The cold night wind blew through the tall trees surrounding the Silver Moon Pack territory. The forest was quiet except for the faint sound of wolves howling in the distance.
Inside the training ground, warriors were still practicing under the bright moonlight. The smell of sweat and dust filled the air as pack members trained to become stronger fighters.
Among them stood a young woman with long dark hair tied into a loose ponytail.
Her name was Liana.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she struggled to catch her breath. Her arms were shaking from exhaustion, but she forced herself to keep standing.
"Again!" the training commander shouted.
The other warriors quickly shifted into their wolf forms and attacked the training targets with powerful speed.
Liana tried to follow them.
But unlike the others, her wolf refused to come out.
She clenched her fists tightly.
Not again…
"Shift!" she whispered desperately.
Nothing happened.
Around her, some of the warriors had already begun whispering and laughing.
"Look at her."
"She still can't shift."
"Isn't she already nineteen?"
"What a disgrace to the pack."
Liana lowered her head as their cruel words pierced through her heart.
In a werewolf pack, shifting into your wolf was the first sign of strength. Most wolves shifted for the first time when they turned sixteen.
But Liana was already nineteen… and she still hadn't shifted even once.
Because of that, everyone in the pack believed she was weak.
The weakest member of the Silver Moon Pack.
"Training is over!" the commander finally shouted.
The warriors began leaving the field, talking and laughing together.
As Liana turned to leave quietly, someone deliberately bumped into her shoulder, causing her to stumble.
She looked up to see Vanessa, the strongest female warrior in the pack.
Vanessa crossed her arms and looked at Liana with clear disgust.
"You're still trying?" Vanessa said mockingly. "At this point you should just accept the truth."
Liana remained silent.
"You're nothing but a useless wolf who can't even shift."
The warriors standing nearby burst into laughter.
Liana clenched her fists tightly, trying to hold back the pain in her chest.
Vanessa leaned closer and whispered coldly, "Do you really think the Alpha will accept someone like you as his mate?"
Those words made Liana's heart skip.
Alpha Logan.
Just hearing his name made her heart beat faster.
Two weeks ago, on her nineteenth birthday, Liana had finally discovered her mate.
And that mate was none other than Alpha Logan, the powerful leader of the Silver Moon Pack.
She still remembered the moment clearly.
The moment their eyes met during the pack gathering.
Her wolf—who had never shown herself before—suddenly stirred deep inside her soul.
A single word echoed in her mind.
Mate.
At that moment, Liana thought her life was about to change.
But things didn't go the way she had imagined.
Alpha Logan had said nothing.
He simply looked at her coldly before turning away.
Since that day, he had completely ignored her existence.
Vanessa smirked when she saw the sadness in Liana's eyes.
"You should know your place," Vanessa said proudly. "The Luna of this pack must be strong."
She flipped her long hair over her shoulder confidently.
"And everyone knows I'm the only one suitable for that position."
With that, Vanessa walked away while the others followed behind her.
Soon the training ground became empty.
Liana stood alone under the bright moonlight.
A heavy silence surrounded her.
After a few seconds, the tears she had been holding back finally slipped down her cheeks.
"Why…?" she whispered softly.
Why was she born this way?
Why couldn't she shift like the others?
Why did her own mate treat her like she didn't exist?
She slowly walked toward the forest, trying to calm the storm of emotions in her chest.
The night air felt colder as she wandered deeper among the tall trees.
Finally, she stopped near a quiet river.
The water reflected the bright full moon in the sky.
Liana sat on a rock and stared at the reflection silently.
"Moon Goddess…" she murmured softly.
"If Alpha Logan is truly my mate… why does he hate me so much?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"I never asked to be weak."
A gentle breeze suddenly passed through the forest, causing the leaves to rustle softly.
For a brief moment, Liana felt something strange deep inside her chest.
It was faint.
But it felt… powerful.
She placed her hand over her heart.
"Was that…?"
Before she could finish her thoughts, a deep voice suddenly echoed through the forest.
"So this is where you've been hiding."
Liana quickly stood up and turned around.
Her heart immediately began racing.
Standing a few meters away from her was a tall man with sharp features and cold silver eyes.
Alpha Logan.
Even in the darkness of the forest, his presence was overwhelming.
Power radiated from him like a storm waiting to be unleashed.
Liana lowered her head respectfully.
"Alpha," she said softly.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
The tension between them was thick.
Finally, Alpha Logan stepped forward slowly.
His eyes scanned her from head to toe.
"Why are you wandering alone at night?" he asked coldly.
Liana hesitated.
"I just needed some fresh air."
Alpha Logan stared at her silently.
The mate bond between them was faint… but it was still there.
And it made the situation even more uncomfortable.
"You should stay away from me," Alpha Logan suddenly said.
Liana's heart tightened painfully.
"What…?" she asked quietly.
His voice remained cold and distant.
"I will not accept a weak mate."
Those words struck her like a knife.
"I am the Alpha of this pack," he continued. "My Luna must be strong enough to stand beside me."
His silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"And you are not."
Liana felt her chest ache, but she forced herself to stay calm.
"I didn't choose to be weak," she said softly.
Alpha Logan's expression remained emotionless.
"Strength is everything in this world."
He turned away from her.
"You would only embarrass me."
With that, he began walking back toward the pack territory.
Liana stood frozen in place as his words echoed painfully in her mind.
You would only embarrass me.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Tears slowly filled her eyes again.
But this time, something inside her chest suddenly pulsed with strange energy.
Stronger than before.
Warmer.
More powerful.
Liana gasped slightly as she felt it spreading through her body.
"What… is this feeling?"
Deep inside her soul, something was finally waking up.
Something ancient.
Something powerful.
And far away… somewhere beyond the borders of the Silver Moon Pack…
A pair of glowing golden eyes suddenly opened in the darkness.
A deep voice whispered into the night.
"I've finally found you… my mate."