The pack clearing buzzes with excitement. All around me, wolves transform back into humans, their clothes appearing as if by magic. I stand at the edge, watching the scene and feeling a flutter of hope in my chest. Today's the day. The day I’ve been waiting for since I turned thirteen and felt the first stirring of a bond with our Alpha, Jared.
I smooth down my dress, trying to calm my nerves. It's a deep blue, the color of the midnight sky. My mother helped me pick it out months ago, knowing how important today is. I feel the weight of everyone's eyes, the whispers about my future, about the pack's future. Today, Jared will finally name his Luna, and I'm certain it will be me. Everybody says we’re meant for each other.
My best friend, Mia, bounces up beside me. Her excitement is infectious. "Are you ready?" she asks, practically glowing with anticipation.
I smile, nodding. "As ready as I’ll ever be."
The clearing is filled with faint scents of pine and earth. The cool evening breeze carries whispers of encouragement from the trees, or maybe that’s just my imagination. The moon hangs high above us, a silver guardian watching over the pack. The energy in the air is electric, thrumming with anticipation like a tightly wound string.
Jared steps forward onto the stone platform at the center of the clearing. He's tall, his presence commanding without trying. His eyes sweep over the crowd, and for a moment, they lock onto mine. My heart skips a beat. I can feel the connection, like a thread tying us together. He gives me a small, reassuring smile, and I swallow my nerves.
He raises his hands, and the crowd quiets immediately. His voice carries through the silence, strong and certain. "Tonight, under the full moon, we gather to celebrate and strengthen our pack. As Alpha, it's my duty to choose a Luna, a partner, and leader by my side."
A ripple of excitement sweeps through the crowd. There are murmurs of agreement and young wolves sighing at the romance of it all. I can see mothers nodding approvingly, some casting encouraging glances my way. It's all I can do to stand still, anticipation curling inside me like a live wire.
Jared turns to me. "Ava," he calls, and the thrumming bond between us swells, blooming like a field of wildflowers. My name on his lips sends a thrill down my spine. I step forward, every movement deliberate, heart pounding with each step. This is my moment.
Then, just as I reach the steps of the platform, Jared's demeanor changes. There's a flicker in his eyes, a shadow of something I can't place, and suddenly, my heart drops.
"Ava," he repeats, "you're strong, kind, and have always been a cherished member of our pack. But—" He hesitates, and the crowd leans in, holding their breath. I hold mine too, a knot of confusion forming in my stomach.
"I'm sorry," he says, his voice soft yet decisive. "I can't choose you as my Luna."
The words hit me like a physical blow. A stunned silence blankets the clearing, heavier than any weight I've ever known. My world tilts on its axis, and for a moment, I can't breathe, can't think. It feels like the air has been sucked out of my lungs.
All the eyes in the clearing turn to me, and I wish I could disappear. A hot flush crawls up my neck. I’m aware of every whisper, every sympathetic glance, every mutter of disbelief. There's a ringing in my ears, a rushing sound that blocks out everything else.
I want to scream, to demand why, but my voice is trapped somewhere deep inside, locked away by the shock binding me in place. Jared's gaze remains on me, not with the warmth I knew but with a mixture of regret and resolve. It twists something inside me into a tight knot of pain and confusion.
He steps back, signaling the end of it. Just like that. No explanation. No apology except for those three hollow words that echo in my mind, 'I can't choose you.'
Tears sting my eyes, hot and unwelcome. I blink them back fiercely, refusing to cry in front of everyone, refusing to let them see that I'm breaking. I turn, forcing myself to walk back through the clearing, each step heavy and unsteady.
Mia rushes to my side, a comforting presence though the world blurs through my tears. "Ava, wait—"
"I'm okay," I whisper, the words choking on their own lie. "I just need some air."
I slip away from the crowd, deeper into the woods where the moonlight filters through the leaves, spilling patterns on the forest floor. Here, with the trees standing silent and watchful, I finally let the tears fall.
The forest doesn't judge, doesn’t whisper. It's just here, a witness to my heartbreak. I lean against a sturdy tree, its bark grounding me, and try to make sense of everything, even as the pain feels sharper than any wound.
Shattered dreams linger in the moonlit shadows, whispering, "What now?" But with the night stretching on, lacing the world in silver threads, I know I have to find out. Because I’m more than rejection. More than an unchosen Luna. Deep down, a whisper of defiance stirs, hinting at a journey that’s just begun.
