Fated Hearts:Rejected by the Moon

Chapter 01:

Lyra's POV

I glanced at Thorne, my breath ragged, my heart racing in my chest. His eyes, icy and distant, met mine, and the weight of his rejection sank over me like an iron prison.

It seemed as if the air had thickened, driving the breath out of my lungs.

"You're not my mate," Thorne replied, his voice steely, devoid of the compassion it previously possessed.

The words cut deeper than any blade ever could.

For a time, I couldn't breathe. This wasn't how it was meant to go.

This wasn't how we were meant to go.

Thorne was my fated mate, the one I had been promised to since birth.

Our destiny had been written in the stars, or so I had been made to think. And yet, in front of the entire Blackthorn pack, he stood there, rejecting me with nothing more than frigid disdain.

My hand curled into a fist at my side, claws cutting into my palm.l

"What do you mean?" I forced the words out, but they sounded strange in my mouth.

Thorne didn't flinch. He didn't even hesitate. He merely glanced at me with eyes full of remorse... or was it relief? It was "I can't be with you, Lyra. I'm not the man you need."

Tears stung at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here, not in front of the pack. I had too much pride. Too much hatred bubbling inside me to let him see my frailty.

I took a step back, my head swirling with uncertainty and wrath.

"This is ridiculous. You're my mate, Thorne. You don't get to just"

"You don't understand." His voice got harsher. "I never wanted this. Not with you."

And just like that, the last piece of hope I had held slid away, and my world disintegrated.

The rejection was decisive, irreversible. But I wasn't ready to give up on us. I couldn't be.

I grabbed for him, my voice cracking as I begged, "Please... I don't comprehend. What changed? Why are you doing this?"

For a fleeting second, I thought I detected a glimmer of hesitancy in his eyes.

Maybe, just maybe, there was a part of him that still cared. But it was gone in the blink of an eye.

Thorne's stare intensified, and with a last, spiteful look, he turned away.

"You deserve better than me, Lyra. Forget about me. Forget about us."

My chest tightened as if someone had smashed a fist into it.

The words rang in my thoughts, drowning out everything else. Forget about us. I was being set aside, thrown away, left to pick up the pieces of a future I had never envisioned.

I stood there, transfixed, feeling the eyes of the pack on me.

Every word, every judgment, every unkind gaze sliced through me like daggers. I wanted to shout, to rage, to tear everything apart. But I couldn't.

I was the future Luna of the Blackthorn pack. I was meant to be powerful, composed, in charge.

But just now, I felt more exposed than I ever had in my life.

As I turned to go, I caught sight of Zane Blackthorn, my elder brother, standing in the corner of the room.

His eyes sparkled with a look I couldn't quite place, something deadly, something calculating.

I knew him well enough to recognize that expression.

I swallowed hard, pushing myself to keep going, to ignore the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The sensation that something wasn't right, that there was more to Thorne's rejection than he was letting on.

But I couldn't figure it out right now. Not with the pack looking, not with my heart still hurting from the massive hole he had left behind.

The days that followed were a haze of stillness and worry. I kept shut up in my room, my thoughts a continual maelstrom.

I wanted to detest Thorne for what he did, for destroying my heart so easily. But I couldn't. I couldn't ignore the notion that there was something more going on. Something dark.

I tried to ignore the whispers that floated about the pack, attempting to ignore the knowing glances exchanged between members.

Everyone had seen the rejection, and I knew they were all asking the same thing: Why?

Why had Thorne rejected me?

I walked to my chamber, unable to find calm. My thoughts were occupied with him, his rejection, his words, his treachery.

And then there was Caleb Nightwalker, the renegade Alpha who had always been a mystery to me.

He had come on the boundaries of our domain numerous times in the preceding few months, but I'd never taken much notice.

That was until he approached me in the woods one evening, a look of desperation on his face.

"You need to leave," Caleb had whispered, his voice low and fierce, eyes scouring the trees as if looking for something.

"It's not safe for you here anymore."

"Why?" I asked, my perplexity clear.

"What are you talking about?"

He glanced at me over, his gaze lingering on the small symbol on my neck-the mark of the tie between Thorne and me.

