Night had fallen by the time I reached the edge of Silvermoon territory, my legs carrying me forward though my spirit remained shattered. Three rejections in one day. Three childhood friends turned cruel strangers. And Ryan—my Ryan—with Isabella. The betrayal cut deeper than any claw.

The Moon Priestess's grove lay hidden among ancient pines, accessible only to those truly desperate. I qualified.

Silver moonlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating a narrow path strewn with white stones. My wolf, though broken, stirred weakly at the sacred energy permeating this place. I followed the stones until they opened to a circular clearing where a hooded figure sat motionless beside a small reflecting pool.

"I've been expecting you, Victoria Ashford," the Priestess said without turning. Her voice carried the wisdom of countless moons.

"You knew I would come?" I asked, my own voice raw from crying.

"The Moon Goddess shows me many paths." She gestured for me to sit across from her. The hood of her silver robe concealed her eyes, showing only the lower half of her face. "You seek a mate to fulfill your father's dying wish."

"I've been rejected. Three times." The words burned my throat. "By wolves I've known my entire life."

"Pack politics and Alpha pride have blinded them to the Goddess's will." The Priestess dipped her fingers into the reflecting pool. The water rippled, then stilled into a mirror-like surface. "Look."

I leaned forward, seeing only my own tear-stained reflection at first. Then the image shifted, revealing a small nursery filled with plants I didn't recognize. A male figure moved among them, his face obscured.

"Who is he?" I whispered.

"The one the Moon Goddess has chosen for you." The Priestess withdrew her hand from the water. "Not all worthy mates wear Alpha crowns, Victoria. Some treasures grow in unexpected soil."

"But my father—"

"Wishes for your security and happiness." Her voice softened. "True strength isn't found in titles but in bonds that withstand trials. Follow the eastern path at dawn. You'll find him tending to his orchids."

The Priestess rose, signaling our meeting had ended. As I stood to leave, she caught my wrist, her grip surprisingly strong.

"The path ahead holds more than you can imagine, daughter of Silvermoon. Trust the Goddess's design, not pack hierarchy."

* * *

Dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold as I followed the eastern trail. My father had slept peacefully through the night, giving me these precious hours to seek what the Priestess had shown me. My wolf, though still wounded, moved with cautious curiosity.

The nursery appeared exactly as I'd seen in the vision—a modest structure of glass and wood, surrounded by flowering plants. Through the transparent walls, I saw him—tall and broad-shouldered, moving with quiet purpose among rows of delicate orchids.

I hesitated at the entrance, suddenly uncertain. He wasn't from any pack I recognized. A rogue, perhaps? The thought would have scandalized me days ago. Now, after everything, pack status seemed hollow.

The door creaked as I pushed it open. He turned, and for a moment, we simply stared at each other. His eyes—deep amber with flecks of gold—widened slightly. Something flickered in their depths before he schooled his expression.

"Can I help you?" His voice was deep, with a gentleness that surprised me.

"Are you Daniel Hayes?" I asked, remembering the name the Priestess had whispered as I'd left her grove.

He set down a small watering can. "I am."

"I'm Victoria Ashford." I stepped closer, catching his scent—earth and pine, with something richer beneath. "The Moon Priestess sent me to you."

Something like recognition crossed his face, quickly masked. "Did she?"

"She said..." I swallowed hard. "She said the Moon Goddess has chosen you as my mate."

Daniel went still, his eyes never leaving mine. For a heartbeat, I thought he might reject me too—the fourth and final blow.

Instead, he reached for an orchid beside him—white with delicate purple veins—and carefully cut its stem. "The Moon Priestess rarely intervenes in mate matters," he said, offering me the flower. "She must see something important."

His fingers brushed mine as I accepted his offering. A spark of warmth traveled up my arm, and my wolf stirred more strongly than she had since the rejections.

"My father is dying," I explained, the words easier to say now than they had been to Ryan. "His last wish is to see me mated and secure."

Daniel nodded slowly. "And you're willing to mate with a nursery keeper? A rogue?"

"I'm willing to trust the Moon Goddess," I replied. "And the Priestess who speaks for her."

Something shifted in his expression—a decision made. He stepped closer, his scent enveloping me.

"Then yes, Victoria Ashford. I accept you as my mate."

* * *

The whispers started before I even returned to the main pack house. Eyes followed me through corridors, voices hushed as I passed. Word traveled quickly in Silvermoon.

"The Beta's daughter, mating with a rogue?"

"A plant tender, of all things."

"How desperate must she be?"

I kept my head high, though each whisper stung. In the mess hall, Isabella's voice rose above the others, deliberately loud enough for me to hear.

"Poor Victoria," she cooed to her circle of admirers. "First rejected by three Alphas, now settling for a dirt-digger. How the mighty have fallen."

Laughter rippled through her group. I gripped my tray tighter, my knuckles whitening.

"I suppose when you're that unwanted, you'll take anyone who'll have you," Isabella continued, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Even someone so beneath your station."

I met her gaze steadily, remembering the girl who had once cried in my arms when other wolves tormented her for her Omega status. The girl I had defended and helped rise above her station. Now she wore my rejection like a crown.

What she didn't know—what none of them knew—was that when Daniel had touched my hand in that quiet nursery, my broken wolf had stirred more powerfully than she ever had around Ryan or the others.

And deep within me, something new had begun to awaken.

The morning sun cast dappled light through the nursery's glass panels, illuminating Daniel as he tended to his orchids. I watched him from the doorway, my heart fluttering with nervous anticipation. My father had insisted on meeting the man who would become my mate, despite his weakened condition. Now, leaning heavily on my arm, Beta Ashford studied Daniel with eyes that had lost none of their sharpness despite his illness.

