TRANSMIGRATED BEFORE THE FERAL MOON

Cressida’s POV

“I, Dorian Cavendish, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Seraphina Blackwood, as my fated mate and future Luna!”

The booming voice snapped my eyes open.

A sharp burning sensation ripped through my chest. The pain felt like a solid punch to the ribs, stealing all the air from my lungs. I gasped, choking on the heavy scent of damp pine and crowded bodies.

I wasn't in my sterile hospital room anymore.  

I was kneeling on a hard, freezing stone floor.

I blinked against the harsh overhead lights. A tall man stood towering over me, a smug sneer twisting his lips. He wrapped his thick arm tightly around the waist of a small, fragile-looking brunette girl.

Her name was Mia. His name was Dorian.

And I knew exactly who they were.

Weeks before my heart finally gave out, I had started reading a popular werewolf romance novel on my phone. I remembered picking it up during one of my late nights at the office, when I needed something to distract me from work.

The story followed a wealthy villainess named Seraphina Blackwood, who was rejected by her fated mate, Alpha Dorian Cavendish, and eventually banished to the frozen Northern Ridges.

I was supposed to throw myself at Dorian's boots, screaming and begging him to reconsider. At least, that was what the original Seraphina had done.

All around me, hundreds of pack members stood in a massive circle. They whispered loudly, pointing fingers and waiting for my pathetic breakdown.

"Look at her," a woman sneered from the front row. "She looks pathetic."

"The Alpha finally did it," a male warrior chuckled, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "Good riddance to the ice queen. Mia will make a much better Luna."

The mate bond officially snapped.

The physical agony spiked again. My inner wolf clawed frantically at my ribcage. She howled in deep submission, begging for her destined male.

The rejection was meant to break a female wolf's mind entirely. Unfortunately for them, I wasn't the woman they expected me to be.

I took a deep breath. I pictured grabbing my whining inner wolf by the scruff of her neck and throwing her inside a steel vault in my mind before slamming the heavy door shut on her feelings. 

Slowly, I pushed myself off the cold floor. I stood up slowly, taking my time to brush the invisible dirt off my skirt. I rolled my shoulders back and met Dorian's gaze directly.

"Did you hear me, Seraphina?" Dorian growled. He tried to push his heavy Alpha aura into the air to force me back down to my knees. "I said you are rejected. Mia is my chosen Luna now. You will step down immediately."

Mia buried her face against his chest. She peeked at me through her long eyelashes, forcing a few fake tears to spill down her cheeks.

"I am so sorry, Seraphina," Mia whimpered, her voice dripping with sympathy. "We just love each other so much. We tried to fight it. Please don't be angry with Dorian. He only followed his heart."

I stared at them.

I didn't yell.

I didn't bare my fangs.

I just let the silence stretch until the entire hall grew uncomfortably quiet. The whispers died down. The warriors shifted awkwardly on their feet, confused by my lack of reaction.

"Are you deaf?" Dorian’s voice cracked across the hall, rising in anger. "Say something! Accept the rejection so we can banish you from this territory!"

"Banish me?" I finally asked, tilting my head. "That is an interesting choice of words, Dorian. Considering my family's wealth funded the renovations for this very hall we are standing in."

Dorian's face turned a violent shade of red.

"Your money doesn't buy you rank here! I am the Alpha!"

An old man stepped out from the front row of the crowd. It was Elder Vance, Dorian's most trusted advisor.

"Watch your tone, Omega," Elder Vance spat, pointing a crooked finger at me. "The Alpha has shown you mercy by not locking you in the dungeons for your past jealousy towards Mia. You will accept this rejection, pack your bags, and leave the Silver Moon Pack by midnight."

I turned my gaze to the elder.

"Mercy? That is a funny word for cowardice."

The crowd erupted in angry shouts. Several warriors stepped forward, baring their teeth and letting out low growls.

Dorian raised a hand, silencing the room instantly.

"Let her speak, Vance. Let everyone see how bitter she truly is. It will make kicking her out much more satisfying."

"I am not bitter," I said smoothly, keeping my voice steady. "I am just highly efficient. You want to replace me with a human who doesn't even know how to balance a pack ledger? Be my guest. But if you think I am walking out of here empty-handed after my family's money helped build your precious pack, you are out of your mind."

Mia gasped, clutching Dorian's shirt tightly.

"Dorian, she is scaring me! Why is she acting like this?"

"Because she is broken, Mia," Dorian reassured her, kissing the top of her head before he looked back at me with a mocking smirk. "You have no power here anymore, Seraphina. Your title is gone. Your mate is gone. Accept the rejection. The Goddess demands it."

"Then let the Goddess handle your tax returns," I replied, taking a slow step forward.

The guards twitched, but Dorian waved them off, clearly amused by what he thought was a desperate bluff.

"I accept your rejection, Alpha Dorian," I stated firmly.

My voice carried to the very back of the hall. It held no sorrow, only pure business detachment.

The final tether of the mate bond snapped completely. A visible wave of energy rippled through the room, making the torches flicker on the stone walls. Dorian stumbled slightly, clearly shocked by how easily I accepted the break. He expected me to cling to the bond, forcing him to rip it away.

Instead, I let it drop like a bad investment.

"You didn't fight it," Dorian whispered, genuine shock replacing his arrogance.

"Why would I fight to keep a failing asset?" I asked.

Mia's lower lip trembled.

"You are just so cruel, Seraphina. You don't understand true love at all."

"And you don't understand basic economics, Mia," I shot back, shutting her down instantly. I didn't have time for a lecture on romance.

I didn't give them another second to speak.

I reached into the deep pocket of my wool coat. My fingers curled around the smooth metal of my silver fountain pen. I pulled it out.

Next, I pulled out a thick, folded document.

I had spent the few minutes since waking up in this body studying the situation and putting together my demands. If Dorian wanted to end our bond and throw me out, then he would have to deal with the consequences.

I walked up the short stone steps toward them. My heels clicked sharply against the floor. I ignored the low growls from the guards and stopped right in front of Dorian.

He tensed his broad shoulders, preparing for a physical attack. Instead, I bypassed him entirely. I walked to the ceremonial stone altar behind him, unfolded the thick paper, and smoothed it out flat on the surface.

Then, I turned around to face my confused former mate.

"Since we are legally breaking our bond and terminating our partnership," I said, tapping the silver pen against the document, "we need to finalize my severance package."

I held out the pen.

"Sign this."