#Chapter 1#::The Rejection

My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

I stared at them, I pressed them together, trying to calm myself as I stood in front of the mirror. The white dress hugged my waist perfectly before flowing to the floor. Simple. Beautiful. Everything a Luna should wear.

“You look stunning,” Maya whispered from the doorway, already crying.

I pressed a hand to my stomach, trying to calm the butterflies. In three days, I’d tell him about the babies. After the ceremony. After everything was official.

Two tiny heartbeats on the ultrasound. Twins.

He was going to be so happy.

“It’s time,” Maya said.

My heart jumped into my throat as we walked through the packhouse. Wolves lined the hallways in formal clothes, smiling and wishing me luck.

The main doors opened.

Thousands of wolves packed the ceremonial grounds. Phones were already raised, recording everything. The white flower path led straight to the platform where Chase waited in his black suit.

He looked perfect.

I took my first step. The crowd went silent.

Left foot. Right foot. Don’t trip.

The mate bond hummed in my chest, pulling me toward him like it had since I was fourteen. Four years of waiting. Four years of dreams. All leading to this moment.

I climbed the platform steps carefully. Stopped in front of him.

“Hi,” I whispered.

He didn’t answer. His jaw was tight, hands clenched. Nervous, probably.

Elder Marcus stepped forward. “We gather under the full moon to witness the sacred bond between Alpha and mate.”

My heart pounded so loud I could barely hear him.

“Alpha Chase Black, do you accept Mira Hart as your mate? As your Luna?”

This was it.

I held my breath.

Chase looked at me. For one second, I thought he smiled.

Then his face went cold. Empty.

“No.”

The word hit like a fist to my chest.

“I reject you, Mira Hart.”

The mate bond cracked. Pain exploded through me, sharp and unbearable. Blood filled my mouth.

“What?” I couldn’t breathe. “Chase, what are you doing?”

“This omega is not fit to be Luna of Black Moon Pack.”

A woman in a red dress walked onto the platform. Seraphina Drake. Beautiful. Powerful.

Everything I wasn’t.

“I choose Seraphina Drake as my mate instead.”

The bond shattered completely. I screamed as agony ripped through my chest. Blood poured from my mouth onto my white dress.

“She is weak. Pathetic. An omega could never lead beside an alpha.”

Each word was a knife.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Phones pushed closer, recording everything. This moment would be everywhere.

“Please,” I begged. “Please, Chase.”

He gestured sharply. Hands grabbed my arms from behind. Warriors. They dragged me to the centre of the platform.

“No! What are you doing?”

They didn’t answer. Just grabbed my dress and ripped it.

The sound of tearing fabric echoed across the silent crowd. They tore the white silk to shreds until I was nearly naked in front of thousands.

Phones recorded everything. People laughed.

I tried to cover myself, but there was too much exposed. Too much shame.

Through my tears, I watched Chase bite Seraphina’s neck. The mating mark that should have been mine. She moaned loud enough for everyone to hear.

My knees gave out. I collapsed on the platform, blood pouring from my mouth. The broken bond was killing me. Killing my wolf.

My hand pressed against my stomach.

The babies. Eight weeks. His twins.

He was killing all three of us and didn’t even know.

Would never know.

“Get her out of here,” Chase said. Bored. Dismissive. “She’s ruining the ceremony.”

Warriors hauled me up and dragged me through the crowd. Past crying faces. Past phones recording my destruction.

All the way to the border gates.

They threw me in the dirt. Ripped off my shoes, my bracelet, everything. Left me in torn fabric and mud.

“Alpha’s orders,” one muttered.

The gates slammed shut.

Rain started to fall. Thunder crashed overhead.

I forced myself to stand. The broken bond was still tearing me apart. My wolf was dying.

But my hand stayed pressed against my stomach.

Two tiny lives. Innocent. Perfect.

His children that he would never know about.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to them. “I’ll protect you. I promise.”

I started walking into the dark forest. Away from the only home I’d ever known.

Rain soaked through my torn dress. I was bleeding. Dying.

But I kept moving.

One foot in front of the other.

Away from Chase. Away from everything I’d lost.

Thunder crashed again.

I didn’t look back.

That life was over.

Now I just had to survive.

For them.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ For my babies