The silver glow of the Alpha Moon bathed the clearing, cold and unforgiving. My pack gathered around, whispers slicing through the night. Tonight was the mating ceremony. Tonight, I would face Alpha Kaiden. My mate.
I stepped into the circle, hands trembling, heart hammering. Every gaze burned into me. Weak Omega… The words echoed inside my head.
Kaiden's gray eyes met mine. Tall, broad-shouldered, his presence alone demanded obedience. For a brief heartbeat, I imagined… maybe tonight he would accept me.
"I, Alpha Kaiden…" His voice sliced through the silence. "…reject you."
The clearing erupted. Whispers, gasps, and cruel laughter tore through me. My knees threatened to buckle. My chest ached as if something inside me had been ripped away.
Then, a fire ignited at my neck. Pain shot through me, fierce and relentless. I clutched the mark, breath ragged. The pack froze. Even Kaiden staggered back, shock flickering across his face.
Every wolf fell to their knees. The whispers turned to stunned silence.
"What is this?" someone finally whispered.
"I—I didn't do anything," I gasped. But deep inside, I already knew. A power long dormant had awakened, raw and untamed.
A voice, quiet and almost imperceptible, drifted from the shadows: Interesting.
The night shifted. Nothing would ever be the same.