"Ugh, your body disgusts me! Is the Moon Goddess blind to bind us together?"

The words shattered a hope I've held onto since I was eight.

I stood frozen in place, unable to move before the pain gradually seeps in. My lungs struggle to inhale air, my gasps shallow and rapid. Only the growing numbness in my legs and arms kept me standing.

If I collapse now, I'll never be able to recover from the shame.

I stare at the ground, too humiliated to exchange glares with the eyes I knew were piercing me into from every direction.

'No matter what you look like, your mate will love you.' My mother once told me this back when I still believed in fairy tales. But I'm smarter now.

A bitter sound escape my throat, as a single tear trickles down my cheek. I was wrong to hope.

"Look at yourself, Kiera." Damon's voice echoes across the clearing. "You're twice my size. Did the Moon Goddess make a mistake?"

The pack laughs.

I recognize every voice. These are the wolves I've fed, cleaned up after, served without complaint for years.

I gave all I had to this pack.

The pack mocked me because of my fat figure, but I comforted myself it didn't matter. They excluded me from pack gatherings, and I convinced myself that I preferred solitude. Damon passed by me like I was nothing, and I accepted it as my place.

I realize my wolf was right all along. They don't want me here. But I found out way too late.

A storm raged above and the snickers and hisses intensify. Damon circled me deliberately and the mate bond burns in my chest. It called out to him even as he destroys me.

I forced myself to look toward the pack house for the final time. My aunt stood at the top of the stairs with her arms folded and the same cruel smile on her lips. The same smile that she wore at my parents' funeral. That was when it all started.

"Come here." Damon's commands cut through my thoughts.

Five she-wolves step out of the crowd with practiced grace. Their bodies flawless, their faces beautiful. All that I am not.

No, please.

Not this.

Anything but this.

The she-wolves approach him eagerly, confidence flowing from their every step. Sera, the blonde one with flawless looks, smirked at me as she passes by.

She asked for my help yesterday to style her hair for this evening's ceremony, smiling innocently all the while. Now I know why.

Damon lead the pack to his secluded cabin on the other side of the clearing. The cabin has floor to ceiling windows facing straight out toward where the pack gathers.

Where I am.

My stomach churns violently. I should run, but my body refuses to budge. My feet might as well be rooted to the ground. I saw everything clearly from the transparent windows.

Damon pulled the first she-wolf closer and his mouth crash over hers in a deep kiss. He releases her and claims the second. Then the third. Then the fourth.

Hot tears trailed down my cheeks and I barely noticed the hundreds of wolves witnessing my complete humiliation.

Damon's eyes find mine through the window and he makes sure I'm watching as his hands roam over the fifth she-wolf.

Time ceases to exist. He exit the cabin at some point and the she-wolves trailed behind him, adjusting their disheveled clothes and hair. Sera catches my eye again and smirked.

Damon appeared where I've fallen onto the damp grass, my body finally giving up the fight to stay upright.

His hand shoots out and encircled my jaw, jerking my head up.

"I, Damon Thorne, Alpha of Bloodmoon pack, reject you, Kiera Ashford, as my mate and Luna."

A yell tore itself from my throat. My chest feels like it is carving inward. I fall completely, my fingers scrabbling desperately at the ground.

"You are banished from Bloodmoon lands." I could barely hear his voice now. "Return and you die."

Rough hands close around my arms, hauling me up. I look back to see two warriors, their faces expressionless. These are Damon's personal guards. His most loyal followers.

They pull me through the crowd and the pack members step aside to allow us through. One of them spits and the saliva land on my arm. A rock strikes my head from the other direction and warm blood immediately trickle down my temple.

We approach a black vehicle parked along the perimeter of the pack and they shoved me roughly inside.

I flop across the seat as silence descends on the car. My arburn hair hangs in tangled strands across my face.

The two warriors climb into the front. I recognize them as Tristan and Gray, Damon's right and left hands.

I stare blankly at my ruined dress. I have since stopped crying, yet I have trails on my cheeks. Time passes. I have no idea how long. An hour? Two? Maybe three?

At first, I expect they were taking me to the border. But the car didn't stop after a long time. When I finally lift my head to look out the window, the unfamiliar landscapes passed by.

We've entered the dark forest inhabitated by rogues. My heart beats faster suddenly. "Where are you taking me?"

My question is met with silence.

"I asked you where you're taking me." I shout again.

"Quiet." Gray said flatly as he stares at me in the mirror, his eyes ice-cold.

He's Damon's friend. His most devoted soldier.

The truth sent shivers crawling up my spine. They're not just escorting me out of Bloodmoon. They're planning to end me. Permanently.

