CHAPTER 1

~ NOVA ~

I stare at the girl in front of me... She's built differently, eyes that are supposed to be sparkling and rosy? Yeah, they're dim. Lifeless. Human-like. I blink. She blinks back.

Cheer up, Nova. Cheer up.

Today is actually different from every other godforsaken day, and I'm hoping it's going to be the most exciting day of my life. I'm no longer going to be that girl everyone whispers about. The "wolfless wonder." After tonight, all that ridiculous gossip is finally going to die down, and I'll reclaim my spot in this pack.

"Are you planning on staring at yourself forever? We're going to miss the entire event if you don't move your ass," Candace calls from behind me.

I glance back. She's already dressed in this gorgeous long blue gown, hair twisted into a perfect bun, and, by the moon goddess, she looks exactly like the Disney princess we've been dreaming about becoming since we were kids. She's got her target locked in. She's hoping to get mated with Beta Kane... and me?

I've got my sights set on our Alpha. My best friend of eight years. Damien.

I feel my cheeks heat up just thinking about his words, his promises. "I can't wait for you to turn nineteen, Nova... Mate or not... I'm going to choose you as my chosen mate... I feel it... Nova."

He'd said that three months ago, his hand cupping my face, thumb brushing across my cheekbone. And now, I'm nineteen. Finally.

"Earth to Nova?" Candace fingers snap in front of my face. "Girl, you're doing that dreamy thing again. The one where you zone out thinking about Damien and get all soft and gooey."

"I do not get soft and gooey," I protest, turning away from the mirror to face her fully.

She raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You literally just sighed. Like a heroine in a romance novel."

"Did not."

"Did too."

I roll my eyes and grab my dress from the bed, a deep emerald green that Damien once said made my eyes look "like actual magic." His words, not mine. Though I'll admit, when I slip it on and check myself in the mirror one last time, I don't look half bad. The color brings out the amber flecks in my otherwise dull eyes, and the fitted bodice actually gives me some semblance of curves.

"You look hot," Candace says, grinning.

"Damien's going to lose his mind."

"You think?" I hate how hopeful I sound.

"Nova." She walks over and places both hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eye. "That man has been obsessed with you since we were eleven. He's not going to suddenly change his mind just because you don't have a wolf yet."

Yet. There's still a chance, right? Some wolves are late bloomers. Maybe mine is just taking her sweet time, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge.

Maybe tonight.

"Come on," Candace says, linking her arm through mine. "Let's go make some men fall to their knees."

**

The pack gathering is being held in the clearing behind the main house, a massive open space surrounded by ancient trees that have witnessed decades of ceremonies just like this one. Lanterns hang from the branches, casting everything in warm, golden light. There's a bonfire already roaring in the center, and pack members are scattered everywhere, dressed in their finest, talking and laughing like this is just another party.

Tonight is the Harvest Moon Gathering, one of the most important ceremonies of the year. It's when newly-of-age wolves are officially recognized, when fated mates find each other, when pack bonds are strengthened.

"Oh by the goddess, there's Kane," Candace whispers, her grip on my arm tightening. "Do I look okay? Is my hair weird? Should I have worn the red dress instead?"

"You look perfect," I assure her, even though I'm barely paying attention. My eyes are scanning the crowd, searching for one person.

There.

Damien stands near the bonfire, tall and commanding in all black. His dark hair is pushed back, and even from here I can see the strong line of his jaw, the broad set of his shoulders. He's talking to his father, Alpha Marcus, but his posture is tense.

Distracted as though he's waiting for something. Or someone. My heart does this stupid fluttery thing in my chest.

"Go," Candace says, giving me a gentle push. "I'll catch up with you later. I've got a Beta to seduce."

I watch her sashay off toward Kane, who immediately notices her and grins. Lucky bitch. She makes this stuff look so easy.

I take a deep breath and start making my way toward Damien, walking through clusters of pack members. A few people glance at me, some curious, some pitying, some openly judgmental. I keep my head high. After tonight, they'll have nothing to whisper about.

I'm about ten feet away when Damien turns, like he can sense me approaching. Our eyes meet, and for a second, everything else fades away. He smiles, that slow, private smile he reserves just for me, and I swear my knees almost give out.

