The return of the rejected Luna

"Hold still, Abital, or I'll poke your eye out."

Lyra's fingers were cold against my cheek as she tried to line my eyes with kohl for the third time. I kept blinking, couldn't help it, and she groaned like I was doing it on purpose.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"You're shaking." She pulled back, studying my face. "Why are you so nervous?"

I tried to smile even though it looks as if I was pretending "I'm not nervous."

"Liar."

She was right. My hands hadn't stopped trembling since I woke up this morning. Tonight the full moon would rise and under it the Moon Goddess would choose. She would bind me to my mate.

"What if she doesn't choose me?" I whispered.

Lyra set down the kohl, her voice soft. "The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes. Whoever she picks for you is meant to be yours."

"But what if I'm too broken?"

"You're not broken." She grabbed my hands. "And neither does Damon think so."

My heart skipped when she said his name.

Damon.

"You really think he..." I trailed off because finishing that sentence felt like I'm hopeful and hope can be sometimes dangerous.

"I've seen the way he looks at you," Lyra said. "Now close your eyes so I can make you look like you belong at this ceremony."

I closed my eyes and let her work, trying to ignore the churning and sick feeling in my stomach. Yesterday Damon had carried my water bucket without a word. Last week he'd stopped Marcus from bullying me during my chores . Small things, maybe, but they felt like everything.

"There," Lyra said finally, holding up a mirror. "Look."

I barely recognized myself. Dark hair braided with white flowers, eyes lined with kohl, wearing a simple white dress that actually fit. 

"You look beautiful," Lyra said.

"I look as if I'm pretending to be someone else."

"Maybe that's not a bad thing." She handed me a small bundle of sage. "For the ceremony. You burn it when Elder Cain calls your name."

"What if he doesn't call my name?"

"He will. Everyone who's reached maturity gets called." She hesitated. "Even the ones who haven't shifted yet."

Even the broken ones, she meant.

A painful memory resurfaced, Three years ago, Gamma Ruth had blocked my path to the harvest feast. "The feast is for pack members," she'd said, her lips curling. "You're just a disaster taking up space."

The other wolves had laughed. Damon had been there too, standing with his father. He'd looked at me for just a second before turning away.

He hadn't said anything.

He hadn't helped or defended me in any way.

"Abital?" Lyra's voice pulled me back. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." I shook my head. "Just thinking."

"Well stop. You'll give yourself a headache." She glanced toward the tent entrance where the light was fading. "Sun's almost down. We should go."

My stomach dropped. "Already?"

"Come on. Let's get you to your destiny or whatever."

We stepped outside into the cool evening air. The sun was setting, painting the sky orange and pink and deep purple. In an hour the full moon would rise

In an hour I'd know if I deserved a mate.

"Abital!"

I turned and my heart jumped.

Damon was walking toward me in his ceremonial robes, it was a dark fabric with silver thread that caught the dying light. His eyes, those eyes that had haunted my dreams, were fixed on me.

"Alpha Damon," I said, as I bow remembering to show respect even though my pulse was racing.

He stopped, looking at me in a way that made me feel exposed. "You look nice."

Nice. Not you look beautiful, or stunning. Just nice.

"Thank you," I managed.

An awkward silence stretched between us. Damon opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, then closed it. His jaw tightened and he glanced back toward the Alpha's tent where Gamma Ruth was watching us.

"I should go," he said. "I have things to do before the ceremony."

"Of course."

He started to leave, then stopped. "Abital?"

"Yes?"

"Tonight..." He hesitated. "Just be prepared, okay? For whatever happens."

Before I could ask what he meant, he walked away.

I stood there, heart hammering.

Be prepared for whatever happens.

What did that mean?

"That was weird," Lyra said. "What was that about?"

"I don't know." I wrapped my arms around myself. "He said to be prepared."

"Well that's ominous."

"I think he knows something." Hope fluttered in my chest. "Maybe he knows the Goddess chose me for him." I said with a smile 

"Or maybe he's just being dramatic." Lyra linked her arm through mine. "Come on. Everyone's heading to the clearing."

We reached the edge and I stopped, breath catching.

The ancient ceremony stones stood in the center, torches burning all around,flower petals scattered across the ground. The air smelled nice and sweet.

Wolves were gathering, forming a circle. The unmated ones stood closer to the center, they were nervous and excited.

"This is it," Lyra whispered. "Are you ready?"

"I guess I have got no choice"

She squeezed my arm. "Good luck."

She disappeared and I stepped forward into the clearing. Some wolves shifted to let me pass, others didn't bother. The whispers started immediately.

"Is that Abital?"

"Why is she even here?"

"She can't shift. How can the Goddess choose her?"

I kept my head up, refusing to let them see how much their words hurt. I found a spot near the stones and stood there, trying to look like I belonged.

"She's going to get rejected," someone muttered behind me, loud enough for me to hear. "No way the Goddess picks someone like her."

My hands clenched into fists.

The moon climbed higher and the clearing went quiet as Elder Cain stepped into the center. He was an old man with grey hair as he shouted out loud

"Brothers and sisters of Silverwood, tonight we gather under the sacred moon to witness the bonds chosen by our Goddess."

My heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear.

"The Moon Goddess sees all," Elder Cain continued. "She knows our hearts, our strengths, our destinies. Tonight she will weave souls together."

This was it.

"We begin with our Alpha."

The crowd parted as Damon stepped forward into the circle of stones.

He looked powerful in the moonlight, radiating with that confidence alpha's do have, and I couldn't breathe. This was the moment I'd been waiting for, hoping for.

Please, I prayed. Please let it be me.

Damon's eyes swept across the crowd and for just a heartbeat they found mine.

He looked at me and I saw something there, something that made my stomach drop.

Then he looked away.

"Alpha Damon Blackthorn," Elder Cain said. "Step forward and call your mate."

The clearing went silent.

Every wolf watching, and waiting.

Damon stood in the center, moonlight turning his hair silver. He opened his mouth to speak.

This was it.

This was the time everyone's waiting for.

"I call forth my chosen mate."

And he looked to the left, away from where I stood, his hand reaching toward someone I couldn't see.

My heart stopped.

The crowd gasped and I watched with a shocked expression, as a figure in silver stepped forward.

Selena Winters.

Beautiful, powerful, perfect Selena with her golden hair and Alpha bloodline and everything I would never be.

She took Damon's hand grinning from ear to ear seemingly overjoyed.

And me? I stood there as tears stung my eyes while my heart ache as I felt betrayed, and invisible swallowed by the mocking laughter