เขาบอกผมว่าเขาเป็นมาเฟีย

  Lyra Vale will not forget the evening her heavenly life turned to hell. She cannot forget the moment her life changed.

Tonight was the Blood Moon Ceremony the most sacred night in the Crescent Veil Pack and the night every unmated wolf prayed to find the one soul created for them their mate.

Music echoed across the stone courtyard where fire pits burned high and wolves danced in circles beneath banners marked with ancient moon symbols as laughter mixed with the smell of roasted meat, wine and wet earth after rain but near the edge of the celebration hidden behind the shadows of an old cedar tree stood Lyra Vale alone as always.

She pulled her worn gray cloak tighter around herself while watching the others dance her fingers trembling from the cold though she knew it was fear not the weather causing it because no one spoke to her unless necessary and no one smiled at her and children were warned not to go near her cabin.

Some whispered she was cursed while others called her the ghost wolf and Lyra lowered her eyes when a group of girls nearby began laughing and whispering that she was still pretending to belong here or that her wolf was defective and that no Alpha would ever want someone like that.

Their laughter stabbed deeper than claws but Lyra said nothing because she had learned long ago that silence hurt less. Than defending herself while her wolf Nyra stirred weakly inside her telling her to ignore them as she swallowed hard and tried to endure the life she had lived since her parents died in a rogue attack. 

For years she was treated like a burden by Alpha Magnus and Luna Selene who gave her a roof but nothing more and tonight would only make things worse because the Moon Goddess would reveal mates and she prayed just to survive the night.

A sudden roar rose from the crowd as the Alpha heir arrived and Kael Draven descended the stone staircase into the firelight looking tall and broad shouldered in his black ceremonial armor and Lyra’s chest tightened the moment she saw him because he was the strongest wolf born in their generations and he was terrifying  and untouchable. 

Kael never looked at her unless forced to, even though years ago she thought he was kind but time and power had changed him into someone cold and dangerous while at his side walked the perfect golden haired Seraphine Arden whom everyone believed would be his mate.

The ceremonial drums began to boom as elders in white robes entered with sacred ash. Elder Maelis raised her hands to the red moon declaring that destiny should awaken and one by one the unmated wolves stepped toward the Moon Stone to find their soul recognition.

Lyra stayed near the back praying to remain unnoticed until a scent hit her like a physical blow of smoke,  her breath caught as Nyra awakened with shocking force because they had found their mate.

Lyra froze as her heart pounded and the scent wrapped around her like fire and when she finally lifted her terrified eyes she saw Kael Draven standing across the courtyard staring directly at her with silver gray eyes widening in realization and shock.

The world seemed to stop as the drums faded and the wolves around them began to whisper about the Alpha heir being matched with the cursed girl.  Kael moved first crossing the courtyard with heavy steps while Lyra felt a tiny fragile piece of hope whisper in her soul.

Kael stopped close enough for her to feel his warmth and his jaw tightened as he searched her face like a nightmare. Lyra whispered his name but the flickers of desire in his eyes disappeared as the crowd grew louder and his face hardened into ice.

He straightened his back and spoke loud enough for the entire courtyard to hear that he rejected her and the words hit harder than a blade as Nyra screamed inside her soul and pain exploded through Lyra’s chest so violently she dropped to her knees.

I Kael Draven heir of Crescent Veil reject Lyra Vale as my mate before the Moon Goddess and this entire pack he thundered and the world shattered as the bond tore through her like burning chains and she drowned in the fire of his dismissal.

He stepped away as if she disgusted him stating he would not be bound to weakness and Lyra’s hands shook against the stone because that was all he saw after fate had chosen them and she watched through tears as Seraphine took his arm to claim her victory.

When she asked him why he finally answered that a future Alpha deserves a queen and not a curse and something inside Lyra died as the bond snapped completely and her wolf went terrifyingly silent until she could not feel Nyra at all.

The rejection had nearly destroyed her and though the Elder warned it was dangerous Kael stated it was not his concern as the crowd backed away from her like she carried a disease while the rain began to soak her clothes and no one helped her.

Lyra rose to her shaking feet and wiped the blood from her mouth before meeting Kael’s eyes one last time to see him looking uneasy and guilty and she turned away to walk into the storm alone while the pack watched her leave without caring.

Thunder cracked as she disappeared into the forest where branches clawed at her skin and she stumbled through the mud until she collapsed beside the ancient river near the forbidden ruins and finally broke into violent sobs wondering what she had done wrong.

The sky answered with more thunder while she pressed her fingers against her empty chest feeling the weight of being rejected and unwanted and then suddenly a soft ancient voice whispered through the dark calling her a child of ash.

Lyra froze and lifted her head to see a figure covered in silver light standing by the broken pillars with eyes that glowed like moons who told her they were never meant to find out what she truly was and before she could speak a violent howl that carried death split the night as something terrifying came closer.