Chapter 1: The Night of Betrayal
The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth as the full moon hung high in the sky, bathing the clearing in an ethereal glow. Tonight was supposed to be the happiest night of my life—the night I would finally be claimed by my fated mate.
I stood at the edge of the grand hall, my hands trembling as I smoothed the fabric of my simple blue dress. The celebration was already in full swing, with Alphas, Betas, and ranked wolves from all over the kingdom gathered in honor of Alpha King Damon's mate selection. My heart pounded in my chest, my wolf, Luna, pacing restlessly in my mind.
"It has to be him," she whispered. "He is our mate. He will accept us."
I swallowed hard, watching as Alpha Damon stood on the raised platform at the center of the hall. He was everything a ruler should be—tall, strong, and undeniably powerful. His dark hair gleamed under the chandeliers, and his piercing golden eyes scanned the crowd with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.
The moment our eyes met, my breath hitched. A spark ignited in my chest, an invisible thread pulling me toward him.
This was it.
The Moon Goddess had chosen him for me.
With a deep breath, I stepped forward. My heart raced as I approached the platform, ignoring the stares of the other pack members.
I knew what they thought of me—Aria, the useless omega. The weakling with no family, no power, no strength. A girl who had no place standing before an Alpha, let alone the King himself.
But fate had decided otherwise.
I stopped before Damon, my voice barely above a whisper as I spoke the words that would change my life forever.
"Alpha Damon… I am your mate."
For a moment, there was silence. A hush fell over the hall, and all eyes turned toward us.
Then, he laughed.
A cold, cruel chuckle that sent ice through my veins.
Damon took a step closer, his golden eyes flashing with something unreadable. He lifted a hand, and for a brief second, I thought he might touch me, might accept me—
But instead, his fingers curled under my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"You?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake."
Pain speared through my chest.
A mistake?
My lips parted, but before I could speak, a sultry voice rang through the air.
"She's not fit to be your mate, my King," a woman purred.
Celeste.
She stepped into the light, her silver gown hugging her curves, her crimson lips curved into a knowing smirk. Celeste was the Beta's daughter—strong, beautiful, and everything I was not.
I turned back to Damon, my vision blurring with unshed tears. "But… we're fated mates."
His lips curled into a smirk. "That doesn't matter."
The room spun around me.
Fated mates were sacred. A bond given by the Moon Goddess herself. How could he just—just throw it away like it meant nothing?
Damon's voice was like a dagger to my heart.
"I, Alpha King Damon, reject you, Aria, as my mate."
A sharp, unbearable pain ripped through my chest, and my knees buckled. My wolf howled in agony, the bond between us shredding into a thousand invisible pieces.
Laughter and whispers surrounded me, but all I could hear was my own heartbeat, thudding painfully in my ears.
Rejected.
I had been rejected.
A trembling breath left my lips as I forced myself to my feet. My entire body ached, but I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.
I clenched my fists, swallowing the sob that threatened to escape.
And then, I did the only thing I could.
I ran.
Through the crowd, through the grand doors of the hall, out into the cold, unforgiving night.
Tears blurred my vision as I sprinted into the forest, my bare feet sinking into the damp earth. The trees whispered around me, the wind howling like a mourning cry.
My chest ached, my breath coming in ragged gasps, but I didn't stop.
I couldn't stop.
Because deep in my heart, I knew—this was just the beginning of my suffering.
The cold night air bit into my skin as I ran through the dark forest. My heart pounded in my chest, matching the sharp pain that spread through my body. The rejection bond was tearing me apart from the inside, making it hard to breathe.
"Keep running," my wolf, Luna, whimpered. "We can't stay here."
Tears blurred my vision, but I pushed forward, my bare feet sinking into the damp earth. The towering trees around me swayed in the wind, their whispers mixing with the sound of my ragged breathing.
I had dreamed of this night my whole life. I had waited for him. The one the Moon Goddess had chosen for me. I thought it would be the start of a beautiful love story.
