FORSAKEN BY MY ALPHA

ARIA

Gárvoh's territory is as magnificent as I remember coming here as a child long, long ago. The moon is shining tonight, but not so bright. It's casting shadows all around, the bushes rustling and the crickets singing.

I step out of my carriage. I think of how far I've come. I've been dragged here by my bond. To meet my mate. My wolf is eager, so am I. I take a deep breath but regret it once the cold air reaches my chest.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest, not only because the bond has dragged me here, but because dozens of eyes were on me.

They are gathered – Warriors stand in dark leather, arms crossed, muscles tense, weighing me like prey. Omegas with trays of food forgotten in their hands, Elders lean on carved staffs, their eyes sharp with judgment. Their voices rise like a tide as I move forward, each whisper sharp enough to cut.

"She looks breakable."

"A Luna should stand like a shield, not wilt like a flower."

An omega mutters, "The moon must have miscast the bond."

"She's so small."

"That's the Alpha's mate? She doesn't look like a Luna"

"The Moon Goddess must be jesting."

I forced myself to keep my chin lifted, though every murmur sinks deeper into my skin. The bond burns in my vein, steady and insistent, pulling my gaze to where he stands.

Damon Kael Blackthorn. The Alpha of Garvoh. My fated mate.

He's standing on the steps of the great hall towering at 6'4, his shoulders broad, arms wrapped with muscles. A warrior's body built from years of training and battles.

His jet-black hair is as dark as midnight. His jaw lines so pronounced. His handsome face is one to behold. His brows are raised as he continues to glare at me, a faint scar near his right eye brow.

Even from a distance, the bond's pull is twisted inside my chest, urging me forward, urging me to reach out.But Damon doesn't move. Not a smile. Not a word of welcome.

The silence stretches until it becomes cruel.

I swallowed hard. The bond should feel like a homecoming, like a promise. Instead, under the weight of his gaze, it feels like exile.

When I finally reach the steps, Damon descends one pace, just enough to stand before me. The entire pack lean in closer, waiting, expecting – an embrace, a kiss, some sign that their Alpha has accepted me as the mate the Moon Goddess has chosen for him.

Instead, Damon's voice cuts through the air, cold and clipped.

"You'll be given quarters near the training grounds," he said, his eyes never softening. "Don't expect special treatments."

The whispers explode again, hasher this time.

No touch? Not even a hand on hers? An Alpha who wouldn't claim his Luna – trouble's coming.

I feel my cheeks burning. I want to run to him and have him claim me even for a moment. But I don't. I can't have him, and everyone else, think that I am weak.

The bond is screaming inside me. I want to beg him to come closer, to touch, and to acknowledge me as his mate. But his rejection is louder still.

Her wolf surges against her ribs, urging her to step forward, to touch him, to claim. But Damon's silence shoves the wolf back into retreat, tail tucked in shame.

Behind the crowd, a familiar voice rises above the noise.

"Clear the way," Elias calls, his tone warm but commanding enough to scatter a few of the gawkers.

Elias Rowan Duskbane steps forward. His green eyes catching mine. My best friend and companion in the whole world. He has always been my anchor. The one person I rely upon, even as children.

Even now, when everyone around me is giving me sharp stares and cold shoulders, he's smiling at me, trying to be the comfort I'm yearning for. He bows faintly to Damon, though his jaw tightens as he does so. Then he turns to me, offering his arms.

"Come on Aria. You've travelled far. Let me see you to your quarters"

I hear something else, though. Something in his voice. Like protection. Or pain. Like he's more hurt by the reception my supposed mate just gave me than I am. I just can't place it.

He looks at me, lingering a bit longer than a friendship might allow.

Damon's glaring at us, his gaze shifting between Elias and I. For a moment, I think I see an emotion on his face. Is that regret? Or longing? I'm yet to figure out what it is when it disappears, his expression back to indifference. Maybe I just imagined it.

The pack parts for Elias as he leads me past the warriors, past the whispers, towards the stone path that wound around the training grounds.

I don't look back at Damon, but I feel him. I feel him as much as I want him. I can't breathe. I feel this sharp ache in my chest as though it's being squeezed. This isn't how I imagined how meeting my mate would turn into.

Yet, my wolf keeps whining and growling. She keeps reminding me that he's ours and we need to go back to him. But I don't, instead I let Elias lead me out of the great hall.

DAMON

The moment her eyes meets mine, I felt the bond ignite – a force like wildfire, searing through my chest, pulling me towards her.

