Chapter 1 The Mate Who Chose Another

Morning light spilled across the pack grounds as I moved through the halls, balancing a tray filled with hot bowls and cups. The scent of coffee mixed with caramel drifted around me, yet it did nothing to calm what churned inside. Today wasn't just any day. I had turned eighteen. The day my mate's scent was supposed to find me and pull me away from the life I'd known as an orphaned Omega.

"Elena, are you planning to stand there forever?" Natalie asked, her tone sharp enough to sting, the moment I stepped into the dining hall.

Everyone knew who she was. Caleb's chosen partner. Our Alpha had picked her despite being thirty-three, and she came from the Iron Pine pack at twenty-seven. They had crossed paths at last year's gathering, and ever since then, she carried herself like she already held the title of Luna.

"Sorry," I muttered, dropping my eyes. Sunlight caught in her brown curls, and her polished nails tapped against the table in steady impatience. The way she held herself made it seem like she already ruled the place.

Her attention shifted to the tray in my hands. "Where is my almond latte? I made it clear I wanted one, and you didn't bring it."

"I... I'll make it now," I replied quickly.

Her lips curved into something cold. "Then don't waste time. I wouldn't want to mention this to Caleb and let him know you can't even manage simple tasks."

I never understood what I did to earn her dislike. Still, she always managed to put me down.

Around the table, the other servants stood in place, trading looks like this was nothing new. Hannah, the tall brunette who never missed a chance to stay in Natalie's favor, glanced at me with disapproval. "Pay more attention, Elena. Lady Natalie already has enough to deal with. Don't make things worse for her."

A voice slipped in next, softer on the surface yet just as cutting. "She's already running everything around here. You should be grateful you even get to serve her," Idyll said.

I held the tray tighter, trying to steady the shake in my hands. "I understand."

Just as I moved to leave, Natalie's voice stopped me mid-step. "And don't forget, you don't address me as Natalie. It's Luna Natalie."

Laughter followed from the others, and heat rushed to my face. She hadn't earned that title, but she enjoyed hearing it.

Back in the kitchen, the coffee pot felt unsteady in my grip. No one had said a word about my birthday. Even the Alpha usually sent something out to the pack. This time, nothing came. It was as if I wasn't even there.

The polished surface nearby reflected my image. A slim figure with pale skin stared back, blonde hair pulled into a loose braid, gray eyes worn from exhaustion. I looked worse than usual. At sixteen, a wolf awakens. At eighteen, a mate's presence should come through. For me, there had been nothing so far.

"Just stay quiet and get through it," I muttered under my breath.

Yet something felt different. A quiet warmth stirred in my chest, faint but impossible to ignore.

After handing over Natalie's drink and enduring more of her remarks, I slipped away to the laundry room. The moment I stepped inside, the air shifted. A scent filled the space. Warm and untamed. It carried hints of resin and rain against pine, with something deeper beneath it. My pulse jumped.

Mate.

My wolf, Maryse's voice broke through my thoughts, bright with excitement. My feet moved before I could think, drawn forward by something I couldn't see. The scent wrapped around me, taking hold of everything.

"It's him!" Maryse exclaimed. "Don't stop, I want to see him."

Guided by that pull, I followed the trail through the halls until it led me out to the training grounds under the sun. Warriors filled the space, but my focus locked onto one person.

It was him. Alpha Caleb Reed.

Shock hit me all at once. The Moon Goddess had chosen him for me. My Alpha. My mate. Everything else faded, leaving only that truth standing clear before me.

He stood at the center, his black hair damp and falling across his forehead, his attention fixed on the training. Strength showed in every movement, steady and controlled. Sunlight fell over him, making him stand out even more.

When his gaze lifted and met mine, my breath caught. Something flickered there. Recognition. It had to be him. My heart surged, and hope followed right after. I took a step toward him, unable to resist.

"You're the one meant for me," I said softly, heat rising to my face.

Without warning, his expression changed. His posture tightened, and the warmth in his eyes disappeared, replaced by something cold. I stopped where I stood.

"Keep going," Maryse insisted. I forced myself forward again, closing the distance bit by bit.

Before I could reach him, someone pushed past me. Natalie moved straight toward him without hesitation.

"Alpha Caleb!" she called out, her voice bright.

At the sight of her, his face shifted instantly. It softened in a way I hadn't seen before. As if I wasn't even there, he opened his arms and pulled her close. A moment later, he leaned in and kissed her.

Agony cut through me without warning. Everything inside me gave way at once, and I stood there, unable to move. My chest felt like it had split apart. Maryse's voice rose in protest. "No, it's him. He belongs to us!"

But deep down, I understood she couldn't act. If she did, Caleb wouldn't show mercy.

For years, I held onto the thought of this moment. I believed someone would finally choose me, flaws and all. What stood before me instead was rejection that felt deliberate. Tears filled my eyes and blurred everything.

His gaze shifted toward me. It carried no warmth. Natalie stayed close to him, her grip firm as her eyes flickered with quiet victory. I knew one wrong move could ruin me. So I stepped back. Turning away, I felt the weight settle heavily in my chest. His scent lingered in the air, clinging to me in a way that felt unbearable.

I made my way back through the halls, unable to see clearly through the tears. Today was supposed to change everything. Instead, it left me with nothing but emptiness. Weren't mates meant to stand by each other? To care?

Back inside the laundry room, I shut the door behind me. Pulling my knees close, I let everything break loose. My cheek pressed against the cold floor while my body shook. I didn't know how to carry this. I didn't know how to face him again after this.

The ache didn't fade. It stayed with me, tightening around my chest and refusing to let go. His expression kept returning in my mind, cold and distant. My mate stood right there, yet he couldn't even spare me a glance.

The door opened without warning.