My eyes dart frantically to the window as reality hits me.

They've taken everything. My mate, My home, My pride.

Now they want my life too.

Rage burns in my chest, incinerating the numbness. My mind snap back to the car door. Locked, of course. In my current state, weakened by rejection, I am no match for two fully grown warriors.

But I have to at least try something.

Adrenaline floods my veins. I clenched my fists as desperation grips me.

Without thinking twice, I throw myself at the window.

My shoulder collides with the glass and on the third impact, it shatters. I push myself through the opening, ignoring the sharp edges that pierce my arms and legs.

I hit the ground with a hard thud. My shoulder takes most of the impact, and I could hear my own bones cracking.

I staggered up to my feet and ran.

Growls echo behind me. They've transformed.

"Stop running!" Gray's voice sounded through the mind link.

Never.

I push myself harder, the trees blurring together.

Suddenly, claws tear down my back. I scream as the force sent me flying.

I tumble down a steep hill and I could feel the roots and rocks hitting my body from every direction.

My spine crashes into something solid and I lie there. I winced, trying to remember how to breathe through the pain.

Cool breeze brushes against my cheek. I turned my head and my breath caught at the sight in front of me.

I'm lying on a cliff edge. Behind me, two giant wolves creep closer, their fangs bared.

Gray and Tristian circled me slowly, blocking all paths.

Realization dawned on me. I'm trapped.

I forced myself upright. My back throbbed where they had raked me with their claws and blood had soaked through my dress. My chest rises and fall with every labored breath.

I position myself at the very edge and lift my chin, meeting their eyes without flinching.

"Tell Damon that he destroyed the wrong person. Tell Bloodmoon they'll pay for this."

"How dare you curse the Alpha!" Tristan lurches towards me with killing intent in his eyes.

I close my eyes, preparing to fall.

And then I felt something shifts in the atmosphere.

A strange smell reaches my senses. The scent closes in around me, awakening something deep. It felt like finding shelter after getting lost in a storm.

My eyes suddenly burst open and I scanned the woods frantically.

A massive form bursts out of the darkness, running with supernatural speed. It crashes into Gray's wolf, launching him into the air before finally throwing him in the bushes.

And then I saw him clearly.

My mate. My second chance.

He's enormous, looming over the wolves. His tan skin glows under the moonlight and his eyes burned with rage.

Tristan tries to attack him but with one smooth motion, he grabs the wolf's hind leg out of mid-air and hurls him across the clearing like a rag doll.

Then he sprint towards me, his arm reaching out in my direction.

But I'm already leaning back.

My foot finds nothing but air as the edge of the cliff gave way.

The last thing I saw as the darkness engulfs me is his hand reaching frantically towards mine, and his eyes shifting to the most beautiful deep blue I've ever seen. Deep blue I felt like I've seen before, though I couldn't remember where.

Kiera's POV

My stomach drops as the force of gravity pulls me down into the darkness below.

So this is it. After all of this, after everything, this is how it ends.

My eyes stay focused on the man up above—the stranger with cerulean blue eyes who appeared as if by magic. My mate.

I'll never have a chance to find out his name.

The thought makes something snap in my chest. It was worse than the bond breaking, worse than Damon rejecting me.

For a moment, I thought I saw him move.

No.

Then he jumped.

"No!" My scream tore itself free from my throat, but he is already lunching towards me, his body slicing through the air.

His eyes never leave mine as he jumps down, his hands stretching towards me.

He shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't die for someone like me.

But he pushed forward, bridging the gap between us at an impossible speed. His fingers wrap around my wrist and fire erupts along my skin as the mate bond snap into place. The warmth crept up my arm, into my chest.

He pulled me against him, his arms wrapped around me as we tumbled together. His body spins in mid-air and he positioned himself so he's beneath me.

"Don't!" I struggle to shake him off, but he gripped my waist harder.

"I've got you."

Then we land on the ground. The impact jolts through both of us. I hear him grunt, felt his body absorbing it. We roll over rough terrain—rocks tearing at my already shredded dress, branches clawing at my arms before we finally stop.

Pain thunders through every corner of my body. For a moment, I couldn't breathe or move.

But I'm alive. I have no idea whether that's good or bad news.

I threw my eyes open to find myself lying on his chest. "Are you hurt?" He asked, his hand cradling the back of my head.

I look down at him. Blood seeps from the cut above his eyebrow, tracing down his temple. His shirt is torn open, and I notice red angry welts across his ribs where the impact had struck him.

He took the fall for me. A stranger. My mate.

"Why did you do that?" My voice trembles. "You could have killed yourself."

