at sixteen. Others at seventeen. But not Gianna. She was still human. Still weak. Still broken. And the pack never let her forget it. Footsteps echoed through the kitchen. Her older brother, Matteo, walked in with his friends and stopped when he saw her kneeling on the floor. “Well, look who’s scrubbing dirt on her birthday.” The boys behind him snickered. Gianna kept her head down. Matteo crouched beside her and lifted her chin with two fingers. “You know what everyone’s saying?” She said nothing. “They’re saying Father should have sent you away years ago.” His friends burst into laughter. “Maybe she belongs with the rogues,” one of them said. “Even rogues have wolves,” another answered. Matteo let go of her face as though touching her disgusted him. “You embarrass us.” He turned and walked out. Gianna remained frozen long after he disappeared. She had heard those words her entire life. You embarrass us. You are weak. You are cursed. You do not belong here. She finished cleaning in silence and carried the empty bucket outside. The winter air bit her skin. Snow covered the mountains beyond the pack territory. Warriors crossed the courtyard, laughing and shoving one another. No one noticed her. Or perhaps they noticed her and simply chose to ignore her. Gianna preferred not to think about it. She hurried toward the storage house, hoping to avoid everyone. Unfortunately, fate rarely showed her kindness. “Little Gianna.” The voice made her stop immediately. Her stomach twisted. Slowly, she turned around. Uncle Aldo stood a few steps away, smiling. He was her father’s younger brother and the Beta of Shadowmoon, tall and broad-shouldered, respected by the whole pack. Gianna feared him more than anyone. “There you are,” he said softly. “I was helping in the kitchen.” His eyes traveled over her face. “You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman.” Gianna fought the urge to step backward. “Thank you.” Aldo moved closer. Far too close. His hand brushed against her hair, lingering longer than it should have. “You’re eighteen today.” She nodded. “A special age.” He smiled again, though something in his eyes made her skin crawl. “Father will be expecting you for the mating ball tonight. Who knows? Maybe the Moon Goddess will finally show you some mercy.” He walked away before she could answer. Only after he disappeared did Gianna realize she’d been holding her breath. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. The mating ball. Every year, unmated wolves gathered in the grand hall beneath the full moon, a night when many found their destined partners. Gianna had never cared about it before. Who would want a wolfless girl? Who would choose the Alpha’s shame? She picked up the bucket and continued walking. The pack house grew busier as the day passed. Servants decorated the halls with flowers and candles. Musicians arrived from neighboring packs. Warriors polished their uniforms. Gianna spent hours carrying supplies, washing dishes, and sweeping corridors. No one wished her a happy birthday. No one gave her gifts. By afternoon, exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders. She slipped away to the oldest part of the estate, where an ancient stone temple stood beneath towering pine trees. It was the only place she felt safe. The shrine belonged to the Moon Goddess. Gianna climbed the worn steps and entered quietly. Silver light streamed through the windows, and the air smelled of incense and old stone. She knelt before the statue. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then the words poured out. “I don’t understand what I did wrong.” Her voice trembled. “I tried to be good. I obey Mother. I obey Father. I work harder than everyone else.” She clasped her hands together. “Please.” The word broke in her throat. “Please give me my wolf.” The silence that followed felt endless. Outside, the wind howled through the trees. Gianna bowed her head lower. “I don’t want power.” A tear slid down her cheek. “I only want a place where I belong.” She stayed there until the sun began to set. When she finally returned to the pack house, music drifted through the corridors. The mating ball had begun. Servants rushed around carrying trays of food and wine. Noble families from nearby packs arrived in expensive clothes. Gianna tried to sneak past unnoticed. “Stop.” She turned. Her father stood at the top of the staircase. Alpha Enzo looked exactly as an Alpha should: tall, commanding, proud. Gianna had spent her entire childhood hoping he would smile at her. He never had. “You’re late,” he said coldly. “I was at the shrine.” His expression darkened. “Praying won’t fix your weakness.” Gianna swallowed. “I know.” Enzo descended the stairs slowly. “Tonight, you will behave properly.” She nodded. “Yes, Father.” “You will not embarrass this family.” The familiar words struck her like a knife. “I understand.” He stared at her for several seconds. There was no warmth in his eyes, only disappointment. “You were born an Alpha’s daughter,” he said quietly, “yet you’ve brought us nothing but shame.” Something inside Gianna cracked. She wanted to ask him why. Why he hated her. Why he looked at her like a stranger. Why no matter how hard she tried, she could never earn his love. But she already knew the answer. Because she was different. Because she had no wolf. Because she was not enough. Enzo turned away without another word. Gianna remained alone in the corridor, the sounds of laughter drifting from the ballroom ahead. She could picture it clearly: the glittering chandeliers, the elegant dresses, the happy couples dancing beneath the moonlight. None of it belonged to her. She slipped into her tiny room beneath the stairs and opened the wooden chest beside her bed. Inside lay a single dress, simple, blue, worn at the edges. Her grandmother had given it to her years ago, before she died. Gianna changed quickly and brushed her long dark hair. When she looked into the mirror, she barely recognized herself. Her eyes seemed too sad for someone so young. A knock sounded at the door. Before she could answer, her younger sister Bianca walked in. Bianca was beautiful in the effortless way Gianna had never been, her golden dress sparkling beneath the candlelight. She looked Gianna up and down. “That’s what you’re wearing?” “It’s the only dress I have.” Bianca laughed. “You truly are pathetic.” Gianna said nothing. Her sister moved closer. “Do you know what people are saying tonight?” Gianna shook her head. “They’re making bets.” Bianca smiled cruelly. “On whether anyone will claim you.” The words stung more than Gianna wanted to admit. Bianca leaned toward her. “Personally, I think even the Moon Goddess has forgotten you.” She walked out, slamming the door behind her. Gianna sat on the edge of the bed. For a moment, she considered staying there. No one would miss her. No one wanted her at the ball anyway. But refusing to attend would anger her father. Slowly, she stood, straightened her dress, wiped her eyes, and stepped into the corridor. The grand hall blazed with light. Music echoed from inside. Laughter filled the air. Gianna stopped outside the doors, suddenly unable to breathe. This was her eighteenth birthday. The night every wolf dreamed about. And yet all she felt was fear. A servant carrying wine brushed past her and sneered. “Well, look at that.” Gianna looked up. The woman smirked. “Try not to cry too much tonight.” Gianna frowned. “What do you mean?” The servant adjusted the tray in her hands. “Haven’t you heard? The Moon Priest will announce everyone’s mates before midnight.” Gianna’s heart stopped. And for the first time in years, something dangerous flickered inside her chest. Hope.