"Because your children are going to be the key to a conflict you're not prepared for.

The group has deceived you, Lyra. And it's not only Thorne who has things to conceal."

His comments hit me like a blow to the belly. "What are you saying? What about my children?"

Caleb drew closer, his words barely above a whisper. "You're not just the future Luna of the Blackthorn pack, Lyra.

You're the mother of something far more powerful than you could think. Something that the opponent would stop at nothing to control."

I gazed at him, my mind racing. "Who's the enemy?"

Caleb's eyes darkened. "I can't tell you yet. Not until I know you're secure. But you need to trust me. The longer you stay here, the greater risk you and your children will be in."

I gulped hard, every instinct in me screaming to go, to leave everything behind.

But something in Caleb's gaze made me hesitate. He wasn't lying. I could feel the truth in his remarks.

"But Thorne..." I paused, my heart a tangle of emotions. "He wouldn't"

"Thorne's not the man you think he is,"

Caleb interrupted, his voice steely. "He's not the same man you fell in love with. The instant he rejected you, everything changed."

The weight of his words crept over me, choking me. I had trusted Thorne, and believed in him. But now... I didn't know what to trust.

"Leave with me now, before it's too late," Caleb encouraged, his tone harsh. "I can protect you. But only if you come with me."

I didn't know what I was doing. But something inside me told me that Caleb was correct.

I took a long breath, steeling myself for the decision that may alter everything. As I turned to face Caleb, I saw a shadow move at the edge of the woods.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I wasn't alone.

Suddenly, a deep growl rang across the night, as a figure stepped from the darkness. It was Thorne.

"I told you to stay away from her," Thorne muttered, his voice thick with fury and something worse.

I froze, my heart missing a beat. What is he doing here?

Before I could respond, Caleb rushed forward, standing in front of me protectively. "You're too late, Thorne."

Thorne's eyes flared with something savage. "This is my pack, Caleb. And I'm not going to let you steal her."

The tension in the air was heavy, crackling with raw force. I stood there, stuck between two forces, two men who each possessed portions of my heart, and the reality I still couldn't fathom.

What had happened to Thorne?

And why was Caleb so desperate to protect me?

But as the night air became colder, something more evil seemed to be closing in.

A howl broke out in the distance, loud and terrifying.

A warning. From someplace deep within the jungle, a black figure appeared, traveling too quickly to see properly.

My pulse raced as the knowledge hit me-this was merely the beginning.

And soon, the darkness will come for us all.

Chapter 02:

Thorne's POV

"Tell me you don't feel it," Lyra said, her voice shaking as she stood only inches away, her scorching eyes searing through me.

"Tell me you don't feel the bond, Thorne. Lie to my face if you must. But look me in the eye and say it means nothing."

The words hit like a dagger, twisting in my chest, but I kept my face inscrutable. My heart beat beneath the surface, the tug of the mate link greater than ever.

She was right-I felt it. I felt it every second of every day, like a flame blazing in my spirit that no amount of rejection could extinguish. But none of that mattered. Not anymore.

"I don't feel it," I said, my voice like steel.

Her sudden intake of air cut through the tension, and for a tiny minute, I feared she may smack me. Instead, she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her hands as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"You're a coward," she spat, her voice shaking.

"You're running from something you don't even have the courage to face.

What are you so terrified of, Thorne?"

My jaw clenched, the weight of her words crushing down on me. What was I terrified of? Losing her.

Hurting her. Watching her become a pawn in a game she didn't even realize she was playing. But I couldn't tell her any of it.

Not with the shadows watching. Not with Zane's ever-calculating gaze lurking in the background.

"I'm not afraid," I responded firmly, knowing it was a plain lie. "I'm just not willing to sacrifice everything for something that was never meant to be."

She took a step closer, her blazing defiance tinged with anguish. "Never meant to be?" she repeated, her voice shaking.

"We're mates, Thorne. Fate doesn't make mistakes."

I glanced away, unable to hold her eyes any longer. "Fate doesn't know the secrets this pack is hiding."

