Chapter 1: The Pack’s Outcast

The scent of antiseptic and fresh herbs filled the small infirmary as Selene tied a bandage around a young warrior’s arm. The gash was deep, but she worked quickly, her fingers moving with practiced ease. The boy, no older than sixteen, winced but didn’t complain. He wouldn’t. No one in the Silverfang Pack wanted to show weakness, not even to an Omega like her.

"You're lucky it didn’t cut deeper," Selene murmured, securing the bandage.

He nodded stiffly, avoiding her gaze. "Thanks, doctor." His voice lacked warmth, more of a forced politeness than true gratitude. Without another word, he slid off the cot and hurried out the door.

Selene sighed, rolling her shoulders to ease the tension that had settled there. It had been a long night, tending to the wounded after a brutal training session. Omegas weren’t meant to be doctors, but no one else wanted the job. So they left it to her—the outcast, the unwanted, the one they barely acknowledged.

She glanced at her reflection in the small mirror above the sink. Pale silver eyes stared back at her, framed by long, raven-black hair that fell past her shoulders. She didn’t look weak, yet that’s what the pack saw. An Omega. A burden. Someone beneath them.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Selene!" A familiar, saccharine voice called out.

Her stomach twisted. Lilith.

She turned just in time to see Lilith step inside, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders in perfect waves, her bright blue eyes gleaming with amusement. Lilith was beautiful—flawless, even. But Selene knew better than to be fooled by that sweet smile.

"Working hard as always," Lilith cooed, her eyes flicking over the empty infirmary. "It’s so admirable, really. How you keep yourself busy, even when no one truly appreciates it."

Selene clenched her jaw. "Did you need something?"

Lilith laughed lightly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Oh, don’t be like that. I came to check on you, like a good friend should."

Friend. That was a lie. Lilith had never been her friend, just someone who enjoyed playing games at Selene’s expense. And yet, Selene forced herself to remain calm.

"I’m fine," she said coolly.

Lilith stepped closer, a smirk playing on her lips. "You know, the Alpha King is visiting our pack tomorrow."

Selene stiffened. The Alpha King. Darius.

She had never met him before, but she had heard the stories. Ruthless. Powerful. The strongest Alpha in generations. And now, he was coming to Silverfang.

Lilith leaned in, lowering her voice. "Wouldn’t it be something if he found his mate here?"

Selene swallowed hard. Every wolf dreamed of meeting their fated mate, of forming an unbreakable bond. But for an Omega like her? It seemed impossible.

Lilith giggled, stepping back. "Oh well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. After all, what Alpha King would ever want an Omega?"

With that final jab, she turned on her heel and strode out, leaving Selene alone with her thoughts.

She should be used to this by now. The rejection. The loneliness. The endless feeling of being less.

But as she gazed out the window at the rising moon, a whisper of defiance stirred in her chest.

Maybe fate had something more in store for her.

Maybe she was meant for more.

Chapter 2: The Cruel Deception

The Silverfang Pack's grand courtyard was alive with excitement. Torches burned brightly against the stone walls, their flickering light casting long shadows over the gathered wolves. The air buzzed with tension as warriors stood in stiff formation, their armor polished to perfection. High-ranking pack members whispered amongst themselves, exchanging hopeful glances.

Tonight was a night of destiny.

Selene stood at the far edge of the gathering, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She had no rightful place among the elite, no reason to be at the center of attention. Yet, something deep inside her refused to move away. She couldn't shake the feeling that this night would change everything.

The moment the first tendrils of power swept over the pack grounds, silence fell.

It was unlike anything she had ever felt before—raw dominance, thick and suffocating, sending shivers down her spine. Every wolf instinctively bowed their heads, their bodies submitting to the overwhelming force of an Alpha unlike any other.

The Alpha King had arrived.

Selene’s breath hitched as she caught sight of him. Emerging from the darkness atop his massive black wolf, Darius radiated power. His beast was larger than any wolf she had ever seen, its thick fur shimmering under the moonlight like obsidian steel. But it was his eyes that captivated her—golden, sharp, filled with something ancient and untamed.

He shifted in a fluid motion, his human form just as commanding. Tall and broad-shouldered, his muscles rippled beneath the dark tunic that clung to him. A strong jawline, high cheekbones, and tousled raven-black hair only made him more devastatingly striking.

