The moment Alpha Adrian Vale walked into the mating hall, every woman in the room seemed to forget how to breathe.

I was one of them.

Not because I dreamed of him the way the other girls did. At least, that was what I told myself. But when the doors opened and Adrian stepped inside, dressed in black with the silver Alpha crest across his chest, my heart did one foolish, painful beat.

Then I remembered who I was.

Rose Carter.

The girl nobody chose.

The girl people whispered about when they thought she could not hear them.

The girl who had spent twenty-three years watching prettier, thinner women receive flowers, compliments, and attention while she stood in the background pretending not to care.

Tonight was supposed to be different.

Tonight, the Moon Goddess would choose our mates.

And I had spent my whole life praying that maybe, just maybe, someone would finally look at me and see more than my body.

The mating hall was packed.

Hundreds of wolves from our pack filled the huge stone room. Silver candles burned along the walls, their flames dancing beneath the enormous moon-shaped windows.

At the center stood the Moon Altar.

White flowers surrounded it, and silver dust covered the floor.

Tonight was the most important night of the year.

The night young wolves discovered their fated mates.

Some people waited years for this moment.

Others feared it.

I had done both.

My hands were cold as I stood beside my stepsister, Mira.

She looked perfect.

Of course she did.

Mira had long brown hair, a tiny waist, flawless skin, and the kind of smile that made men forget what they were saying.

She wore a silver dress that hugged her body perfectly.

I looked down at myself.

My blue dress was simple. I had chosen it because it was comfortable and because Aunt Clara had told me not to wear anything too tight.

“Stop staring at yourself,” Mira whispered.

I looked at her.

“What?”

She smiled without warmth.

“You’re making yourself nervous.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re shaking.”

I quickly lowered my hands.

“I’m just cold.”

Mira gave a soft laugh.

“It isn’t cold.”

I knew what she meant.

She always knew how to make me feel small without saying anything directly.

For years, she had been the beautiful daughter everyone loved.

I had been the unwanted one.

Our parents had never treated us exactly the same, and everyone knew it.

Mira got new dresses.

Mira received praise.

I received advice about losing weight.

Mira could walk into a room and own it.

I could walk into a room and people would wonder why I had come.

Still, tonight I had hope.

Maybe the Moon Goddess did not care about beauty.

Maybe she cared about the heart.

Maybe my mate would be different.

Maybe he would look at me and smile.

Maybe he would take my hand.

Maybe he would tell me that I was beautiful.

I closed my eyes.

Please.

Just once.

Let someone choose me.

A deep bell rang.

The room became silent.

At the front of the hall, Luna Celeste stepped toward the Moon Altar.

She was the oldest priestess in the pack, though she never seemed to age. Her long white robe brushed the floor, and a silver crescent hung around her neck.

She lifted both hands.

“Tonight,” she announced, “the Moon Goddess opens the path between destined souls.”

A murmur passed through the crowd.

My heart beat faster.

Celeste continued.

“No family name matters. No rank matters. No wealth matters. The Moon Goddess sees only the soul.”

I almost smiled.

Those words felt like they had been spoken directly to me.

No rank.

No wealth.

No appearance.

Only the soul.

Maybe I had a chance.

Names were called one after another.

The first pair stepped forward.

A young man from the eastern territory found his mate in a girl from another family.

They cried.

Everyone cheered.

Then another pair.

Then another.

Some people screamed with happiness.

Others cried.

A few walked away looking disappointed.

I waited.

My stomach twisted tighter with every name.

Mira stood beside me, unusually quiet.

Then Celeste looked down at the silver scroll in her hands.

She paused.

Her expression changed.

It was only for a second.

But I saw it.

Her eyes widened.

She looked toward the Alpha’s table.

Then back at the scroll.

My smile disappeared.

“Rose Carter.”

My heart stopped.

The hall went silent.

For one strange second, nobody moved.

Then whispers exploded around me.

“Rose?”

“Did she say Rose Carter?”

“No way.”

I could barely hear them.

Celeste was looking directly at me.

“Come forward, child.”

My legs felt weak.

I walked.

Every step seemed louder than the last.

I could feel people watching me.

Judging me.

Wondering who would be unlucky enough to be matched with me.

I reached the altar.

Celeste placed her hand over mine.

The moment she touched me, a strange warmth rushed through my body.

Then the silver flames around the altar suddenly turned blue.

The entire room gasped.

Celeste pulled her hand away.

Her face had gone pale.

“What happened?” someone whispered.

Celeste stared at me as if she had seen a ghost.

“Rose,” she said quietly, “look at the Alpha table.”

I turned.

Alpha Adrian Vale was already standing.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

No.

It couldn’t be.

Adrian was the strongest Alpha in our region.

Powerful.

Rich.

Feared.

Every unmated woman in the hall had dreamed about him at least once.

And he was staring directly at me.

Our eyes met.

Something strange happened inside me.

A warm pull moved through my chest.

My wolf stirred.

Though she had always been quiet, I suddenly felt her presence.

Mate.

The word echoed inside my head.

I nearly stumbled.

Adrian’s eyes widened.

He had felt it too.

The bond.

The connection.

The invisible thread tying two souls together.

My lips parted.

“Adrian…”

He walked toward me.

The crowd became completely silent.

I could hear my heartbeat.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

With every step he took, my hope grew.

Maybe this was the moment.

Maybe this was why I had waited all these years.

Maybe the Moon Goddess had chosen him because she knew he would see the woman beneath everything.

Adrian stopped in front of me.

He was so close I could feel his warmth.

His dark eyes moved over my face.

For one tiny second, I thought he might smile.

Then his gaze dropped.

His eyes traveled over my body.

Slowly.

My face burned.

The hope inside me began to die.

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

He looked back into my eyes.

There was no tenderness there.

Only disgust.

A whisper moved through the crowd.

“He’s her mate.”

“Alpha Adrian and Rose?”

“That can’t be right.”

Mira stood frozen behind me.

Then I heard her whisper.

“No…”

I looked at Adrian.

“Say something.”

My voice shook.

He didn’t answer.

I forced a small smile.

“Maybe you’re just surprised.”

His face remained cold.

I reached for his hand.

He pulled it away before my fingers could touch him.

The sound of his rejection had not yet come.

But somehow, I already knew.

My chest tightened.

“Adrian…”

He stepped closer.

Everyone watched.

Nobody breathed.

He looked me up and down one final time.

Then his voice cut through the hall.

“I reject you.”

The words struck harder than any physical blow.

Silence.

Then someone gasped.

My heart shattered.

Adrian turned away.

And behind me, I heard Mira laugh.