But instead, it had become a nightmare.
Damon's cold voice echoed in my head.
"The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake."
"I reject you, Aria, as my mate."
Pain shot through my chest again, making my steps falter. My wolf howled inside me, her sorrow blending with mine. The rejection was crushing. I had heard stories about it—how a mate's rejection could leave a wolf shattered, broken beyond repair.
Was that what was happening to me?
My legs grew weak, and I stumbled, falling hard against a tree. My palms scraped against the rough bark, but I barely felt it. I gasped for air, pressing a hand against my chest.
It hurts.
It hurt more than anything I had ever felt before.
The Moon Goddess had given me a mate. But he had thrown me away like I was nothing.
And the worst part? Everyone had seen it.
They had laughed. They had whispered. They had watched as I was humiliated.
I squeezed my eyes shut. The sharp ache in my heart only grew, twisting like a knife inside me.
Why?
Why did it have to be me?
Why was I always the weak one? The one nobody wanted?
A tear slipped down my cheek as I looked up at the moon.
"Is this my fate?" I thought bitterly. "To always be unwanted?"
A rustling sound came from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. My body tensed.
Someone was here.
I turned quickly, my heart racing. My eyes darted through the darkness, scanning the trees.
Snap.
A twig broke.
I held my breath, pressing myself against the tree.
Then, a scent hit me. A strong, musky scent mixed with the sharpness of blood. My stomach twisted in fear.
Rogues.
Panic surged through me as I took a step back. Rogues were dangerous, unpredictable. I was weak, rejected, and alone. If they attacked me now, I wouldn't stand a chance.
Another rustle. The sound of footsteps.
And then—a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness.
My breath hitched.
A tall figure stepped forward, his form slowly coming into view. The moonlight revealed a man with silver hair and those haunting red eyes. He was unlike anyone I had ever seen before.
A dangerous aura surrounded him, powerful and suffocating.
His lips curled into a smirk as he looked at me, amusement flashing in his eyes.
"Well, well," he said in a smooth, deep voice. "What do we have here?"
I swallowed hard, my body frozen in place.
Was he going to kill me?
His gaze swept over me, and for some reason, I felt like prey caught in the eyes of a predator.
Then, to my surprise, he chuckled.
"A rejected mate," he murmured, as if he could smell my pain. "How pathetic."
I clenched my fists, anger sparking inside me. I had been humiliated enough for one night.
"Leave me alone," I snapped, my voice hoarse from crying.
The rogue Alpha tilted his head, watching me with amusement.
"No."
My heart pounded.
I had no strength left to fight. My wolf was weak from the rejection. I was at his mercy.
But instead of attacking, he took a step closer, lowering his voice.
"Do you want to live?" he asked, his red eyes locking onto mine.
I flinched at the question. "What?"
His smirk widened. "Do you want to live, or do you want to die here?"
My chest rose and fell quickly. My mind screamed at me to run, but my body refused to move.
I wanted to live.
I wanted to escape.
I didn't want to die as the weak, rejected omega that everyone mocked.
As if he could read my thoughts, the rogue Alpha reached out and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His touch was surprisingly warm despite the coldness in his eyes.
"I can help you," he said, his voice like silk. "But you'll have to make a choice."
I swallowed hard. "A choice?"
His smirk faded slightly. "Yes. Stay here and die… or come with me and become something stronger."
My heart pounded. Stronger?
I had been weak my whole life. I had always been looked down on, always been cast aside.
But now… someone was offering me a way out.
It was dangerous. He was dangerous.
But wasn't Damon dangerous too?
Hadn't he destroyed me tonight?
I took a shaky breath.
And then, I made my choice.
I grabbed his hand.
A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes, but he didn't say anything.
Instead, his grip tightened around mine.
"Good," he murmured. "You won't regret this."
But as he pulled me deeper into the forest, away from everything I had ever known…
I had no idea how wrong he was.