But what sent her pulse into chaos was the sudden, undeniable pull in her chest.

A scent—intoxicating, deep, familiar yet foreign—wrapped around her like a whisper of fate. Her heart pounded so hard she swore the wolves around her could hear it.

Mate.

Her wolf stirred violently inside her, howling in recognition.

Darius inhaled sharply, his sharp gaze sweeping across the gathered wolves. For a fleeting second, his golden eyes locked onto hers. The world around them blurred, fading into the background.

His pupils dilated. His fingers twitched.

He felt it too.

Selene took a trembling step forward, her entire being drawn toward him as if by an invisible force. This was it. The moment she had never dared to hope for. The Moon Goddess had chosen her—an Omega—as the mate of the most powerful Alpha in existence.

But just as she opened her mouth to speak, a presence sliced through the moment like a blade.

"Lilith," someone whispered.

Selene turned, confusion twisting in her gut.

Lilith was moving.

Dressed in a crimson gown that draped elegantly over her curves, she glided forward with calculated grace, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like molten sunlight. There was something strange about her movement, something almost rehearsed.

Selene frowned, the hairs on the back of her neck rising.

Then, in a moment that shattered her world, Darius’s gaze snapped to Lilith—and everything changed.

His golden eyes darkened with raw possessiveness, his jaw tightening. The shift in his expression was subtle but unmistakable.

He inhaled again, his shoulders tensing, his entire body drawn toward her.

And then, in a voice that sealed Selene’s fate, he spoke.

"Mate."

The word was final. Absolute.

Selene’s vision swam.

No.

No, this wasn’t right.

A chorus of gasps erupted through the courtyard as the pack erupted in celebration. The Alpha King had found his Luna.

Selene’s breath hitched as she watched Lilith lower her gaze in perfect submission, tilting her head to expose her neck. It was an instinctive gesture—a wolf accepting the bond.

A cruel smile played at the edges of Lilith’s lips as Darius stepped forward, his fingers brushing over her jaw.

Selene swayed on her feet, a cold fist closing around her heart.

How?

She still felt the bond. Still felt the undeniable connection thrumming between herself and the Alpha King.

It should be her.

It was supposed to be her.

Then, like a strike of lightning, the realization hit her.

Lilith had done something.

Selene’s mind raced through every lesson, every ancient text she had studied in the infirmary. She had read about rare, forbidden potions—ones that could mask a wolf’s true scent and make another wolf believe they were mates. Such magic was dangerous, outlawed by the Elders long ago.

Lilith had stolen her scent.

The air around Selene grew suffocating, the first tendrils of rejection settling into her chest. A sharp, gut-wrenching pain tore through her ribs, as if an invisible blade was carving into her soul.

Her mate—her mate—had chosen another.

Darius’s gaze never once returned to her. His golden eyes were locked on Lilith, the bond pulling him in the wrong direction. A bond that should have been hers.

Selene’s fingers trembled at her sides. She felt sick.

Lilith turned slightly, just enough for her gaze to meet Selene’s.

And in those icy blue depths, Selene saw it—the truth.

Lilith knew exactly what she had done.

And she was reveling in it.

A slow, taunting smile curled on her lips, barely noticeable to anyone else. But Selene saw it. She felt it like a dagger buried deep in her chest.

Lilith had taken everything from her.

Selene’s wolf thrashed inside her, clawing at her ribs, desperate to correct the wrong, desperate to claim what was hers.

But it was too late.

Darius had made his choice—one he didn’t even realize wasn’t his to make.

The sound of cheers and applause blurred into nothing as Selene took a staggering step back, her vision tunneling. The pain was unbearable, but she refused to let them see her break.

Not here. Not now.

Lilith had won.

But as Selene turned and disappeared into the shadows, one thought burned in her mind.

This was not over.

Chapter 3: The Night of Betrayal

The moon hung high above Silverfang Pack's massive stone castle, its pale light filtering through the tall windows of the great hall. Inside, the atmosphere was electric, the air thick with excitement and the scent of anticipation. The pack members, all dressed in their finest, gathered in circles, whispering eagerly about the arrival of the Alpha King and his new Luna. The celebration was grand, as it should be for the pack's most powerful Alpha.

