Chapter 1

The night air shimmered with silver moonlight as lanterns lined the courtyard of the Blackthorn Pack. The packhouse stood tall and proud, its banners swaying in the summer breeze. Tonight was meant to be the most important night of Aria Mooncrest’s life—the night she was officially to be crowned Luna, standing at the side of her fated mate, Alpha Rion Blackthorn.

Her fingers trembled as she adjusted the delicate silver gown that hugged her petite frame, the fabric catching the light like spun starlight. Her long silver-white hair cascaded down her back, shimmering with each breath she took. Behind her left ear, hidden beneath a curl, rested the crescent-moon birthmark she had carried since birth—something her late mother always said was a sign of the Moon Goddess’s blessing.

Aria’s icy blue eyes scanned her reflection in the tall mirror of her chamber. She looked graceful, almost ethereal, but inside, her heart thundered like a caged bird.

“Breathe, Aria,” she whispered to herself, clutching her hands together. “Tonight, everything changes. Tonight, I belong.”

For years, she had dreamed of this moment—being chosen, being accepted, standing beside Rion not only as his mate but as his Luna. She believed the bond between them was sacred, unbreakable. She believed she was enough.

And yet, deep in her chest, a faint unease stirred.

---

The courtyard filled quickly as pack members gathered, dressed in their finest. The Blackthorn Pack was known for its strength, its loyalty, and its fierce Alpha. Rion Blackthorn was respected—and feared—across territories. At twenty-three, he was a man of commanding presence: tall, broad-shouldered, with storm-grey eyes that could silence a room with one look.

Aria’s breath caught as she saw him walking toward the raised platform, dressed in black formal attire embroidered with silver thread. The crowd cheered, voices rising in unison, chanting their Alpha’s name.

Her heart swelled with pride. That man was hers—her mate, her future.

Or so she thought.

---

The ceremony began with the Elder’s blessing. Elder Selene, her silver robes flowing like liquid light, stepped forward, holding a chalice of sacred wine. Her golden eyes seemed to pierce through the veil of time itself as she spoke words in the old tongue, calling upon the Moon Goddess to bless the union of Alpha and Luna.

Aria stepped forward when her name was called, her steps light, her pulse wild. She stood beside Rion, close enough to feel the heat of his body radiating against her skin. Her fingers itched to reach for his hand, but he remained still, his jaw tight.

Elder Selene’s voice echoed through the silence.

“Do you, Alpha Rion Blackthorn, accept Aria Mooncrest as your fated mate and Luna, to lead your pack beside you, in loyalty and in bond?”

All eyes turned to Rion.

For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold still.

Rion’s storm-grey eyes locked onto Aria’s, but there was no warmth in them. Only shadows. He opened his mouth, and with a voice cold and unyielding, he said the words that would shatter her world forever:

“I reject you, Aria Mooncrest.”

The crowd gasped in shock. Whispers rippled like wildfire through the courtyard.

Aria froze, her lungs seizing as though invisible hands had wrapped around her throat. The words echoed in her skull, breaking her heart with merciless precision.

“I…” Her voice cracked, barely a whisper. “You… what?”

Rion stepped forward, his tone sharp, meant for the entire pack to hear.

“You are unworthy to be my Luna. Weak. Fragile. A disappointment to this pack.”

The words cut deeper than any blade.

The mate bond inside her—the sacred connection blessed by the Moon Goddess—twisted painfully, like a chain being torn apart link by link. Aria’s knees threatened to buckle, but she forced herself to stand, trembling.

Her chest burned. Every breath was agony.

The Elder frowned, her golden eyes narrowing. “Alpha Rion… are you certain of this choice? The Goddess—”

“I am certain.” His voice was final, commanding. “My Luna will be someone stronger. Someone who can stand at my side without faltering.”

And then, from the crowd, a figure stepped forward. Bethanie Crestfall—Aria’s step-sister. Her auburn hair gleamed like fire under the lantern light, her green eyes glinting with triumph.

“I will stand by your side, Alpha,” Bethanie purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness. She slid her hand into Rion’s without hesitation, her lips curling into a victorious smile.

The crowd erupted into chaos. Some gasped in outrage, others whispered approval, too afraid to question their Alpha’s decision.

Aria felt her world collapse.

Her own step-sister.

Her own mate.

Betrayal coiled around her like a serpent, suffocating, relentless.

---

She wanted to scream. To demand why. To claw at the bond that tethered her heart to his. But no words came.

Instead, she turned on shaking legs, her vision blurring with unshed tears. The murmurs of the crowd chased her as she stumbled off the platform, her silver gown dragging against the stone steps.

“Rejected…”

“Pathetic…”

“Unworthy…”

The words pierced her like arrows.

She ran. Out of the courtyard, past the towering gates, into the cold night. Her chest heaved, each breath tearing her apart. She clutched at her side where the mate bond seared her flesh like molten iron.

The forest greeted her with shadows and silence, but even here, she could not escape the pain. She collapsed to her knees beneath the silver glow of the moon, her tears staining the earth.

“Moon Goddess,” she whispered, her voice broken, “why me? Why give me a mate only to rip him away? What did I do to deserve this?”

The wind rustled through the trees as if in answer, carrying with it a faint, haunting whisper.

You are not broken, child. You are becoming.

Aria lifted her face to the sky, the tears streaking her pale cheeks. The moon shone brighter, as if watching, waiting.

But she was too lost in agony to understand.

For now, all she knew was rejection. All she felt was the ache of a bond severed too soon.

Her heart fractured, her soul splintered, and as the night grew colder, Aria curled into herself on the forest floor.

Unaware that her true journey had only just begun.