Emma POV

A few moments later, I was standing on all fours, my white fur shimmering under the moonlight. I took a deep breath and lifted my head proudly.

My friends and family turned around and gasped.

“She is white.” Luna Gloria said.

I looked at her and cocked my wolf head. Is that something special?

‘We are a pure white wolf, Emma. Nobody is a pure white wolf.’ Eliza said.

‘What do you mean?’ I asked her. ‘There are white wolves. I have seen them before.’ ‘Yes. But none of them are pure white.’ She said proudly. ‘They all have a spot in a different color, or their paws are different. We are all white.’ “What does that mean?” Amy asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” my brother said, not taking his eyes off of my wolf. “But she is beautiful.”

“She is.” Jacob said quietly.

I looked at him and immediately felt disappointed. No sparks. No connection. He is not my mate.

‘We are not his.’ Eliza said. ‘We belong to somebody else.’ ‘What do you mean, Eliza?’ I asked, surprised. ‘Do you know who our mate is?’ ‘I do.’ She said. ‘You will know soon.’ ‘Who is he?’ I asked. ‘How do you know?’ It isn’t common for a wolf to know who his or hers mate is. They only know when they see them. But not before. What is going on?

‘I am not talking to you about it.’ Eliza said. ‘Now, stop thinking about this and focus on your friends and family. Andrew is trying to mind-link you.’ I pulled my focus away from our conversation and focused on my brother’s voice inside my head. Now that I shifted, I can mind-link the entire pack.

Emma? He called me. Emma, can you hear me?

Yes. I responded. Sorry, I was talking to Eliza.

You are beautiful, Emma. He said proudly. Do you want to go for a run?

Yes! I said with excitement in my voice.

My brother told the rest of the group to shift, and we all went for a run.

Eliza met all the wolves, and I could tell she loved them all. And they loved her. Especially Asher. He was attentive and careful with Eliza, just like Andrew is with me.

When I had enough, I mind-linked Andrew to tell him to go back. All the excitement and nervousness got to me, and I was tired.

We got back to the clearing and took our clothes into our mouths. We all went behind a tree to shift and change.

Shifting back hurt as well, but not like the first time.

‘Each time we do this, it will be easier.’ Eliza said. ‘After a while, it won’t hurt at all.’ I walked back to the clearing, and my friends and family were already there.

They hugged me and gave me a lot of kisses. They are proud of me and happy that I finally have my wolf. Nobody mentioned that I am a pure white again, so I just decided to forget about it. It is nothing special. I am nothing special.

Luna Gloria left first. We stayed at the clearing for a while, just chatting and laughing. After a few minutes, we started walking back.

Jacob walked beside me, and Andrew and Amy were in front of us.

“So, we are not mates.” he said with sadness in his voice.

“I guess not.” I responded, not looking up at him.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t be.” he said. “I would choose you as my mate.

I love you, Emma.”

I looked up at him, surprised. But before I could say anything, my brother interfered.

“Jacob, no.” he said strictly. “At least not yet. I know you love my sister, but she is only 18 and there is a chance she will meet her true mate. If she doesn’t in a few years, and if you don’t find your mate by then, you can make her your chosen mate. If she wants to get a chosen mate. But not before she has had a chance to find her true mate.”

I looked between Andrew and Jacob.

Jacob wanted to fight, but he knew my brother was right. I love Jake, but I deserve a chance to find my true mate.

After a few seconds of Andrew and Jake just glaring at each other, Jacob nodded and lowered his head.

“You are right.” he said quietly. “But I will wait for her.”

“I am sorry, Jake.” I said and took his hand in mine.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” he said and gave me a small smile.

Amy was quiet the whole time, but I could tell she was sad. She really hoped Jake and I would be mates.

We continued our walk through the forest, and soon we were back at our house. Jake and Amy said their goodbyes and went home.

Andrew and I went back inside the house, and I looked at my watch. It was 10 pm.

“Hey, do you want to watch another movie? It is not too late.” Andrew asked and took my jacket to put it away.

“I would, but I am so tired.” I said.

He smiled. “Yeah. The first shift will do that to you.”

“I will just go to bed.” I said. “Thank you for today. I loved it.”

“I loved it too, little one.” he said with a big smile. “Asher and I love your wolf.”

