Chapter 5 Whispers of Shame

ARIA'S POV

The courtyard was lively, filled with the sounds of voices blending. Laughter echoed joyfully, echoing off the old stone walls and across the large training area.

Everywhere, members of the Silvermoon Pack had gathered...wolves of all ages and sizes filling the benches and spilling onto the steps, their combined energy forming a lively sea of noise and camaraderie.

The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the pack gathered for the annual sparring trials, a cherished tradition that celebrated strength and skill.

My heart pounded...not only from excitement but also from a growing certainty that I was more than just a spectator in this vibrant gathering.

The uneasy feeling in my stomach told me I was destined to be the focus, to become the spectacle that would draw their eyes and earn their admiration. This sensation was both thrilling and frightening.

I stood near the edge of the dirt ring, fingers gripping the hem of my tunic. The air was thick with the scent of dust, sweat, and the sharp, coppery smell of blood from earlier fights.

My throat was parched, and every whisper reached me, despite my efforts to ignore them.

"She thinks she's someone now."

"An omega pretending to matter."

"Pathetic."

Every word struck me like a blade against my skin. I told myself to remain strong, breathe deeply, and hide how much it affected me.

Still, my heart remained empty, and my hands trembled despite trying to grip them tightly.

Damon stepped into the circle confidently, as if it were his rightful spot. He kept that stance, shoulders back and chin slightly up, to signal his Beta status.

His green eyes moved across the crowd until they settled on mine.

The bond between us snapped taut. My heart slammed against my ribs. Every part of me pulled toward him, desperate and foolish.

He smirked. "Come here, omega."

The command struck me deeply, causing my feet to move involuntarily. The dirt crunched beneath my boots as heat warmed my cheeks...not from the sun but from all the eyes on me.

When I finally reached him, Damon didn't reach out. Instead, he examined me as if I were something caught on his boot.

"You really thought fate would tie me to you?" His voice carried, pitched so the entire courtyard could hear. "An omega? Weak, useless, bottom of the pack. You'd drag me down."

Laughter spread through the crowd, sharp and cruel, gripping my chest. I wished to shrink into the dirt and vanish into unseen cracks.

I whispered, "You're my mate." My voice cracked, but I couldn't stop the words. They felt like the last fragile thread holding me together.

Damon leaned in close enough for only me to see the intensity in his eyes. "Not anymore," he said, then straightened and raised his voice. "I reject you, Aria Whitlock."

The words hit me hard. I felt a deep pain inside, mixing hot and cold feelings. My knees gave way, and I stumbled back, holding my chest.

The hurt was more intense than any physical injury. It felt like my heart had been ripped open.

People in the crowd gasped and whispered. Some looked surprised, while others seemed entertained.

"Did you see that? She actually thought..."

"He's too good for her. Always was."

"She'll never live this down."

I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred, and I tasted salt. My body wanted to coil into the ground, to make myself small and unseen. But Damon's voice kept pulling me upright, every word forcing me down further.

"Look at her," he said, gesturing to me as if I were nothing more than a broken prop. "She can't even stand under the weight of rejection. That's how weak she is. A Luna should lift a pack, not shame it."

Laughter grew louder, and my stomach clenched. Heat burned in my eyes, but I held back the tears so he wouldn't see them.

My wolf whimpered in my chest, a sound only I could feel. The bond still tugged, desperate to cling even as it shredded apart. It was agony, raw and tearing, and it would not stop.

I forced myself to stand straight. My legs shook, but I remained upright. My hazel eyes locked onto his, despite the burning sensation it felt like staring into fire. "You may mock me," I said, voice trembling, "but you can't alter destiny. You were mine."

The words only seemed to amuse him. He laughed, a low, cruel sound. "Was, omega. Past tense. Don't forget it."

The crowd howled with him, their mirth rolling like thunder.

A profound sense of loss overwhelmed me, as if something crucial had shattered. The shame was more intense than physical pain or the feeling that my bonds were breaking apart.

I surveyed my surroundings and faced the harsh truth: I lacked family here to support me or shield me from the brutal reality. Every wolf I had known from childhood, every familiar face that once brought comfort, now watched silently as I collapsed.

Their eyes, once friendly and warm, now felt like daggers, as a crowd observed my vulnerable breakdown.

Despite my efforts to maintain composure, their stares pressed down on me, deepening my sense of isolation in that moment of weakness.

I turned, my body moving automatically. I had to leave and escape their gazes before tears spilt over. My feet hurried across the dirt, each step dragging the pain further into my chest.

Behind me, Damon called out, "Run, Aria. That's all you're good at."

The words followed me long after the courtyard faded, long after the laughter dulled.

I reached the forest's edge just as tears started. I leaned against a tree, gripping the bark so tightly that it scraped my palm. The remnants of the bond still haunted me, jagged and painful, as if my soul couldn't imagine life without him.

I descended toward the roots, overwhelmed by uncontrollable sobs. My mouth tasted like ash. The companionship I longed for, the future I had hoped to build...vanished before it could even start.

And worse than gone. It was torn apart in front of the entire pack.

Every face would remember. Every whisper would linger. I would never outrun this shame.

The last of the bond ripped inside me, a searing snap that left me gasping. My wolf howled in grief, the sound echoing in my skull until it blurred with my own cries.

Beneath the towering trees, I stood alone in silence, surrounded by darkness. The lively laughter of my friends echoed through the woods, reminding me of the happiness I had just experienced, now overshadowed by a profound loneliness.

I placed my trembling hands on my chest, feeling my heartbeat mirror my deep sadness.

I closed my eyes and surrendered to the heaviness around me, silently wishing for the intense pain to ease.

Despite my desperate pleas, the pain persisted within me, an unwelcome presence in my solitude that only grew stronger.

And I knew, with terrible clarity, that my life in Silvermoon had ended in that courtyard.