The Claiming Ceremony was one of the biggest events in Blackthorn Pack. It only happened every few years when a group of she-wolves came of age and the Alphas from allied packs gathered to find their fated mates. It was a tradition filled with excitement and celebration. For most girls, it was a dream come true. They got to dress in beautiful gowns, style their hair with flowers, and walk down a path while powerful wolves watched and waited to feel the spark of the mate bond.
But for Ariana, it was a nightmare.
She stood in front of the mirror in the servant's washroom, staring at her reflection. Her hair hung in limp waves down her back, still damp from the rushed bath she had taken that morning. The rags she had been given clung to her skin. They were too thin to hide anything, too tight in some places and too loose in others. She looked more like a prisoner than a girl coming to the most important event of her life.
Her eyes, though. They still shone bright. A strange mix of blue and silver. The only thing she had inherited from her mother, the one piece of beauty she had ever been proud of. But even that couldn't distract from the rest.
She heard the other girls giggling outside, their voices excited and high-pitched.
"My dress is from the Moonlight silk traders," one of them bragged.
"My cousin is coming from Silver Claw. He's a Beta there. So strong. I hope the bond snaps when he sees me."
Ariana stayed quiet, waiting until the hallway cleared before stepping out. She kept her head down as she made her way to the ceremony field.
The area was already packed with people. Torches lit up the open space with a golden glow. A long white carpet stretched across the grass where the girls would walk. Pack members stood in neat rows, wearing their best clothes. Elders sat in high chairs under a silver archway. And at the very front stood the guests from allied packs.
She recognized the crest of Stormfang on one of their cloaks. Crimson Peak too. But her eyes froze when she saw the largest figure near the front.
Kael Blackthorn.
Alpha of Blackthorn Pack.
The most feared leader in the entire region.
He stood tall and proud, his black cloak trimmed with real fur, silver embroidery wrapped around the collar like vines. His hair was midnight dark, cropped short at the sides and longer on top. His face looked carved from stone, with sharp cheekbones and a square jaw that clenched as he surveyed the crowd.
Everyone said Kael was ruthless. That he became Alpha by force at just twenty-one after challenging his uncle to a duel and winning in three minutes. That he ruled with strict laws and punished without mercy. But what made him truly terrifying was his wolf. People whispered that it was the largest wolf ever seen, bigger than a bear, with eyes like ice and fangs like knives.
Ariana had never spoken to him before. Most people hadn't. He kept to himself. Silent and cold.
She ducked behind a wooden pillar near the back of the crowd and tried to stay hidden.
One by one, the girls stepped forward.
Lira was the first. She wore a gold dress that shimmered in the light and made her look like a goddess. Her blond curls bounced as she walked gracefully, her hips swaying with confidence. She was Beta Ingrid's daughter, and everyone knew she wanted to be Luna.
She paused in front of Kael, giving him a small, seductive smile.
He didn't react.
Lira's smile wavered slightly, but she kept walking, acting like she didn't care.
More girls followed. Some walked with nerves, some with hope. But no mate bond snapped. No wolf stirred.
Ariana thought maybe the entire ceremony would end without anyone noticing her. That would have been the best outcome.
But then Elder Bran's voice echoed through the crowd.
"Ariana, step forward."
The world seemed to freeze.
Heads turned.
People began whispering.
"She's here?"
"She looks awful."
"Why did they even let her come?"
Ariana felt her legs move, even though her mind screamed at her to stay put. Her body felt numb as she stepped onto the carpet. Every eye was on her. Every breath was heavy. The rags clung to her like shame itself.
She tried to walk fast, to make it end quickly. But as she stepped forward, she felt it. A strange heat in the center of her chest. A pull. Like a string was tied around her heart and someone else was tugging on it.
She lifted her eyes. Just for a second.
Kael was staring at her.
Straight at her.
His jaw clenched tightly. His hands were fists at his sides. His silver-blue eyes locked on hers like they had found something they had been looking for forever.
A low growl rumbled from his chest.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Then his wolf voice echoed loud and clear.
"Mate."
Gasps exploded through the crowd.
Someone dropped a glass.
Ariana froze, her heart thudding louder than drums.
Kael stepped forward, the bond pulsing between them like lightning. His wolf was fighting to come out, pushing against his skin, wanting to touch her, claim her.
But then Kael did something no one expected.
He raised his hand.
And pointed straight at her.
"I reject you," he said, his voice as cold as a winter storm.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Ariana couldn't move. Her legs shook. Her throat closed up. She could barely breathe.
Kael turned his back without another word. The growl was gone. His face was blank. As if nothing had happened.
Lira smirked, stepping closer to him with fake concern. She touched his arm gently and whispered something into his ear.
Ariana's vision blurred.
The rejection hit her like a punch to the chest. Harder than anything she had ever felt. The bond, the pull, the connection that had just started to bloom was torn apart in a second.
The pain was more than emotional. It was physical. Like her heart was being ripped open from the inside. Her legs gave out. Her fingers reached for something to hold onto, but there was nothing.
She collapsed.
Everything went black.
When she opened her eyes, she was lying in the healer's tent. A wet cloth rested on her forehead. The room was quiet, filled with the smell of herbs and smoke.
An old healer named Mari sat beside her, checking her pulse.
"You're awake," she said softly.
Ariana sat up slowly. Her chest still hurt. Her head throbbed.
"What happened?" she whispered, even though she already knew.
Mari gave her a sad look. "The bond snapped. Then he rejected you in front of everyone. You fainted from the shock."
Ariana looked down at her hands.
"Why would he do that?" she asked. "Why even say I was his mate if he was just going to reject me?"
Mari sighed. "Because the bond cannot be controlled. The Moon Goddess chooses. But sometimes the mind refuses to accept. He didn't want you. That's the truth. And he made sure everyone saw it."
Ariana felt tears burn her eyes again, but she refused to cry in front of the healer.
"I want to leave," she said quietly.
Mari frowned. "Leave the tent?"
"No. Leave the pack."
The words tasted strange in her mouth, but they felt right.
Mari looked shocked. "You cannot just leave. This is your home."
"No," Ariana said. "This place has never been my home."
The healer was silent for a moment.
Then she stood and placed a small wrapped bundle on the bed. "Take this. It's food and coin. It won't last long, but it's a start."
Ariana stared at her. "Why are you helping me?"
Mari looked at her with tired eyes. "Because you deserve better. And because I believe the Moon Goddess made you his mate for a reason. Even if he doesn't see it yet."
Ariana said nothing.
That night, she waited until the lights in the pack house were out. She tied the bundle to her waist and slipped out through the side gate. The guards didn't notice her. No one did.
She walked into the forest, not knowing where she was going.
But she knew one thing.
She was not the cursed girl anymore.
She was Moonfire.
And she was going to find out who she really was.