Luna Mira's Choice

Chapter 1

_Mira's POV_

It was my 18th birthday. Finally, the day I had dreamed of for so long—the day I would get my wolf. The pack house was packed with family, friends, and familiar faces all celebrating. I was practically vibrating with excitement and a nervous kind of energy. When I closed my eyes to make a wish and blew out the candles, all I could think was, "Let this be the start of something magical."

Everyone cheered and clapped. I cut a slice of cake and gave it to my mom first, then my dad. I scanned the room, taking in the warm smiles, the laughter, and the decorations everyone had set up. But then, I noticed something missing. No, not something—someone. Where was Sophia?

It felt strange. Sophia and I might have had our differences now and then, but she was always around during big moments like this. Maybe she had stepped out for air; the room was pretty packed with people. I brushed it off, assuming that she would be back soon.

As more guests came forward to congratulate me, Alpha Roger, the head of our pack, and his wife, Luna Marinette, approached with smiles. “Happy Birthday, Mira,” Alpha Roger said, his voice warm. “Eighteen is a big year.”

I smiled back, thanking them. Their family had always been close with ours, and we all looked up to them. Killian, their son, wasn’t here—likely somewhere with Sophia, who had been dating him for a few months now. I didn’t think too much of it. They were close and seemed to make each other happy.

A few minutes later, though, a strange feeling crept over me. I felt a sudden pull, an urge to leave the room and go upstairs, almost like an instinct. I excused myself and made my way down the hallway, breathing in the cool, fresh air as I walked. The house was quiet here, and it gave me a moment to gather my thoughts.

That’s when I smelled it.

It was the most intoxicating scent I’d ever encountered, warm and earthy, with a hint of something spicy and... familiar. I couldn’t quite place it, but it filled my senses and left me feeling almost lightheaded. The scent pulled me forward, guiding me down the hall to the last room.

What’s going on?

I reached the door, and the smell grew stronger, mingling with something else... sounds. Low, breathy moans, soft gasps. My heart hammered in my chest. I couldn’t ignore the strange feeling gnawing at me, like a sense of dread mixed with curiosity.

Slowly, I turned the doorknob and opened the door a crack. My eyes widened as I took in the scene before me.

Killian was lying on the bed, naked. And there, beside him, was Sophia, her face flushed, her hand intertwined with his.

Time seemed to freeze. My mind couldn’t quite process what I was seeing. I had seen them together countless times, but this.....this was different. It was like a dagger had been driven straight into my heart. The pain was so intense that it nearly brought me to my knees.

Why did it hurt so much?

Just then, Killian looked up, his eyes locking onto mine. The world froze. My mouth opened, and a single word slipped out before I could stop it.

“Mate.”

For a heartbeat, his eyes widened, and I saw the same word forming on his lips, though I couldn’t hear him.

"Mate."

The word hung between us, heavy and electric, like a spark igniting the air.

"No. This can’t be happening."

This was a nightmare. It had to be. My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Killian was Sophia’s boyfriend. There had to be a mistake. The Moon Goddess couldn’t be this cruel.

“Killian?” I whispered, my voice breaking. I took a small, shaky step forward, desperate to understand, to feel anything but this unbearable ache in my chest.

But Killian’s expression shifted. The warmth and recognition vanished, replaced by something cold and hard. He moved, pulling away from Sophia, and a sharp, almost mocking smile twisted his lips.

“Don’t fool yourself, Mira. Do you actually believe that you’re my mate? How pathetic.”

My heart dropped, the hope I didn’t even realize I had been holding onto shattering in an instant. “But... I felt it. You felt it too, didn’t you?” I could barely breathe. Every word was a struggle.

“I don’t want a weakling as my Luna,” he sneered. “I don’t need someone who can’t even look after herself, let alone lead a pack. You’re nothing to me, Mira. Nothing.”

The rejection hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me struggling to breathe, the pain raw and all-consuming. I wanted to scream, to cry, to demand an explanation, but I felt paralyzed, trapped in this nightmare that I couldn’t escape.

My gaze shifted to Sophia, who finally seemed to realize what was happening. Her face was pale, her mouth slightly open as she looked between us, but she said nothing. She just watched as I shattered in front of them.

Without another word, I stumbled back, feeling like I had been torn apart from the inside. I turned and fled down the hallway.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I stumbled, barely catching myself before I collapsed completely. I had thought tonight would be the beginning of a beautiful journey. But instead, it felt like the ground had opened up beneath me, and I was falling into darkness.

All I could hear was Killian’s voice echoing in my mind: “You’re nothing to me, Mira. Nothing.”

I was trying to keep it together, but the pain was too sharp, too raw. I barely noticed Luna Marinette’s gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Mira, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice full of concern.

The room grew quiet. I felt everyone’s eyes on me, watching me cry harder with each second that passed. Luna Marinette tried to wipe away my tears, and Alpha Roger hurried over with tissues, handing them to me with a worried frown. The Alpha, the Luna, my friends, family—everyone was surrounding me, waiting for me to speak, but the words were trapped in my throat.

Then I heard footsteps at the top of the stairs. My heart clenched painfully as I looked up, finding Killian standing there with Sophia, their hands intertwined. The sight of them together was like a knife twisting in my chest, and a low howl of sorrow echoed in my mind—my wolf’s heart was breaking just like mine.