The moon hung huge and silver above the Blackwood Pack's square.
Torches burned bright. Drums beat loud.
Every wolf in the pack stood in a big circle, waiting.
Today was my eighteenth birthday.
Today the Moon Goddess would show everyone who my mate was.
I stood in the center, wearing the white dress my mother made.
My hands shook, but my heart was happy.
I looked up at the Alpha's platform.
Alpha Ryan.
Tall. Strong. Black hair. Ice-blue eyes.
The strongest Alpha in a hundred years.
And everyone said the Goddess would choose him for me.
He stepped forward.
The crowd went quiet.
I smiled. My wolf sang inside me.
Ryan looked down at me.
His face was cold.
"Aria," he said, voice loud so all could hear.
"I, Alpha Ryan of the Blackwood Pack, reject you as my mate."
The world stopped.
My smile died.
Gasps came from every side.
I opened my mouth. No sound came out.
Ryan's eyes showed no warmth.
"You are weak," he said. "You have no fighting skills. You can't even shift properly. A Luna must be strong. You will never be my Luna."
Tears burned my eyes.
"But… the Goddess…" I whispered.
"The Goddess made a mistake," he answered.
"I will break the bond. Tonight."
The Elders on the platform said nothing.
They only looked away.
Someone laughed behind me.
I turned.
Scarlett.
Tall. Red hair. Strong arms. The best female warrior in the pack.
She walked up the steps and put her arm around Ryan's waist.
Ryan pulled her close and kissed her cheek.
Right there. In front of everyone.
My heart broke into a thousand pieces.
Scarlett looked at me and smiled, slow and cruel.
"Run along, little omega," she said. "Go cry somewhere else."
People started talking.
"She thought she could be Luna?"
"Pathetic."
"Even the Goddess doesn't want her."
I wanted to disappear.
Ryan and Scarlett walked away together.
His arm stayed around her.
They didn't look back.
The drums stopped.
The torches seemed colder.
I ran.
Out of the square.
Past the houses.
Into the forest.
Rain started to fall. Hard. Cold.
I fell on my knees in the mud.
Tears mixed with rain on my face.
"Why?" I cried to the dark trees. "Why me?"
My stomach turned.
I felt sick.
I put a hand on my belly.
Three days ago…
After training… Ryan had pulled me into the woods.
We kissed. More than kissed.
He said he couldn't wait for the ceremony.
He said I was his.
I thought it was love.
Now I knew it was nothing to him.
I reached into my pocket with shaking fingers.
The small stick was still there.
Two pink lines.
Pregnant.
The rain poured harder.
I looked at the test again.
Then at the dark path that led away from the pack.
I stood up.
My legs were weak, but my voice was not.
"I won't stay here," I said to the storm.
"I won't let them hurt my baby."
Thunder answered me.
I wiped my face.
Took one last look at the lights of the pack behind me.
Then I turned and ran.
Into the night.
Into the rain.
Away from the Alpha who rejected me.
Away from the pack that laughed.
I was Aria.
Eighteen today.
Rejected.
Pregnant.
And free.
The forest swallowed me whole.