The Banished Luna's Awakening.

"I, Alpha Matteo of the Red Moon Pack," his voice rang loud and cold across the packed ceremonial grounds, "reject you, Lara Alvarez, as my mate and Luna."

The words slammed into me like a silver blade to the chest. For a second, the world went silent. My heart stuttered, then dropped violently into my stomach. No. This couldn't be real.

No... not him. Not the man who had held me through countless nights of terror. For years, I had feared this exact moment. Every time the elders whispered about my barren womb, every time the pack members sneered at me behind my back, calling me worthless, an ill omen, a wolfless disgrace - I had run to him in tears. And every single time, Matteo had pulled me into his strong arms, kissed the tears from my cheeks, and whispered promises against my hair.

"I don't care what they say, Lara. You're mine. I will never reject you. Never."

"Let them talk. My wolf chose you. That's enough."

"I'll protect you. Always."

I had believed him. Goddess, how foolishly I had believed him.

Because despite everything - despite the pack's open hatred, despite their constant reminders that I was broken and useless - I had worked myself to the bone for them. As the intended Luna, I had poured everything I had into this pack. I rose before dawn to oversee training fields, spent hours in the kitchens ensuring every warrior was well-fed, mediated disputes until my voice grew hoarse, and stayed up late into the night balancing pack finances and organizing ceremonies. I exhausted myself day after day, pushing my weak body past its limits, all in a desperate attempt to prove I was worthy. To make them see me. To earn even a scrap of their approval.

Matteo had hated it. He would pull me into his lap at night, frowning as he massaged my aching shoulders. "You're tiring yourself out again, Lara. I don't like it. You don't have to prove anything to them."

But I never listened. I kept going. Kept sacrificing. Kept smiling through their cruel whispers because I thought that if I gave enough, they would finally accept me as their Luna. He had given me hope. He had made me believe that his love was stronger than the pack's hatred, stronger than my empty womb, stronger than the ugly birthmark I hid so desperately beneath high collars.

And now he was the one delivering the blow I had dreaded most.

My trembling fingers instinctively rose to my throat, pressing the fabric of my dress hard against the large, discolored birthmark on my collarbone - the mark that had made me feel hideous since I was a child. The mark that proved I was damaged. Unworthy.

Matteo stood tall on the raised platform, jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscle jumping. His eyes... Goddess, his eyes looked haunted, but he didn't look away, not even when the whispers erupted around us.

"Finally."

"She was never fit to be Luna."

"The pack needs an heir. Alpha deserves better."

I kept my gaze fixed on him, desperate for any sign that this was a nightmare. That the man who once vowed to burn the world for me would take it all back.

But Matteo's jaw tightened further, his fists clenched at his sides. The bond between us-the fragile, golden thread I had clung to for years-shattered with a pain so sharp I gasped aloud.

Matteo lifted his chin, his voice booming across the ceremonial grounds like a death sentence.

"I, Alpha Matteo of the Red Moon Pack, hereby banish you, Lara Alvarez, from these lands and from the protection of this pack. You are no longer one of us. Your name shall be struck from the records."

The words hit harder than the rejection itself.

A broken sob tore from my throat before I could stop it. Banished. Not just cast aside as a mate-erased. Thrown out like garbage.

The crowd erupted. Some mocked me. Others looked away, but none spoke in my defense. Not a single soul.

I staggered back a step, my legs threatening to give out. My fingers dug harder into the fabric at my throat, pressing the ugly birthmark as if I could somehow hide the proof of my unworthiness even now.

"Matteo..." His name slipped out, raw and pleading. For a fraction of a second, something flickered in his eyes-pain, regret, maybe even the ghost of love. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"You have until the next week," he continued, voice flat and merciless. "Take nothing that belongs to the pack. Leave, Lara. And never return."

The elders behind him smiled. One even placed a proud hand on his shoulder.

Tears burned down my cheeks, hot and humiliating. Every promise he had whispered in the dark, every gentle kiss, every time he had called me "mine"... all of it turned to ash in that moment. I lifted my chin, forcing myself to meet his eyes one last time, even as my heart broke into a thousand pieces.

Matteo turned to leave.

Desperation clawed up my throat. I stripped away the last shred of my dignity and screamed after him, my voice raw and broken.

"Matteo!" I cried, sobs tearing out of me. "Do you ever love me?! Tell me the truth! Did you ever love me at all? Or were you just using me this whole time? Did you say all those sweet things... all those promises... because you pitied me? Do you believe what they say? That I'm worthless? That I'm a curse to this pack? That I'm an ill omen who will only bring ruin? Do you really think I never deserved to be your Luna? Did you ever love me... even for one second?!"

My entire body shook with violent sobs. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I looked pathetic. Broken. Worthless - exactly what they had always said.

Matteo stopped. He turned back slowly. For one heartbeat, I saw the torment in his eyes - the way his jaw clenched, the slight tremble in his fists, the pain flashing across his face. It looked like he was dying inside.

But before he could speak, Elder Marcus stepped forward with a cold, disgusted sneer. "Enough of this shameful spectacle," the elder spat. "If I were you, Lara, I would crawl away with whatever tiny bit of dignity you have left. Look at you, crying and begging like a pathetic stray. The Moon Goddess has finally answered our prayers."

He gestured proudly toward Selene, who stood with both hands gently placed over her swollen belly.

"Unlike you, a barren, wolfless, and utterly worthless Luna. Selene is carrying the Alpha's son. A strong heir who will secure the future of this pack. At least now we will have a Luna who is worthy. A strong Luna who can fight beside our Alpha, who can bring power and prosperity instead of shame and misfortune. We needed someone strong. Not you."

Each word felt like a knife twisting deeper into my already bleeding heart.

The words sank in like poison.

His son.

While I had been desperately trying to conceive... while I had been making love to him, believing every sweet promise he whispered in the dark... he had gotten another woman pregnant. Her stomach was swollen, appearing to be at least six or seven months.

The betrayal hit harder than the rejection itself. Fresh, guttural sobs tore out of me. I wrapped my arms around my empty, useless womb and doubled over, crying so hard I could barely breathe.

I couldn't breathe. My chest heaved with ugly, choking sobs as fresh pain ripped through me. The man who once kissed my scars and called me beautiful. The promises, the hugs, the late-night whispers - all of it had been pity. All of it had been lies.

Matteo's eyes met mine one final time. He said nothing.

He turned his back on me and walked away.