REJECTED YET CHOSEN

_Lyla's POV_ The moon hung high in the sky, its silver light casting a glow over the clearing. The Mate-Claiming Ceremony was in full swing, the air buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Wolves from the Moonshadow Pack were gathered, their laughter and conversations filling the night. I stood on the edge of the gathering, trying to remain unseen. I didn’t belong here. As an omega, my presence at such an important event felt wrong, almost intrusive. My heart pounded in my chest, not with excitement like the others, but with dread. I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing I could disappear. “Why are you even here, Lyla?” a sharp voice said behind me. I turned to see Maya, a beta wolf, her lips curled in disdain. “This is a night for real wolves, not… you.” I bit my lip, forcing myself to stay calm. “I was told to help clean up after,” I said quietly, avoiding her piercing gaze. Maya snorted. “Of course, you were. Someone has to do the dirty work.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only I could hear. “Don’t get any ideas, Lyla. No Alpha would ever choose an omega like you. You’re not worthy of even standing here.” Her words stung, but I didn’t let her see how deeply they cut. I had heard variations of this all my life, and yet, tonight, they felt heavier. I nodded and stepped further into the shadows, letting the crowd move on without me. The ceremony officially began when Alpha Dorian stepped onto the raised platform. The crowd grew silent, every eye fixed on him. My gaze followed, and my breath caught. Dorian was everything a leader should be—tall, broad-shouldered, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see through everyone. His dark hair caught the moonlight, giving him an almost otherworldly glow. He stood with a confidence I could only dream of, his presence commanding and impossible to ignore. “This is the night we honor the bond of mates,” Dorian said, his deep voice carrying over the clearing. “The night I, too, find my mate.” The pack erupted in cheers, their energy palpable. My stomach twisted. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for, and I knew it would never include me. I was invisible to wolves like Dorian—beneath their notice. But then his eyes scanned the crowd, and something changed. My heart stopped when his gaze landed on me. A spark ran through my body, a warmth I couldn’t explain. My wolf stirred inside me, her voice rising in excitement. “Mate,” she whispered, clear and certain. I froze, unable to move or breathe. No. This couldn’t be happening. Dorian’s expression shifted, confusion flickering in his eyes. Slowly, he stepped forward, his gaze locked on me. The crowd parted, their whispers growing louder as they realized where he was looking. “This must be a mistake,” Dorian said, his voice low but firm. My heart shattered at his words, and I felt the bond we shared tremble under the weight of his rejection. “No,” he said, louder this time, addressing the crowd. “Lyla Grace, you are not my mate. I, Alpha Dorian Blackwood, reject you as my fated mate.” His words hit me like a physical blow. Pain exploded in my chest, radiating outwards until my entire body ached. My wolf howled in agony, her voice echoing in my mind. The bond we shared, fragile and new, began to tear apart. “I… what?” I whispered, my voice trembling. I could barely stand, the weight of his rejection crushing me. Dorian’s face hardened, his gaze cold and unyielding. “You’re an omega, Lyla. You’re not fit to stand by my side as Luna. This is for the good of the pack.” Tears blurred my vision, and I couldn’t speak. My throat felt tight, and my chest burned with the effort of holding back the sobs threatening to escape. The humiliation was unbearable. Everyone was watching, their whispers like knives cutting into me. “Camilla will be my chosen mate,” Dorian continued, turning to the stunning she-wolf who stood nearby. Camilla stepped forward gracefully, her golden hair shining in the moonlight. She smirked, her eyes briefly meeting mine with triumph. The pack cheered, their voices loud and full of approval. For them, this was the right choice. For me, it was the end of everything. I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t breathe. My legs felt like lead, but I forced them to move, turning away from the scene. “Get out of here, Lyla,” Maya hissed as I passed her. “You’re embarrassing yourself.” I didn’t respond. I didn’t even look at her. I just ran. The forest was dark and quiet, a stark contrast to the noise of the clearing. My breath came in ragged gasps, my tears blinding me as I stumbled through the trees. The pain in my chest didn’t lessen—it grew, sharp and unrelenting. When I finally stopped, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the cold ground. I pressed my hands to my chest, as if I could somehow hold the pieces of my broken heart together. The bond between mates wasn’t just emotional—it was physical. Dorian’s rejection felt like he had ripped something vital out of me, leaving a gaping hole where it used to be. “I’m nothing,” I whispered to the darkness. “I was always nothing.” My wolf whimpered in my mind, her pain mirroring mine. She had believed in the bond, in the destiny we were supposed to share with Dorian. Now, there was nothing left. The night was silent around me, the forest offering no comfort. I felt small and insignificant, like a shadow in the vastness of the world. But as I sat there, broken and lost, a faint voice whispered in the back of my mind. This isn’t the end. It was faint, barely more than a flicker of hope, but it was enough to make me lift my head. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew one thing—I couldn’t stay in the Moonshadow Pack. Not anymore. With trembling hands, I pushed myself to my feet. The pain was still there, heavy and suffocating, but I forced myself to take a step forward. Then another. The forest stretched out before me, vast and unknown. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew I had to keep moving. Because staying meant letting the pain consume me, and I refused to let Dorian Blackwood destroy what little was left of me. I had to leave. I had to find a way to survive, even if it meant doing it alone.