The Rejected Male Luna

Chapter 2

MAX'S POV

The excitement in the air charged me up and I couldn't help but pace around in my room counting down the hours till sunset. I had waited for this day for as long as I could remember. Finally, my wolf would be revealed to me in its physical form and I would present as well. My father had gifted me the family necklace that served as a heirloom that was passed down to each head warrior of the pack. Amongst' all my brothers, my father had chosen me and I couldn't help but feel proud and now I was about to present as an alpha. The Moon Goddess had favoured me greatly. I was sharing my presentation with the alpha's daughter, Ruby, which was an honour. I greatly admired her as she was really intelligent,beautiful,kind and down-to-earth. She was someone I had always admired long since I was young and had been my crush for so long. Sadly, apart from pack interactions, we really never interacted. If I

was to get a mate,they would definitely be

someone like her. Call it wishful thinking, but I had always wished to get an opportunity to court her, but with the speculation from everyone, including the elders, that she would be an omega, made any chances I would have had to go with the wind.

Maybe, by a sudden twist of fate, she could be an alpha or a beta. That would sadly increase the number of suitors she would get, but I could put myself out there,better trying and getting rejected than living with asking myself what if? The weight of the necklace around my neck and the bear tooth attached to it was a reminder of the duties that I had to the pack. As a rite of passage for the warrior clan which I belonged to in the pack, the leader would hunt a bear to signify their strength and ability of both their human and wolf forms. The bear's skin would have served as such a perfect courting gift for Ruby. I couldn't help but think. I really needed to get over my feelings for her,she would soon be mated and so would I. No one knew about the big crush I had always had on her, as I had succeeded in hiding it for the longest time. A wolf pining for another. If anyone knew about it I would be the laughing stock of the pack.

I had been so lost in thought that I was startled by the knock at my room that signalled that it was time for me to move to the grounds that housed the festivities. Getting a final look at my appearance, I left our house and the moon lit my way to the clearing where we held our celebrations. The council of elders with the pack's Alpha and Luna sat at the highest table while all the other members were scattered around the rest of the venue, a huge bonfire in the middle of the clearing with two sleeping mats laid adjacent to it where we would transform into our wolves. My parents spotted me from one of the tables and beckoned for me to join them. Feeling all the pack member's eyes on me as I meandered through the bodies, I couldn't help but hold my head high. That was my night. They were here to celebrate me and Ruby, of course. My mother was first to meet me, hugging me warmly while my father gave me a fist bump.

"The ceremony begins in a few minutes,the priest is here and so is Ruby," said my mom and, like a marionette, I craned my neck and tried to find her. Sitting next to her parents was the most beautiful woman I had laid my eyes on. Ruby looked gorgeous,her black hair gleaming in the moonlight, her eyes sparkled while the fire embers danced in her eyes and at the moment she licked her lips my trance broke. "I see her," I quickly responded to my mother before I was caught drooling.

"Silence!We are about to begin.Get to your seats!" the Alphas voice rang across the venue and everyone hurriedly got to their seats while the priest approached the bonfire and began uttering some incantations. Silence spread across the clearing and when the priest finished his prayers he called both me and Ruby to the front. He gestured for us to kneel and began his prayers once again to the Moon Goddess while laying each of his hands on our heads. The night was eerily quiet apart from the fire that crackled once in a while. "The Almighty Goddess, please reveal your blessing to your children before you tonight, for this is the path that you have chosen for them," the priest uttered loudly and the pack members chanted in response, " Show us your blessing". The priest gestured for Ruby to move forward as she would be the first before the presence of the Goddess. Slowly she moved forward and kneeled on her mat while she raised her hands. It was quiet while everyone watched in anticipation, waiting for the first signs of shifting. The cracking of her neck bones followed simultaneously by others while she writhed in pain permeated the night. The first shift was always the most painful, as it was the first time one's body got the experience of shifting.

I wished I could hold her and sooth her, but this was one of those moments that one needed to go through alone. Not even parents were allowed to interfere and everyone just watched as your body convulsed in pain with your cries of pain gracing it. The first signs of her wolf was the white fur that was beginning to form around her legs and the two white ears that were protruding through her hair. Slowly the white fur extended along her body,her silky gown bursting through its seams and finally she stood tall in her wolf form. She howled through the night and the pack bowed in unison. She was an Alpha!Gasps and murmurs spread across the clearing. Only an Alpha's howl could induce submission from all members of a pack. How wrong had we all been? The clear shock on the Alpha's face was evidence enough that no one had expected it. He stood rooted at his spot not moving forward to meet his daughter's wolf. Her mother, on the other hand, had tears cascading down her eyes.

I couldn't help but think of how now she wouldn't need to marry an outsider anymore. I had a chance with her. How lucky could I get? Ruby's parents had already wrapped her in a warm blanket and her father had shifted to bond with his daughter's wolf. The pack link was flooded with so many congratulatory messages and so much joy. I could feel the excitement of wanting me to present as fast as possible so that they could get into the festivities. The priest silenced the pack and gestured for me to move forward and kneel on my mat. Slowly, I did as he instructed and waited for the first wave of pain to hit me. I heard a bone c***k from somewhere followed by excruciating pain hitting me. I could barely pinpoint where the pain originated,my head hurt,my tongue felt heavy,my lungs felt suffocated, I couldn't breathe. This was how dying probably felt like. I can't remember how long it took for the pain to subside. I felt different,more alert, smells sharper and the grass even felt better under my feet. Wait no,my paws!

Purple fur was the first thing that caught my eyes. Why was my wolf purple? There was no history of purple wolves existing. Most wolves were shades of brown,black,golden and a few rare whites like Ruby. Maybe I had an eyesight problem in wolf form. I couldn't rule that out. It had not yet registered to me how quiet everyone was. Raising my eyes, I was met with horrified looks from the pack members,others were shocked, but the one that stood out was the sneer from my father and my mother, who covered her mouth in horror. What was wrong? Why was everyone giving me those looks? Next thing I was howling into the night,a howl that was song like that identified Omegas. It was impossible I was an Omega,male omegas had ceased to exist and the last one had been killed as they were signs of a bad omen.

I looked at the priest hoping he had an answer to my situation, but he had moved several feet away from me clutching at himself in fear. He was the Moon Goddess' vessel. If he had no answers, who did? Looking around at everyone, I suddenly felt alone. The mood was such a contrast to that of Ruby's presentation. A burial would definitely have a better mood than what was in the air.

I locked eyes with Ruby, Mate! I silently uttured.