mating ceremony

The full moon hung low and bright, a silvery beacon carved into the dark canvas of the sky. Its glow bled across the clearing, casting long, eerie shadows that danced between the ancient trees. The forest whispered with the rustling of restless leaves, the towering oaks and pines standing like silent sentinels, watching. Tonight was everything. The night I’d been waiting for my whole damn life. The night of the Mating Ceremony.

I felt the pull deep in my chest, the magnetic tug of destiny wrapping invisible threads around my heart, yanking me forward, step by step, toward the circle of firelight where the Alphas gathered. My pulse hammered in my ears. The air was heavy — thick with excitement, fear, and something darker brewing just beneath the surface.

I yanked awkwardly at the tight fabric of my pink dress — the one Marissa had sworn would be "perfect." Perfect for what? A public humiliation? It clung in all the wrong places, rode up when I moved, and the color... God, the color made me look like a piece of chewed-up bubblegum.

"See? I fucking told you," Cherry, my wolf, muttered from the back of my mind, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Shut up," I hissed under my breath, trying to shove down the insecurity gnawing at my gut. "I can make this work."

I caught my reflection in the mirrored surface of one of the supply tents. My thick thighs strained against the hem, the soft curve of my belly pronounced under the suffocating fabric. My stomach turned. Why the hell did I listen to Marissa?

Laughter floated across the clearing, sharp and cruel. I didn’t even have to look to know who it was. Ashley. Of course. Ashley and her glossy little pack of wolves, all perfect hair and designer dresses, posing like they belonged in a damn fairy tale.

"Did you see Penelope? She looks like a marshmallow with legs," Ashley cackled, her voice slicing through the night like a blade.

I swallowed down the lump rising in my throat. It burned going down. For years, I'd been the butt of their jokes — my body, my clothes, my existence — all targets.

I squared my shoulders, forcing myself to breathe.

"It’s just words," I muttered. "They don’t matter."

"They matter if you let them," Cherry said, her voice softer now. "But we’ve survived worse. And tonight... tonight's supposed to be magic."

Magic. Right.

I drifted away from the clearing, my feet moving of their own accord. Every step made the mate bond pull tighter, humming under my skin. Stronger. Urgent. My mate wasn’t down there. I could feel it. A hollow pit formed in my stomach. It’ll get better soon, Penelope, I lied to myself.

I found myself at the steps leading to the Alpha house, the massive structure looming under the moonlight like some ancient fortress. The mate bond practically screamed now, yanking me forward. I climbed the stairs, the wood groaning under my weight, my palms slick with sweat.

And then I saw him.

Ronan.

Standing shirtless on the balcony, his skin kissed by the moon, every muscle cut and perfect like some cruel joke. My heart kicked into overdrive. The mate bond flared so brightly it hurt.

"Fuck me sideways," Cherry breathed, stunned.

I barely heard her. I only saw him. Finally. I won't be alone anymore. I'll finally be happy.

I took a shaky step toward him, my voice a trembling whisper. "Ronan..."

He turned at the sound of my voice. For a moment, his face lit up in recognition — and then, faster than a heartbeat, the smile vanished. Wiped clean. His jaw tightened, and the warmth drained from his eyes, replaced by something colder than ice.

"Oh. It’s you."

The words hit harder than a slap.

I froze, standing there like a damn idiot, clutching my hands together so tightly my knuckles turned white. I tried to hold onto the hope squeezing my heart like a vice. He’s overwhelmed, I told myself. He’ll feel it too.

"We’re mates," I said, voice cracking.

Nothing. No recognition. No joy. Just... disgust.

Cherry whimpered in my mind, but I shoved her aside. No. Not yet. Don’t give up yet.

Then Ronan spoke, and it shattered me.

"I, Ronan Blackthorn, reject you, Penelope Hart, as my mate."

It felt like the ground disappeared under my feet.

"But... why?" I choked out, desperation clawing its way up my throat. "We haven’t even gotten to know each other. I didn’t do anything wrong—"

"Do something wrong?" he sneered, laughing cruelly. "Have you seen yourself, Penelope? You’re fat as fuck. You look like a damn marshmallow stuffed into a kid’s dress. You actually thought the future Alpha would choose you to be his Luna? You’re a joke."

Every word slammed into me like a bullet.

Tears welled in my eyes, burning, but I refused — refused — to let them fall. I would not break in front of him. Not in front of anyone.

"I accept your rejection," I said, voice low and shaking.

I turned and walked away. Somehow, somehow my legs worked, moving stiffly down the stairs and across the clearing. Cherry was the only reason I didn't collapse. I could feel her wrapping herself around my shredded heart like a shield.

I was almost free when I heard it.

"Is she gone? God, I can’t stand her," a voice snickered.

Marissa.

I stopped dead. No. It couldn’t be.

I peeked around the corner — and there she was, clinging to Ronan like a parasite.

"Why were you even friends with her? She’s so fat," Marissa laughed, tossing her hair like she hadn’t just ripped my soul in half.

"I don’t know, love," Ronan said, grinning, "but God, she creeps me out. Did you see her tonight? Stuffed into that dress, all thighs and no shame?"

And then they kissed.

Right there. Like everything they’d said, everything they'd done to me, meant nothing.

The rejection hadn’t broken me.

This did.

Hearing my best friend — my sister in all but blood — spew poison about me like I was nothing. Like I was trash.

"It’s her fault Mum died," Marissa whispered into Ronan’s ear, not caring that the night carried every sound. "That bitch brought nothing but bad luck into my life. Being her friend was a fucking embarrassment."

I couldn’t breathe. Tears streamed down my face now, hot and angry. I didn’t wipe them away. I didn’t care. I turned and ran, the world a blur around me.

I ran like my life depended on it —

because maybe, in some ways, it did.