THE GIRL EVERYONE PITIED

The next morning, Maya wished she could disappear.

Dark shadows pooled beneath her eyes and her skin looked pale from little sleep.

Every time her eyelids closed, Lucas's word replayed over and over. "I reject Maya Hart as my mate."

A notification sounded on her phone. Then another. Then another.

Maya looked away from the mirror. Her phone beeped constantly with messages, comments, tags and mentions. Strangers were suddenly talking about her.

She picked up the phone and instantly she regretted it. The first video that appeared was the ceremony. The moment Lucas rejected her.

Someone had zoomed in on her face. The video had millions of views. Millions.

Comments poured beneath it. Poor girl…That was embarrassing…She isn't even pretty enough for him…

Maya quickly locked the screen. Her stomach twisted and she felt unwell.

A knock sounded at the door. "Maya?” Her roommate, Hannah, stood by the door

She quickly wiped her tears. "Come in."

Hannah stepped inside. For a moment she looked uncomfortable. That hurt more than Maya expected.

Normally Hannah talked nonstop. Today she stood awkwardly by the doorway. "Hey."

"Hey."

Silence filled the room. Neither knew what to say.

Finally, Hannah cleared her throat. "I just wanted to check on you."

Maya nodded. "I'm fine."

Hannah could see she was lying. "People are being awful online," she said softly.

Maya forced a smile. "It'll pass."

Hannah hesitated. Then her phone buzzed suddenly and she glanced at the screen. Someone was calling her.

"Sorry," Hannah said. "I need to go."

"It's okay."

Maya sank onto her bed. Even her friends did not know how to act around her anymore. Everything had changed overnight.

The moment Maya stepped outside, conversations stopped and students stared at her. She kept her eyes on the ground just make it to class.

A group of second-year students passed her. One of the girls laughed and nudged her friend. "That's her."

Maya heard but she kept walking. By the time she reached her class, her hands were shaking. She slipped into a chair at the back.

The room buzzed with conversation. Most of the students were talking about the ceremony.

Maya sat alone. Nobody joined her table or spoke to her. It felt like an invisible wall surrounded her.

The professor entered and the room became quiet.

For one hopeful second Maya thought things might feel normal.

Then the professor looked directly at her. His face softened like he was looking at someone injured.

"Maya," he said gently, "if you need additional time on assignments this week, please let me know."

Several students turned toward her, followed by more whispers.

Heat rushed into her face. "I don't need extra time."

The professor nodded awkwardly. "Of course."

The lesson began but Maya barely heard a word. She spent the entire hour trying not to cry.

****

Lunchtime was worse.

Tables stretched across the room but each one seemed taken.

Maya grabbed a tray and searched for somewhere to sit. She noticed an empty seat and relief washed through her.

As she started walking toward it, the girl sitting beside it suddenly placed her bag on the chair, without looking at Maya or saying a word.

The message was clear.

For a second, she just stood there. Humiliation burned through her chest.

Then she walked away from the cafeteria. She wasn't hungry anymore.

Outside, the training fields stretched beneath the afternoon sunlight. The students practiced combat techniques in their wolves shifted forms.

Their instructors shouted orders and everything looked normal.

Maya sat alone beneath a large tree. Air moved quietly through the leaves above her. For the first time all day, she could breathe.

Clapping erupted from the training field and Maya looked up.

Lucas stood in the middle of the open space. Students formed a loose circle around him, laughing, talking and admiring him.

No one avoided him or whispered. It felt unfair and it made Maya angry.

He blocked an opponent's attack and sent him crashing down with a mid strike.

Cheers exploded around the field. Someone shouted his name and he smiled.

Maya quickly looked away. She did not want to cry over him anymore.

****

That evening, Maya's phone rang. Grandma.

Relief immediately flooded her as she answered. "Grandma."

"Maya."

The moment she heard Elena's voice; tears filled her eyes again.

"Oh, sweetheart."

Those two words nearly broke her. Maya pressed a hand over her mouth trying to stay strong and not fall apart.

"I saw the videos," Elena said quietly.

Maya closed her eyes. Of course she had.

"I'm sorry," Maya said quietly.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

The kindness in Elena's voice hurt.

"I should have known better."

"No." Elena's voice became firm, “Maya Hart, listen to me."

Maya swallowed.

"You did nothing wrong."

Tears slipped down her cheeks. For a moment neither of them spoke.

Then Elena sighed. "Come home."

Maya looked out her dorm window. The academy towers glowed beneath moonlight.

Mooncrest had been her dream. She worked so hard to get there. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. "I can't."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Elena didn’t speak for several seconds. Then she said gently but firmly, "Strength doesn’t need pain to be real. You don't have to suffer just to prove you're strong."

The words settled deep inside Maya. After they ended the call, she stayed seated for a long time, thinking about everything.

Maybe Grandma was right. Maybe there was nothing left for her here.

****

The following week felt endless. Things did not improve. They got worse.

The rejection followed her everywhere both in classrooms and online.

One afternoon she entered the library. A first-year student immediately pointed at her. "That's the girl."

She had to turn around and leave before the student could finish.

Another morning, she overheard two teachers discussing her in the hallway but when they saw her, they stopped talking. The pity in their eyes felt unbearable. She hated it.

At night she lay awake scrolling through transfer information.

She saw Silverclaw Academy. It was located deep within the Frostpine Mountains, far away from Mooncrest and far away from Lucas.

Unlike Mooncrest, Silverclaw accepted students from every pack. The academy cared more about ability than bloodline.

The photos looked beautiful. Tall pine forests, mountain streams and open spaces.

For the first time in days, Maya felt a little hopeful.

Two days later, she made her decision.

The admissions form glowed on the screen. A flicker of doubt crosses her face as her fingertip paused above the send key. Slowly, Maya pressed the button and submitted the application.

The next afternoon, Maya was leaving class when someone stepped into her path.

She froze. Lucas Blackwood stood in front of her.

The hallway immediately became silent. Students slowed down, watching and waiting.

Maya's heart quickened. This was the first time they would speak since the ceremony.

Lucas looked tired. There were dark shadows under his eyes and his jaw was tense as if he hadn't slept either.

For few seconds neither of them spoke. Then Lucas finally said, "Can we talk?"

Maya stared at him; a bitter laugh almost escaped her. "About what?"

His expression hardened. "Not here."

Maya noticed dozens of students were watching them and phones were already recording.

Lucas noticed too and his jaw clenched tighter. "Maya."

The way he said her name made her heart ache and she hated that it still affected her. "I don't think there's anything left to say."

Pain flashed across his face. "Please."

For one dangerous second, she nearly agreed. Then she remembered standing on the altar, humiliated, with thousands of people staring. "No."

Lucas went still. Maya stepped around him and walked away without looking back.

She returned to her dorm exhausted, ready to fall into her bed.

The screen of her laptop glowed softly with a new email notification. Her heartbeat quickened as she opened it.

The first line appeared. Congratulations.

Then her eyes moved lower. Silverclaw Academy has approved your transfer request. Immediate enrollment is advised.

Maya stared at the screen. Relief flooded through her. It was happening.

She could leave…actually leave Mooncrest, the whispers, the pity and Lucas Blackwood

For the first time since the rejection, Maya allowed herself to believe that another future might exist beyond the pain.