"So you're the one my daughter has chosen," my father said, his voice thin but commanding.

Daniel straightened, setting aside his watering can. He wiped his hands on his work apron before approaching us with measured steps. "Sir, it's an honor to meet you."

There was something in his posture—a subtle confidence that seemed at odds with his humble surroundings. My father noticed it too; I could tell by the slight narrowing of his eyes.

"A nursery keeper," my father observed, glancing around at the rows of exotic blooms. "An unusual occupation for a wolf."

"Plants require patience and care," Daniel replied, his tone respectful yet unafraid. "Much like a pack, they thrive when nurtured properly."

My father's eyebrow raised slightly. "And what pack do you hail from, young man?"

A flicker of something—pain, perhaps—crossed Daniel's features. "I've been without a pack for some time, sir."

"A rogue, then." My father's tone hardened.

"A lone wolf," Daniel corrected gently. "By circumstance, not by choice."

My father studied him for a long moment, his gaze penetrating. I held my breath, feeling the weight of his judgment. Then, to my surprise, he reached for one of the orchids—a rare blue variety with delicate, veined petals.

"Beautiful," he murmured. "To grow something this exquisite requires more than just skill. It requires understanding."

Daniel nodded. "And respect for its nature."

My father turned back to him. "My daughter says the Moon Priestess guided her to you."

"Yes, sir."

"And do you understand what it means to mate with a Beta's daughter?"

Daniel's eyes met mine briefly before returning to my father. "I understand it means protecting her, honoring her, and standing beside her through whatever comes."

Something shifted in my father's expression. He straightened slightly, less supported by my arm. "There's more to you than appears, Daniel Hayes. I sense it."

Daniel remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

"Very well," my father said finally. "You have my blessing—conditional on your treatment of my daughter. Prove yourself worthy of the Moon Goddess's choice."

Relief flooded through me. Daniel bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, sir. I will."

As we turned to leave, my father paused, his hand gripping Daniel's forearm with surprising strength. "One more thing. I've lived long enough to recognize when a wolf is hiding his true nature. Whatever your secrets, young man, ensure they don't harm my daughter."

Daniel's expression remained carefully neutral. "Your daughter's happiness and safety are my priority, sir. I swear it by the Moon Goddess."

My father nodded, seemingly satisfied, though his eyes remained watchful.

* * *

The pack's monthly ritual run came three days later. I stood at the edge of the gathering clearing, acutely aware of the stares and whispers. Daniel stood beside me, his presence steady and reassuring despite the hostile atmosphere.

"They'll get used to it," Clara Meadow murmured, appearing at my side. My childhood friend was one of the few who hadn't treated me differently since my announcement. "They're just shocked that you didn't choose an Alpha."

"I didn't choose," I reminded her quietly. "The Moon Goddess did."

Clara's eyes flickered to Daniel, curious but not judgmental. "Well, she has interesting taste."

Across the clearing, I spotted Ryan's family, their expressions cold and disapproving. Isabella stood among them, already acting the part of Luna though their mating ceremony was still weeks away. She caught my eye and whispered something to her companion, both dissolving into laughter.

"Ignore them," Daniel said softly, his hand finding mine. "Tonight is about running free, not pack politics."

As Alpha Silvermoon called for the shift, I felt Daniel's energy beside me—controlled yet powerful. When we transformed together, my wolf sensed something in his that made her stand taller, stronger than she had since the rejections.

Side by side, we ran through the moonlit forest, our paws synchronized in perfect rhythm. Behind us, I could feel the curious stares of the pack, particularly the Deltas who seemed fascinated by Daniel's powerful stride and the ease with which he matched my pace.

For those precious hours, the whispers and judgments faded away. There was only the moon, the forest, and the wolf running beside mine—a wolf who, despite his supposed rogue status, moved with the confidence of one born to lead.

* * *

The night before our mating ceremony, I slipped out to the moonlit courtyard, seeking a moment of peace. The past week had been a whirlwind of preparations and enduring the pack's judgment. My father had rallied enough to participate in the planning, his approval giving me strength against the tide of disapproval.

"Enjoying your last night of freedom?"

I turned to find Isabella standing in the shadows, her arms crossed over her chest. The moonlight illuminated her smug smile.

"What do you want, Isabella?" I kept my voice level, though my wolf bristled.

"Just checking on an old friend." She circled me slowly. "It's not every day a Beta's daughter throws away her future on a rogue nobody."

"Daniel is not a nobody."

"No?" She laughed, the sound brittle in the night air. "What is he, then? A dirt-digger with no pack, no status, no future. Is that really what you want, Victoria? After growing up with the best?"

I met her gaze steadily. "The 'best' rejected me, if you recall. Including your chosen mate."

Her eyes narrowed. "Ryan made the right choice. You were never worthy of an Alpha."

"And yet you were? The Omega's daughter?"

The barb hit its mark. Isabella's face contorted with rage. "I earned my place! While you were born into privilege, I fought for everything!"

"I helped you fight," I reminded her quietly. "I defended you when others wouldn't."

"And now look at us." Her smile returned, cruel and satisfied. "Tomorrow you'll mate with a nobody, while I'll become Luna of the strongest pack in the region."

Movement in the shadows caught my attention. Ryan stood at the edge of the courtyard, his expression unreadable as he watched our confrontation. Our eyes met briefly, and something like regret flickered across his face before he turned away, disappearing into the darkness.

Isabella followed my gaze, her smile widening. "He made his choice, Victoria. And he doesn't regret it."

But as she sauntered away, triumphant in her perceived victory, I couldn't help wondering about that look in Ryan's eyes. Was it truly regret I had seen? And if so, what did it mean for tomorrow—when I would bind myself forever to a wolf whose true nature remained a mystery even to me?