Rejected Luna Faye

Faye - POV I slipped into one of my mom's old dresses, excited about today's special event—the mate-finding ceremony. This was a big day for all the eighteen-year-old she-wolves in our Pack, and I could barely contain my joy. "Sweetie, are you all set? Need a hand with anything?" Mom's voice floated through my room. "Nope, I've got it, Mom," I answered, dabbing on some light pink blush. I gave myself a once-over in the mirror, adjusting my brown waves and fine-tuning my makeup to highlight my blue eyes. A spritz of perfume, and I was ceremony-ready. "I can't wait, Faye! Today's the day we might meet our mate," my inner wolf, Bree, chirped. Her enthusiasm was catching, and I couldn't help but grin. When I finally entered the hallway, my mom's gaze was filled with wonder. "You're radiant, honey," she said, snapping photo after photo. "Mom, that's enough. Mae's probably waiting for me by now," I rushed, eager to get going. "Mae will understand. I want a perfect photo of you. Once you find your mate, who knows? You might leave, and I'll be here, missing you," Mom shared, her tone dipping into melancholy. The loss of my dad last year hit her hard. He was an Omega and Best Healer of the Orion Pack, and life hasn't been the same since his passing. "Mom, don't worry. Our ceremony's just within our Pack. I'm not going anywhere. Plus, my mate will be from our Pack, so I'll always be close by," I assured her, trying to ease her fears. Mom tried to smile, her eyes wet with tears, as I hugged her to comfort her. Dad's illness had cost us a lot, both emotionally and financially. With debts looming, Mom and I were doing everything possible to get out of debt. I'd even applied for a job within our pack, hoping it would help us out of this financial bind. As soon as I stepped out of my home and walked toward the packed arena, I heard, "Hey, loser!" Mae sneered, her attention briefly shifting from her phone. Her expensive satin red gown was stunning, contrasting my attire. I wore my mother's old mating ceremony dress, which, though clean and neat, was evidently out of style. "Remove that lipstick, loser. I warned you against trying to attract Alpha Oscar's attention. He's mine," she spat, her eyes flashing dangerously. My cousin Mae had always been overbearing, flaunting her status over me. Her wealthy father had afforded her every luxury, unlike my family, who has no money and status anymore. "Why are you still standing there? Do as I say, or would you rather show up at the mating ceremony in tattered clothes?" Mae threatened sharply. Reluctantly, I removed my red lipstick, feeling my inner wolf, Bree, seethe with anger. However, she didn't challenge Mae, aware that Mae's beta lineage was superior to ours. I had no option but to acquiesce to Mae like a servant, her every demand overshadowing my excitement for the mating ceremony. All the male wolves, including Alpha Oscar, my childhood friend and current crush, attended the mating ceremony. Over the years, however, our closeness had waned because of my cousin Mae. Amid the crowd, my gaze landed on an exceptionally handsome man standing by Alpha Oscar. His aura was unmistakable as that of an alpha. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the mating ceremony. The mating haze will soon envelop us, and we will find our destined mates," Alpha Oscar announced, introducing his friend, Alpha Atlas of the Red Night Pack, to thunderous applause. "Thank you for the warm welcome, Orion Pack. I'm here to support my friend Oscar. I hope he finds his mate today," Alpha Atlas said with a friendly smile. This elicited whispers among the crowd, with some expressing hope he'd join the mating ceremony, even though only pack members were eligible. As the Pack Priest invoked the Moon Goddess's blessings, the air shifted in our Pack, and the mating haze descended, guiding us into the ceremonial dome. The mate bond pulled us forward. I found myself facing Alpha Oscar, who looked at me with disdain. Mae had failed to secure a mate. The whispers across the crowd and my anxiety tightened my chest. "Mate! Alpha Oscar is ours; kiss him!" Bree urged excitedly in my head. "The daughter of Omega Arnold Cooper, Faye Cooper, is mated to Alpha Oscar," the priest announced, prompting cheers and gasps. Mae's angry gaze promised trouble. "Alpha Oscar, please join hands with Faye Cooper," the priest directed. I reached out hesitantly. "I don't accept Faye Cooper as my mate," Alpha Oscar rejected, his words piercing Bree and me deeply. "Priest, I wish to reject this mate bond," Alpha Oscar stated decisively. "And who would you choose as your Luna if you reject your destined mate, a gift from the Moon Goddess?" the priest inquired. Oscar approached Mae, who beamed with affection. He took her hand and drew her to the center of the arena, leaving me overwhelmed by betrayal and humiliation. "Mae Cooper will become my Luna. She is a strong woman and a remarkable healer, capable of bearing my Heir and taking care of my Pack, unlike Faye Cooper, daughter of Arnold Cooper, who succumbed to an illness he caught while aiding another pack. Unfortunately, Arnold Cooper's wrong actions caused a contagious disease that spread to our Pack, suffering and dying. However, Mae Healing and her father, Griffin, led the money for herbs and medicine to save many people and keep our Pack alive and healthy. Mae captured my heart by saving my only family left, Nicole, who is also under the contagious disease spell and still in a comatose state but alive. Unlike my parents, who died from this widespread disease, Mae demonstrated the true qualities of a Luna. I cannot accept Faye Cooper as my mate. After losing her once-renowned healing abilities, she let many suffer. A she-wolf of her standing does not fit the role of Luna," Alpha Oscar stated, his proclamation resonating through the arena, each word piercing my heart like a sharp blade. Tears streamed down my face. I knew Mae was the best healer currently. I don't know how I lost my healing abilities. Mae is an evil woman who hurt many she-wolves who tried to be close to Alpha Oscar. I am being a victim of her bully, and now she has successfully taken my mate from me. "I reject you, Faye Arnold Cooper, as the future Luna of the Orion Pack," Alpha Oscar announced firmly. I felt a wave of pain, like a knife stabbed in my heart. I couldn't breathe as I fell on my knees, trying to fight back. "Ms. Faye, do you accept this rejection?" the priest inquired. I looked at Alpha Oscar, who held Mae close to him, his hate radiating, and I couldn't stand Mae taking my mate away. "No, I won't," I whispered, getting up and fleeing from the scene, my vision blurred by tears. Transforming into my wolf form, I sprinted to the lake, looking at the full moon and howling in agony into the night. I remained there, unsure of how much time had passed, but upon returning to my human form, I made my way home, only to be greeted by the sight of my house in flames. In desperation, I shouted for assistance, but no one responded. My attempts to extinguish the fire with magic failed. "Mom!" I screamed, the absence of her aura signaling the worst. My mother was gone. Mae approached, her smile twisted with malice, her bodyguards at her side. "Take her to my punishment room. My little cousin Faye needs to be taught a lesson," Mae commanded, and I was dragged away, struggling futilely against their grip. Why was the day supposed to be happy, turning into a nightmare I couldn't have imagined myself in?