"What secrets?" she shouted, moving in front of me, obstructing my passage. Her perfume, warm and sweet, wrapped around me like a vice, making it nearly hard to think straight.

"If you know something, tell me. If you care for me at all, tell me."

I couldn't. I couldn't tell her about the prophecy, the power that raced through her veins, the peril that came with it.

I couldn't tell her that rejecting her wasn't just about protecting myself-it was about protecting her from the enemies that would stop at nothing to take what she carried.

I couldn't tell her about Zane's intentions, the relationships he'd built with forces worse than anything she could comprehend.

"Leave it alone, Lyra," I replied, my voice low and tinged with caution. "You're better off not knowing."

Her laughter was harsh, her eyes narrowing. "Better off not knowing?

Better off being rejected and humiliated in front of the entire pack without so much as an explanation?

You believe you're protecting me, but all you're doing is breaking me."

The break in her voice was my undoing. I wanted to grab for her, to bring her into my arms and convince her everything would be well. But I couldn't. Instead, I let the stillness stretch between us, thick and stifling.

Finally, she stepped back, shaking her head. "You're hiding something, Thorne. And I vow, I'll find out what it is. You can't push me away forever."

Her words were a vow, and I knew she meant every phrase. But before I could react, a deep growl rumbled from the darkness behind us.

Both of us froze.

The roar came again, deeper, more dangerous. Instinctively, I went in front of Lyra, my senses heightening. "Stay behind me," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.

She didn't protest, though I could feel the stress pouring off her.

The relationship was still there, no matter how hard I attempted to separate it. She trusted me, even now.

The roar became louder, and out of the darkness walked a pair of bright red eyes.

My stomach sank. It wasn't just any rogue-it was Varek, the vicious wolf who had been exiled years before for actions so vile they were scarcely spoken about. And now, he was here, in our turf, staring at Lyra like she was prey.

"Well, well," Varek drawled, his voice a horse rasp. "The future Luna and her ever-so-dutiful mate. Or should I say... former mate?"

Lyra tensed behind me, and I could sense her perplexity and terror. "What do you want, Varek?" I ordered, my voice firm despite the uneasiness coiling in my stomach.

He grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "Oh, nothing much. Just come to convey a message." His gaze flicked to Lyra.

"You, little Luna, are far more valuable than you realize. And there are some who would pay dearly to have you."

I hissed, edging closer, my body braced for a battle. "You won't lay a finger on her."

Varek laughed wickedly, unaffected. "You can't protect her, Wilder. Not from me.

Not from what's coming. You've already sealed her fate by rejecting her. Now, she's fair game."

My blood went cold, the weight of his words soaking in. He wasn't bluffing.

I could see it in his eyes-he knew something I didn't. Something that made Lyra a target.

Before I could react, Varek pounced, his claws aimed at my throat. I met him midway, our bodies clashing with tremendous force.

The woodland burst into mayhem, the sounds of snarls and cracking fangs booming through the trees.

"Run!" I yelled over my shoulder, but Lyra didn't move. Instead, she stood still, her eyes wide with dread and something else-determination.

"No!" she cried, snatching a fallen branch and flinging it at Varek with all her power. It took him off surprise, giving me the chance I needed to drive him back.

"Lyra, go!" I yelled, my voice leaving no space for dispute.

She hesitated for a heartbeat before eventually turning and sprinting into the woods.

Relief rushed me, but it was short-lived. Varek recovered swiftly, his gaze hardening as he watched her depart.

"You can't save her," he snarled, his voice filled with sadistic delight. "She's marked by forces far beyond your control."

I didn't react. Instead, I attacked with everything I had, my claws tearing through his skin.

He fought back ferociously, but I was propelled by something stronger-fear for Lyra. I couldn't let him win. I couldn't let him take her.

Finally, with a brutal strike, I sent him falling to the ground. He hissed, bleeding but alive, and retreated into the shadows before I could inflict a last blow.

Chest heaving, I stood there for a second, my mind racing. Lyra was gone, but I knew she wasn't safe.

Varek's words resonated in my ears, freezing me to the bone. She's marred by forces far beyond your control.