“We love you too.” I said and smiled.

I walked upstairs, and Andrew went to the living room.

I hopped in the shower and put on my pajamas. I got under the covers and closed my eyes immediately.

I don’t think I slept long when I was awoken by a loud knock on our front door.

Emma POV

I looked at my watch and saw that it was 11 pm. Who was here this late?

I removed the covers and went toward my bedroom door. I opened them in time to hear my brother’s voice.

“Logan?” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Where is she? Where is Emma?” Logan asked nervously.

His voice was the most amazing sound I have ever heard. It was like music to my ears. What was wrong with me? It never sounded like that before. It must have been because I was tired.

But he sounded cold, rushed. I didn’t know why he was asking for me, but I had a feeling that I was in trouble. But I didn’t do anything wrong.

“Emma?” my brother asked. “She is sleeping. Why?”

I could hear surprise and confusion in his voice.

I started walking toward the stairs and was instantly hit with the most amazing smell, pine needles and snow. It smelled like a winter forest.

‘Mate!’ Eliza screamed in my head.

‘What?!’ I asked and froze.

‘It is Logan, Emma. He is our mate. Go to him.’ Eliza said, excited.

Logan? The Alpha? He is my mate? I am a Luna?

I had a million questions in my head. My feet started moving against my will. It was like something was pulling me downstairs. Well, not something.

The mate bond.

“Wake her up.” Logan growled. “Now.”

He sounded mad. Why was he mad?

“I am awake.” I said and started walking down the stairs.

I stopped in the middle to look at Logan.

Everything shifted when I looked into his eyes. He was now the center of my world. He was everything. I felt this incredible need to touch him, to be in his arms.

I wanted to run to him, but I stopped myself when I saw how cold his stare was. What was going on?

“Logan?” my brother called him.

“She is my mate.” Logan said through his teeth.

My brother gasped and looked up at me. I nodded and looked back at Logan. He was standing there looking at me with a cold expression on his face. His fists were clenched, and his posture was rigid.

He didn’t want me. That’s why he was so angry. I was not good enough to be his Luna.

“Emma.” Andrew called my name. “Go to your room. Now.”

He must have seen how angry Logan was and wanted to talk to him about this. I turned away and walked back upstairs.

But there was no way I was going back into my room. I wanted to hear what Logan would say. I had a feeling I knew, though.

I heard them walking to the kitchen, and I sat at the top of the stairs. I would be able to hear them talk and, hopefully, they would be focused on their conversation and would not be able to hear or sense me. I just had to be very quiet.

I hugged my knees and waited.

“Talk.” my brother said coldly. “How did you know before you even saw her?”

“I don’t know.” Logan sighed. “I could sense and smell her. It happened about an hour ago. At first, I thought I was going crazy, but then I decided to follow that smell. I knew for sure when I came closer to your house.

Leon started going crazy.”

“That is weird.” my brother said. “Mates usually know when they see each other. They can’t sense it before.”

“I know. But I did.” Logan growled.

My brother sighed. “Why are you angry?”

“She can’t be my Luna, Andrew.” Logan said.

My heart broke. I hugged my knees even tighter. I felt warm tears running down my cheeks. Nothing hurts like your mate’s rejection.

“What? Why?” my brother asked angrily.

“She is a child.” Logan said. “She is not strong enough to be a Luna. I need someone stronger.”

“You are kidding me, right?” my brother yelled. “You are going to throw away Goddess’ gift because you don’t think she is strong enough?!”

“It is for the pack.” Logan said calmly. “You know our pack needs strong leadership. Especially now that rogues are attacking even more frequently.”

“Alpha is always stronger when he has his Luna by his side.” my brother growled.

“He is. And I will have my Luna.” Logan said. “I am thinking about taking Sienna as my chosen mate.”

My heart stopped beating. He was choosing another she-wolf instead of me.

And not just any wolf. Sienna. She wanted to get rid of me. And she will.

She will become a Luna and she will exile me from my pack. Maybe she will even kill me when she finds out I am Logan’s true mate.

“Why didn’t you already do that if you think she will be a great Luna?” my brother asked angrily.

“I wanted to wait for my true mate.” Logan answered. “To see if I was gifted with a strong she-wolf. But now that I see that is not the case, I can freely choose somebody else.”

