Long shadows were being thrown through the trees that surrounded the pack grounds as the sun began to drop. Jane could hardly believe how beautiful the dense forest canopy was, allowing golden light to stream through. Anxiety permeated every beat of her pounding heart. It was meant to be the night that would permanently alter her life.

She was correct in a sense, but not in the way she had intended.

Jane's fingers trembled as she smoothed down her plain dress, which was a dramatic contrast to her olive skin because of the delicate white fabric. A hand-me-down from another pack member, it was the prettiest thing she owned, but she prayed it would be enough for tonight. Rumours circulated that after calling a meeting, Marcus, the Alpha of the pack, would reveal his mate, his Luna.

Deep down in her spirit, Jane had sensed that bond, that tug. She was certain that Alpha Marcus was her mate because all werewolves have a predetermined partner. The way her heart raced whenever he was close, the way her senses were alerted whenever she smelt him. Despite their sparse communication beyond their assigned pack tasks, she had managed to persuade herself that Marcus shared her sentiments.

For the most part of her life, Jane had lived a solitary life as an Omega, keeping her head down. The lowest-ranking wolves in the pack, known as omegas, were frequently viewed as weak, invisible at worst, or as servants at best. Until the pull of the bond gave her hope, she had accepted her fate. Everything would change if Marcus decided to make her his Luna. At last, she would be acknowledged and appreciated.

Jane stood outside the centre courtyard, waiting for Marcus to arrive as her heart raced. The pack had gathered there. The wolves congregated and engaged in animated conversation, all eyes fixed on the elevated platform where the Alpha was scheduled to deliver his statement. Jane glanced over and saw Marcus positioned in the middle, his bulk taking up the entire area. His piercing blue eyes peered out over the throng, his dark hair falling just above his shoulders.

Jane's heart faltered as their gazes locked. That was it. He intended to reveal her. He was forced to.

When Marcus cleared his throat, the group became quiet. Jane could not breathe because of the intense excitement in the air.

Marcus said, "I have an important announcement to make regarding the future of our pack tonight," in a deep, powerful voice.

Jane felt her heart quicken. She clenched her fingers into fists, waiting for him to say something more.

"It is my responsibility as Alpha to select a Luna who will stand by my side—someone who is powerful, competent, and deserving of the title." For a split second, his eyes flitted to Jane, and she thought she saw something in them: pity?

Though her heart sunk a little, she ignored the uncertainty. All he was nervous about was that.

Marcus said, "And I've made my decision," in a firm and unambiguous tone. It's time for our pack to advance and strengthen under the leadership of Luna, with my strength and vision matched. I've located my soul mate.

The pack exhaled in unison, breathless with anticipation, but Jane stayed motionless, her heart stuck in her throat. That was it. The following few seconds held the key to her entire future.

"I, Alpha Marcus, decline to be your mate, Jane of the Crescent Moon pack."

The world appeared to come to an end. Jane let out a sharp, ragged gasp, and as his words reverberated in her ears, her vision became blurry.

Her knees trembled, and she briefly believed she may give way. The weight of the rejection bearing down on her like a physical force caused the deafening quiet to fall. She sensed the pack's icy, critical gaze on her.

She had been rejected by Marcus.

No. This was not possible. She was meant to be the one. She was meant to be his partner. This has to be an error.

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her mind was frantic trying to figure out what had occurred, but her body appeared to have shut down and was not accepting reality.

Marcus said, "I deserve a Luna who is strong," in a harsh and unpleasant tone. "Not an Omega who can hardly hold her own, but someone who can lead by my side." Jane is not deserving of the Luna title. I refuse to subject myself to weakness.

A soft chuckle permeated the group. A few cast scornful glances at her, while others hardly gave her a second thought, treating her as though she were nothing.

Jane felt her stomach turn. She thought she would pass out in front of everyone there. She stepped back, her legs barely holding her weight, hands shaking.

This was not true. It is not possible. Mate relationships were sacred. It was not something that was easily discarded.

Marcus demanded, his voice harsh and merciless, "Leave." "This place no longer welcomes you."

Tears began to form in Jane's eyes, clouding her view. She felt as though the mate bond—that profound, innate connection—was being torn apart, splitting her heart in two. Even in her lowest points as an Omega, she had never experienced such anguish. This was intolerable pain that went straight to the soul.

Jane did not say another word, turning and running through the crowd and into the woods with her feet moving automatically. She was followed by the pack's whispers, which sliced through the atmosphere like blades.

"Oddly Omega."

"She genuinely believed she might be Luna?"

"What a farce."

She kept hearing their hurtful remarks, each one more painful than the last. She ran until she could no longer hear the sounds of the pack, and the trees wrapped her entirely. She broke down in tears and went on her knees at that same moment.

She had never experienced anything like the raw, burning aching in her chest, which would not go away. She had been turned down and ignored as if she didn't exist. Even worse, the group witnessed her humiliation. They had seen her fall completely and completely short.

She was now without a future. Not a spot in the group. Nothing.

Her sobbing shook her whole body as her hands clutched at the earth underneath her. How could he subject her to this? How could he turn her down so quickly? She really did think that they were meant to be together. that their relationship was genuine.

However, that wasn't it?

How foolish, how blind she had been. After all, she was only an Omega. It was not her place to even wish to be Luna. That had become brutally obvious from Marcus.

Jane was rescued from her depressing spiral by the sound of approaching footsteps. Tears blurring her vision, she looked up to see a man come out of the trees. Her pulse briefly raced with hope, believing that Marcus could have changed his mind and come to his senses.

It wasn't Marcus, though.

It was Marcus's closest ally and one of the more senior shewolves, Selena. She peered down at Jane from a towering stance, her expression distant and cold.

With a tone full of contempt, Selena remarked, "I figured you'd run off to cry." "Disgusting."

Jane tried to stand, wiping her eyes with the back of her palm, but her legs felt weak, like if they would collapse at any second.

"What brings you here?" Jane asked in a barely audible whisper.

With her arms folded across her chest, Selena answered, "To make sure you leave." "Marcus wants you to stay away from the pack at all. He has made that quite apparent.

Jane winced as though someone had hit her. The words hurt. Marcus would not pursue her, of course. He had turned her down, ignored her. What happened to her now did not concern him.

Jane acknowledged, her voice faltering, "I... I have nowhere to go." "This is my pack."

She peered around the familiar woods that had once been her home, feeling both nervous and unfriendly. Although she was certain that she couldn't stay, she wasn't sure where she would go or what to do.

She turned and walked away without saying anything more, her feet unhurried and deliberate. Selena watched her go, making sure she was permanently out of the area.

Jane's heart still ached from rejection, and every step felt like a burden weighing her down. Now she had nothing. not a family. Not a pack. Not going to happen.

But even in the depths of despair, a tiny, rebellious flame glowed within her. She wasn't broken, even though she was an Omega and might face rejection. Not quite yet.

Jane vanished into the night as the sun finally set, taking with it the only life she had ever known.

And though she didn’t know it yet, this was not the end of her story.

It was only the beginning.