His blue eyes lock with mine. "You're my mate. I would do it again."

Mate.

That one word hangs in the air between us, heavy with meaning that I'm not ready to accept.

I shook my head and pulled back. "You don't understand. I'm cursed. Everyone in my life gets hurt. You should have just let me be."

His hand shoots out and grabbed my waist. "I don't believe in curses."

"You will."

I struggle to break free from his grip, but he didn't budge. Finally, I wrench free and lurch backwards.

The world tilts sickeningly and I had to grab the the bark of a tree to steady myself. I took in my surroundings. We're at the bottom of the cliff. I can hear Grey and Tristan's wolves growling and patrolling, looking for

ways to get down the cliff.

Rain starts falling.The cold drops mix with the blood on my face, stinging the cuts.

"We have to go." The man stands, as if he hadn't just rolled off a mountain. "Those wolves will find another path down."

"Who are you?"

"Caden Blackwood." He took a step towards me. Despite being battered and bruised, he radiates strength—the sort that causes the air around him to crackle. "Alpha of Shadowmoon Pack."

Alpha.

Of course he is.

My stomach churns. "I can't go with you." I took a step back and shook my head. "I'm exiled. I'm a rogue. If you take me to your pack, it'll complicate things."

"Let me take care of that." His eyes scanned my figure. "You're bleeding."

I look down. Blood drips down my ripped dress. My back stings where Grey's claws ripped through my flesh.

"I'm fine."

"You're not." He moves closer, and I catch his scent again. The mate bond hums between us, urging me toward him even as every instinct screams at me to run. "Let me help you."

"Why? You don't know me. You don't know what I've done."

"I know you jumped off a cliff rather than letting them kill you." His jaw tightens. "I know you're strong enough to withstand a rejection and carry on. That's enough."

Tears wells up in my eyes but I brushed it up quickly. "I don't even know if I can shift anymore. My wolf is gone."

"Then I'll carry you."

Before I could protest, he sweeps me up into his arms.

"Put me down."

"No." He starts moving down through the ravine with careful, assured strides despite his injuries. "My pack lands are close by. You need a healer."

I should protest but exhaustion washes over me. My eyelids become heavy as the adrenaline that kept me running, finally drains out. My head fall against his chest.

"I'm cursed," I whisper into his shirt. "Everybody who gets close to me gets hurt."

"Good thing I heal fast." He whispered back.

My eyes drift closed.

"Don't die on me, Kiera." His arms tighten around me, pulling me closer.

How did he know my name?

The thought slips through my mind as darkness pulls me under.

For the first time in my life, I felt safe. Even if it might not last.

Kiera's POV

I woke up slowly, my head pounding with a pain so sharp it made my teeth ache. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was or how I'd gotten here.

Then the memories came crashing back.

Damon. The rejection. The cliff. The man with blue eyes who'd jumped after me without hesitation.

Caden.

I rolled to the other side of the bed, expecting to find warmth beside me. Instead, the space felt cold and empty. The sheets were smooth and undisturbed, like nobody had slept there at all.

My eyes snapped open.

Dark wooden beams crossed the ceiling above me. Soft morning light filtered through curtains, casting everything in muted gold. The bed I was lying in was massive—bigger than anything I'd ever slept in—and the sheets felt expensive against my skin.

This wasn't the ravine or the forest floor where I'd expected to die.

I sat up quickly. Pain shot through my ribs and down my spine. I looked down at myself and froze.

Someone had changed my clothes. Instead of the blood-soaked gown I'd been wearing, I was now dressed in a soft cotton dress that smelled faintly of lavender.

"Hello?" My voice came out hoarse and cracked, barely audible even to my own ears.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my movements stiff and painful. The moment my bare feet touched the cold wooden floor, every part of my body throbbed in protest. The room tilted sideways, and I had to grip the bedpost with both hands until my vision cleared and the nausea passed.

He saved me and brought me here. But where is he now?

I took a step toward the door. My legs shook with the effort, threatening to give out beneath me. Then another step. Each one was agony, but I forced myself forward.

I needed to find him. I needed to know I wasn't alone in this strange place.

My chest tightened.

Did he change his mind about helping me? Did he realize saving me was a mistake?

The thought made something twist painfully in my stomach.

I reached the door and stepped into the hallway, one hand trailing along the wall for support. Each step sent fresh waves of pain through my battered body and my legs felt like they might collapse at any moment.

Tears pricked at my eyes. He'd jumped off a cliff to save me.He wouldn't just abandon me now, would he?

I made it halfway down the hall before my knees buckled. I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor, my arms wrapped around my knees. Exhaustion washed over me in waves, threatening to pull me under. My entire body trembled with the effort of just staying conscious.

