1

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the main kitchen of the Silver Pine Pack. Aurora Ashcroft smiled faintly as she pulled the last baking sheet from the stone oven. Warm steam rose from inside the oven, carrying the scent of butter and rosemary that quickly filled the room. Beside her, a large pot of venison soup simmered gently over the fire, while several other omegas busied themselves chopping vegetables.

“Aurora!”

A young warrior appeared in the kitchen doorway, his face lighting up with anticipation.

“Is your apple pie ready yet?”

Aurora chuckled softly. “It’s been out of the oven for less than five minutes. If you steal that apple pie now, you’re definitely going to burn your tongue.”

The warrior scratched the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly. “But it’s the Moon Goddess Festival, Aurora. Everyone’s dying to taste your special apple pie.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know....”

Aurora picked up a small slice of apple pie with slightly uneven edges.

“Well, this one’s for you, then.”

The warrior’s eyes immediately lit up. “You really are the best, Aurora!”

Aurora simply smiled as he ran out of the kitchen, happily carrying the slice of pie. That was how Aurora’s daily life went. Everyone loved whatever she cooked. Everyone sought her help whenever they needed it. But not everyone appreciated her. From a corner of the kitchen, two omega women whispered to each other.

“Have you seen the dress Aurora is wearing tonight?”

“Yes, I have.”

“But no matter what she wears, it only makes her look even plumper.”

“That’s not something she can change overnight.”

“Poor thing. What werewolf would want a mate like her?”

They giggled under their breath. Aurora heard every word, as usual. Even so, he simply took a deep breath and returned to her work. Comments like those had been a part of Aurora’s life since childhood.

Her body was different from that of most girls her age. Her cheeks were rounder, her hips wider, and her arms fuller. Aurora had tried countless ways to change her body.

She had worked out harder. She had cut down on her portions. She had even forced herself to drink a bitter herbal concoction for weeks in hopes that it would help her lose weight. But her body remained the same. Eventually, Aurora stopped trying to meet everyone else’s standards.

Instead, she chose to focus on what she truly loved. Cooking. Food always made Aurora happy. More importantly, seeing other people smile after eating something she had prepared made her happy, too. At least, that was what Aurora had always believed.

“Chef Aurora!” A little girl came running into the kitchen.

“My dad said your soup helped his wound heal faster!”

Aurora smiled warmly. “Then I’ll make you some more soup later.”

The little girl immediately wrapped her arms around Aurora’s waist before running back outside. The sight brought smiles to the faces of the other chefs. Everyone knew that Aurora had an extraordinarily gentle heart. Unfortunately, not everyone was willing to see beyond her appearance.

As evening approached, the entire Silver Pine Pack began preparing for the Moon Goddess Festival. The festival was held only once a year. But tonight especially important. Every werewolf who had reached the age of twenty-two would discover who their fated mate was.

Aurora stood in front of a small mirror in her room. She wore a simple dark green dress that she had sewn herself. It wasn’t fancy, nor did it stand out, but at least it was comfortable. Aurora smoothed her long brown hair and tied it into a loose braid. Just then, someone knocked softly on her door.

Knock

Knock

“Are you ready, Aurora?”

Her best friend, Lila, walked in carrying a bouquet of wildflowers.

“Wow... you look beautiful.”

Aurora chuckled. “Stop lying, Lila.”

“I’m not lying.” Lila tucked a small white flower behind Aurora’s ear.

“If the Moon Goddess is truly fair, then tonight you’re bound to meet someone who can see you the way I do, Aurora.”

Aurora looked at her reflection again. To be honest, she didn’t have high hopes for what would happen at the Moon Goddess Festival. A mate wasn’t something she could choose. But Aurora still felt afraid.

What if that man looked at her body with the same disgust and contempt she had seen in everyone else’s eyes?

What if she heard those same cruel words again, but this time from the man destined for her by the Moon Goddess herself?

