PUBLICLY HUMILIATED

ELENA'S POV

He continued, his voice cold enough to silence the few wolves who had begun whispering.

“I cannot allow personal feelings to compromise the future of the Blackthorn Pack. An Alpha must consider more than a bond when choosing the woman who will stand beside him.”

I stared at him. “And you believe I cannot stand beside you?”

His silence lasted only a second. But it was enough.

“Your abilities as a healer are valuable,” he said. “However, being Luna requires more than healing wounded wolves. It requires political understanding, influence, and the ability to secure alliances that protect thousands of lives.”

I felt something inside me break a little further.

“So this is about my family?”

“This is about the pack.”

“Because I don’t come from a powerful family?”

“Elena.”

“Because I have no territory to offer you? No army? No influential father who can negotiate a marriage agreement with your council?”

His expression darkened. “That is enough.”

But I couldn’t stop. Not when he was dismantling every hope I had ever carried for us.

“I never asked you to make me Luna tonight,” I whispered. “I never asked you for your title or your wealth. I only wanted—”

The rest of the sentence lodged painfully in my throat.

I only wanted you to choose me.

I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Not in front of hundreds of wolves who were already witnessing my humiliation.

Kaiden looked at me for a long moment.

Then he spoke.

“You should not confuse a fated bond with a promise of a future together.”

I stared at him.

“Do you feel nothing for me?”

The question escaped in a whisper.

For the first time since the ceremony began, Kaiden seemed unable to answer immediately.

His gaze held mine.

I searched his face, desperately looking for something that might tell me the truth. A hint of affection. A trace of uncertainty. Anything that would suggest the man standing before me was not entirely indifferent to the pain he was causing.

My wolf waited with me.

The entire pack waited.

Kaiden finally spoke.

“I will never make you my Luna.”

He had not answered my question.

But somehow, his refusal hurt more than any answer could have.

I lowered my gaze.

The tears gathering in my eyes threatened to spill, and I knew that if I remained there another second, I would lose the little dignity I had left.

So I straightened my back.

I wiped the corner of one eye before the tear could fall.

Then I looked at him one last time.

“I understand, Alpha.”

The title sounded strange on my tongue.

Once, I had imagined calling him by his name while sitting beside him in a quiet room, with no council, no warriors, and no responsibilities separating us.

Now, even that small dream felt foolish.

I turned away.

“Elena!” Mara called softly.

I heard her hurried footsteps behind me, but I didn’t stop until we reached the far end of the ceremonial grounds.

Only then did I allow myself to breathe.

My chest hurt so badly that every breath felt like a struggle.

Mara caught up with me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

“Elena, I’m so sorry.”

I pressed my lips together.

I would not cry.

Not here.

Not where anyone could see.

Not after Kaiden had made it so painfully clear that I meant nothing to him.

“Let’s go,” I whispered.

She nodded immediately.

Neither of us looked back.

But as we left the gathering, I could still feel the faint pull of the severed bond.

My wolf curled into herself, wounded and confused.

He is our mate.

I closed my eyes.

“No,” I whispered, too quietly for Mara to hear. “He was.”

And for the first time in my life, I wished the Moon Goddess had never answered my prayers.