The night air was colder than usual, or maybe it just felt that way because of the fear sitting heavily in my chest.
Tonight was supposed to be the most important night of my life.
The night I would finally stand beside Damon Blackwood — the Alpha of the Silver Ridge Pack.
My mate.
My future.
For years, everyone in the pack had whispered about it. They said the Moon Goddess had blessed us long before we were even old enough to understand what destiny meant. Damon was strong, fearless, born to lead. And I… I was the quiet girl who followed behind him like a shadow.
But a shadow that belonged to him.
At least, that's what I believed.
The entire pack had gathered in the clearing. Torches surrounded the ceremonial circle, their flames dancing wildly in the wind. The scent of pine and burning wood filled the air while wolves murmured among themselves.
They were waiting.
Waiting for their Alpha to claim his Luna.
My hands trembled slightly as I stepped forward. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it.
Across the circle stood Damon.
Tall. Powerful. Unreachable.
The moonlight traced the sharp lines of his face, making him look more like a king than a man. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to disappear.
My wolf stirred inside me.
Mate.
The word echoed in my mind like a promise.
I waited for him to walk toward me. To take my hand. To say the words that would bind our souls forever.
But he didn't move.
Instead, Damon's expression hardened.
The warmth in his eyes vanished as if it had never been there.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Elena Gray."
The sound of my name from his lips sent a shiver down my spine.
His voice was cold.
Unfamiliar.
I swallowed, trying to calm the sudden panic rising inside me.
"Yes… Alpha?"
For a long moment, Damon simply stared at me.
Then he spoke words that shattered my entire world.
"I, Damon Blackwood, Alpha of the Silver Ridge Pack… reject you as my mate."
The clearing fell silent.
For a second, I thought I had misheard him.
My mind refused to process the words.
Reject.
Reject?
The bond between mates was sacred. It was chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. No Alpha in our pack's history had ever rejected their Luna.
But Damon had just done it.
Pain exploded through my chest like a blade twisting into my heart. My wolf howled in agony, her grief echoing violently in my mind.
"No…" I whispered.
My knees trembled.
"Damon… why?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked past me.
And that was when I noticed her.
Standing just behind him.
Beautiful. Confident. Perfect.
Victoria Hale.
The daughter of the neighboring Alpha.
The same woman who had arrived at our pack only a week ago.
Realization slowly crept into my mind like poison.
Damon stepped closer to her, his arm brushing against hers in a way that was far too familiar.
His choice was obvious.
"I cannot have a weak Luna," he said flatly.
His words cut deeper than any knife.
"You are not strong enough to stand beside me."
Gasps spread through the gathered wolves.
My entire body felt numb.
Weak?
Was that what I had always been to him?
Just a fragile mistake?
My wolf whimpered inside me, her pain unbearable.
But Damon wasn't finished.
"I will choose someone worthy of the title," he continued.
His hand lightly touched Victoria's shoulder.
"And Elena Gray is not that person."
The rejection bond snapped violently.
The pain that followed was indescribable.
It felt as if my soul itself was being torn apart.
A broken sob escaped my lips as I collapsed onto the cold ground.
The Moon above seemed to blur through my tears.
Everything hurt.
My heart.
My wolf.
My pride.
I had loved Damon my entire life.
And in one moment… he destroyed it all.
The pack watched in silence as I struggled to stand again.
Some looked sympathetic.
Others looked relieved.
No one stepped forward to help me.
Because an Alpha had spoken.
And his decision was absolute.
I wiped my tears with shaking hands.
If Damon expected me to beg…
He would be disappointed.
Slowly, I lifted my head and looked directly into his eyes.
Something flickered there.
Regret?
No.
Probably just my imagination.
"Fine," I said quietly.
My voice was hoarse, but it didn't break.
"If that's what you want… then I accept your rejection."
The crowd stirred in shock.
No one expected me to agree so easily.
But what choice did I have?
A mate bond could not survive if one side refused it.
Still, as I turned to leave the circle, something strange happened.
A sudden wave of heat rushed through my body.
My wolf stirred violently.
Stronger than before.
Different.
I froze mid-step.
What was that?
The air around me seemed to change.
Even Damon noticed.
His eyes narrowed as he watched me carefully.
"Elena…" he muttered.
But before he could say anything else—
A deep voice echoed inside my mind.
Not my wolf.
Not Damon.
Something older.
Something powerful.
Child of the Moon…
My breath caught.
Your story has only just begun.
My heart pounded violently.
Because at that exact moment…
My wolf opened her eyes.
And they were glowing silver.