My Rejected Mate Calls Me Mother

The wooden sword slipped from my hands and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

"You dropped your guard again."

Ryan stood a few feet away from me with a grin on his face. His dark hair was damp with sweat after another morning of training. Even after sparring with me for almost an hour, he still looked like he could fight ten more battles without getting tired.

I bent down to pick up my sword and frowned at him. "You don't have to smile every time you beat me."

"I do when you make it this easy."

"Oh, you're impossible."

He laughed, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing too. It had always been like this between us. We argued, trained, and laughed together almost every day. Ever since we were children, Ryan had been the person who filled most of my memories.

"Come on," he said, tossing me a water bottle. "Take a break before you fall over."

I caught it with both hands. "I'm not that weak."

"No," he replied, his smile softening. "You're one of the strongest girls in the pack."

My cheeks warmed. Ryan rarely gave compliments, so whenever he did, I remembered every word.

We sat beneath the old oak tree beside the training field. It has become our favorite place over the years. As children, we climbed its branches and pretended we were brave warriors protecting the pack. Now we sat beneath the same tree, talking about the future instead.

Ryan leaned his sword against the trunk and looked toward the large pack house standing on the hill.

"My father says I need to train harder," he said quietly. "One day this pack will be mine."

I turned to him and smiled. "And when that day comes, you'll be the best Alpha Silver Moon has ever had."

He chuckled. "You really believe that?"

"I've never believed in anything more."

For a moment, he didn't say anything. He simply looked at me, and I wondered what was going through his mind. Then he reached over and lightly tapped my forehead with one finger.

"You've always believed in me, Aurora."

"That's because you've always believed in yourself."

His smile returned, but this time it didn't quite reach his eyes. I didn't understand why.

At the time, I didn't know that dreams could change or that people could change with them.

The training field slowly filled with young wolves. Some came to practice with wooden swords, while others shifted into their wolf forms and raced across the open ground.

"Ryan!"

A deep voice echoed across the field.

We both turned to see Beta Marcus walking toward us. He was Ryan's father's most trusted adviser. His face was always serious, and I had never seen him smile.

"There you are," Marcus said. "The Alpha is waiting for you."

Ryan stood up. "I'll be there in a minute."

Marcus's eyes landed on me. He gave me a short nod before looking back at Ryan.

"Don't be late. There are important matters to discuss."

Ryan frowned. "What kind of matters?"

"The future of this pack."

Marcus lowered his voice, but I could still hear every word.

"You'll become Alpha sooner than you think. It's time you start thinking like one."

Ryan glanced at me before asking, "What do you mean?"

Marcus folded his arms.

"A strong Alpha needs more than strength. He needs powerful allies. Every decision you make should help the pack grow stronger."

Ryan stayed quiet.

Marcus continued, "Even choosing a Luna isn't about love. Your mate should bring influence, loyal warriors, and strong bloodlines. Never forget that."

Something about his words made my smile disappear.

I looked down at the grass, pretending I hadn't heard him.

Ryan rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll think about it."

"You'd better."

Marcus turned around and walked away without another word.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Finally, Ryan let out a long sigh.

"He worries too much."

I forced a small smile. "He's only trying to help you."

Ryan picked up his sword and shook his head. "Maybe. But I don't want everyone planning my life for me."

His answer made my heart feel lighter again. That was the Ryan I knew. The boy who climbed trees with me.

The boy who sneaked meat pies from the kitchen and blamed the guards.

The boy who once promised we'd always have each other's backs. I believed that boy was still there.

I just didn't notice that the weight of becoming Alpha was already changing him, one day at a time.

"Come on," Ryan said, nudging my shoulder. "Race you to the river."

Before I could answer, he took off running.

"Ryan!" I laughed. "That's cheating!"

I chased after him, the sound of our laughter echoing through the pack. From a distance, Beta Marcus watched us with a troubled look.

Then he muttered under his breath, "An Alpha can't let his heart choose for him.”

Ryan reached the river long before I did.

By the time I caught up, he was already skipping stones across the water. The smooth rocks bounced three, then four times before sinking beneath the surface.

"I win," he said with a proud smile.

"You started before I was ready."

"I call that strategy."

I rolled my eyes and picked up a small stone. "Watch and learn." I threw it with all my strength.

The stone flew straight into the river and disappeared with one loud splash.

Ryan burst into laughter. "That wasn't a skip. You almost scared the fish to death."

"Oh, be quiet."

I picked up another stone and threw it at him instead. It landed near his feet, making him jump back.

"Hey!"

"You deserved that."

For a few minutes, nothing else mattered. We laughed like we always had, teasing each other until the afternoon sun began to sink behind the mountains.

As we walked back toward the pack, Ryan suddenly slowed down.

"Aurora."

I looked at him.

"Hmm?"

"What if..." He hesitated before speaking again. "What if one day I become Alpha, and things aren't as simple as they are now?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He let out a quiet breath.

"My father says leading a pack means making difficult choices. He says there will be times when I have to put everyone else before myself."

I smiled at him. "That's what makes a great Alpha."

"But what if those choices hurt the people I care about?"

I stopped walking.

Ryan rarely sounded uncertain. Seeing that look on his face made my heart ache.

I stepped closer and gently squeezed his hand. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together. You won't have to carry everything alone."

He stared at our joined hands for a moment before giving me a small smile.

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am."

His smile returned, but there was something different about it this time. It looked forced, as if a part of him was already carrying a burden he didn't know how to share.

By the time we reached the pack house, the evening meal had already begun. The courtyard buzzed with laughter as wolves gathered around long wooden tables. Children ran between the benches while elders exchanged stories by the fire.

The moment Ryan appeared, everyone greeted him with respect.

"Our future Alpha!"

"Ryan, come sit with us!"

He greeted them with a polite nod, but before he could join anyone, Alpha Victor's voice cut through the crowd.

"Ryan. My office. Now."

Ryan looked at me.

"I'll find you later."

"I'll be waiting."

He disappeared into the pack house while I headed toward my family's table.

I had barely taken my seat when my mother leaned closer, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Did you hear the news?"

I blinked.

"What news?"

"The elders have finally chosen the date."

"The date for what?"

She smiled so brightly that my own heart began to race.

"The Moon Ceremony."

For a second, the world around me faded.

The Moon Ceremony.

The sacred night when the Moon Goddess revealed destined mates before the entire pack.

My fingers tightened around the wooden cup in my hands as my wolf stirred excitedly inside me.

She already knew what I had only recently discovered.

Ryan was my fated mate.

A warm smile spread across my face.

In just a few days, I wouldn't simply be the girl who loved the future Alpha.

I would become his Luna.

I had no idea that the same ceremony I had dreamed about my entire life was about to become the worst day of my life.

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