"Are you ready?" Tessa whispered, tugging at my sleeve as we stood at the edge of the clearing.
"No," I said honestly, my voice flat. My hands were shaking, and I pressed them into the folds of my dress to hide it.
"You'll be fine," she said, but even she didn't sound convinced. Her eyes darted toward the crowd already gathering near the stone altar. The full moon hung heavy above us, waiting.
The ceremony was about to start.
I tried to breathe, but every time I did, my chest got tighter. People stared at me, their whispers buzzing like bees. The Omega's daughter. Why is she even here? I heard the words without them saying them. My face burned, but I lifted my chin.
The drums started. Slow, steady beats that made the ground under my feet tremble.
"Step forward," the Elder's voice boomed. His old hands stretched out toward the center of the circle.
I walked with Tessa beside me, but when we reached the front, she slipped away to join the others. I was alone now, standing in the center of everyone's eyes.
Alpha Kael stood tall across from me, dressed in dark robes. His expression was unreadable, cold like always. His gaze slid over me as if I was just another face in the crowd.
"Let the Moon show its will," the Elder said, raising his staff.
The air grew heavy. My skin tingled. I tried not to move, but I gasped when sudden heat ran through me like fire under my skin. A light glowed from my chest, spreading in thin lines, bright and silver.
The crowd gasped. People pointed, murmurs rising fast.
The same glow traced itself across Kael's chest, the light from him pulling toward me like a tether. My knees felt weak. I already knew what it meant, but I didn't dare say it.
"The Moon has chosen!" the Elder shouted. "The Alpha's mate has been revealed!"
The clearing erupted.
"She's the Omega's girl?" someone cried.
"This can't be right." Another said.
"No…no there must be a mistake."
I heard everything, each word stabbing me deeper. My throat closed up. I looked at Kael, praying for some sign, any sign, that this wasn't as bad as it seemed.
But Kael's face stayed hard. His jaw tightened and his eyes like ice. He didn't step toward me. He didn't reach for me. He only stood there, stiff, as if the bond itself was an insult.
"No," he said, his voice sharp enough to silence the crowd.
My heart stopped.
"What?" I whispered, though I knew I'd heard him.
"I reject this," Kael said louder, his eyes on the Elder. "I will not accept her as my mate."
The crowd gasped again, louder this time, and the sound twisted my stomach.
"You can't.." the Elder began, his voice shaking.
"I can," Kael cut him off. His gaze turned on me now, sharp and cruel. "You are not fit to stand by me. The Moon made a mistake."
It felt like he had slapped me in front of everyone.
I shook my head slowly, my lips trembling. "Kael you can't say that. You don't even know"
"I know enough," he snapped. "You're weak and you're nothing. I will not have you as my mate."
Laughter broke out in the crowd, it was cruel and mocking. Others just stared, shocked but not surprised. I wanted the ground to swallow me.
Tears filled my eyes, but I forced them back. If I cried here, in front of them all, I'd never survive the shame. I clenched my fists and kept my voice low. "If that's what you want."
Kael turned away without another word. He didn't look back.
The Elder lowered his staff slowly, shaking his head, but he said nothing. The drums stopped. The ceremony ended with silence and whispers that followed me like shadows.
I walked back through the crowd, each step heavier than the last. People pulled away as I passed, some sneering, others smirking. Tessa rushed to my side, grabbing my arm.
"Don't listen to them," she said fiercely. "Don't let them see you cry."
"I'm fine," I whispered, though my throat burned and my eyes stung. I wasn't fine. I was shattered.
By the time I reached my quarters, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I closed the door, leaned against it, and finally let the tears fall. I pressed my hands over my mouth to muffle the sobs, but the sound still slipped through.
The Alpha had rejected me in front of everyone.
I curled up on my bed, shaking, trying to make sense of it. The bond was real, I had felt it, the pull, the heat. How could he deny something so clear? But maybe he was right. Maybe I wasn't enough. Maybe I was nothing.
Hours passed. The pack outside settled into quiet, though I could still hear drunken laughter from the ones celebrating the ceremony.
I didn't sleep. My body was too heavy, my mind too raw. I stared at the ceiling until the smoke reached me.
At first, I thought I imagined it. The faint burning smell, the haze creeping under the door. Then heat pressed against the walls, and I heard the crackle of flames.
I shot up. "Fire!" I shouted, my voice breaking. I grabbed for the door, but when I opened it, a wall of smoke poured in. My lungs burned. I coughed, covering my mouth with my sleeve.
The flames spread fast, licking at the wooden beams, climbing higher. I stumbled back, searching for a way out. My window. I forced it open, choking on the smoke. The night air rushed in, but before I could climb out, movement caught my eye.
Across the clearing, just beyond the flames, someone was standing still, watching.
It was Damon.
His face was calm, almost pleased, his lips c
urling into a cruel smile.
Through the smoke, our eyes met and he didn't move to help me.