But then his expression changes. The smile falters. His eyes move past me, focusing on something behind me, and I watch in real-time as his entire face transforms into something I've never seen before.

Awe. Wonder. Longing. Ice floods my veins.

I turn slowly, following his gaze, and that's when I see her.

She's walking into the clearing like she's walking into her own personal spotlight. Long, flowing auburn hair that catches the firelight. Flawless golden skin. A white dress that hugs every curve and makes her look like some kind of ethereal goddess. And her eyes, bright, vivid green, practically glowing with inner wolf.

She's beautiful. She's everything I'm not.

And Damien is staring at her like she's the only person in the entire world.

"No," I whisper. "No, no, no..."

But the universe doesn't care about my panic. The girl, the woman, makes her way through the crowd, and people part for her automatically, drawn in by whatever supernatural magnetism she's radiating. She walks straight toward Damien, and he moves toward her like he's being pulled by an invisible string.

They meet in the middle. I can't hear what they're saying. I'm too far away, and there's too much noise around me. But I don't need to hear.

I can see it in the way he looks at her. The way she tilts her head and smiles. The way his hand reaches out, almost involuntarily, to touch her arm.

The way they both freeze at the contact, eyes widening. Mate bond.

Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess, oh Goddess, oh Goddess .

"Attention, everyone!" Alpha Marcus's voice booms across the clearing, and the crowd falls silent. He's standing on the raised platform near the bonfire, looking pleased about something.

"I have a very special announcement to make tonight."

No. Please, no.

Damien and the mystery woman walk toward the platform together. He helps her up the steps, his hand on the small of her back, and I feel something crack inside my chest.

"As many of you know," Marcus continues, "my son Damien has been searching for his fated mate for some time now. And tonight, the Moon Goddess has blessed us." He gestures to the woman beside Damien. "This is Seraphina Ashwood, daughter of Alpha Ashwood from the Northern Territory. And she is Damien's true mate."

The crowd erupts in cheers and applause. I can't breathe.

Damien takes Seraphina's hand, raising it for everyone to see, and the smile on his face is so radiant, so genuinely happy, that I want to scream.

"There's one more thing," Damien says, his voice carrying across the clearing. He's still holding Seraphina's hand, still looking at her like she hung the moon. But then his eyes find me in the crowd, and something flickers there. Guilt? Regret?

It doesn't matter.

"Nova," he says, and suddenly every single person is turning to look at me. "Nova Sinclair, please come forward."

My legs move on autopilot. I don't remember walking to the platform, don't remember climbing the steps, but suddenly I'm standing there in front of everyone, and Damien is looking down at me with those eyes I've loved for eight years.

"Nova and I have been friends for a long time," he says, addressing the pack but keeping his gaze on me. "And I made her certain... promises. Promises I fully intended to keep."

Intended. Past tense.

"But the Moon Goddess has other plans," he continues. "And I have to honor the bond She's given me. I have to honor my true mate."

The world tilts sideways.

"So I, Damien Cross, future Alpha of the Silvercrest Pack, hereby reject you, Nova Sinclair, as my chosen mate. I'm sorry."

The words hit me like physical blows. Each one landing with precision, cracking something fundamental inside me.

I'm sorry.

Two words. That's all he offers after eight years of friendship. After all those promises. After making me believe I was worth choosing.

The crowd is silent now, watching. Waiting for my reaction. I can feel their eyes on me, pitying, curious, some even satisfied. This is what they've been waiting for, isn't it? Confirmation that the wolfless girl never stood a chance.

I should say something. Accept the rejection gracefully. Walk away with whatever dignity I have left.

But when I open my mouth, nothing comes out. My throat is too tight, my chest too constricted. I just stand there, staring at Damien, at the boy I've loved since I was eleven years old, and watch as he turns back to his beautiful, perfect, wolf-blessed mate.

Seraphina leans into him, whispers something that makes him smile, and that's it.

That's the moment I shatter completely.

I don't remember leaving the platform. Don't remember pushing through the crowd or stumbling into the forest beyond the clearing. I just run, my stupid emerald dress catching on branches, tears streaming down my face, until my legs give out and I collapse against a tree.

