CHAPTER 2

LUNA MEETS INNA

I could feel the excitement pulsing through my body. It was today. I will meet my fate today. I had dreamed of this day for years.

Despite my flaws, I dreamed of a strong, devoted partner who would embrace me, guard me, and treasure me. I wasn't a warrior or someone who demanded attention as other wolves were. But today, none of that was relevant. I would eventually receive the affection I had always desired from fate.

Nervously, I twisted my fingers together as I stood at the edge of the clearing, just outside the main pack house. As though nature itself were commemorating the holy tie that was about to be disclosed, the sun shone warmly on the land and the air was heavy with the aroma of the forest.

My mind was racing with hopeful ideas, and my pulse was pounding frantically.

Would I fall in love with him? When our eyes met, would he kiss me? I had witnessed other wolves discover their mates, and their responses were consistently characterized by unadulterated, unquestionable fervor. I was eager to have my own experience with it.

I heard something stir in the bushes. In an attempt to appear as decent as possible, I smoothed my clothing and straightened up. It was this. He was on his way. As the footsteps approached, my heart jumped in my chest. Then he came out like a shadow from the trees.

Alpha Inna.

He exceeded my expectations in every way. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and radiated strength. His blue eyes seemed to penetrate the air as if they could see right into my soul, and his dark hair tossed gently in the wind. He was a living legend, the strongest Alpha of all the packs. I had heard about his might and his victories in combat. Nobody was able to compete.

His power.

He's the one, my inner wolf whispered as it awoke inside me. My friend.

I was gasping for air as I froze in place and stared at him. It was this: His mate was me. My destiny was intertwined with our kind's most potent Alpha.

A few feet away from me, he came to a stop and fixed me with his sharp eyes. My heart soared for a moment. I could see it in his eyes, the understanding, the acceptance of our connection. There was no denying the draw between us. Like an unseen thread tying our souls together, I sensed magnetic energy.

Then, however, something changed.

His eyes, which had been full of interest, hardened into icy indifference, and his face darkened. My wolf howled in confusion as my stomach twisted cruelly.

He remarked in a low, dispassionate voice, "I'm not doing this."

I blinked, not understanding what he was saying. What do you mean by "W-?" My voice was no more than a whisper as I stumbled.

With his presence hovering over me like a shadow, Inna moved closer. His tone was sharp as a sword when he continued, "You're not what I expected." "You're not strong. A beta,

I felt like I was slapped across the face by the words. I was unable to breathe for a second as my chest constricted. I had mentally rehearsed this encounter countless times, but I had never never anticipated rejection.

I muttered, my voice shaking, "I don't understand." "We are doomed. Our relationship is meant to be.

A sour smirk formed on Inna's lips. "Fate made an error.

The tenuous hope I had been holding onto was dashed by his words. My legs were weak, and I had trouble standing. How was that possible? How could he turn me down, his partner? Did he not experience the same bond that I did?

"I won't officially reject the bond," Inna added in a casual tone that sounded like he was talking about a commercial transaction. However, I won't ever claim you. I can't have you as my Luna.

His tone of finality pierced my heart like a blade. I had heard tales of wolves who had to endure the agony of an unclaimed bond after being rejected. However, I never thought I would experience it.

His icy eyes narrowed as he interrupted, "I can." "And I am."

His comments hung in the air like a black cloud, echoing throughout the clearing. My wolf whined in the back of my mind as the pain of the rejection sliced through me like a hot dagger, blurring my vision with unshed tears.

I started to protest, to plead with him to change his mind, but before I could finish, he turned away from me, as though I were merely a stranger, a pointless diversion.

He muttered dismissively over his shoulder, "I have no use for a weak mate." "You'll manage to get out of this." Or not. I don't care about it.

"No," I said in a whisper while shaking my head. "You can't.

After that, he left me standing there, broken and abandoned, and vanished into the trees.

My thoughts were racing as I stood motionless. How did this occur? How could everything have fallen apart after fate had brought me to this point? Like a real wound that would not go away, the anguish in my chest was intolerable. My wolf was quiet, her grief reflecting mine.

However, something changed inside of me as the numbness began to set in. A glimmer of strength I was unaware I possessed, a flare of resistance. My nails dug into my hands as I clenched my fists. No. I refused to be broken by him. I refused to let him determine my value.

I steadied my voice and murmured to myself, "If I'm weak, then I'll become strong

A wave of resolve swept through me. I wouldn't let my story end with his rejection. With or without him, I'd forge my own way. Not for him, but for me, I would grow into a worthy person.

However, a fresh smell entered the air as I was about to leave the clearing. It was steely and crisp. Blood.

My senses were on high alert as I froze. The breeze changed, and I smelled the distinct aroma once more. As I looked across the tree line, my heart was pounding; the once-calm woodland suddenly seemed foreboding.

A young, blood-covered wolf, scarcely older than a teenager, staggered out from behind the woods. His eyes were wide with fear as he slumped at my feet, panting for oxygen.

His voice was scratchy as he said, "They're coming." "The rogues are on their way."

My heart was thumping in my chest as I knelt next to him. "Who is coming? What took place?

But a howl, a deep, ominous sound that frightened me to the core, reverberated through the forest before he could respond. My blood ran cold as I gazed up.

Here were the outlaws. And in the middle of it all was me.