“I can’t believe this.” my brother said quietly.

“You know I am right, Andrew.” Logan said. “You know that you, me, and Sienna will be great leaders, and the pack will benefit greatly from our leadership. We can’t do that with your sister. She is only 18.”

My brother said nothing, and I think he agreed with Logan. He thought that I was not strong. I didn’t think my heart could break even more.

I’ve heard enough. I got up and walked to my room.

My heart was breaking into a million tiny pieces. I didn’t think that I would ever be able to put it back together. And he hasn’t officially rejected me yet.

I didn’t know how I would survive when he does.

Mates can reject each other. It doesn’t break the bond, though. Nothing does. It is only words. But it lets you know that your mate doesn’t want you, and it is horrible. The bond is alive, but you can’t do anything about it.

Being exiled by Sienna and becoming a rogue suddenly didn’t sound so bad. It was better than staying here, watching them together. It would kill me slowly.

‘Eliza?’ I called my wolf. ‘Are you okay?’ ‘No, Emma.’ She whined. ‘I am in pain.’ ‘I know.’ I said. ‘I am sorry.’ ‘His wolf wants us.’ She whined. ‘Leon wants us. It is Logan who is fighting the bond.’ I didn’t respond and I felt her going further back in my mind. I didn’t think I would hear from her again tonight. She needed to heal.

I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t see my brother. I couldn’t see him.

I quickly put on my tights, a hoodie, and sneakers. I grabbed a jacket from my wardrobe and opened my window.

My room was on the second floor, but there was a roof just underneath it. I always sneaked out this way when my brother forbade me from going out with Amy. He never caught me. I hoped that tonight would be the same.

I carefully climbed out onto the roof and made my way down. I had to be really careful not to make any noise. I was in a house with an Alpha and a Beta werewolf. Their hearing is even better than other werewolves’. I just hoped they were still talking and focused on their conversation.

I climbed down and started walking toward the forest. There was a cave nearby where Amy, Jake, and I always went to hang out when we wanted to be alone. I needed to go there and think.

Logan POV I wanted to reject her on the spot.

But when I saw her standing there on the stairs, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t say those words.

I saw that she was happy when she looked at me. She wanted to go to me.

But she saw my cold stare and she stopped herself.

Goddess, she is beautiful. I always thought that she was pretty and hot, but now that she is my mate, she is even more beautiful than before. She smelled like strawberries and watermelon. Her long brown hair was falling freely down her back and her blue eyes were an ocean I want to swim in.

Her lips were perfect. Her small body was perfect. Every curve was made for me. I just wanted to touch her.

I clenched my fists to stop myself. I shut Leon out completely because he would kill me for what I was about to do. He was so happy when we smelled her. I don’t want him to see this. I will deal with him later.

I was relieved when Andrew told her to go upstairs. I will be able to think clearly now that she is not here.

I could tell Andrew was not happy with my explanation. But he knows I am right. He knows that the pack always comes first. And his sister is a child.

She just shifted today. She can’t control her wolf properly and she can’t fight in wolf form. The rogues would use her against me, and that would ruin the pack. I needed a strong Luna. Sienna would be a great Luna. She is strong and kind. Our pack would benefit from having her as a Luna.

“Andrew.” I called him after he didn’t respond.

“Fuck.” he muttered. “You are right. Sienna is strong and she would be a great Luna. But that doesn’t mean my sister couldn’t get stronger.”

“It doesn’t.” I agreed. “But we don’t have the time to train her, to make her stronger. Rogues would use her as a liability against me, and the pack would suffer. You know I am right.”

He nodded and ran his hand through his hair.

“Do you want to tell her now?” he asked me.

I nodded. “Yes. It doesn’t make sense to wait.”

“Fine.” he said. “I will go get her.”

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I couldn’t get distracted by the bond. By her. I needed to do this, for my father and for my pack.

It will not sever the bond. Nothing does. I will still feel her, she will still be my mate, but I will be free to make Sienna my Luna.

“Fuck!” I heard Andrew yell and I immediately ran upstairs.

Her smell was so intoxicating up here. I couldn’t help but to breathe it in deeply.

“What happened?” I asked Andrew.

