The laughter did not fade when Selene left the center of the hall. It followed her like a living thing, snickering in her ears, echoing in her bones. She walked stiffly, as if her body were made of glass, every step threatening to shatter her into a thousand pieces.
Her wolf whimpered inside her, clawing at the edges of her heart, bleeding with every mocking word. Don't listen. Don't look. Don't break.
But Selene could not shut them out.
"Did you see her face? Like a little girl dropped by her sweetheart."
"She thought she'd be Luna. Can you imagine? Weak Selene as Alpha's mate? The Goddess must be playing tricks."
"She should be grateful Lucian spared her that shame."
Every word stung like a lash across her skin. And at the heart of it all stood Seraphina Vale, basking in her triumph, feeding the fire of Selene's humiliation.
Seraphina clung to Lucian's arm as if she'd been born for it. Her green eyes glittered like sharpened emeralds, her lips curled in that cruel, perfect smile. She tilted her head, making sure Selene saw every brush of her fingers across Lucian's sleeve, every coy lean toward him, every victorious glance cast her way.
"Poor little Selene," Seraphina crooned loudly, her voice dripping with false pity. "The Moon Goddess gave you a mate, and he still doesn't want you. How does it feel to be chosen… and discarded in the same breath?"
The pack roared with laughter.
Selene's breath hitched, her chest tightening until it was hard to breathe. Heat burned in her cheeks, a betrayal of the tears she refused to shed. She wanted to speak, to defend herself, to lash out with words sharp enough to draw blood. But her throat was dry, her voice stolen by the weight of their cruelty.
Her gaze flickered to her father again. Alpha Magnus sat unmoved, his expression carved from stone, his eyes as cold as steel. His silence screamed louder than Seraphina's mockery. He would not stand for her. He would not silence them.
To him, she was already nothing.
Seraphina's laugh rang out again, shrill and triumphant. She leaned closer to Lucian, her lips brushing the edge of his ear. "She looks like a kicked dog."
Lucian did not reply, but his smirk said enough. He did not deny Seraphina. He did not defend Selene.
That was the moment something inside Selene cracked—not the quiet shattering of glass, but the sharp, violent snap of a bone breaking under pressure. She had once dreamed of this night, dreamed that her mate would free her from her father's disdain, dreamed that she would finally belong. Now those dreams lay in ruins, trampled under Seraphina's pointed heels.
The pack began to chant Seraphina's name, their voices rising in a drunken chorus. "Seraphina! Seraphina! Seraphina!"
Seraphina turned gracefully, bowing her head in false modesty. But her eyes never left Selene's. Victory burned there, cruel and merciless. She had won. Selene had lost. And everyone knew it.
Selene forced herself to stand straighter, though her insides trembled. If she bent now, if she bowed her head, they would never let her rise again. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, the copper taste filling her mouth.
She would not give them her tears.
"Enough," Selene whispered to herself, though no one heard her.
But Seraphina had not yet finished her cruelty. She stepped forward, pulling Lucian with her, and raised her voice so all could hear.
"You know, Selene, the Goddess may have bound him to you, but even She must see that you're unworthy. Why else would Lucian turn away? He chose me. And soon, the packs will see me crowned as his Luna. That is a role you could never fill."
The hall erupted again, wolves stamping their feet, howling their approval. The sound was deafening, a storm of mockery and celebration that battered Selene from all sides.
Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Rage and despair warred within her, a tempest she could barely contain. Her wolf pushed against her chest, snarling, humiliated, desperate to lash out. But Selene held her back. She could not afford to lose control—not here, not now.
She drew in a shaky breath, forcing words past the lump in her throat. "Enjoy your triumph, Seraphina. But remember this—" Her voice trembled, but she pressed on, her eyes blazing with defiance. "The Moon does not favor liars for long."
The hall fell silent for a heartbeat, shock rippling through the pack at her audacity. Then the laughter came again, louder than before, crueler, sharper.
Seraphina only smirked. "Oh, Selene," she purred, her voice dripping with poison. "You should leave before you embarrass yourself further. You've been rejected, humiliated, and abandoned by your own father. Do us all a favor and disappear."
Selene staggered back as if struck. The words cut deep, but Seraphina was right—no one here wanted her. Not her mate. Not her father. Not her pack.
She turned and fled the hall, the sound of their laughter chasing her into the night.
The cold air outside hit her like a slap. She stumbled into the courtyard, clutching at her chest as though she could hold the pieces of her heart together. The moon hung high above, full and bright, its light bathing her in silver.
Her wolf whimpered again, mourning the bond that had been severed before it had a chance to grow.
Selene fell to her knees on the stone steps, her breath shuddering, her tears finally breaking free. She pressed her hand to her heart, feeling the empty space where Lucian's presence had been, the raw wound left behind by his rejection.
The Goddess had bound her to him. But he had chosen another.
Why me? she thought, her tears falling to the stone. Why always me?
Above her, the moon glowed brighter, as if watching, as if listening. But no answer came. Only silence. Only pain.
And in that silence, Selene made herself a promise.
One day, she would rise. One day, they would all regret this night.