Chapter 1 The Blood Moon

Chapter 1: The Night of the Blood Moon The moon hung heavy in the sky, its eerie crimson glow bathing the ceremonial clearing in an almost unnatural light. The air buzzed with anticipation, thick with the scent of pine, damp earth, and the unspoken hopes of every unmated wolf in the pack. Tonight was the Blood Moon Ceremony—the night when the Moon Goddess revealed fated mates, binding them together for eternity. Lena had just turned 18 and it was time for her to be someone's Luna. Lena’s hands trembled slightly as she smoothed down the deep blue dress she had chosen for the occasion. It was simple, yet elegant, and she had picked it because Damian once told her blue was his favorite color, his words were always stuck in her head. Her heart pounded in her chest and the beat was matching the pulse of energy in the air. This was it. The moment she had dreamed of her entire life. She has been waiting for this moment right from her childhood days. She stole a glance at Damian, standing tall on the raised stone platform in the center of the clearing. Even among the strongest warriors, he stood out. His jet-black hair, tousled from the night breeze, framed a face that was both sharp and commanding. His broad shoulders were held stiffly, his expression unreadable as his dark eyes scanned the crowd. Lena swallowed hard. She had known Damian her whole life. They had trained together, fought together, and shared stolen moments under the moonlight when they were younger. She had always believed—known—that they were meant to be. Lena was certain that both she and Damian will choose each other as their new mates. The elders arrived and stood beside Damian, their silver robes gleaming under the moonlight. The eldest among them, Elder Marcus, raised his hands, calling for silence. “The time has come,” he declared, his voice echoing through the clearing. “The Blood Moon shines upon us, and the will of the Moon Goddess shall be known.” The pack fell still. A ripple of energy surged through the air, ancient and powerful. Wolves shifted restlessly, their breaths hitching as the magic took hold. Lena inhaled sharply, bracing herself. She had imagined this moment so many times—how she would feel the bond, how Damian’s eyes would meet hers with that same realization. A warm sensation bloomed in her chest, soft at first, then growing, expanding, consuming. It was unlike anything she had ever felt, like an invisible thread pulling her toward the one she was destined for. Her breath caught. This was it. She turned to Damian, expecting to see the same recognition in his eyes. But his gaze wasn’t on her. Lena’s stomach twisted as Damian took a deliberate step forward. But instead of meeting her eyes, his gaze locked onto someone else. Selene. The blonde stood just a few feet away, her golden hair gleaming under the moon’s glow. She was poised, beautiful, with an air of quiet confidence that made the pack admire her. Lena’s heart pounded louder in her ears. No. This had to be a mistake. Damian stepped closer to Selene. Lena’s throat tightened. No. No, no, no. And then, he spoke. “I, Alpha Damian Blackwood, reject Lena Whitmore as my mate.” Gasps rippled through the gathered pack members. Someone sucked in a sharp breath. Someone else whispered a curse. Lena’s world shattered. The mate bond, meant to be sacred, unbreakable, had just been severed with a single sentence. A searing pain shot through her chest, like claws ripping into her very soul. Her wolf whimpered, howling in agony inside her, the rejection tearing at their connection. No. No, this couldn’t be happening. She looked at Damian hoping he would look at her and say it was a joke, a prank any thing to make her know he was making a mistake, but Damian still had a firm look at the crowd. The Moon Goddess didn’t make mistakes. Lena had felt it—the bond was real. Her vision blurred. She swayed on her feet, struggling to breathe. Damian’s voice was steady, emotionless. “My mate, my Luna, will be Selene.” Lena clutched her chest, gasping for air. The pain was unbearable. She had heard of rejection—of the way it hollowed out a wolf’s soul, leaving them broken—but she never thought she would experience it. Selene smirked, her eyes gleaming with triumph. She stepped closer to Damian, slipping her hand into his with effortless ease. “Poor thing,” she murmured, just loud enough for Lena to hear. Lena’s knees buckled, her vision blurring. The world tilted, faces blurring around her as whispers blended into one deafening hum. The pack’s reactions were a mix of shock, pity, and mockery. “How foolish of her to think she could be his Luna,” someone sneered. “Oh, I feel so bad for her!” another pack member cooed. “She should not have thought so high of herself,” a third voice chimed in. “I hope she finds her real mate,” someone else said, their tone laced with insincerity. Lena’s body hit the ground, and she barely felt it. The pain, shame, and betrayal overwhelmed her. And then, a soft, unfamiliar voice whispered in her mind, “You are not who you think you are.” Darkness swallowed her whole, and Lena’s world went black.