Chapter 1

"I, Raymond, reject you, Aurora, as my fiancée. From this moment on, everyone must stop talking about Aurora as the future Luna."

All eyes in the pack turned to us—the once-golden couple—with confusion written across every face.

Raymond wasn't finished with his public execution of my heart. For the first time that evening, he looked directly at me, his eyes cold and distant—like I was a stranger, or an enemy.

"I will never, and can never, be engaged to Aurora!"

**

Half an hour ago, my heart had been racing in anticipation of the Alpha announcing my engagement to Raymond.

Everyone in the pack believed I was the perfect choice for Luna. Raymond, the Alpha's son - we've been inseparable since we were pups running through the forest together. And I’m the daughter of the Beta, so all of this had been expected and blessed.

Since I was twelve, I had trained according to every standard expected of a future Luna. I learned pack politics, healing, diplomacy, and leadership. Raymond had entrusted me with all soon-to-be Luna responsibilities, silently acknowledging me as his future fiancée.

Alpha Marcus stepped forward, his commanding presence silencing the crowd instantly. His eyes swept across the gathering, pride evident in his stance. "My fellow pack members," he announced, his voice resonating through the hall, "in one month's time, I will step down as Alpha and pass the position to my son, Raymond."

A cheer erupted, and I couldn't help but smile. Raymond deserved this. He'd worked tirelessly for this moment since we were children playing at being leaders.

"And," Alpha Marcus continued once the noise died down, "on that same day, we will celebrate his union with Aurora."

My cheeks flushed instantly, warmth spreading through my entire body. Luna Elena, Raymond's mother, stepped forward with a warm smile that had always made me feel like her daughter. "The engagement ceremony preparations will begin this week," she said, reaching out to squeeze my hand affectionately. I felt truly blessed, as though every dream I'd ever had was finally coming true.

I turned to look at Raymond beside me, both excited and shy. His profile was perfect—strong jawline, those intense green eyes I'd memorized since childhood.

I reached for Raymond's hand under the table, but he shifted away. Something was off. His jaw was clenched tight, and his eyes wouldn't meet mine.

Before I could whisper a question, Raymond suddenly stood, knocking over the meal I had carefully prepared for him earlier—his favorite venison stew that had taken me hours to perfect. The ceramic plate shattered against the floor, echoing through the suddenly silent hall.

"I absolutely will not, and can never, be engaged to Aurora!"

His words sliced through me like claws, tearing into my heart with brutal efficiency. I sat frozen, unable to breathe as he continued with unexpected fury that turned his handsome features into something I barely recognized.

"Everything from the past was just childhood games," he spat out, each word a dagger. "Aurora needs to stop following me around and making our families misunderstand what was never there."

The pain in my chest was unbearable, a physical ache that threatened to consume me entirely. What was happening to the man I loved? Just yesterday, he had smiled at me, accepted the lunch I'd made him, his fingers brushing mine in that familiar way.

Alpha Marcus stood up, his face darkening with anger. "Raymond! Sit down and stop speaking nonsense!" His voice thundered across the hall, making several pack members flinch.

"Aurora is not my fated mate, and I never considered marrying her. Everyone must stop talking about her as the future Luna. It's ridiculous!"

With that final blow, he stormed out, the heavy wooden doors slamming behind him with a terrible finality.

Alpha Marcus looked furious, his hands clenched into fists, while Luna Elena appeared confused and embarrassed. And me? I felt like I was drowning in humiliation and heartbreak, my entire world collapsing around me in front of everyone I knew.

Despite my shattered heart, I forced myself to stand on shaky legs, summoning every ounce of dignity I could find. "Please, Alpha Marcus," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, fighting to keep it steady. "Raymond is just stressed about taking over the pack."

I bowed my head respectfully, fighting back tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks. "I'll talk to him. I'll make things right."

The whispers had already started around me, hushed voices speculating about what had happened between us. Everyone was looking with pity in their eyes, some with barely concealed curiosity. I couldn't bear their scrutiny of my pain.

With as much dignity as I could muster, I walked slowly out of the hall, back straight despite the weight crushing my chest. Only once outside, hidden by the shadows of the night, did I break into a desperate run, tears finally spilling down my cheeks in hot streams.

"Raymond!" I called out, searching the pack grounds frantically, my voice breaking on his name. "Raymond, please!" The night air felt cold against my tear-stained face, a sharp contrast to the burning hurt inside me.

He wasn't answering my calls through our pack bond either, a silence that frightened me more than his anger. I checked all his usual places—the training grounds where we'd sparred countless times, the river where we'd swim on hot summer days, his private cabin where we'd talked until dawn—but found nothing but empty spaces filled with memories.

Finally, a place came to mind, a sanctuary we had discovered as children. Our secret spot in the forest, a small clearing beside a tiny waterfall where we'd spent countless hours together since childhood, sharing dreams and secrets. Raymond had promised me he would never bring anyone else there, swearing it on the moon goddess herself.

I ran through the trees, my wolf urging me to shift and move faster, branches scratching my arms and face as I passed. The sounds of the waterfall reached my ears, and relief washed over me like a cooling balm. He would be there, and we would talk this through like we always had, finding understanding in the sanctuary of our special place.

I slowed as I approached the clearing, catching my breath, hope flickering weakly in my chest. Through the trees, I could see Raymond's tall figure standing by the water, moonlight silvering his dark hair. But he wasn't alone, and my hope died as quickly as it had come.

A girl threw herself into his arms with familiar ease, her long blonde hair catching the moonlight like spun gold. And then they kissed—not a shy, hesitant kiss, but one filled with passion and intimacy that spoke of many such kisses before.

I stood frozen, unable to look away from the nightmare unfolding before me, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood. The girl was Giana, the rogue who had joined our pack last semester, with her sad story and vulnerable eyes. Beautiful, delicate Giana with her wounded past that had apparently captured Raymond's heart in a way I never could.

Raymond's hand caressed her face with a tenderness he had never shown me, his fingers tracing her jawline with reverence. "I couldn't let them announce an engagement that will never happen, not when I have you."

Twelve years of love and devotion, shattered in a single night by six words: "You're my fated mate, only you."