CHAPTER 3 : THE PUBLIC REJECTION

Nobody moved. Not even a breath dared break the tension.

Kael’s words crashed through Alpha Hall, ringing loud and final.

“I, Alpha Kael Stormfang… reject you, Aria Nightshade… as my mate.”

The silence that followed felt thick enough to choke. Aria just stood there, stuck in place, staring at him like he’d suddenly started speaking another language.

But her wolf, Selene, understood. Inside, Selene wailed—a sound that clawed through her thoughts.

No…

A bolt of pain stabbed Aria’s chest. She sucked in a breath, her knees started to buckle.

The mate bond—so sacred, so binding—was tearing itself apart. It felt like someone was reaching inside her and shredding her heart.

“Why…?” Aria managed, her voice barely a whisper.

Kael didn’t even flinch. His face was cold, unreadable.

Then the hall erupted. Not with shouts, but with whispers.

“Did the Alpha just reject her?”

“In front of everyone?”

“Poor girl…”

“Aria Nightshade? The one without a wolf?”

Each word landed like a knife. Aria felt every stare burning into her back.

Kael spoke again, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel.

“A Luna needs strength. Respect. The power to lead a pack.” He looked her over like she was dirt under his boots. “You’re none of those things.”

Heat crawled up her neck. Snickers trickled through the pack.

Selene’s voice rasped in her mind. He lies…

But the pain was building—fast, hot, out of control. Her chest felt like it was on fire.

She hugged herself, trying to stay upright.

“My Alpha…” Her voice shook. “The bond… you feel it too.”

Kael’s jaw clenched. For a split second, something flickered in his eyes. Then he shut it down.

“I feel nothing,” he said, icy as ever.

The words hit her harder than any physical blow.

Suddenly, Lyra—a tall, flawless vision with Beta blood—sashayed forward. She looked right at Aria, a slow, satisfied smile spreading on her face. Linking her arm through Kael’s, she cooed, “Alpha, why waste your time on someone like her?”

A few wolves laughed, enjoying the show.

Aria’s vision started to blur. That pain in her chest was transforming into something worse.

Selene’s voice quavered. He’s breaking the bond…

Lyra smirked down her nose. “A Luna should be powerful,” she announced for everyone to hear, “not a weak, wolfless girl who can’t defend herself.”

More laughter spilled across the stone floor.

Aria’s hands shook. Every instinct screamed for her to run, to hide. But she couldn’t move.

Kael turned to face his pack. Calm. Firm. Final.

“Let it be known tonight—Aria Nightshade is not my mate.”

Aria felt her heart break clean through.

“And she will never be Luna of Shadow Moon Pack.”

Selene’s cry turned into a howl of pure agony in her mind.

Then—the bond snapped.

It was like getting hit by lightning from the inside. She choked, the world started spinning, and at last, her legs gave way.

She remembered faces staring down—some looked sorry, some looked thrilled, almost hungry for her pain.

And Kael? He stood beside Lyra, stone-still, watching her fall.

Everything went black.

Her body struck the cold stone floor. Gasps circled the hall, but nobody came. Nobody reached for her.

As she drifted in and out, something strange began to move inside her—a pulse, older than memory, deeper than pain.

Selene’s voice, small but determined, whispered, They have no idea what they’ve just done.

And then—

A flicker of silver glowed beneath Aria’s skin. Tiny. Bright. Gone in a second.

No one saw it.