CHAPTER 1

ILYANA’S POV.

Tonight would be my eighth rejection.

And my last.

The full moon glowed over Bridgesaw Hall, and every wolf buzzed with excitement. It was the annual full moon ritual, and all wolves from every pack gathered in the vast hall to find their fated mate.

For them, it was exciting and something to look forward to.

For me, it was hell—my curse, since every one of my past mates was present and always ready to pounce on me.

“If it isn’t the witch. Come to embarrass yourself further tonight?” Lady Selene’s voice bounced through the hall as she walked towards me, a champagne flute in her hand.

Lady Selene was the mate of Alpha Theo, and my worst nemesis. One would think that because she’s a Luna and higher than me, she wouldn’t mix with the likes of me, but no. She hated my gut.

“Didn’t I tell you not to show your face in this ritual last year?”

Everyone was already looking, their faces eager for the embarrassment that was soon to come for me.

I gulped, scared and embarrassed. I hate this, hate how she singles me out every time, “I tried not to, Lady Selene… but… I’m an unmarked wolf… I can’t…”

The words had not left my mouth when a hot slap rang in my ears, the pain registering afterward. Hot tears burned at the back of my eyes, threatening to spill, but I held them in.

I will not cry. Not here. Not for them.

“Unmarked wolf?” she scoffed. “You’re not an unmarked wolf, Ilyana. You’re a plague. A witch. Isn’t that why your mates have been rejecting you?” she sneered.

“Seven mating rituals and not one acceptance. Thrown out of one pack to another every time, all because of your curse. You’re a disgrace.” She spat at me.

And they agreed.

I heard the chuckles around me, and my heart clenched bitterly in my chest. I balled my fist, embarrassment churning with anger inside of me.

I was sixteen when I attended my first mating ritual, excited like every other omega—until I found out my mate was the alpha of my pack. An omega turning to be the mate of an alpha, it was unheard of and also a symbol of bad luck for the alpha.

He didn’t even think twice. He rejected me. Cast me out of his pack.

I was sad, but young and naive, hopeful of a life with my fated mate. What was one rejection? So I moved to another pack and settled.

Then the second full moon, another alpha, from the pack that took me in.

Rejected. Cast out again.

Third time—another alpha.

That was when they started calling me cursed. No one wanted me in their pack. No one wanted the curse of mating an omega.

Then came Alpha Theo. He embarrassed me, then cast me out.

And then Selene.

In the fifth ritual, she was Alpha Theo’s second chance mate, and ever since then, she has been on my neck every single year—insulting me, harassing me, making me the brunt of every joke.

“Which alpha do you want tonight? Ryan? Th—”

“Don’t even associate me with that disgrace, Selene. I’d rather die than be mated to an omega like her,” Alpha Ryan replied scornfully.

She grabbed my jaw, her fingernails digging into it with a glare that could kill, “You’re a stain to every werewolf. Why have we even kept you alive this long? What if your curse spreads and contaminates every other omega and you start giving them ideas?”

Whispers surged around us, and her eyes shone with wickedness.

“What if every omega starts mating to alphas because of you? We should kill her.”

The room went silent at once.

She released me, turning to the alphas.

“If after tonight she’s mated to another alpha, we’ll fully know she’s a witch. She has done something and would continue to cause issues. We should begin the ritual now, kill her, and get rid of her once and for all.”

My wolf, Elara, gnawed inside of me, scared and restless at the same time. No… this cannot be. This can’t be right. It was not my fault that the moon goddess mated me to alphas every single time. I’ve asked, cried, done everything to make her break it, to mate me to someone else—but it was always one alpha after the other.

“I agree. An omega like her should not be allowed to live,” Alpha Theo added.

“Yes, I agree,” another said.

“Yes. What if I’m her mate tonight?” An alpha said,

“Let’s kill her. Make an example to every other omega so they won’t try whatever charm she did.” Alpha Liam added.

Every one of them agreed. Not one—not a single one of my past mates—even disagreed. No one spoke up for me, not even the omegas. They looked fine with it, ready to get rid of the omega stain that was me.

Lady Selene turned back, a smirk on her face like she had won.

“Let the ritual begin then!”

Suddenly, a beautiful scent hit my nose, and my wolf sprang inside of me, purring excitedly while dread filled me.

“Mate! Mate! Our mate is here!” Elara howled

Fear sank deep.

No.

No.

This cannot be.

The ritual has not even started yet. It was unheard of for one to find their mate without the mating ritual.

What… What is happening? And why me?

I moved towards the source, unable to hold myself, even though I wanted to. The sound of cars filled the air and three cars stopped in front of the hall, grabbing everyone’s attention. Only the alphas were allowed to park their cars in front of the hall before entering—and they were already here.

Who would dare park in front of the hall?

A car door opened, and a guard walked out to the first door, opening it with a bow as a leg stepped out.

My wolf purred more as the smell got stronger and more delicious. He was near. My mate. My eighth rejection and death was near.

A man stepped out of the car, and the entire hall gasped together.

My stomach sank.

This could not be.

The wolf head on his chest gave him away, and everyone immediately knew. The Alpha King, Kael Stormveil, was here. Whispers filled the air instantly.

“That cannot be…”

“Really… the Alpha King…”

“Why is he here?”

But the murmurs and whispers were nothing in my ears. Because from the moment the Alpha King stepped out, his eyes were on mine, as if he knew.

As if he was feeling the same thing that was tugging at my stomach.

The same feeling that would be my death.

His eyes didn’t leave mine as he walked towards me. Everyone parted for him, still whispering and wondering, as he stopped in front of me.

The words left his mouth before they could leave mine.

“Mate,”