The moon knew how long I had waited for this night. The night I would walk down the aisle, bathed in its silvery glow, dressed in white, and meet my mate’s gaze at the altar where we would finally exchange our vows before the moon goddess. With our pack gathered, bearing witness to what should have been a moment five years overdue.
It was perfect. The night sky was clear, the air still, and everything felt right. But deep down, I knew that when things felt too perfect, something always shattered them.
And I was right.
The moment Jasper took my hand, a scream pierced the night, causing him to flinch. I turned and saw Briana, his childhood friend, collapsing into the arms of our packmates. Jasper’s eyes flashed with worry. Before I could process it, he dropped my hand and rushed to her side.
"Jasper!" My voice broke as I called after him. "What are you doing?"
He turned, his expression cold, his words sharp. "We can reschedule the ceremony. Briana needs me."
I froze. Did he just abandon me, his mate, at our mating ceremony? In front of the entire Moonlake pack?
I watched in disbelief as he scooped Briana into his arms, carrying her away like she was the only one that mattered. My chest tightened, breath catching in my throat. And maybe it was my imagination, but I swore I saw a smirk tug at Briana’s lips.
A bitter sigh escaped me as I looked around at the confused faces of the pack. Some pitied me, others whispered. The weight of their stares was crushing, yet Jasper expected me to endure it.
I ran out of the moon temple, my chest tight with anger, tears blurring my vision. Every step felt like fire under my skin, the betrayal burning deeper with each second. Jasper had never put me first—never. It was always Briana. Briana this, Briana that.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized, maybe this whole mate bond was just in my head. Maybe 'Briana' was his true mate all along. I was just an afterthought, a placeholder while he fawned over her.
I stormed back to my parents’ house and locked myself in my old room, shutting out the world. Mom and Dad followed me from the moon temple, knocking softly on the door, worried. But I was too shattered to respond. I buried my face in the pillow and cried until I felt empty—numb.
For two weeks, I cut Jasper off completely. I ignored his calls and texts and stayed holed up in my parents' house. He came by often, trying to talk, but I refused to see him.
He could burn for all I care, I would never see him!
Of course, Jasper had impeccable timing. The one night I finally felt like coming out of my mess, he showed up—right when my parents were out.
“Daphne, open up! I know you’re in there!” His voice boomed, fists banging on the door.
Reluctantly, I swung it open and yelled back, “What do you want?”
He barged in, not missing a beat. “Why haven’t you answered my calls? Or Briana’s?” His tone dripped with accusation. “She’s been trying to reach you! You know she has a weak heart, Daphne. Worrying her like this is bad for her health. You’re being completely unreasonable!”
“Unreasonable?” I scoffed. Was he for real?
“You abandoned me at our ceremony, and I’m the unreasonable one here?” I shouted, my voice trembling with fury, every word echoing in my ears.
“Yes!” he shot back without hesitation, his confidence only fueling my anger. "Briana feels awful about what happened. She’s been begging me to keep apologizing on her behalf. She’s 'genuinely' sorry, Daphne. And you’re making her worry sick over this.”
I couldn’t believe it. This guy always found the perfect words to make my blood boil.
How could he stand there and defend her after everything they put me through?
“You know what?” I stepped closer, my voice low and venomous. “I’m done.”
Jasper blinked, the confidence slipping from his face as confusion took its place. “What are you talking about?”
I met his eyes, my chest burning with the finality of my decision. “I’m rejecting you, Jasper.”
His expression morphed into shock, his voice rising with panic. “What?”
I smirked, relishing the disbelief etched across his face. “You heard me. I, Daphne Stone, reject—"
Chapter 2Before I could finish the rite, Jasper’s hand clamped over my mouth, his eyes blazing with fury. He looked ready to explode.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he snarled, his grip tightening. “You’d break our bond out of pettiness? Why are you always so childish?”
My ears rang, and something inside me snapped. I shoved him away with everything I had. “Childish?”
