Rejected once, Accepted By His Rival

Chapter four

Ariana-/

My hands trembled as I stared at the paper. My chest constricted tightly.

I read the words again and again, but they didn’t change. They wouldn’t change.

This had to be a mistake. There was simply no way this was real. Raymond was the only man I have ever known.

I forced a breath into my lungs, but it didn’t help. The walls of the room felt like they were closing in, the whispers of the gathered pack members buzzing in my ears. My body swayed slightly as if the ground beneath me had crumbled.

Raymond’s gaze burned into me, his lips curled in disgust. “So? Do you have nothing to say for yourself?”

I shook my head rapidly, clutching the paper as if I could squeeze the lie out of it. “This… is ridiculous. This isn’t real.” My voice cracked. “It’s fake. Someone tampered with it. How can you even think for a second that Jason is not the Alpha’s son? They practically look alike!”

I hoped people would see how absurd this was but the judgement and suspicions in their eyes still remained. They didn't believe me.

Benita scoffed. “Oh, please. Do you think the Alpha would believe that? Do we look like fools to you?” She stepped closer, her smirk widening. “If you were so sure of your innocence, why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”

I ignored her, turning to Raymond. My mate. My Alpha. The man who was supposed to protect me. “Raymond, you know this isn’t true. You know me.” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. “You know our son.”

His jaw clenched. His eyes darkened.

“I thought I did.”

Something inside me cracked.

He didn’t believe me.

My stomach twisted painfully as his words hit me. It wasn’t just the accusation that hurt, it was his willingness to entertain it.

The murmurs grew louder. The warriors who once bowed their heads in respect now looked at me with suspicion. The pack members I had cared for, had healed, had fought for… they all looked at me like I was filth.

Like I was nothing.

They only cared about what Benita had to say. I needed to do more than just begging.

“Fine, let's do another DNA test. That should be more than enough proof that I am not lying,” I suggested.

“No,” Raymond cut me short. “That will take an awful amount of time and I am not that patient. There are other ways we can tell. It is faster and way more efficient.”

I gasped. He couldn't possibly be talking about…

Benita folded her arms. “Well, Luna?” she sneered. “If it’s not true, you wouldn't mind undergoing the BloodMoon Rite”

My breath hitched.

The BloodMoon Rite. It was a ritual every Alpha undertook to declare his successor. The one thing that could prove my son’s bloodline beyond doubt.

But something was wrong. I could feel it.

“I accept.”

The moon hung high in the sky, casting its silver glow upon the gathered wolves. The air was thick with whispers, doubt, and judgment. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I stood in the ceremonial circle, my son clinging to my side, his tiny fingers digging into mine.

Raymond stood across from me, his expression unreadable. The pack had assembled in the courtyard, their eyes filled with something between curiosity and condemnation.

I had faced trials before, growing up as an omega in this pack, proving my worth to become Luna. But this? This was different. This was an execution in disguise.

Elder Matthias, the oldest and most respected wolf in the pack, stepped forward. His face was as stern and unreadable. In his hands, he held the sacred moonstone, a relic passed down through generations.

“This ritual is our most sacred test,” he announced, his voice carrying over the crowd. “The blood of an Alpha and his true heir will shine gold upon the moonstone, blessed by the Goddess herself. If the bond is false…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence. Everyone knew.

My hands trembled as Raymond stepped forward first. A warrior handed him a dagger, its silver edge gleaming ominously. Without hesitation, he sliced his palm and let the dark crimson blood drip onto the smooth, pale stone.

A golden shimmer pulsed through it, faint but present. The pack murmured in approval.

I swallowed, my throat dry as dust. They were waiting for me to fail. I couldn't unsee the smirk at the corner of Benita's lips.

With shaky fingers, I took the blade. The sharp sting barely registered as I sliced open my palm, the wound shallow but deep enough to draw blood. I turned to my son, kneeling before him.

“It’s okay, baby,” I whispered, kissing his forehead before taking his small hand in mine. “I need you to be brave, just for a moment.”

Tears welled in his big brown eyes. He didn’t understand, but he trusted me. I made a tiny cut on his palm, ignoring the way his little body flinched. Then, together, we let our blood drip onto the moonstone.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then, the blood darkened, black as ink.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. My body turned to ice.

“No.” I shook my head, stepping forward as if I could change what had already been done. “No, that’s not right. That’s not possible.”

Raymond’s eyes flickered with something dark. Anger, disgust, hatred. His lips curled back in a snarl. “You lying whore.”

I flinched as if struck. “Raymond, I swear, I don’t know why…”

“Don’t,” he snapped, his voice a whip against my skin. “Don’t stand there and play innocent.”

Benita stepped forward, her smirk barely concealed behind a mask of false sympathy. “It seems the Luna has been keeping secrets from us all.”

Murmurs bubbled from the crowd, bitter and cruel.

I turned wildly, seeking support, but the faces around me were blank, detached. These werewolves I had fought for, bled for. And now? Now they looked at me like I was filth beneath their feet.

I whirled back to Raymond. “You know I would never betray you. You know our son is yours.”

His jaw tensed, but he didn’t respond.

My son whimpered, pressing into my leg. “Mommy?” His voice was so small, so scared.

I clenched my fists, forcing steel into my spine. “This test… there is something wrong with it. I'm sure it must have been tampered somehow. You can’t just trust a piece of rock over me.”

Benita let out a mocking laugh. “Oh, sweetie. Are you saying our ancient tradition is flawed?”

“It has to be,” I snapped. “Because I know the truth. This is a setup.”

Elder Matthias raised his hand, silencing the murmurs. His expression was grim. “Luna, do you claim this is deception?”

“Yes.” My voice was firm. “I demand a second test.”

Raymond’s nostrils flared. “And if you fail it?”

“I won’t.”

His lips pressed into a thin line. “Fine.”

A warrior retrieved another moonstone, untainted, untouched. This time, Elder Matthias himself cut our hands, ensuring no tricks.

Once again, our blood hit the stone.

Once again, it turned black.

No, no, no! This can't be happening. Something must be wrong with the blood samples. Could it be that Benita had something to do with it? Maybe she gave something to Raymond, or did she do it? I through Jason? Perhaps from the things, she fed him the other day…

The silence was deafening.

A slow, agonizing smirk stretched across Benita’s lips. “I believe we have all witnessed the truth now. Not only did she cheat on you, Alpha,” she drawled, “but she did it with our enemy.”

The accusation hit me harder than a physical blow. “What?” My voice barely made a sound. What more does this woman have under her sleeves? Hasn't she done enough?

She held up another paper, a photograph this time. My eyes locked onto it.

It was me.

With a man I barely recognized.

His arms were around me, my face tilted up to his, close, too close. Like we were kissing.

Oh goddess, what is this?