My wolf roars with triumph: Ours. She's ours. She's here. My mate. The Moon Goddess's choice. And yet... fragile. Too small. Too fragile.

My wolf continues to roar inside me, demanding I claim her, protect her. But pride, control, the weight of the pack... I cannot. Not now.

Her eyes are on me, shimmering with the bond's pull. And it aches. It aches because she is mine and I cannot give her what she needs – not yet, or maybe not ever.

The whispers of the pack only sharpens my resolve. If I give in now, they will see weakness. If I fail to protect her, they will see weakness. I lock my jaws, my fists clenched behind my back.

To give in means surrendering my pride, my control. I am the Alpha, not some puppet dancing on the strings of the Moon Goddess. I must appear untouchable.

I force the fire down, burying it beneath a sheet of ice. I will not be chained by destiny, I vow to myself, even as my wolf snarls.

When I speak before the pack, my voice is flat. Flatter than I intend, stripped of warmth:

"You'll be given quarters near the training grounds. Don't expect special treatment."

And though my eyes linger on her trembling from a heartbeat too long, I tear them away. Better cold distance than the weakness clawing at me inside.

I retract my steps as Elias escorts her, my jaw still locked tightly. I feel my wolf's growl as the bond tugs me toward her. Not now. Not yet.

Walking back into the great hall, I think of the years behind me – my father's voice, the pressure of leadership, the burden of being Alpha.

I can't let my longing be seen. She will learn what it means to be mine when the time is right.

ELIAS

I move beside her, arm offered, smiling softly to mask the quickened beat of my own heart. Aria leans lightly into my arm as we walk past the staring pack members.

She shouldn't be alone in this. Not tonight.

I notice Damon's glare on us as he disappears into the hall. So tense. So cold. He doesn't know what's coming... and neither does she.

The whispers trail us, but I keep my tone light, reassuring.

"Come on, Aria. You've travelled far. Let me see you to your quarters."

Her gaze flickers to mine, doubt and worry mingled with the bond tugging at her chest. I keep my own feelings carefully hidden behind a mask of loyalty.

She doesn't need to know what I feel – not yet. My priority is her comfort.

And somewhere deep inside, a thought lingers: I will protect her. No one else will. Not him... not anyone.

ARIA

The sun is up, shining so bright across the training yard. The sound swords clashing and the warriors snarling as they train in the open field wakes me.

I open my eyes unwillingly. My body still aches from the journey and my mind not at peace from the events of the night before. It's a miracle how I was able to fall asleep. Everywhere around me feels foreign and unwelcoming. I reach out instinctively, my hand brushing the empty space beside me.

It is the first morning I wake up as a fated mate – and I am alone.My chest tightens. Maybe he is in the next room. Maybe he had come in late, silently, just to make sure I was safe. The bond wants to believe it.

Gathering my courage, I rise and follow the sounds of the training.

I find him there – Damon, the Alpha, my mate – moving like a storm through the warriors. His blade flashes, his wolf's presence dominating the field, every strike sharp enough to make seasoned fighters falter.

He barks order, corrects stances, disarms a man twice his size with barely a flick of his wrist.But he never looked at me.I linger at the edge of the field, fingers tightening around my cloak.

"Damon," I call out softly.

For a moment, his head turns. I think I catch something there – heat, conflict, the bond pulling at him like it pulls at me. But then his expression closed, hard as stone.

"Later," he says flatly, before turning his back and resuming the spar.

The word strikes harder than any blade. Later. Always later.I swallow down the sting and force my feet to move. I can't stand here under the eyes of the warriors, not while they smirk and muttered:

Ignored by her Alpha.

The Luna, abandoned already?

I make an escape towards the dining hall, my stomach knotted tight. Elias catches up with me.

The long tables are crowded when we enter, chatter filling the space.

But as soon as we step through the door and into the great hall, everywhere goes silent. Every head I can scan is turned in our direction and I stop on my tracks, standing still from all the stares.Some look curious, others pity clearly on their faces. A few openly hostile.

Unwilling to go, Elias excuses himself for a moment after someone calls out to him.

Alone, my pulse races and my heart beats fast. I lower my gaze to avoid eye contact and I take a seat at the far end of one of the benches in the great hall.

The omegas serve me quickly, but my tongue cannot comprehend the taste of the food as my mind is wandering away, trying to get as far away as possible. Every bite tasted of scrutiny. Then, a shadow falls across the table.

"Mind if I sit?" Elias asks, voice low and warm.

