CHAPTER 3: Rejected Before the Moon Goddess

Nerissa POV

My chest burned like something inside me was being ripped apart.

I stumbled backward clutching my heart.

The air around me became too heavy to breathe.

“oh shit…” I whispered shakily.

Across the room, Rowan looked just as shocked.

His wolf was reacting too,I could smell it now.

Calista’s face was drained of color.

“What’s happening?” she demanded.

Nobody answered her.

Alpha Zayden’s eyes moved slowly between Rowan and me.

Then realization changed his expression. Rowan cursed under his breath.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The words sliced directly into my chest.

I stared at him helplessly while my wolf whimpered inside me.

Mate,my mate. After years of loneliness… after years of praying…

The Moon Goddess had finally answered me.

But Rowan looked horrified. Calista grabbed Rowan’s arm tightly.

“Say something.”

Rowan dragged a hand through his dark hair angrily before looking directly at me with disgust slowly replacing the shock on his face.

“There’s no way,the Moon Goddess would never pair me with… this.” Rowan snapped

I lowered my eyes immediately, fighting tears.

Zayden remained silent beside us, but the pressure in the room had become cold.

“She’s weak,” he said,“Pathetic. She can barely control her wolf.” Rowan said.

“Rowan,” Calista whispered. But Rowan was already angry.

“I'm the future Alpha of the Red Claw Pack,” he continued. “I need a strong Luna beside me. Not some cursed omega everyone pities.”

The mate bond only made it worse,every rejection from him felt physical.

Like claws tearing through flesh.

“I… I didn’t ask for this.” My voice came out broken.

“Exactly the problem.” Rowan scoffed.

Alpha Zayden finally spoke.

“Careful.”

“With respect, Alpha Zayden, this is pack business.” Rowan said.

Zayden’s expression remained unreadable.

“But you are embarrassing yourself.”

Calista quickly stepped forward.

“This is clearly a mistake,” she said quickly. “The bond probably reacted wrongly because she was nearby during the ceremony preparations.”

Nobody believed that and clearly not even her.

My chest still hurt badly from the bond pulling toward Rowan while his rejection pushed against it.

Zayden’s gaze slowly moved toward me again.

“Leave,” he said quietly.

I didn’t hesitate,I turned quickly and rushed out of the room before anyone could stop me.

The hallway blurred around me as tears finally escaped.

A rejection before the mating ceremony even happened.

A painful laugh almost escaped my throat.

Even the Moon Goddess gave me hope only to humiliate me afterward.

“Nerissa!”

I ignored Harper’s voice behind me and kept running through the pack house.

Pack members moved aside quickly as I rushed past them.

Some looked confused,others curious.

By the time I reached the empty wash area outside, my breathing had become uneven.

I grabbed the wooden railing tightly while trying not to collapse.

“You’re hurting yourself.”

I flinched

Harper approached me,her eyes widened the moment she saw my face.

“Nerissa… what happened?”

I shook my head immediately.

“I can’t….”

Her eyes widened in horror when the scent hit her.

“No way.”

Fresh tears slid down my face.

Harper covered her mouth. “Rowan?”

I nodded weakly.

“Oh Moon Goddess…”

She rushed forward instantly and held my shoulders gently.

“What did he do?”

I laughed shakily through tears.

“What everyone expected.”

“He rejected you?” she asked.

The words hurt even more when spoken aloud.

I looked away.

“That bastard.” she said

“Don’t,” I whispered. “Please don’t say anything.”

“Nerissa..he’s future Alpha and you’re his mate!” she said

“He doesn’t want me.” I said.

Several young wolves entered laughing loudly before stopping after seeing us.

Their noses twitched,one of them smirked.

“Well… that explains the scent.”

My stomach dropped. Another wolf laughed loudly.

“The future Alpha got paired with the cursed omega?”

The laughter spread more.

“No wonder he looked furious earlier.”

“I’d reject her too.”

“Poor Alpha Rowan.”

Harper stepped protectively in front of me.

“Leave.”

But the wolves only laughed harder.

One girl folded her arms mockingly.

“Did you really think an Alpha would accept you?”

Another scoffed.

“She should be grateful that the Moon Goddess even noticed her existence.”

The humiliation crushed me.

I turned and walked away quickly before the tears became worse.

Their laughter followed me the entire way back toward the servant quarters.

By nightfall, the entire pack already knew,whispers spread everywhere.

The cursed omega found her mate.

The future Alpha rejected her immediately.

Some laughed openly when I passed,others stared with pity while some looked relieved because nobody wanted someone like me to become Luna.

I quietly entered the tiny storage room I slept in and shut the door behind me.

I sat on the floor while pressing my hands against my chest.

Why would the Moon Goddess do this?

A soft knock came suddenly.

“Nerissa?”

I quickly wiped my face.

“Come in.”

She entered carrying a small tray of food.

“You didn’t eat.” she said

“I’m not hungry.”

“That’s not optional anymore.”

Confusion flickered through me, Harper slowly knelt beside me.

“Nerissa… your scent changed earlier.”

“What?” I said in confusion.

She hesitated. “At first I thought it was only the mate bond but after spending time near you tonight…”

A sudden knock slammed against the door.

“Aunt Mara wants you outside immediately!” one of the servants shouted through the wood.

Harper looked worried. “At this hour?”

Another knock came harder. “Now!”

I quickly wiped my face and opened the door slowly.

The servant looked nervous.

“The Alpha called for everyone to gather in the main hall.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Future Alpha Rowan is making an announcement about tomorrow’s mating ceremony.”