A red haze clouded my vision. Hatred—pure, unfiltered hatred—coursed through my veins. “I’m not the childish one, Jasper. It’s 'you' and your pretty little sweetheart!”
“Daphne!” he growled, baring his fangs like he wanted to rip me apart.
I scoffed, pacing the room, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to rein in my rage. This month had been one long, agonizing wake-up call. I knew I didn’t matter to him. He made that crystal clear when he left me standing alone at the altar. But to have him rub it in my face like this? It was too much. I could feel it—he’d snap my neck if it meant saving Briana. And I was so furious, I couldn’t even cry.
“Get out!” I screamed, the words tearing out of me. “I don’t care if you’re the next Alpha or the moon goddess herself—get out before I maul you!”
“No.” His voice was cold, and he stood his ground, his Alpha arrogance seeping through. “We’re not done here.”
“Oh, we’re done.” I grabbed him by the arm and threw him out with a strength I didn’t know I had. He looked stunned, his pride wounded. He moved to retaliate, but I slammed the door in his face before he could react.
I stood there, trembling, my back against the door. I waited for him to break it down, but thankfully, he left before things could get even uglier.
Left alone, I couldn’t calm down. The walls of the house seemed to close in, suffocating me. Without thinking, I bolted for the backyard, shifting into my wolf mid-stride, and tore into the woods. I ran blindly, my heart pounding, and lungs burning, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop.
What had I done to deserve this fate? Was it so wrong to dream of marrying my destined mate? How could the moon goddess be so cruel?
When I finally came to my senses, the sun was already high in the sky, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold ache in my chest. I looked around, realizing I was lying in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by pansy flowers. I shot up in panic. This wasn’t anywhere near our territory, and I was rolling around, snoring my ass off without a care.
“I’m losing my mind,” I muttered, warily scanning the area. Something felt off in the air, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.
Then I saw him.
A black wolf stepped out from behind a tree, his blue eyes glinting like polished gems in the sunlight. For a moment, I was stunned—captivated, even. But the realization hit me hard. We were strangers in an unfamiliar land.
I growled low, a warning, though my instincts told me he wasn’t a rogue. His movements were too measured, too calm. Still, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.
To my surprise, he didn’t advance. Instead, he stopped and sat at the edge of the field, his piercing gaze locked on me. His eyes held a quiet intensity that made my heart skip, but he didn’t seem threatening. It threw me off. He just... watched.
But I didn’t wait to find out what he wanted. Without another glance, I turned and ran, retracing my steps through the woods.
“Note to self,” I sighed under my breath, “never go for a run when you’re out of your mind.”
By the time I made it back home, I spotted Mom standing on the porch, worry etched onto her face. The moment she saw me emerge from the woods, relief washed over her, and she rushed toward me, pulling me into a tight hug. Her hands ran through my fur, soothing my frayed nerves. Dad quickly followed, bursting out of the house with a blanket. He wrapped it around me just as I shifted back into my human form.
“Honey, we were worried sick. You’ve been gone for almost a day! Where on earth have you been?” Mom asked, her voice a mix of relief and concern.
I forced a small, reassuring smile. “Sorry, Mom. I just needed to clear my head. I’m fine, really.”
They both nodded, though I could see the unease still lingering in their eyes. As they led me inside, Dad suddenly said, “Sweetie, you have some guests.”
My heart sank, a wave of dread hitting me. Jasper. Was it him? Had he come back—and worse, brought Briana with him? The thought made my blood run cold. Dad must’ve noticed the change in my expression because he quickly added, “If you don’t want to see them, I’ll send them away.”
But before I could reply, Carmen—Jasper’s mom—stepped out of the living room. Her smile was warm, but it didn’t ease the knot forming in my stomach. Behind her was Jasper’s brother, Jake, and he looked furious.
“Daphne,” Carmen greeted softly, her eyes filled with something like sympathy.
But all I could focus on was Jake’s clenched jaw. Why was he here? What did they want from me now?