Chapter 1

　　The Moonfang Pack lived for this night.

　　Every year, when the full moon lit the sky, wolves gathered in the sacred clearing for the Ceremony of Fates.

　　It was not just tradition… it was law, a bond to the Moon Goddess herself. Under the watch of the moon, young wolves would stand before the pack and discover who destiny had tied them to for eternity.

　　The clearing was filled with life. Hundreds of wolves gathered, their laughter and voices weaving into a restless sound that rose and fell with the rhythm of the drums.

　　Children darted through the crowd with flower crowns, women in flowing silks whispered behind their hands, and warriors stood tall.

　　It should have been the most beautiful night of my life.

　　Instead, my hands trembled as I clutched the edges of my ceremonial dress, my heart slamming against my ribs like it wanted to tear free.

　　The gown was white, silver threads sewn into its hem, but against my skin it felt like chains.

　　"Stand tall, Selene."

　　My father's voice hissed behind me, sharp enough to slice through my nerves.

　　He stood broad-shouldered, his Alpha blood making him loom even when he said nothing. His words carried the weight of command, but also of scorn. "At least try to look worthy."

　　I swallowed hard, staring at the packed clearing. My throat was too tight to answer.

　　My mother, Lydia, stepped close and brushed a trembling hand over my arm. Her touch was soft, and apologetic. "It is going to be fine," she whispered, though her watery eyes betrayed the lie.

　　Fine. Nothing about tonight would be fine.

　　Because tonight, I would discover my fated mate… the one the Moon Goddess had chosen for me.

　　For most wolves, it was the night they dreamed of from childhood, destiny's blessing, the moment of triumph. Some wept with joy. Others bragged of it for years. But for me?

　　It felt like a noose tightening.

　　Because everyone already knew who it would be.

　　My gaze slid across the crowd until it landed on him. Gavin. Tall, broad, handsome in a way that made girls swoon and boys look small.

　　His dark hair gleamed under the torches, his green eyes arrogant, his posture effortless. He stood with his friends as though the night already belonged to him.

　　And maybe it did.

　　My wolf stirred faintly inside me at the sight of him. She had been silent for so long, curling away from me when I needed her most. Even tonight, she hovered in my mind, restless but quiet.

　　Gavin didn't once look my way. Instead, his attention was caught by the golden-haired girl at his side. Vanessa.

　　She touched his arm like she belonged to him, whispering something that drew his lips into a crooked smirk. My stomach twisted, the threads of dread winding tighter.

　　He should have been mine. He was supposed to be mine. Everyone said so. The Alpha's daughter and the Beta's son… It was a pairing that made sense, that strengthened the pack.

　　Children's whispers in the training yards, mothers' gossip in the market, even my father's words whenever Gavin's name came up.

　　It will be him.

　　And yet, seeing the curve of his smile aimed at Vanessa, I felt a creeping certainty that I was walking into disaster.

　　The drums deepened. Boom. Boom. Boom. The rhythm echoed through my chest, pulling silence over the crowd.

　　Elder Martin stepped forward onto the stone dais, his long robe of black and silver shimmering in the firelight. His voice was loud with authority woven into every word.

　　"Tonight, the Moon Goddess speaks. Tonight, she reveals her will. Bonds will be forged, mates united, fates sealed. Let all who stand here witness and honor her blessing."

　　The crowd lowered their heads in reverence, though I felt more like prey before a hunter.

　　"Step forward, Selene of Moonfang."

　　My knees almost buckled. For one dizzying moment, I thought I might collapse where I stood. But my father's eyes bored into me, sharp as daggers, and somehow my legs obeyed.

　　Each step toward the dais was heavy. Every eye tracked me. Whispers slithered through the crowd like snakes.

　　"She looks pale."

　　"She doesn't deserve him."

　　"Maybe the Beta's son will finally put her in her place…"

　　I clenched my fists against the fabric of my dress, forcing myself to keep walking. They had always seen me as less.

　　My wolf's voice fading more often than not. My father's shame. The pack's disappointment. Tonight was supposed to change that. Tonight was supposed to silence them all.

　　I climbed the steps, the torches throwing long shadows across the dais. Elder Martin lifted his hands, palms hovering just above me, and began to chant in the ancient tongue.

　　The crowd held its breath.

　　And then… the pull.

　　It slammed into me without warning. A rush of heat and ice, a thread stitching itself into my bones, binding me from the inside out.

　　My wolf jolted awake, howling with sudden hunger, pressing forward in my chest.

　　Mate

　　The word echoed in my mind, soft, desperate, and undeniable.

　　My eyes snapped open, wild, searching. And they landed on Gavin.

　　He was already staring at me. But not with joy.

　　With disgust.

　　The bond stayed between us. My wolf surged, crying out in relief. The crowd erupted into cheers and howls, wolves clapping one another on the back, some already celebrating.

　　But Gavin didn't move toward me.

　　He didn't smile.

　　He stalked forward like a forced man, his jaw tight, his mouth set in a grim line.

　　The Elder's face broke into a wide smile. "The bond is revealed! Gavin, son of Liam, and Selene, daughter of Elias…"

　　"Stop."

　　Silence fell.

　　Every eye turned. Gavin stood before me now, his green eyes hard, his lips curling in disdain.

　　"I reject this."

　　Whispers rippled through the crowd. My heart lurched, but he wasn't finished.

　　"I reject you, Selene."

　　It felt like the ground had given way beneath me. My wolf let out a shriek inside me, clawing at my chest, as the golden thread between us tore violently apart.

　　My body trembled under the crushing weight of it.

　　The Elder stepped forward. "Gavin… this is the Goddess's will. You cannot…"

　　"I will not be bound to weakness," Gavin snapped, loud enough for every wolf to hear. His voice dripped venom. His gaze pinned me like prey. "Do you think I would tie myself for eternity to this?"

　　A cruel laugh rippled through the crowd.

　　My lips parted, the word breaking on a whisper. "Wh-what…?"

　　Gavin leaned closer, his voice dropping low, but meant to pierce me all the same. "You are unworthy, weak, and pathetic. I will never call you mine."

　　Then his eyes slid past me to Vanessa. She stood in the crowd, her lips curved in a satisfied smile, her hand already clutching her chest as if claiming what was hers.

　　"I choose better," Gavin said.

　　The pain ripped through me tearing jagged shards through my chest. My knees buckled, the stone of the dais slamming into me as I collapsed.

　　My wolf howled in agony, thrashing against the bond as it shredded to nothing.

　　"No…" The whisper cracked from me, broken, and useless.

　　The clearing exploded into chaos. Some wolves gasped in horror. Others laughed, the sound sharp and merciless. Vanessa's triumphant smirk glowed in the firelight, her victory plain.

　　The Elder raised his arms, shouting for order, but no one listened. My father's face was unreadable, while my mother's eyes brimmed with helpless tears.

　　And Gavin, my fated mate… my supposed destiny, turned his back on me without a second glance.

　　My heart broke with the sound of it. And my world shattered.