The Alpha's Choice

Silence swallowed the Grand Hall whole.

The glowing Moonstone in Athena’s trembling hand slowly dimmed, but the truth it had revealed could never be hidden again. Every pair of eyes was fixed on Alpha Evan "Buck" Buckley. No one looked at her anymore; they were all waiting for him. They waited to see whether one of the strongest Alphas alive would accept... or reject... the servant standing before him.

Her fingers tightened around the Moonstone before an Elder gently took it from her hands, forcing her to lower her gaze as her heartbeat echoed painfully in her ears.

"A servant..." someone whispered.

"This has never happened before."

"The Moon Goddess must be testing him."

"No Alpha would take her as his Luna."

The whispers spread like wildfire through the hall, each one cutting a little deeper. At the head of the chamber, Damon folded his arms with his face carefully composed, though only the satisfaction glinting in his eyes betrayed him. This was exactly what he had wanted—to humiliate her before the most powerful wolves in the territories.

Buck stood frozen, his mind refusing to accept what his eyes had witnessed. The Moonstone had chosen, and there could be no mistake. Athena Grant... the bruised servant... was his fated mate.

His wolf surged beneath his skin, restless and demanding: Claim her.

The command echoed through every instinct he possessed, forcing his jaw to clench. No. This wasn't how he had imagined meeting the woman destined to stand beside him. His Luna should command respect the moment she entered a room. She should be strong, untouchable—a leader, not a servant who couldn't even defend herself.

Yet every time he looked at Athena, he saw quiet dignity instead of weakness. Something about her refused to fit the image Damon had painted.

"Buck," Bobby's voice was barely above a whisper. "The Council is waiting."

Buck looked around at the dozens of Alphas staring at him. Some were curious, some amused, and some already judging him.

Damon took a slow step forward, his voice carrying easily through the hall. "Alpha Buckley. The Moon Goddess has spoken." A murmur of agreement rippled through the Council. "It is now your right..." He paused deliberately, "...to acknowledge your mate."

Athena closed her eyes, wishing the stone floor would open beneath her feet so she could disappear. She didn't want pity, nor did she want to be the center of everyone's attention. Most of all, she didn't want to hear the words she feared were coming.

Buck slowly walked toward the center of the hall, each step echoing through the chamber until he stopped only a few feet from Athena. She kept her eyes lowered as he studied her in silence: the bruises, the trembling hands, the faded dress. None of it matched the fierce pull he felt whenever she was near.

"Look at me," his voice was quiet.

Athena slowly raised her head, and their eyes met. For the first time since the ceremony began, the hall disappeared. There was only silence, with only two people standing before fate.

Buck searched her face. He expected anger, but instead, he found fear—not a fear of him, but a fear of what he might say. Something twisted painfully inside his chest.

Damon smiled to himself in the background, thinking, Come on... Say it. Reject her. Finish what I started.

Ravi watched Buck carefully. Having served beside his Alpha for years, he knew every expression and every hesitation. Buck wasn't disgusted; he was conflicted. And that frightened Ravi more than anything.

Bobby slowly rose from his seat, his calm voice breaking the unbearable silence. "Alpha Buckley. The Moon Goddess has revealed your path, but only you can decide how you walk it."

The words hung heavy in the air. Buck closed his eyes for the briefest moment, and when he opened them again, the conflict had vanished. His face became unreadable, cold, and controlled—the face of an Alpha.

He turned away from Athena. "I..." The single word echoed across the hall as Athena's breath caught. "I cannot..." His voice remained steady. "...accept a woman who cannot even protect herself."

The words struck like a blade, causing a sharp gasp to sweep through the chamber.

Buck continued, "My Luna must stand beside me as an equal. Not behind me as someone I must constantly protect." Every word felt heavier than the last, blurring Athena's vision. But she didn't cry. She wouldn't—not here, and not in front of them.

Buck took one final breath, and in a voice that echoed through every corner of the Grand Hall, he declared, "I reject you, Athena Grant—"

Before he could finish, a deafening howl exploded outside the manor. The entire building shook violently, shattering windows as warriors rushed toward the doors. An enormous explosion rocked the eastern wall, pouring thick smoke into the hall. A guard burst through the entrance, covered in blood, his terrified voice echoing through the chaos.

"Rogues! They've breached the eastern gates!"

The Alpha Council sprang to their feet. Swords were drawn, and warriors shifted into wolves. Buck's unfinished rejection hung in the air, interrupted by the sudden beginning of a battle no one had expected.