“Do you, Jasper Frost, take Daphne Stone as your mate and Luna, and swear before the moon goddess to protect her, love her, and cherish her for all the days of your lives?”
The priest’s words echoed throughout the temple, and my heart raced, overflowing with happiness I couldn’t put into words.
I've waited for this moment for a long time, for us to stand before the moon and seal our bond. Finally, he and I would mark each other on this fine moonlit night, surrounded by our packmates who supported us.
I looked at Jasper, holding his hand with anticipation. He looked back with a small smile tugging at his lips, giving me sparks.
Everything felt so perfect that it almost seemed like a dream, and it was unsettling. It could've been the nerves, but I knew too well that when things felt too perfect, someone was always out to shatter them.
And I was right.
Just as Jasper opened his mouth to answer, a scream ripped through the crowd. I turned and saw Briana, his childhood friend, collapsing into the arms of our packmates.
Before I could process what happened, Jasper let go of my hand and ran to her without hesitation, leaving me alone at the altar.
"Jasper!" My voice broke as I called out to him. "Where are you going?"
He looked back with a cold expression, his words sharp. "Not now, Daphne! We can do this another time. Briana needs me."
My brain froze. What did he mean by another time? He had already made me wait for five years. When was he finally going to mark me?
I watched in disbelief as he scooped Briana into his arms, carrying her away like she was the most precious thing.
"Jasper! Get back here!" My chest tightened, feeling the world closing in on me.
"You can't do this to me!" I shouted with a plea, but he never looked back.
And maybe it was my imagination, but I could’ve sworn I saw a smirk tug at Briana’s lips. A bitter sigh escaped me as I glanced at the pack. Some looked at me with pity, others whispered behind their hands. Their stares weighed on me, crushing my spirit, yet Jasper expected me to endure it.
I couldn’t. I bolted out of the moon temple, chest tight with rage, tears blurring my vision. Each step felt like fire, the betrayal burning deeper with every second. Jasper had never put me first—never. It was always Briana. Everything revolved around her.
The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Maybe this whole mate bond was just a lie I clung to. Maybe Briana was his true mate, and I was merely a placeholder.
I stormed into my parents' house, locking myself in my old room. Mom and Dad followed, knocking softly, their concern palpable. But I couldn’t face them. I buried my face in my pillow and sobbed until I was hollow—completely numb.
For the next two weeks, I shut Jasper out completely. I ignored his calls, texts, and every attempt he made to see me. He showed up at the house more times than I could count, but I refused to open the door.
As far as I was concerned, he could burn in hell. I'd never see him again.
Of course, Jasper had perfect timing. The one night I finally decided to pull myself together, he showed up—right when my parents weren’t home.
“Daphne, open the door! I know you're in there!” His fists hammered against the door, his voice booming.
I swung it open and snapped, “What do you want?”
He barged in, not wasting a second. “Why haven’t you answered my calls? Or Briana’s?” His voice dripped with accusation. “She’s been trying to reach you! You know she has a weak heart, Daphne. You’re stressing her out, and it’s bad for her health. You’re being completely unreasonable!”
“Unreasonable?” I scoffed. Was he serious?
“You abandoned me at our mating ceremony, and I’m the one being unreasonable?” I shouted, my voice shaking with fury.
“Yes!” he shot back, without a shred of doubt. His arrogance only fueled my rage. “Briana feels terrible about what happened. She’s been begging me to apologize to you for her. She’s 'genuinely' sorry, Daphne. And you're making her sick with worry!”
I couldn’t believe it. How could he stand there, defending her, after everything they’d done?
“You know what?” I stepped closer, my voice dropping to an icy calm. “I’m done. Go back and keep playing house with your childhood sweetheart.”
Jasper blinked, his confidence crumbling into confusion. “What are you talking about?”
I met his eyes, my chest burning with finality. “I’m rejecting you, Jasper.”
His face twisted in shock, his voice rising with panic. “What?”
