Lyra Ashen stood at the center of the Silvercrest Pack Hall, her hands trembling so badly she had to clasp them together to stop the shaking.
The hall was beautiful tonight. Too beautiful for what was about to happen.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting warm golden light over rows of polished wooden seats. The scent of fresh pine and moonflower filled the air, mixing with the subtle hum of wolf energy that always surrounded large gatherings. Every member of the Silvercrest Pack was present — warriors, elders, healers, even young pups sitting quietly beside their parents.
All of them had come for one reason.
Her.
The mate bond ceremony.
Lyra swallowed and forced herself to breathe. She had dreamed of this moment since she was sixteen. Every omega did. The night when the Moon Goddess would reveal your fated partner, the person your soul was tied to forever.
For most wolves, it was the happiest night of their lives.
For Lyra, it already felt like a funeral.
She stood alone on the circular platform, dressed in a simple white gown that hugged her slender frame. The fabric was soft, almost glowing under the moonlight pouring in through the tall glass windows. Her long dark hair fell down her back in loose waves, untouched by jewels or ornaments. Omegas were not meant to outshine alphas, after all.
Not that she ever wanted to.
She just wanted to belong.
Across the hall, standing near the throne-like chair at the front, was Alpha Kael Blackthorn.
He was everything Lyra was not.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a black tailored suit that clung to his powerful build. His dark hair was neatly styled, his sharp jaw set in a permanent expression of control. The mark of the Supreme Alpha glowed faintly on his wrist, a symbol of authority that made even other alphas bow their heads.
Kael ruled not just Silvercrest, but three surrounding territories.
And he was her mate.
The bond had awakened three months ago.
Lyra remembered the exact moment.
She had been working at the pack clinic, organizing medical files, when a sudden burning sensation spread through her chest. Her knees had nearly buckled. The world had gone quiet, and in that silence, she had felt him.
Strong. Cold. Distant.
Alpha Kael Blackthorn.
She had cried that night. Not from fear — but from disbelief.
An omega. Chosen by the strongest alpha alive.
The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake.
The elders had confirmed it anyway. The bond was real. Unbreakable. Fated.
But Kael had never once come to see her.
Not a single message. Not a glance. Not even acknowledgment.
Tonight was the first time they had stood in the same room since the bond awakened.
Lyra lifted her eyes slowly, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
Kael was looking at her.
Or rather… through her.
His expression was unreadable, his gaze cold and distant, as if she were a stranger instead of the woman tied to his soul.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Poor thing…"
"An omega with the Supreme Alpha? That's impossible."
"He'll never accept her."
Lyra clenched her fists.
She had prepared herself for whispers. For judgment. For doubt.
What she hadn't prepared for was the silence from him.
The Head Elder stepped forward, his silver hair glowing under the moonlight.
"Tonight," he announced, his voice echoing through the hall, "we gather to witness the sacred revelation of the Moon Goddess. Alpha Kael Blackthorn, step forward."
Kael moved with calm confidence, his footsteps steady as he approached the platform. The hall seemed to hold its breath.
"Lyra Ashen," the elder continued gently, "do you accept the mate bond bestowed upon you?"
Lyra didn't hesitate.
"I do."
Her voice was soft but clear.
All eyes turned to Kael.
The air shifted. The bond between them pulsed, alive and aching, pulling at Lyra's chest like a living thing.
She waited.
One second.
Two.
Kael's jaw tightened.
Then he spoke.
"I reject it."
The words fell like a blade through the room.
Gasps erupted. Shocked murmurs turned into loud whispers. Someone dropped a glass in the back of the hall, the sound shattering the silence.
Lyra felt the world tilt.
Her heart didn't break.
It collapsed.
"I… what?" the elder stammered.
"I reject the mate bond," Kael repeated, louder this time. "An omega cannot stand beside me as Luna. I need a partner who can strengthen my bloodline, not weaken it."
The bond screamed inside Lyra's chest.
It felt like being burned alive from the inside out.
Kael turned to her for the first time, truly looking at her — not with hatred, not with cruelty… but with complete indifference.
"This was a mistake of the Moon Goddess," he said coldly. "I will not accept it."
Lyra's knees gave way.
She would have fallen if the elder hadn't caught her arm.
The hall was chaos now.
"How can he reject a fated mate?"
"That's forbidden!"
"She'll die from the bond shock!"
Lyra couldn't hear them anymore.
All she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat, breaking apart piece by piece.
Kael had already turned away.
As if she never existed.
The elder's voice trembled as he spoke again. "Alpha Kael… you know the consequences. The rejected mate must leave the pack. The bond will fade, but the damage—"
"I'm aware," Kael said calmly. "Do what must be done."
Lyra looked up at him, her vision blurred with tears.
"Did I… do something wrong?" she whispered.
For a brief moment, something flickered in Kael's eyes.
Then it vanished.
"No," he said. "You were simply never meant for me."
That was worse than any insult.
Two guards approached her gently.
"Lyra Ashen," the elder said sadly, "by the laws of the pack… you are banished from Silvercrest effective immediately."
Banished.
No home.
No pack.
No mate.
Lyra allowed the guards to lead her away, her body numb, her soul shattered.
As the massive doors closed behind her, the cold night air hit her skin.
She looked up at the moon one last time.
And whispered,
"I will never beg for love again."