I turned and rushed into the trees, following her smell. I had to locate her before it was too late. But deep inside, I knew this was simply the beginning.

The darkness I had worked so hard to hold at away was creeping in, and Lyra was at the center of it all.

As I neared the edge of the woodland, I noticed her standing in a clearing, her back to me. Relief rushed over me-until I observed the figure standing with her. Zane, his fingers clutching her arm, a chilly smirk on his face.

"Let her go!" I yelled, my voice booming across the woods.

Zane turned to me, his countenance opaque. "Oh, Thorne. You've made this considerably more complex than it needed to be."

Before I could react, the ground under me began to quiver, and a shadowy form emerged from the darkness, its brilliant crimson eyes focusing onto Lyra.

My heart stopped as I realized we were no longer battling one enemy-we were fighting something far worse.

Chapter 03

Lyra's POV

"You're bleeding." My voice quivered as I went nearer Thorne, his shredded shirt displaying the deep claw wounds over his breast.

The metallic scent of blood blended with the night air, yet he scarcely flinched, his eyes probing the shadows as if awaiting another attack.

"It's nothing," he responded, his voice chilly, disconnected. He looked away from me, his emphasis on the dark woodland that surrounded us.

"It's not nothing!" I grabbed his arm, pushing him to face me. "You could have died back there, Thorne. Do you even care?"

His jaw clenched, and for a second, I feared he may lash out. Instead, he moaned, running a hand over his black hair, now soaked with sweat and blood.

"Caring isn't a luxury I can afford, Lyra. Not when you're in danger."

"Danger you won't even explain to me!" My voice increased, the frustration bubbling over.

"You keep pushing me away, throwing cryptic warnings and half-truths at me, but you won't tell me what's really going on.

I deserve to know, Thorne. I have a right to know!"

He drew closer, his towering presence intimidating as his eyes latched into mine.

"You think you want the truth?" he hissed, his voice low and threatening.

"The truth will destroy you, Lyra. It'll ruin everything you believe you know about this pack, about me, about yourself."

I refused to back down, even as his words sent a shudder through me.

"You don't get to decide what I can or can't handle. You rejected me, remember?

You don't get to shelter me from reality anymore."

His face twisted with something I couldn't quite place-guilt, maybe, or sorrow. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by that familiar, unreadable mask.

"The rejection was the only way to keep you safe," he added gently, almost to himself. "But it's not enough anymore. They know who you are, Lyra. What you are."

My stomach sank. "What are you talking about? Who knows?"

Before he could answer, a twig broke behind us. Instantly, Thorne's body tightened, his hand reaching to the dagger attached to his belt. He whirled around, his eyes scouring the trees.

"Stay close to me," he urged, his voice barely above a whisper.

I obeyed, terror prickling at the borders of my thoughts. The woodland was oddly silent, the regular noises of nature replaced by a smothering calm.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it-a shadow, too rapid to be human, dashing between the trees.

"Thorne..." I started, but he lifted a hand to quiet me.

The shadow drew closer, and for a second, I feared it may be another rogue. But when it walked into the moonlight, my breath caught. It wasn't a rogue. It was Zane.

"Fancy meeting you two here," Zane drawled, his sharp features highlighted by the feeble light. His smile was wolfish, predatory, and it sent a shudder down my spine.

"What do you want, Zane?" Thorne's voice was stern, his grasp on the dagger tightening.

Zane chuckled, his eyes moving to mine. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I want. She's quite the prize, isn't she?

Too bad you had to go and reject her. That makes things so much simpler for me."

My heart beat as his words set in. "What are you talking about?"

I demanded, coming forward despite Thorne's attempt to keep me back.

Zane's smile grew. "Oh, sweet Lyra. You have no clue how wonderful you are, do you?

No concept what type of power you wield. But don't worry, sweetie. I'll make sure you accomplish your destiny."

Thorne hissed, coming between us. "You'll have to go through me first."

"Gladly." Zane's voice was laced with malicious glee as he leaped forward, his claws intended for Thorne's throat.

The two of them met with tremendous force, their growls booming through the jungle.

I stood paralyzed, divided between the need to leave and the need to help. But what could I do? I was no match for Zane's strength, and I knew it.

