Chapter 1 The Moon Ceremony

The night air shimmered with magic.

All around me, the forest glowed with silver light-ancient and cold, like the Moon herself was holding her breath.

Tonight was the Moon Ceremony.

The night every unmated werewolf waited for.

The night your fated bond was revealed.

My heart thudded beneath the silk of my dress as I stood among the others, my fingers clenching the hem to still their trembling. The clearing buzzed with energy. Mates were already beginning to stir, wolves shifting nervously or drawing closer to those their wolves yearned for. Everyone wanted to be chosen. Everyone feared being passed over. And me? I stood at the edge, praying the bond I already felt would be real. Would be returned.

Alpha Kael.

He was the heir to the Bloodfang Pack, our future leader. Strong, ruthless, respected-and utterly untouchable. But I felt the bond. My wolf felt it. It had started weeks ago. A dull thrum that built every time he came near. A magnetic pull I couldn't explain, stronger than instinct, deeper than logic.

I wasn't imagining it. I couldn't be.

Mira, my best friend since childhood, bumped her shoulder against mine. She looked stunning in her deep blue ceremonial gown, her auburn hair braided with silver beads. "Do you feel it, Kaia?" she whispered, eyes wide with excitement. "The bond? Has it clicked?"

I hesitated. Then nodded. "I think it's him."

Her eyes widened further. She followed my gaze across the clearing where Kael stood tall, dressed in dark ceremonial armor, his shoulders squared like the Alpha he was born to be. The glow of the moon outlined his sharp cheekbones and raven-black hair.

Mira gave a quiet squeal. "Kael? Are you serious? That's incredible! He's powerful. If you're his mate, you'll be Luna. Do you realize what that means?"

I did. And that was exactly why I was terrified.

Kael barely knew I existed. I was an orphan raised by the healer of the pack, tucked away in the background where no one important ever looked. I wasn't a warrior. I wasn't a legacy. Just Kaia. Quiet, observant, a little too sensitive for a world ruled by dominance.

But the bond... it was real.

As the elders stepped into the circle, the forest stilled. A hush fell like mist over the crowd. Their chanting began low, rhythmic, ancient. The Moonlight Ceremony wasn't just symbolic-it was sacred. The Moon Goddess revealed bonds only once in a lifetime. The glowing threads of fate shimmered between destined pairs, visible only under her gaze.

I closed my eyes as the power swept through us. The wind picked up, swirling moonlight into beams that danced through the trees.

One by one, couples gasped and turned toward one another, joy lighting their faces as their bonds were affirmed. Cheers erupted around the circle. Someone cried out with joy. Another pair fell into each other's arms. It was beautiful. Magical.

And then I felt it.

A searing pull in my chest.

My eyes flew open. My gaze snapped to him.

Kael.

He was already looking at me.

For a moment, the world narrowed to the space between us. My heart pounded in my ears. My wolf howled in elation. I felt it-so deep, so absolute I could barely breathe.

He's mine.

I stepped forward.

But Kael... laughed.

The sound was sharp, mocking, and loud enough to cut through the ceremonial silence.

Several heads turned. My steps faltered.

Kael took a step forward too, but not toward me. His face twisted into something cruel. Something cold.

"The Moon Goddess must be blind," he said, his voice ringing through the crowd. "There's no way she paired me with that."

Laughter. From his friends. From others who followed him. The word "that" echoed in my skull like a bell toll.

I couldn't move. My chest tightened. My wolf whimpered inside me.

He looked at the elders then back at me, and his voice dropped, hard as steel.

"I, Kael of the Bloodfang Pack, reject Kaia... of no house. You are not-and will never be-my mate."

The clearing froze.

I felt the words like a physical blow. Rejected. In front of everyone.

My wolf screamed in pain, thrashing beneath my skin, and I dropped to my knees. The bond was still there-how could it still be there? It wasn't supposed to hurt this much.

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Mira rushed to my side, but I barely registered her presence. All I could see was Kael, his face unreadable, his mouth still twisted in disdain.

"I'm not going to be shackled to a nobody," he added. "The Moon made a mistake."

And with that, he turned his back on me.

Something inside me snapped.

The Moon above flickered, clouds rolling in like a shroud. The light dimmed.

No one moved to stop me as I stumbled to my feet. No elder spoke. No voice challenged him. Not one.

So I ran.

Into the woods. Into the dark.

The hem of my gown caught on branches. My bare feet tore on stones. I didn't care. My tears were hot and blinding. My wolf howled in my mind, a song of betrayal and agony.

I ran until my legs gave out, until I collapsed beside the river that marked the edge of our territory. The border. Beyond it lay unknown lands. Rogue lands. Rival packs.

Death, most likely.

But I couldn't go back.

Not after that.

I curled into myself, broken and breathless, staring up at the Moon as she emerged once more from behind the clouds.

"I trusted you," I whispered, voice shaking. "Why would you bond me to someone who would destroy me?"

The river whispered back, but no divine answer came.

Only silence.

Only pain.

And yet... something deep inside me shifted. A spark. A flicker of defiance.

Maybe the Moon didn't make a mistake.

Maybe she was preparing me for something greater.

Because Lunas don't kneel.

They rise.

They rule.