He left her room, but she wasn’t with him.

“She left.” he growled.

I froze and my heart started beating painfully. She left. She probably heard us and left. What if something happened to her? I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t live without her.

‘Leon?’ I called my wolf. ‘Can you feel our mate’s wolf? Is she okay?’ ‘No.’ He growled at me. ‘Her wolf is in pain. She retracted far back in mate’s mind. I can’t feel her.’ Fuck.

‘You are a complete fucker, Logan.’ Leon growled. ‘Mate is perfect and strong. You will be sorry for what you did.’ I didn’t respond, and I pushed him to the back of my mind. I didn’t need that now. He is an animal. He reacts purely on instinct. And his instinct is to get his mate. I have to be the one to think rationally and think about our pack.

Andrew ran past me and went downstairs. He grabbed his jacket and ran through the front door. I followed him in a daze.

“Come on, Logan.” he growled. “Follow her scent. Where did she go?”

I focused on him and did what he told me to do. Her scent was the strongest underneath her bedroom window, and it continued toward the forest.

“Shit.” Andrew muttered.

We hurried towards the forest, and I told him where to go based on the intensity of her scent. It wasn’t hard to follow her, so it couldn’t be long since she walked this path.

Suddenly, her scent just stopped. I couldn’t smell her anymore. It was like she just disappeared. My heart stopped beating.

“What’s wrong?” Andrew asked.

“I can’t smell her anymore.” I said quietly. “The smell is completely gone.”

“Fuck!” he yelled. “She used masking spray.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself. She is okay. I would have felt if something happened to her.

“Emma?!” Andrew yelled.

‘Leon?’ I called my wolf. ‘I know you are mad at me, but I need you to try and talk to her wolf. Tell her to come back.’ ‘I will.’ He growled. ‘But not because of you. I want mate to be safe.’ “Leon will try to talk to her wolf.” I told Andrew.

“If something happens to her, I will kill you. Alpha or not.” he growled at me.

He was the only one who can say something like that to me. If he wasn’t my best friend, he would be dead already.

“She is okay, Andrew.” I said. “I would feel if something happened to her.”

“What if she decided to leave the pack, huh?” he growled. “To become a rogue because she heard her mate, the one person who should love her unconditionally, say that she is not strong enough to be his mate and Luna?!”

“I didn’t do that. Not yet anyway.” a voice said from the forest.

Andrew and I turned towards the sound. Emma leaned against the tree. I let out a breath I had been holding. She is okay.

She was wearing tights that let me see her legs perfectly. Her face was even more beautiful than it was back at the house. How is it possible for someone to become even more beautiful in a matter of minutes? I had to use all my strength not to go to her and make her mine. If I was a regular wolf and not an Alpha, I don’t think I would be able to do that.

Andrew ran towards her and hugged her. I got jealous. I wanted to do that.

But I knew I couldn’t. I had to be strong.

“Goddess, Emma.” Andrew yelled. “Don’t ever do that again!”

She didn’t hug him back. She stepped away from him and looked at me.

“You are here to reject me, right?” she said quietly. “Come on, do it. Let’s get this over with.”

Andrew and I shared a confused look. How is she so calm? So… strong? I looked back at her, and she was staring at me with her head held high.

I took a deep breath and walked closer to her. “You know why I have to do this.”

“I do.” she nodded. “I heard everything.”

I nodded and ran my hand through my hair. Every part of me was screaming at me not to do this. Leon clawed his way to the front of my mind to see his mate, and he was growling and whining. I didn’t want to do this. I wanted her. But I had to. For my pack.

I took a deep breath and looked directly into her wonderful eyes.

“I, Logan Carter, Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, reject you, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack.”

I could feel my heart breaking. Leon was howling inside me, and I could feel his pain.

She was looking right at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes, but she refused to show it. Most wolves fall to their knees from pain. I wanted to fall to my knees and claw at my chest. But she didn’t. She was standing there with her head held high. She took a deep breath and closed her wonderful eyes.

“I, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack, accept your rejection.”

I closed my eyes and felt tears running down my cheek. When I opened them, she was gone.

The bond was still here. Nothing has changed. I felt the same way toward her. I still wanted her. But I just opened the door for me to mate with another she-wolf.