Three-time Rejected Young Luna

June 18, 20XX I could remember this number as easy as breathing. I foolishly thought this would be the most painful memory in my life. What turned out to be the day me and my family anticipated the most would turn out to be the nightmare that destroyed everything that I had. June 18, may birthdate. On my sixteenth birthday, me and my family happily took me to the nearest mall, dressed me up, and we ate some ice cream for pre-celebration. After all, I would be able to smell my mate’s scent and know who he is once the twelfth of midnight struck. I remembered my pastel dress stained with red-colored paste and smelled like drenched in rotten tomatoes. I remembered the tears smearing my mascara down. I remembered the piercing eyes pinned on my trembling body as my wolf howled at the back of my mind, crying in anguish. Jake, the young alpha of my pack—Totem Pack—rejected me right after humiliating me. I left the high school dance like a hairless wolf. This should be the most painful memory for me, right? I mean, who could top a mate’s rejection? Not to mention the physical backlash I faced since I was the weaker one, the emotional damage and mental damage was enough to last a life time. But, Goddess, no. No. In fact, this was the lowest among the top three most painful memories of my sad, sad, life. … August 28, 20XX Two years after that dreadful birthday, I was eighteen, an adult thanked Goddess! My family, though skeptical, ushered to a new round of a hopeful state. Because for them, even if there was only one chance, just one chance for their darling baby daughter to find his second-chance mate again, they would grab that hope and would not let it go. I was as skeptical as them. No, I was horrified, traumatized from what happened years ago. In fact, ever since I learned that I could have a chance to have a second mate once I earned the blessing of the Moon Goddess, nightmare wreaked havoc upon me again. What’s a Moon Goddess’ blessing? Apparently, it was a tattoo-like birthmark that would appear on individuals, very rare. These could appear on any part of anyone’s body but it had two things in common: one, the tattoo was a crescent-shaped birthmark; and two, this would bring a rare power or talent for the individual. The last time the Totem Pack had one was during hundred years ago and that individual was blessed with the ability to heal. The current healer was that person’s descendant. The talent was passed down from generation to generation. This made the chosen ones to have their status at the pack elevated. Who would not want their descendants to be someone special, right? Because of this, my family was hopeful again. If the last time I was rejected because my wolf was not comparable to the young alpha’s childhood sweetheart. This time, that mystery second-chance mate would not have enough reason to reject me, right? Oh, how wrong I was. If only I could turn back time and smack the s**t out of my eighteen-years-old self; I would do it in a heartbeat. Hoping myself was alright, but letting my family hoped again was s**t. Until this day, I could not help but blamed myself looking back. Surprise, not surprise! I was rejected again. This time, it was the visiting alpha of the neighboring pack—Salt Lake Pack. Worst of all, he rejected me right in front of my former mate s***h alpha. What chosen one? Bullshit! Apparently, that alpha lost his first mate from a rogue attack. They had a child and he was now a single daddy. But he promised in front of his first mate’s tomb that he would use his entire lifetime to protect their daughter aka no second-chance mate. Once again, I was subjected to a whole new round of gossip and mockery. The library I worked at lost its peacefulness since many people wanted to catch a glimpse of the legendary two-strike rejected female of the pack. It became such a spectacle that it spread to the Salt Lake Pack and to other close-by packs. I, who had no hope to begin with, could only cry in bitterness for my family who suffered more than me, especially my mother. I was ready at that time to die as a lone she-wolf. I could just be a sucker to my parents and entertain them in their old age with my boring presence since I could not give them a grandchild. Our family of three decided to move to a more secluded place in the territory. I also move from being a librarian to a person who planted flowers and delivered them on our territory flower shops. In short, we lived almost in seclusion. Until… Four years later, at my mother’s funeral… May 09, 20XX My mother, who was once a cook for the former alpha of the Totem Pack, made a final wish on her death bed. She wished to let the former alpha helped her daughter find an arranged mate. If only I was not scared it would stimulate my mother, I would have refuted it right away! But before I could think when I could change my mother’s wish, she drew the last