"Lyra, go!" Thorne yelled, his voice strained as he battled to pull Zane back.

But I couldn't move. Not while Thorne was battling for his life. Not when the tie between us shouted at me to remain.

"Lyra!" he cried again, his urgency piercing through the commotion.

Before I could answer, Zane hurled him to the ground with a painful thud.

He turned to me, his eyes sparkling with victory. "Your knight in shining armor can't save you now, sweetheart."

I took a step back, my pulse beating as he neared. "Stay away from me," I urged, attempting to sound bolder than I felt.

Zane laughed, a chilly, empty sound. "Oh, I don't think so. You're coming with me, whether you like it or not."

Just as he reached for me, a tremendous roar broke the darkness. From the shadows came a big wolf, its silver fur glittering in the moonlight.

It was Kael, Thorne's younger brother. His appearance brought Zane staggering back, a rare expression of terror crossing his face.

"Two against one?" Zane scoffed, but his arrogance was definitely failing. "How noble."

Kael didn't answer. He pounced at Zane, his massive teeth snapping inches from his throat. Thorne was on his feet in an instant, joining the battle.

"Lyra, run!" Kael hissed, his voice gruff but definitely forceful.

This time, I listened. I turned and ran, the noises of the struggle fading behind me as I sprinted into the woodland.

But even as I fled, one question captivated me: What had Zane meant about my destiny?

As Lyra staggered into the clearing, her chest thumping, she came face to face with an elderly woman wrapped in black, her eyes gleaming softly gold.

"Hello, child," the woman replied, her voice dripping with uncanny calm. "We've been waiting for you."

As I rushed into the dark woodland, the sound of my heartbeat drowned out everything else.

My breath came in short, frantic gasps, as branches raked at my arms and legs.

The impulse to peek back was nearly terrible, but I knew better. If I faltered, if I hesitated for even a second, it may be my last.

The strange calm of the woodland was abruptly disturbed by a low growl, a sound too close, too predatory.

My stomach twisted as I realized it wasn't coming from the direction I had left behind.

It was ahead of me.

I slid to a stop, my feet slipping on the moist soil. My eyes flew rapidly, scouring the darkness for the source of the sound. And suddenly, I saw them-glowing amber eyes, staring at me from the darkness.

"Going somewhere?" Zane's voice oozed derision as he walked out from behind a tree, perfectly unharmed. "You didn't think I'd let you leave that easily, did you?"

I staggered back, my pulse racing. "H-how did you-"

"You really underestimate me, sweetheart," he said, his tone nonchalant as though we were talking about the weather.

"Your little protectors might be strong, but they're no match for me. And neither are you."

I clenched my hands, the defiance in me refusing to die. "They'll find me," I spat. "Thorne, Kael-they won't stop until you're dead."

Zane laughed grimly. "Oh, I'm counting on it. Makes the game more enjoyable, don't you think?" He cocked his head, his eyes sparkling with evil purpose. "But you, Lyra-you're the real prize.

Once I have you, they'll come. And when they do, I'll murder them both. Slowly."

A shudder raced down my spine. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs were fixed to the ground.

Suddenly, a loud, piercing howl ripped through the darkness. It wasn't Thorne or Kael-it was different, deeper, and more dangerous.

Zane's sneer wavered for a brief moment, his attention shifting to the darkness behind me.

"What the hell-" he mumbled, his confidence weakening.

The wail came again, this time closer. The roar seemed to reverberate through the air, primal and full of wrath.

I turned automatically, and that's when I noticed it. An enormous figure, larger than any wolf I'd ever seen, came into the clearing. Its fur was jet black, and its eyes flashed an unearthly red.

Zane snarled, taking a step back. "Impossible," he muttered, his voice tinged with anxiety.

The beast roared, its attention riveted on Zane. Without warning, it lunged.

Zane's scream rang through the trees as the beast approached with an intensity that made my blood run cold.

I didn't wait to see the outcome. I turned and ran, the sounds of their combat echoing in my ears.

But even as I escaped, one thing dogged me: If it wasn't Thorne or Kael...then what the hell was it