The sobs come then, ugly, desperate, broken sounds that tear from my throat.

He rejected me. In front of everyone. After everything, he just... let me go.

"Cheer up, Nova," I whisper bitterly to myself, echoing my earlier pep talk. "Today's going to be the most exciting day of your life."

Yeah. Exciting. That's one word for having your heart ripped out and stomped on in front of your entire pack.

I don't know how long I sit there, crying in the dark. Long enough for the sounds of the gathering to fade to distant music and laughter. Long enough for the cold to seep into my bones.

Long enough to realize that everything I thought I knew, everything I hoped for, was built on lies and broken promises.

I can't even blame him. Not really. Because in our world, fated mates are everything. They're sacred and undeniable.

I'm just the wolfless girl who was stupid enough to believe she could compete with destiny.

~ NOVA ~

It's been a week since Damien rejected me in front of everyone, and hell yeah, I've become the pack's favorite entertainment. At work, I get openly ridiculed.

"Poor thing. She really thought the Alpha would choose her."

"I mean, what did she expect? A wolfless nobody?"

"At least she knows her place now."

And the laughter. Oh, the laughter. Open, mocking, and cruel. Every single time, I feel like the ground should just open up and swallow me whole. For the sake of the Moon Goddess, I can't even breathe without someone turning it into a joke.

I still can't face Damien, not that he's made it easy to avoid him, he's tried to reach out twice since his spectacular public humiliation of me. Twice. Does he actually thinks that two half-assed attempts at an apology are supposed to fix eight years of friendship and a shattered heart.

Fuck him sideways.

Meanwhile, Candace got her fairy tale ending. Her mate turned out to be Beta Kane, exactly like she'd hoped. They're happy together.

Today is Damien and that girl's wedding. I don't give two flying fucks about her name. Seraphina, Serenity, Sabrina, whatever. She's just "the girl who stole my life" in my head, and that's how she's staying.

They didn't have the wedding immediately after the rejection because they wanted to do it "properly." Translation: they wanted to invite several Alphas from different packs since it's a union between two territories which is considered a political power move.

I should skip it. I want to skip it. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to stay home, hide under my covers, and pretend this day doesn't exist.

But I can't. Because as much as I hate it, I owe the Cross family everything.

Backstory, since my life is apparently a tragic novel: My parents died when I was seven. They were part of Alpha Marcus's personal guard, and they died protecting him and his family during a rogue attack on pack lands. I still remember that night, the ruin, the screaming, my mother's last words telling me to run and hide.

They were heroes. And because of their sacrifice, Alpha Marcus took me in. Raised me alongside Damien like I was his own daughter. Gave me a home, an education, a place in the pack when I could've been shipped off to some distant relative or worse.

So yeah, I owe them. Which is why, despite every instinct telling me to run far, far away, I'm getting dressed for this godforsaken wedding.

"You don't have to go," Candace says from my doorway. She's already dressed in a pale pink dress that makes her look like springtime personified.

"Nobody would blame you."

"Everybody would blame me," I correct, pulling my hair into a simple braid.

"They'd say I was bitter. Jealous. That I couldn't handle seeing Damien happy."

"You are bitter and jealous."

"Yeah, but they don't don't have to see right through me..." I turn to face her, smoothing down my navy blue dress.

"Besides, I owe Alpha Marcus. He took me in when my parents died. The least I can do is show up and pretend to be happy for his son."

Candace's expression softens. "Nova..."

"Don't." I hold up a hand. "If you're nice to me right now, I'm going to cry, and I've already done my makeup twice."

She sighs but doesn't push. "Okay. But I'm sitting next to you, and if anyone says anything, I'm going to accidentally spill wine on them."

I smile. "You're a good friend."

"The best," she agrees, linking her arm through mine. "Now let's go watch your ex-best-friend make the biggest mistake of his life."

I appreciate the loyalty, even if we both know it's a lie. Damien isn't making a mistake. He's following his destiny. And I'm just... collateral damage.

The wedding is being held in the grand clearing, the same place where I was publicly rejected a week ago. Because apparently, the universe has a sick sense of humor.