I smiled coldly, savoring his disbelief. “You heard me. I, Daphne Stone, reject—”
Chapter 2Jasper’s hand clamped over my mouth before I could finish. His eyes blazed with fury and he seemed about to explode.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he snarled, his grip tightening painfully. “There should be a limit to your childishness, Daphne.”
His words echoed in my ears, and it drew my final straw. I shoved him away with all my might. “Childish?”
A red haze clouded my vision as pure, unfiltered hatred surged through me. “I’m not the childish one, Jasper. You are—with your perfect little Briana!”
“Daphne!” he growled, baring his fangs.
I scoffed, my heart hammering in my chest. This month had been a brutal wake-up call. I knew I didn’t matter to him. He'd made that clear when he left me at the altar. I knew for sure that he'd snap my neck in a heartbeat just to protect her. But for him to throw it in my face like this? It was too much, and I was too furious I couldn't even cry.
“Get out!” I screamed, the words ripping out of me. “I don’t give a damn if you’re the next Alpha or the moon goddess herself—get out before I tear you apart!”
“No.” His voice was ice, his Alpha arrogance dripping from every word. “We’re not done here.”
“Oh, we’re done.” I grabbed him by the collar and threw him out with every hatred in my fiber. He tumbled on the grass, looking stunned, his pride bruised. He moved to retaliate, but I slammed the door in his face before he could.
I'm an idiot to think a flimsy door could stand against his monstrous strength, but I wasn't in my right mind. I stood there, trembling, waiting for him to break it down, but to my relief, he left before things got even uglier between us.
Even with him gone, I couldn’t calm down. The walls felt like they were closing in, suffocating me. My chest tightened with every breath until I couldn’t take it anymore. Without a second thought, I bolted for the backyard, shifting into my wolf, and tore into the woods. I ran like a mad dog, my heart pounding, and lungs burning, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop.
What had I done to deserve this? Was it so wrong to dream of marrying my mate? How could the moon goddess be so damn cruel?
When I finally came to my senses, the sun was already high in the sky, its warmth mocking the cold, hollow ache in my chest. I blinked, looking around, and realized I was sprawled in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by pansies. Panic hit me like a slap. This wasn’t anywhere near our territory, and I’d been lying here, snoring like an idiot, without a care in the world.
“I’m really losing it,” I muttered, scanning the area.
Something felt... off.
The air was heavy like it was holding its breath, but I couldn’t figure out why.
Then I saw him.
A black wolf stepped out from behind a tree, his blue eyes gleaming like polished gems in the sunlight. For a second, I was frozen, stunned by his presence. There was something about him—captivating, almost. But reality hit me hard. We were strangers, both far from home.
I growled a low warning, though my gut told me he wasn’t a rogue. His movements were too deliberate, too composed. Still, I wasn’t about to drop my guard.
To my surprise, he didn’t come closer. Instead, he sat at the edge of the field, his gaze locked on me. There was something in those eyes—a quiet intensity that made my pulse quicken, though he didn’t seem dangerous. It threw me off when he just... watched.
But I wasn’t sticking around to figure out why. Without another look, I bolted, retracing my steps through the woods.
“Note to self,” I muttered between breaths, “don’t go running when you’ve lost your damn mind.”
I made it home just before dusk and spotted Mom on the porch, her face etched with worry. Then relief washed over her as soon as she saw me emerge from the woods. She rushed toward me, pulling me into a tight hug, her hands smoothing my fur, calming my nerves. Dad burst out of the house with a blanket and wrapped it around me to shift back.
“Honey, we were worried sick. You’ve been gone for a day! Where were you?” Mom asked, her voice full of concern.
I managed a small smile. “Sorry, Mom. I just needed some air. I’m fine.”
They nodded, but the unease in their eyes lingered. As they led me inside, Dad suddenly said, “Sweetie, you have guests.”
My blood ran cold, thinking Jasper dragged Briana here to bother me again. Dad must’ve noticed and quickly added, “I'll kick them out if you don't want to see them, honey.”
"Daphne." Before I could respond, a familiar voice called out to me.
It was Jasper's mom, Luna Carmen.
Behind her stood Jasper’s brother, Jake, and he looked furious.
Why were they here? What did they want from me now?