His Hidden Luna

The full moon hung low over the Silver Crest Pack, spilling silver light across the courtyard like a silent witness. The air was heavy with pine and cold iron, thick with anticipation and something ancient that prickled against the skin. Somewhere in the forest, a lone wolf howled, its voice a mournful echo of what was about to be lost.

The pack stood in absolute stillness. Warriors, elders, and omegas—all watching their Alpha with a reverence laced with fear.

Alpha Kael Blackthorn stood at the center of it all, tall and unyielding, his dark hair gleaming under the sacred light. His golden eyes burned with power, but beneath that steady exterior, a storm raged. His wolf strained at its cage, restless and furious, but Kael’s expression remained carved from stone. Tonight, the Moon Goddess had bound him to fate—and he had sworn to defy it.

At the edge of the courtyard stood Aria Hale.

The moonlight seemed drawn to her, wrapping around her like a veil of grace. Her ceremonial gown shimmered faintly, pure white against the shadows, yet her trembling hands betrayed her calm. She had dreamed of this night since she was a child—when she would stand before her mate and finally belong somewhere.

Her heart fluttered wildly. The pull toward Kael was magnetic, a current that tugged at her soul, whispering of destiny and belonging. The bond sang in her blood, fierce and undeniable. She had felt it from the moment their eyes met that morning—a silent promise she thought would heal the loneliness that had followed her all her life.

When the Elder raised his staff, the murmurs fell away. The night seemed to hold its breath. Power rippled through the courtyard, shimmering in the air as the ancient words of binding began to echo.

Aria’s gaze found Kael’s, searching for a sign—hope, affection, anything. But his eyes were cold, distant. The more she looked, the more her heart began to sink.

Inside Kael, the bond clawed at him. His wolf howled in recognition, pressing against the barriers of his control. Her scent—lavender and rain—flooded his senses, stirring something primal and possessive. He wanted her. Every part of him screamed to claim her.

But Kael knew what love cost. He had seen what weakness did to leaders. The last Alpha had fallen because of love—because of the Luna who couldn’t protect her pack. He couldn’t make the same mistake.

The Elder’s voice rose to a crescendo, his final words echoing under the moon. All eyes turned to Kael. This was the moment. The Goddess was watching.

Kael stepped forward.

And broke fate.

“I reject this bond.”

The words cut through the air like a blade.

Gasps erupted from the crowd. Power shattered around them, invisible threads snapping in a wave of pain that made Aria flinch. For one breathless moment, she couldn’t move. Then the agony hit—sharp, burning, searing through her chest like molten fire.

Her breath caught. Her knees trembled. The bond tore apart inside her, leaving only emptiness behind.

The Elder’s staff dropped slightly. “Alpha—”

Kael didn’t let him speak. His voice was ice. “The Moon Goddess has made a mistake. I will not accept a Luna who is unfit to stand beside me.”

The words hit harder than any blow.

Aria’s world tilted. Unfit. The word echoed in her mind, cruel and final. She took a shaky step forward, her eyes wet with disbelief. “You don’t mean this,” she whispered. “Please…”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “I do.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Even the wind seemed to die. Around her, the pack averted their eyes, shame and pity flickering across their faces.

Aria’s heart splintered. She wanted to scream, to demand an explanation—but all that came was silence. Her wolf whimpered weakly inside her, curling into the pain that would not fade.

Slowly, she turned away. Each step felt heavier than the last. The crowd parted without a word, the sound of her soft footsteps the only thing breaking the stillness.

When she reached the gates, she stopped and looked back one last time. Kael stood motionless on the platform, his face unreadable, his golden eyes empty of warmth.

If he felt anything, he buried it where no one could see.

Aria didn’t run until she reached the forest. Then the tears came—hot, desperate, endless. She stumbled through the trees, her gown torn by branches, her breath shallow and broken. Her heart throbbed with every step, her soul bleeding from the wound of rejection.

When she reached the river, her strength gave way. She fell to her knees, staring at the moon that had once felt like her protector. The night air was cold against her skin, but she barely felt it.

“May the Goddess protect you,” she whispered through trembling lips, “even if you do not want me.”

Her voice cracked, carried away by the wind.

Back in the courtyard, Kael remained alone long after the pack dispersed. The torches had burned low, their flames flickering like dying stars. He stared at the empty space where she had stood, the ghost of her scent still clinging to the air.

You hurt her, his wolf growled inside him. You hurt what is ours.

Kael’s fists clenched. “It’s better this way,” he whispered. “A weak Luna would destroy the pack.”

But even as he said it, the words tasted hollow. The scent of lavender lingered, haunting him. For a moment, he saw her face again—the heartbreak in her eyes, the softness of her voice when she prayed for him.

Something inside him cracked, silent and deep.

By dawn, Aria Hale was gone. The patrols found only her torn gown by the riverbank and faint footprints fading into the wild.

Kael told himself it was for the best.

Yet every full moon that followed, he woke from dreams of lavender fields and the sound of her voice whispering his name.

He had rejected his mate, but the bond refused to die.

And far beyond his reach, under the same cold moon, the girl he’d cast away was about to discover that fate could not be denied—only delayed.