Aurora gently bit her lip. “Let’s go.”

Lila took her hand. “Don’t keep the Moon Goddess waiting.”

The main field of the Silver Pine Pack was illuminated by the warm glow of hundreds of torches. Traditional music played softly in the background while children ran around laughing. Warriors stood in neat formations around the stone altar at the center of the field. Standing atop the altar was Alpha Ryder Thorn. Aurora unconsciously stopped in her tracks.

Ryder always looked impressive. He was tall, with a chiseled jawline and cold blue eyes that were enough to intimidate anyone. As the pack’s head chef, Aurora often prepared meals for the Alpha, but their interactions had never gone beyond brief greetings.

To Aurora, Ryder was a leader who seemed impossibly far above her. He was someone she could never reach and certainly never have. The Alpha had never once looked at her as a woman, and Aurora had never allowed herself to hope that he would.

“Tonight, the Moon Goddess will bring every soul together with their destined partner.” The pack elder’s voice echoed across the clearing, pulling Aurora out of her thoughts.

Everyone immediately bowed their heads. Aurora closed her eyes as well. The night breeze brushed gently against her skin. Then, a warm sensation suddenly spread through her chest. Her heart began to race. Her breath caught in her throat. Something unfamiliar seemed to pull at her from somewhere deep inside.

Slowly, Aurora opened her eyes. Before she knew it, her gaze met Ryder’s. The Alpha was staring directly at her. Their eyes locked. Aurora froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.

‘No. This can’t be.’

The warmth inside her chest grew stronger. It felt as though an invisible thread had suddenly connected the two of them. Whispers began spreading throughout the field.

“That’s a mate bond!”

“The Alpha has found his mate!”

Tears immediately welled up in Aurora’s eyes.

‘Moon Goddess, is this real? Is Alpha Ryder really my mate?’

Aurora’s heart was pounded so hard it almost hurt. For one brief moment, Aurora allowed herself to believe in the Moon Goddess’s destiny. Perhaps her life would finally change. Perhaps, after years of feeling unwanted, she had finally been given someone who was meant to be hers. The mate bond wrapped around her like warm sunlight after a lifetime of winter.

For the first time, Aurora felt as though she truly belonged to someone. But Ryder didn’t move. His expression remained frozen. Confusion, disbelief, then hesitation. The entire clearing waited in silence, and no one dared to breathe. Ryder’s eyes searched Aurora’s face. Then his gaze slowly drifted lower. Toward the curves she had spent years trying to hide. His jaw tightened. Behind him, several pack members had already begun whispering.

“The Alpha’s mate is Aurora?!”

“The fat chef?!”

“That’s impossible!”

The whispers reached Ryder’s ears. His fists slowly clenched. A few moments later, Ryder stepped down from the altar. One step, two steps, three steps, until finally, he stood directly in front of Aurora. They were so close that Aurora could hear his heavy breathing.

A small glimmer of hope began to grow in her chest. Maybe Ryder was simply shocked. Maybe he needed a moment to process everything. Maybe, somehow, everything would still turn out all right. But the first words that came from the Alpha’s lips shattered that fragile hope.

“I can’t accept this.”

Ryder stared at Aurora for several seconds. Then his gaze traveled over her body. There was doubt and shame in his eyes. Aurora’s chest tightened. Ryder took a deep breath. Then, in front of the entire pack, he spoke.

“I can’t accept someone like you as my mate.”

Aurora held her breath. Silence engulfed the entire clearing. Her face turned deathly pale. Ryder looked toward the crowd before uttering the words that would change both of their lives forever.

“Alpha Ryder...” The Elder’s voice trembled slightly. “Are you truly rejecting your fated mate?”

Ryder’s expression hardened. “Yes.”

His voice was cold and unmistakable. “I refuse!”

Aurora felt something inside her shatter. The Moon Goddess had given her a mate. And in front of the entire pack, that mate had just rejected her.