He carries no judgment in his eyes – only that steady, familiar kindness that had soothed me since childhood. I smile, weakly.

"Please."

He sits next to me on the bench. He's so close. I get more comfortable with each passing minute as though his presence next to me is drowning all my thoughts.

"You don't have to face them alone." He says quietly. "I know what they're thinking. They don't see what I see."

I set my spoon down, my hands trembling.

"And what do you see?" Elias's gaze softens.

"Strength. Grace. A Luna they don't deserve."

My throat aches.

"Don't say that," I whisper. "He's my mate. He's... Damon is my bond."

Elias's jaw works, his smile flickering but holding steady.

"And I'll always be your friend," he says, softer now. "But a bond doesn't make a man worthy of you,"

I stare down at my nearly filled bowl of food, my vision gets blurry. My wolf howls inside my chest getting restless, yearning for her mate. The one who reaches to claim her.

And though Elias's words wrapped around me like comfort, I know they can't quiet this ache.

DAMON

Training begins at dawn. Theairsmellsofpineandearth. The sound of the clashing blades of warriors, their low growls, and comands fill the grouns. Yet, despite the routine, my thoughts were not on drills or strategy.

She's awake in her quarters. Alone. Afraid. I can feel it. My wolf howls for me to move, to claim her, to protect her, yet pride and duty hold me back.

Tristan, my right-hand Beta, is organising and training the warriors, ensuring the drills are running smoothly. Maeve, our finest healer, moves among the healer apprentices. With such concentration and care, her gentle hands heal those who are injured and guides those who are less skilled.

I can see Aria from afar, seated on the edge of the training yard, observing quietly, head bowed. Her small frame looks vulnerable among the hulking warriors.

Weak. Fragile. How can she be my Luna? The thought pricks me, yet the bond lashes at me, insisting. I clench my fists behind my back, the bond pulling at me like chains. She shouldn't be here. I can't let her weaken me like this.

She is mine. Then, I heard my name unexpectedly.

"Damon." In a still and gentle voice.

I turn, quicker than I wanted to. In that brief unguarded moment, some piece of my internal struggle slips through my mask of indifference. I quickly regained control, making sure nobody sees it.

Upon the sight of her face so close, I am tempted to give in. to draw her close, to protect her, to keep her safe. But I don't. Instead, I say flatly:

"Later." I turn and resume sparring with my warriors.

Collins, a warrior walks up to my side. She leans against a pillar, arms folded, voice silk over steel: "She won't last a moon cycle." My wolf snaps inside him because the words echoed his own doubts.

I can see Tristan from the corner of my eyes. He's studying me from the shadows, jaw tight. He wants to speak but bites it back, loyalty wrestling with unease.

I don't turn back for a while. But when I do, Aria is no longer in the training yard. A memory flash hits me: father's warning-"Love is a weakness an Alpha can't afford." I all but laughed.

ELIAS

Aria, my Aria.

Her movement is quiet and her body looks tense. I don't blame her, because I, too, can feel the stares of judgement. My hand reaches out for hers, a protective instinct I cannot fully control.

He doesn't see her. But I do. Every subtle gesture, every flicker of hesitation in the movements – the way she shields herself from the pack's stares – tells me more than Damon ever will.

As we enter the hall, a few pack members glance openly, whispering as if our presence alone is scandalous. I hate to leave her all by herself, but I have to when I hear my name.

I see her sitting at the far end of the bench by herself, not surprising.

"Mind if I sit?" I try to hide how I feel inside with a smile.

She smiles back, weakly. "Please."

I try to reassure her and give her even the slightest comfort.

"Don't mind them," I murmur, leaning close enough so only she can hear. "I know what they are thinking. They don't see what I see."

Aria's gaze shifts, and she looks up at me. I can feel her hesitation, almost as if she's seeking reassurance. "He's my mate," she whispers.

I mask the edge in my smile. "A bond doesn't make a man worthy of you. Remember that."

Her jaw tightens, conflicted. She doesn't argue, but the subtle tension in her posture says she understand. For now.

ARIA

The training yard echoes with laughter that isn't mine.Sweat trickles down my spine. Splinters bite my palms. The staff shake like a branch in the wind. My wolf claws at my ribs: Prove them wrong. Stand your ground.

My body's screaming from pain as I strain it. I grit my teeth and wrap my hands around the training staff, my muscles burning, but they still tremble. Two warriors sparring nearby, they're making fun of me and they don't bother to lower their voices.