The space has been transformed. White flowers everywhere, silk drapes hanging from the trees, chairs arranged in perfect rows facing an elaborate altar. It's beautiful. Magical, even.

I hate every inch of it.

"Nova! Candace!" someone calls, and we turn to see a group of pack members waving us over. I recognize them from work, Sarah, Michelle, and Todd. They're friendly enough, usually.

"Hey," I say carefully as we approach.

"Can you believe this turnout?" Sarah gushing, gesturing at the growing crowd. "There must be over three hundred people here. I heard the Nightshade Pack Alpha came, and the Crimson Moon Pack, and even some foreign dignitaries."

"It's quite the event," I manage.

Michelle leans in conspiratorially. "I heard Seraphina's dress cost more than my car. Imported from some exclusive designer in Europe."

"Of course it did," I mutter.

Todd either doesn't hear me or chooses to ignore it. "You're being really mature about this, Nova. I mean, after what happened..." He trails off, wincing.

"After I got publicly rejected and humiliated?" I supply helpfully. "Yeah, I'm a real trooper."

Awkward silence.

"We should find our seats," Candace says brightly, tugging on my arm. "Come on, Nova."

As we walk away, I hear Michelle whisper, "By the goddess, that was awkward. Do you think she's okay?"

"Would you be okay?" Sarah whispers back.

"Poor thing. She must feel so pathetic."

I keep walking, chin up, refusing to let them see how their words land like arrows in my chest.

Pathetic. Yeah. That's exactly how I feel.

We find seats toward the middle, close enough that leaving early would be noticed, far enough that I don't have to watch every excruciating detail. The chairs fill up quickly, pack members filing in with excited chatter. I spot several Alphas I don't recognize.

"That's Alpha Ashwood," Candace murmurs, nodding toward a tall, imposing man with silver-streaked hair. "Seraphina's father. He looks terrifying."

"Probably planning how to take over our territory through this alliance," I say darkly.

"Nova..."

"What? I'm allowed to be cynical."

The music starts before Candace can respond, a soft, melodic tune that signals the ceremony is about to begin. Everyone stands, turning toward the makeshift aisle.

I spot Damien. He's standing at the altar in a black suit, looking every inch the Alpha he was born to be. His dark hair is perfectly styled, his posture confident and strong. He's smiling, that same radiant smile from the night he met Seraphina.

He looks happy. The realization hits me like a physical blow. He's actually, genuinely happy. This isn't duty or obligation. He wants this.

I think I'm going to be sick.

The music swells, and Seraphina appears at the end of the aisle. She's a vision in white, her dress is indeed spectacular, all lace and crystals and flowing fabric that catches the light. Her auburn hair is swept up in an elegant style, and even from here, I can see her green eyes glowing with wolf and joy.

She's perfect. She's everything I'll never be.

I watch as she walks down the aisle, her father at her side. Watch as Damien's face lights up even more when he sees her. Watch as they meet at the altar and he takes her hands like she's so fucking precious, and I never fucking meant anything to him.

"I can't do this," I whisper.

"Yes, you can," Candace whispers back, gripping my hand. "You're the strongest person I know, Nova. You can do this."

But I'm not strong. I'm breaking apart, piece by piece, and everyone here gets to watch.

The officiant begins speaking, but I don't hear the words. I'm too focused on not crying, on keeping my expression neutral, on surviving the next hour without completely falling apart.

"If anyone objects to this union," the officiant says, and my heart stops for a second.

Say something, a desperate part of me screams. Stand up. Tell him he promised you. Remind him of everything you've been through together.

But I don't. Because what would be the point? You can't fight a fated mate bond. You can't compete with destiny.

I sit silently watching the boy I've loved for eight years pledge his life to someone else.

"I now pronounce you mates, bonded before the Moon Goddess and this pack," the officiant declares. "You may kiss your mate."

Damien pulls Seraphina close and kisses her, and the crowd erupts in cheers and applause.

I clap mechanically, my hands moving on autopilot, while inside I'm screaming.

"It's almost over," Candace murmurs. "You're doing great."

But it's not almost over. Now comes the reception. The dancing. The speeches. Hours more of watching Damien and Seraphina be blissfully happy while I sit here and wonder if I'll ever be worthy of love.