Maybe if I just rested here for a moment—

"Kiera!"

The roar shook the walls and made my heart leap into my throat. I jolted violently, my head snapping up.

Then he was there, moving faster than should be possible for someone his size. Caden dropped to his knees in front of me with enough force that I felt the floorboards shudder.

His eyes weren't fully blue anymore. Red bled through the cerulean like blood in water.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" His hands gripped my shoulders. "You should be in bed."

I could feel the danger radiating from him. My wolf whimpered and tried to make herself smaller, recognizing the dominant predator in front of us.

But relief flooded through me so powerfully that fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.

He came back. He didn't leave me.

"I woke up and you were gone," I whispered. "I thought—I didn't know—"

"So you decided to drag yourself out of bed when you can barely stand?" He slid one arm under my knees, the other around my back, and lifted me effortlessly. "Do you have any idea how badly you're still hurt? How close you came to dying?"

"I'm sorry. I just needed to know you were still here. That you didn't—"

He kicked the bedroom door open hard enough that it slammed against the wall. He then carried me to the bed and set me down.

"Where else would I be?" His hands moved to either side of me, caging me in against the mattress. "Did you think I'd save you just to abandon you the moment you fell asleep?"

Tears streamed down my face. "I don't know what to think anymore. Everyone leaves eventually. Everyone gives up on me. Why would you be any different?"

Something dangerous flickered in his expression. His eyes flashed red again, and I felt the temperature in the room drop.

"I'm not everyone."

His hand shot out and gripped my chin, jerking my head up. My eyes met his and I saw that they were completely red with no trace of blue left.

"And you're mine now. I don't abandon what belongs to me. Ever."

His thumb pressed against my lower lip. "Do you understand what that means, Kiera?

"I don't belong to anyone,"

His hand moved to cup my face, his thumb brushing away my tears.

"You're wrong. You belonged to me the moment I caught your scent on that cliff. The moment my wolf recognized what you are to me."

"You don't even know me." My protest sounded feeble even to my own ears. "How can you be so sure—"

"I'm sure."

"And you're not leaving. Not now. Not ever."

Fear coiled in my stomach. I tried to make my voice firm, but it came out shaky instead. "You can't just keep me here"

"Can't I?" He leaned closer until our faces were only inches apart. "I'm the Alpha of this pack. These are my lands. My territory. Everything and everyone in them answers to me." His fingers tightened on my chin, tilting my head up further. "And you're my mate. That means you stay exactly where I can protect yo."

"That's not how it works. I'm not some possession you can just claim. I have a choice—"

"Do you though?

Your old pack threw you away like you were nothing. You have nowhere else to go. No one else who wants you. No one else would even take you in after what they did to you."

The words stung. Even though they were true. Especially because they were true.

"So you're keeping me out of pity? Is that it? The big strong Alpha saving the pathetic rejected omega?"

"Pity? I don't do pity. I don't save people out of charity or some misguided sense of duty." His grip on my face tightened. "I'm keeping you because you're mine and I protect what's mine. Whether you like it or not. Whether you accept it or not. Whether you fight me every step of the way or not."

I should be angry.

But part of me—a part I was desperately trying to ignore—wanted exactly his.

Someone strong enough to claim me. To fight for me. To refuse to let me go no matter what.

"What if I want to leave?" I asked quietly, testing him.

"Then you'll have to get through me first. "And I promise you, Kiera—that won't happen."

We stared at each other. The tension between us was suffocating.

"One week," The words came out before I could stop them. "Give me one week to decide if I want to stay."

"You think I'm negotiating with you?"

"I think you're a good man who won't actually force me to stay against my will." I held his gaze, hoping desperately that I was right about him. "So give me one week. Let me heal. Let me see what this place is like, what your pack is like. Then I'll decide."

He studied me for a long moment. Finally, he released me and stepped back. The loss of his touch left me feeling strangely cold.

I could breathe again. But I wasn't sure if that was relief or disappointment.

"One week," he repeated, his voice rough and strained. "But know this, if anyone tries to hurt you during that week, I'll rip them apart with my bare hands.

He moved towards the door with measured steps, then ooked back over his shoulder at me.

"And if you try to run? He paused. "I'll make the chase worth it. For both of us."

The door closed behind him with a soft click.

I sat frozen on the bed, heart racing so fast I thought it might burst from my chest.

Part of me wanted to be angry at his arrogance that he could just claim me like property.

But another part thrilled at his possessiveness.

For the first time since my parents died and left me alone in the world, someone was fighting to keep me. Someone was refusing to let me go.

Even if his methods were terrifying.