"That's the Luna?" one sneered. "She can't even keep her balance."

"Moon help us if we go to war," another muttered, smirking.

Heat flares in my cheeks, but I force my legs to stay locked in position. I can't give them the satisfaction of seeing me stumble. The bond has chosen me, whether or not they believed. I will prove myself. Somehow.

The staff slipped in my sweaty palms. I waver – and a hand catches me.

"You're gripping it too tightly,"

Elias says evenly, in such a way that calms my nerves. He then goes ahead to release my hold on the staff and correcting my stance. His touch is light as he brushes dirt from my knuckles.

"Strength isn't just in force, Aria. It's in control.

The mocking laughter dulled, though I still feel their eyes. I exhale shakily.

"If I were stronger... if I were enough, he'd look at me differently."

Elias's expression softens, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or maybe he's the weak one, not you"

I blink, startled by the words. Elias smiles faintly, brushing it off with a shrug before I can respond.

Before I can press him, a ripple runs through the warriors. They straighten, eyes flicking towards the gates.

I follow their gaze – and freeze.

A woman rides into the yard with so much aura and authority. Her long hair silk, her cheekbones sharp, her lips curl in a mischievous smirk as her eyes meets mine.

Astrid Morwen. She carries herself as though she already belongs, her confidence biting at my raw insecurities. Boots crunched against gravel, the sound sharp as a blade.The air shifted; warriors straightened as though gravity itself bowed to her.

"Training?"

Astrid's voice is silk dipped in venom. She cast a deliberate glance at my trembling stance before turning her gaze towards Damon, who appears at the far side of the yard.

"Alpha, I had thought you'd keep your Luna busy with... softer tasks."

Snickers erupts. Damon's expression hardens, but he said nothing. The silence cut deeper than any blade. I lower my staff, my throat thick. Not a word. Not a defense. Nothing.

Astrid's smirk widens, as if she'd won something invisible.Her smirk was victory already claimed. I turn, fleeing the training yard before the tears can fall.

DAMON

I arrive late, the smell of sweat and pinewood thick in the training yard. My wolf growls low as I spot Aria struggling with the staff. She looked fragile – too fragile- but I can't let them see me hesitate.

And then Astrid appears. Of course. She always knows exactly when to make herself visible, to remind me of expectations, to test Aria.

I watch Aria lower the staff, shoulders slumping beneath invisible weight. I want to stride forward, to correct the wrong, to take her side. My wolf howls in frustration, sensing her humiliation.

But I did nothing wrong. Pride and strategy hold me in check. Let her stumble now, let the pack see her struggle. Let her learn the weight of the bond in real terms.

Still, my eyes follow her movement as she heads towards the riverbank. My wolf growls in frustration and my heart beats so fast. Why does it burn so?

ELIAS

I catch her before the staff slipped entirely. Her fingers are shaking, her stance faltering, and I can't let her fall – not like this. Not in front of them.

"Strength isn't just in force. It's in control." I say brushing my fingers over hers to steady her grip.

Her words hit me, soft and laced with doubt. "If I were stronger...if I were enough, he'd look at me differently."

I shake my head slightly, "Or maybe he's the weak one, not you." My wolf prowlers just beneath my skin, hackles raised on her behalf.

I watch her eyes blink, and for a brief moment, I will myself to hope she believes me. She lean against my shoulder, clinging to the only anchor she has left.

When the ripple of attention shifts towards the gates, I turn, following her gaze – and tensed, Astrid Morwen. Beautiful, precise, dangerous. A rival hidden behind confidence and poison.

Aria bolts before I can offer more than a half-grasp. I follow her silently, letting her lead the way to the riverbank.

***

ARIA

I end up by the riverbank. The ache in my chest feels worse than ever. I wrap my arms around myself, wishing the bond will silence, wishing Damon will just – see me.

The rush of water muffles my sobs. Fireflies drifted lazily above reeds.I dip my hands into the cold current as if trying to wash away humiliation.

Elias's footsteps crunch softly against the grass. He doesn't speak at first, only sits beside me, close enough for warmth.

theatreon't have to prove yoursefollowem," he says at last.

My laugh is hollow. "If I can't win their respect, what kind of Luna am I?

"The kind who doesn't need their approval," Elias murmurs. "The kind who rules with her heart, not her centre. That's strength too, Aria."

My eyes sting. I turn to him, searching his gaze, clinginggggg to it as the only anchor I have left.

But the bond tugged cruelly, reminding me it isn't his eyes I longed for.

It's Damon's.