The ceremony ends, and people start moving toward the reception area, a massive tent set up with tables, a dance floor, and enough food to feed an army. I follow the crowd numbly, Candace stuck to my side like glue.

"Nova."

I freeze. I know that voice.

I turn slowly, and there's Damien, still hand-in-hand with his new wife, looking at me with something that might be concern.

"I'm glad you came," he says. "It means a lot. To both of us."

Seraphina smiles at me, a genuine, warm smile that makes me hate her even more because I can't even pretend she's a terrible person.

"Nova, right? Damien's told me so much about you. I hope we can be friends."

Friends. I want to laugh. I want to scream. Instead, I smile, a plastic, perfect smile that probably doesn't reach my eyes.

"Congratulations," I say, my voice surprisingly steady. "I hope you'll be very happy together."

"Thank you," Damien says, and there's relief in his eyes. Like he was worried I'd make a scene.

"That really means..."

"If you'll excuse me," I interrupt, "I need some air."

I don't wait for a response. I turn and walk away, ignoring Damien calling my name, ignoring the curious stares, ignoring everything except the need to get away from this nightmare.

I make it to the edge of the tent before the first tear falls.

Pathetic, I think again. They're right. I'm absolutely pathetic.

I'm so focused on not breaking down completely that I don't see the person in front of me until I crash directly into them.

"Shit... sorry, I didn't..."

Strong hands steady me, and I look up, ready to apologize again, but the words die in my throat.

The man in front of me is... I don't even have words. Tall, easily 6'4", with broad shoulders and a powerful build that screams predator.

Dark hair, sharp jawline, and eyes that are the most intense shade of silver I've ever seen. He's wearing an expensive-looking black suit, and he radiates power in a way that makes Alpha Marcus look like a puppy.

And he's staring at me like I just became the center of his universe.

He leans in, and I freeze as he smells me, actually breathes in my scent like it's the most natural thing in the world. His eyes flash, silver turning almost white, and his grip on my arms tightens.

"Mate." he says, voice so deep, rough, and absolutely commanding.

~ NOVA ~

I feel my heart racing wildly as I stare into those silver orbs. Each beat thunders in my chest like a war drum.

I feel everyone diverting their gaze to us now... this is a joke, right? Someone tell me this is a joke... or this is fate... this... is... whatever this is... this is goddess ordained...

I blink once. Twice... to see if it's a dream... but fuck no... I see it clearly, the red invisible thread-like material winding around us both.

I have a mate. I have a mate. Despite being wolfless. I have a mate.

I can't say a word, I possibly can't... that scent... fuck, he smells so nice... so fucking intoxicating and it feels like I should spend the day resting on his chest... feeling his heartbeat.

"Kieran Blackwood," he says, extending his hand. I blink, coming out of my dazed state.

"Nova Sinclair," I manage, but then his name registers fully in my head. Did I just hear correctly?

"Kieran Blackwood... Alpha of the Shadowmere Pack? The most feared pack in the region?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper. He nods, and something cold settles in my stomach.

Oh fuck me sideways.

I take a step backward. Hell yeah, he's the fucking murderer of my parents. He killed them. Goddess, this can't be happening right now... how on earth would I be mated to my parents' killer? Fate must have really looked at me and said, "Hey girl, we have this special treat coming for you. Getting rejected only to be claimed by a fucking murderer?"

Hell no... I can't... I won't...

I take another step back, and before I know it, I'm turning to run.

But his hand shoots out, wrapping around my wrist with surprising gentleness for someone I know could break me in half without breaking a sweat.

"Don't run from me, little mate..." His voice has an edge that makes every nerve in my body light up. Eyes are on us... everyone is staring at us.

And fuck... he should fucking leave me because I'm holding back the urge to scream in his face and yell "murderer." I'm trying everything I can to not create a scene.

"Alpha Kieran..." I hear that familiar voice that makes my heart clench. Damien walks toward us with that diplomatic smile I've seen him use at pack meetings.

"It's nice having you here, Alpha Kieran... thanks for honoring our invitation..."

The words hit me like a slap to the face. An invitation? An invitation? They actually invited Kieran Blackwood after the attack he orchestrated that cost my parents their lives?