of her breath which immediately erased all my thoughts and engulfed me and my dad into months of grief. After all, we only had each other. I thought it was over but when the former alpha of Totem Pack came into my home with my weary dad in tow along an unknown man, my heart thumped. I knew what was coming. Do I need to tell you what happened? Did I have a happy ever after at last? Did I make my mother happy and proud in the Moon Goddess’ arms? No. No. Yes. No, I don’t have to tell you. You can probably guess it. Just like I said, you can guess. I did not have my happy every after with that unknown creepy psycho. Yes, I made my mother happy and proud. But not from this, it would be three years later. What happened? ... “Cara, why are you in a daze again?” A deep magnetic voice with a devilish accent snapped me from my little trip to memory lane. I calmly let go of the locked diary. The moment I turned my head, gone was the nostalgia in her eyes. What replaced it was a deep smile that seemed to suck all the light in the old room. He did not wait for me to stand up and go to him. As if it is the most natural thing to do, he crossed the distance between us and scoop my heavy body in one swoop. Automatically, I hugged his neck with my arms and buried my face to his neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent that calm the wolf in me. Exhaling in ecstasy, I leaned against his hard chest languidly. My eyes in daze as I looked up to him. “A little trip to memory line, that’s all. Did you lose again from the fight, Ymar?” I let him carry me out of the old room, leaving the smell of dust and time behind the moment he kicked the door close. Knowing what I meant, he grunted in annoyance. His chest against my cheek vibrated from the growl he was trying so hard to suppress for me. I calmly placed my palm on his chest and caressed it, for comfort. But like dry branches in summer, one small fire ignited a whole damn wild fire between us. I felt his muscle tensed. The grip around my body tightened enough to make me feel he was aroused. Tucking my giggle away, I let go and closed my eyes serenely. Pretending that I was not the culprit why he had to take a shower again. “Cara, you will be the death of me.” He groaned when he looked at my ‘innocent’ look in his arms. “Why? What happened to my piulue?” Another male voice. Another alpha. It came from the hallway we just walked past by. Although I closed my eyes, my nose—that had become even more sensitive these months—still smelled the sweet citrus and a mix of shower gel lingering behind her. I had to open my eyes, adjusted my posture, and looked behind me. There he was, my other man…my second male, my second alpha, my second mate. “You smelled good, Devon.” “Wanna take another shower with me? I have a room to spare for one more company with me, piule.” Winking at me, his eyes looked at me as if he would strip me naked the moment I leave Ymar’s arms. “Aria, look what I have for you.” All three pairs of eyes shifted to the newly arrived man. He covered the sunlight as he stood in between Aria and the big window next to the door of the living room. Aria, on instinct, wriggled her way down of Ymar’s arms. Bare feet, she trotted to the man clad in black and who smelled with fresh blood. The corners of her lips stretched and her steps were light as she jumped to his arms, not minding the bloody black bag he was carrying—his so-called gift. “I miss you.” I whispered; words were muffled but emotions were delivered through our bond. My arms were too small to encircle his entire waist as I buried my face and inhaled his dangerous yet calming smell. “Look what I got patrolling the borders.” With a thud, he threw the blood cloth bag on the floor. He kicked it lightly and the content of the bag finally showed for the others to see. “I believe my queen will love this.” Looking down, I saw a severed head. “I thought he fled to the eastern continent already.” “This coward who once rejected you did not deserve to have a second chance in life.” My third man, my third alpha, and my third mate clicked his tongue as he stepped on the head as if he was playing a ball. His words were brutal, ruthless, and evil. But for me? As I looked down on the horror that was preserved on the man’s face before his head was severed, I did not feel any remorse. This man was once responsible of the rat-like life I once had. He was once my original mate, the first one who rejected me. As I looked around, I saw Ymar—who had his scarred arms crossed before him as he stood like a silent protecting god beside me—then I saw Devon—who always had a breathtaking smile on his face despite the ruthlessness of his ways—and then Kyzen, the killing god of the western continent. They were not my chosen mates, they were the ones I chose myself. And now, the continuation of this madness grew inside of me. What led to this? Well, it started a few years ago…