But for Selene, the night had turned to a nightmare.

She stood at the back of the hall, as far away from the center of attention as possible. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall. She couldn’t. Not here, not in front of them. Not when she was already a broken shell of herself.

The Alpha King, Darius, stood beside Lilith, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist. Lilith beamed, a false aura of warmth radiating from her as she basked in the glory of her stolen position. She was everything an Alpha’s mate should be—beautiful, poised, and adored. And she had stolen Selene’s birthright.

The pain of the rejection still clawed at Selene’s heart, but it wasn’t just the bond that had been ripped away—it was the humiliation. She had watched the pack’s reaction with sinking horror. No one had questioned Darius's choice, no one had dared to glance at Selene as if she mattered. She was a forgotten shadow in her own pack.

Lilith laughed brightly, her voice high and melodic as she spoke with Darius. The sound of her laughter rang in Selene's ears like a cruel mockery.

"Selene," a voice called out, cutting through the din of conversation. Selene turned to find Lilith’s smug smile awaiting her, her blue eyes flashing with cruel delight.

Darius’s attention was drawn to Lilith, but Selene could feel his eyes flicker over to her once more, a brief moment of confusion in his gaze. He didn't know why it felt wrong, why something inside him screamed that he was making a mistake. He looked away too quickly, the bond still clouding his judgment.

"Why don't you come closer, Selene?" Lilith said, her tone dripping with condescension. "It’s such a pity that you weren’t invited to join us at the front of the hall. You must be lonely all the way back here, watching your Alpha mate with someone else."

The words stung like a thousand needles, but Selene didn't flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin, holding her ground. "I’m fine where I am," she replied, her voice cold but steady.

Lilith's smile widened, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing. "Oh, I’m sure you are. After all, a discarded Omega has little reason to concern herself with the affairs of the pack, does she?"

A wave of laughter rippled through the crowd at Lilith’s words, some of the pack members openly sneering in Selene’s direction. Their eyes were filled with judgment and pity—pity for the broken Omega who could never be the Alpha's mate.

But Selene wasn’t broken. Not yet.

A deep, dark part of her wanted to scream. To expose Lilith’s treachery for all to see, to claw her way to the front of the hall and demand Darius’s attention. But she knew it wouldn’t matter. Not now. Lilith had already sealed her place beside the Alpha King. And Selene? She was just an afterthought, a discarded pawn in a game she hadn’t even been invited to play.

"Please, don’t be shy," Lilith continued, her voice sweet as sugar. "Come closer. See what it’s like to stand next to the Alpha King. To be his Luna. To feel the power you’ll never have."

The humiliation burned in Selene’s chest, but she swallowed it down. She refused to let Lilith see how much her words had cut, how much her laughter had stung. Instead, she stood tall, even as the weight of her pack’s scorn pressed down on her like a thousand stones.

"You're pathetic," Lilith whispered harshly, just loud enough for Selene to hear. "I never even wanted you near him. But I took your place without a second thought. You’re nothing."

The venom in Lilith’s voice made Selene’s blood run cold. But there was something else in her words—something darker. Something that whispered of envy, of insecurity masked by cruelty.

"You think you’ve won?" Selene said softly, her words a deliberate challenge.

Lilith’s eyes narrowed, her smile faltering for a fraction of a second. "What are you talking about?" she scoffed, but her voice had lost its confidence.

"I’m not finished," Selene said, the words escaping before she could stop them. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm. Determined.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Selene felt the faintest stir of something inside her. Not just pain, not just despair—but something far more dangerous: determination.

As Lilith turned away with a haughty laugh, Selene let the spark grow, pushing back the overwhelming sadness that had nearly drowned her in the days following her rejection. It wasn’t over. Not yet.

Darius didn’t know what he had lost. Not yet.

The realization was clear now—Lilith had stolen her scent, yes, but it was more than that. She had stolen her mate. Her future. But the Moon Goddess had not given up on her. The bond may have been clouded, but it wasn’t gone.

A quiet resolve settled in her chest, steadying her breath.

"Not yet," Selene repeated softly under her breath, her eyes hardening as she turned away from the festivities.

She would reclaim her power. She would return stronger than ever.

The night was far from over.