"It's a pleasure, Damien. I mean, if I'd rejected... it would have cost me the honor of meeting my mate... but now that I've met her... that would make discussing our alliance very easy..."

Alliance. The word makes my blood turn to ice.

"You invited him," I say, my voice barely above a whisper as I turn to face Damien. I shoot him a look that says: 'You actually invited the man whose pack killed my parents to your wedding.'

Damien's expression changes, diplomatic mask slipping to reveal guilt underneath. "Nova, it's complicated. The political situation..."

"Yeah. Exactly what I thought. The political situation. It's always an excuse or another."

"Fuck you... fuck you all..." The words tear from my throat without restraint. I'm fucking done playing pretense... I'm done... trying to fit into a place where the only thing that's left are the broken pieces they made of me.

I need to leave. Leave this bloody pack... leave every fucking thing behind and get a new life. A new start.

"You need to calm down... Nova... I understand this is taking a toll on you... and I need you to understand that I'm on your side..." Damien tries explaining, but fuck... the words, the tears are fresh...

"What the fuck do you want to explain, Damien? How you rejected me after promising me forever right in front of the pack, gave me hope just to destroy it... and then invite my parents' murderer to celebrate your happiness?"

The crowd is getting thicker now, more pack members drawn by the commotion. I can see phones being pulled out, probably recording my complete mental breakdown for pack gossip later.

Perfect. Just fucking perfect.

"Nova, please..." Damien reaches toward me, but Kieran's growl stops him cold.

"Leave us." Two words, delivered with such absolute authority that even the future Alpha of Silvercrest bows his head and steps back.

I watch in stunned silence as Damien actually retreats.

Within moments, it's just me and him in this little bubble of space, the wedding celebration continuing around us like we're in the eye of a hurricane.

"We need to talk," he says quietly.

"No, we don't." I wipe angrily at my eyes, hating that he's seeing me like this. Broken and pathetic. "We need to pretend this never happened and go back to our separate lives."

"That's not how mate bonds work, and you know it."

"I don't give a shit how mate bonds work!" The words explode from me. "I don't want a mate bond! I don't want any of this supernatural bullshit controlling my life anymore!"

He steps closer, and I catch that intoxicating scent again.

"Follow me..." Two words, so controlling... and I find myself feet crawling after him.

We reach outside of the event, away from the celebration, just us, me and my parents' murderer.

"You should reject me, Alpha Kieran... I'm no use to you... because I'm wolfless... so go ahead and do it..." I say, because I know no one would want to get mated to a wolfless freak.

He shakes his head, his tall height towers over me, mocking my 5'8... I hadn't considered myself short until this very moment.

"You want me to reject you?" His voice is dangerously low, and something primal flickers in those silver eyes.

"Yes," I whisper, but even as I say it, my body is betraying me, leaning toward his warmth. "Just get it over with. I can't... I can't handle another public humiliation tonight."

"Look at me, Nova." His hand comes up to cup my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Really look at me."

I do, and what I see there steals my breath. Hunger and p ossession so wild and desperate that makes my knees weak.

"I've been searching for you for over a decade," he says quietly. "Thirty years I've walked this earth alone, waiting. Do you really think I'd throw away my mate because she hasn't shifted yet?"

"Yet?" The word slips out before I can stop it.

"I can smell your wolf, Nova." His thumb brushes across my lower lip, and I swear I feel sparks. "She's not gone, she's sleeping. But she's there."

"You're lying." But my voice lacks conviction now.

"I've never lied to anyone in my life. Why would I start with the most important person in my world?"

The most important person in his world. The words hit me like a physical blow, and suddenly all my insecurities come flooding back.

Even if I wanted to, I can't marry my parents' murderer. As tempting as it is to get my revenge, I fucking can't risk it with this man standing right in front of me.

"I, Nova Sinclair, reject you, Alpha Kieran Blackwood of the Spring Pack, as my mate."

The words leave my mouth, and I feel the thread twist violently inside me.

"I, Alpha Kieran Blackwood, reject your rejection. You're mine," he says coldly. "I'll give you just enough time to pack your things and say your farewells. Don't try to be smart. Don't try to run. I will find you before you even think you've escaped."