SAPPHIRE'S POV
I watched as everyone stared at me with disappointment.
My parents.
My siblings.
My friends.
No one wanted to come close to me.
No one wanted to speak to me.
It felt as though my world was falling apart, and I was drowning in the pain.
One by one, everyone walked away, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the pack square.
Tonight was the full moon.
The night every young werewolf looked forward to.
The night of their first shift.
Yet I was still standing there... unchanged.
Even my younger siblings had already shifted into their wolves.
But I couldn't.
I could no longer hold back my tears. They rolled freely down my cheeks.
Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life.
I had counted down to this moment.
I had prayed to the Moon Goddess every single night, hoping I would finally shift.
Instead, this became the worst day of my life.
With my head lowered, I walked home alone through the pack streets.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
People whispered as I passed.
Some laughed.
Others spat at my feet.
"Useless omega."
"What a disgrace."
"She doesn't even deserve to belong to this pack."
Each word pierced my heart like a dagger.
I thought my family would at least comfort me.
I was wrong.
My father called me a disgrace.
My mother looked me straight in the eyes and said she wished I had never been born.
Even my siblings turned their backs on me.
The pain became unbearable.
I couldn't stay there another second.
Without thinking, I ran toward the forest.
I didn't care what dangers were hiding inside.
Anything was better than staying where I wasn't wanted.
The forest was unusually quiet.
Just the way I liked it.
But something felt... different.
The familiar scent of grass and damp earth had disappeared.
Instead, a sweet strawberry fragrance filled the air.
It was warm.
Comforting.
Irresistible.
Almost as if it was calling me.
Before I realized it, I was following the scent deeper into the forest.
Then I stopped.
Someone stood a few feet away from me.
Someone I never expected to meet.
The Crown Prince.
My heart skipped a beat.
No...
He couldn't be...
My mate.
"Mate," I heard him whisper.
He knew it too.
His voice was gentle and soothing. Before I realized what I was doing, I threw myself into his arms.
He didn't judge me.
He didn't look at me with disappointment.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around me and returned the hug.
Maybe today wasn't so bad after all.
"Who made you cry?" he asked softly.
His question pulled me back to reality.
He didn't know who I was.
"Uhm... it's nothing," I replied.
Then I realized I was still holding him.
I quickly stepped back.
"I-I'm sorry."
"It's fine," he said with a warm smile.
I nodded awkwardly.
"Why are you here on a day like this?" he asked. "Didn't you attend the Full Moon Festival?"
"I did."
I lowered my gaze, unable to meet his eyes.
"I see. But you don't look happy."
I didn't want my mate to have a bad first impression of me, so I forced a smile.
"I actually am."
He gently took my hands in his.
Looking straight into my eyes, he smiled.
"You have no idea how happy I am to finally meet my mate."
Then he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
I couldn't stop myself from blushing.
"How about we go meet your parents?"
Every bit of happiness inside me vanished.
Reality came crashing back.
He noticed the change in my expression.
"I know this is sudden," he said gently, "but there's no reason to wait anymore. Now that I've found my mate, my people finally have their future Luna."
"Did... did you come here alone?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yes," he replied. "I needed some time alone. I'm glad I came."
His smile widened.
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have found you."
I wanted to smile back.
I really did.
But knowing the kind of life I lived, all I could do was sigh.
"Shall we?" he asked, offering me his hand.
Every part of me wanted to refuse.
But somehow, I found myself placing my hand in his.
As we walked toward the pack, I found myself praying.
Please...
Don't reject me when you find out who I am.
As we walked toward my house, people stopped to stare.
Of course they would.
The same girl they had mocked only minutes ago was now walking beside the Crown Prince.
Under normal circumstances, I would have smiled proudly.
But today...
I ignored every curious gaze.
As soon as we reached my house, we met my father outside.
The shock on his face was impossible to hide.
"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, immediately bowing. "Whatever offence she has committed, you may punish her as you see fit. I won't object."
My heart pounded painfully in my chest.
The Crown Prince frowned.
"She hasn't done anything. And why would you say something like that about your own daughter?"
Just then, my mother stepped out of the house.
"Your Majesty..." she said with a respectful bow. "She is not our daughter."
My heart shattered.
The words cut deeper than any blade ever could.
By now, our neighbours had gathered around the compound, whispering among themselves.
The Crown Prince turned to look at me.
"They're... not your parents?"
Unable to speak, I simply nodded as tears streamed down my face.
He looked back at them.
"Why would you reject your own child?"
"Your Majesty," my father answered, "she's weak. She never shifted."
"And she doesn't even have a wolf," my mother added.
The murmurs around us grew louder as more people gathered to watch.
When I looked back at him, I saw it.
The disappointment in his eyes.
My heart sank.
"Is... is that true?" he asked quietly.
I couldn't answer.
My silence said everything.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I wanted to explain.
I wanted to tell him I had only just found him.
That I was afraid.
That I didn't want him to look at me the way everyone else did.
But no words came out.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment before speaking.
"There has never been a queen without a wolf."
My stomach twisted into a painful knot.
He took a step back.
"Therefore..."
"No... please..." I whispered, shaking my head.
"...under the witness of the Moon Goddess and everyone gathered here..."
"No!" I cried, tears pouring uncontrollably down my face.
"I, Alpha Duncan, Crown Prince of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Sapphire, as my mate."
The entire compound fell silent.
Then the whispers began again.
I couldn't hear a single word.
I reached for him and clutched his shirt desperately.
"Please... don't do this..."
He gently but firmly removed my hand.
Without another word...
He turned around and walked away.
Tears blurred my vision as I watched the only person who had ever made me feel accepted disappear from my life.