My Rejected Mate Calls Me Mother

The smell of fresh flowers filled my room before I even opened my eyes.

I stretched slowly and smiled. Today wasn't just another day. It was the day I had dreamed about since I was a little girl. My wolf had been restless all night, pacing happily inside me as if she already knew what was coming.

A soft knock came from the door before it opened.

"There you are," my mother said, carrying a folded white dress in her arms. "I was beginning to think you'd sleep through the biggest day of your life."

I laughed and sat up. "As if I could ever do that."

She walked over and laid the dress carefully on my bed. The silver threads woven into the fabric caught the morning light, making it sparkle. I had never owned anything so beautiful.

"You made this?" I asked, running my fingers over the soft cloth.

She nodded, her eyes warm with pride. "Every stitch. I wanted my daughter to look like the Luna everyone already believes she is."

I looked at the dress again, my heart beating faster.

"What if Ryan can't take his eyes off you?" my mother teased.

I covered my face with both hands and laughed. "Mom!"

She chuckled and gently pulled my hands away. "Oh, don't act shy now. Everyone in the Silver Moon Pack knows how that boy looks at you."

I lowered my gaze, trying to hide the smile growing on my face.

"We've known each other forever," I said quietly. "He's probably just as nervous as I am."

"I hope so," my mother replied as she brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Today isn't only important for you. It's the beginning of a new chapter for both of you."

She paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Your father and I couldn't be happier. We know you'll make a wonderful Luna, Aurora. You've always had a kind heart, and this pack will need that one day."

Her words made my chest feel warm.

For so many years, I had imagined this moment. Now it was finally here, and everything felt exactly the way it was supposed to. Or at least, that's what I believed.

After getting dressed, I stood in front of the mirror while my mother worked on my hair. She brushed it slowly, humming an old song she used to sing when I was a child. Every now and then, she stepped back to admire her work before making another small adjustment.

"You keep smiling," she said, catching my eyes in the mirror. "If you smile any wider, your cheeks might start hurting."

I laughed softly. "Can you blame me? I've waited for this day for years."

"I know you have." She placed a silver hairpin above my ear and smiled. "You've loved Ryan since you were old enough to know the difference between boys and girls."

"Oh, Mom."

"What?" she asked, pretending to look innocent. "Did you think I never noticed the way you followed him around? Every time he went training, there you were. Every time he got into trouble, somehow you were standing beside him."

"That's because he was always getting into trouble," I replied with a grin.

My mother laughed, shaking her head.

"You even defended him when he broke Mr. Owen's fence."

I folded my arms. "That wasn't completely his fault."

She raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't."

"He climbed over the fence."

"The ball landed there first."

"He chased the ball."

"He didn't mean to break it."

She couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.

"You've always found a way to excuse that boy."

The room filled with laughter until another knock sounded at the door. "Come in," my mother called.

The door swung open, and my best friend Lily rushed inside without waiting for permission. She stopped in the middle of the room, placed both hands over her mouth, and stared at me with wide eyes.

"Aurora" she whispered dramatically. "You're going to make every girl in this pack jealous."

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't start."

"I'm serious." Lily walked around me once before nodding with satisfaction. "Ryan is going to forget how to speak when he sees you."

"I hope he still remembers how to say, 'I accept you as my mate,'" I teased.

Lily laughed so hard she had to hold onto the bed. "Oh, he will. If he doesn't, I'll push him toward you myself."

Even my mother laughed at that.

Lily reached for my hands, giving them an excited squeeze.

"Can you believe it? Tonight, you'll stand beside Ryan in front of the whole pack. By tomorrow, everyone will be calling you Luna Aurora."

The title sounded strange, yet wonderful.

I had imagined hearing those words countless times, but hearing someone else say them made everything feel real.

"I don't care about the title," I admitted, my voice softer now. "I just want to be with him. That's all I've ever wanted."

Lily's smile softened.

"I know. That's why everyone says the Moon Goddess chose well. You don't want Ryan because he'll become Alpha. You love him because he's Ryan."

Before I could answer, the distant sound of ceremonial drums echoed through the village.

The celebration had begun.

The sound of the drums grew louder with every passing second. Their steady rhythm echoed through the Silver Moon Pack, calling every wolf to the ceremonial grounds. My heart beat in time with them, and my wolf stirred excitedly inside me.

Lily hurried to the window and peeked outside. "They're gathering already. If we don't leave now, we'll end up at the back of the crowd, and I refuse to miss the look on Ryan's face when he sees you."

My mother smiled as she picked up the small silver necklace that had belonged to my grandmother. She fastened it around my neck with gentle hands before stepping in front of me.

"This has been passed down through the women in our family for generations," she said softly. "Your grandmother wore it on the day she became Luna, and I wore it on the day I accepted your father as my mate. Now it belongs to you."

I touched the cool pendant resting against my chest.

"I'll take good care of it."

"I know you will." She cupped my face and looked into my eyes. "No matter what happens in life, never forget who you are. A title can make someone important, but kindness is what makes people remember them."

I wrapped my arms around her without saying a word. She hugged me tightly, and for a brief moment, I wished time would stand still.

When we finally stepped outside, the entire village was alive with excitement. Lanterns hung from every tree, glowing softly as evening settled over the pack. Wolves dressed in their finest clothes walked toward the ceremonial grounds, laughing and talking among themselves.

As we made our way through the crowd, familiar faces stopped to greet us.

"There she is!"

"Our future Luna looks beautiful."

"Ryan is a lucky Alpha."

An elderly woman smiled as she squeezed my hand.

"We've watched you and Ryan grow up together. The Moon Goddess has blessed this pack."

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

"Thank you."

Lily leaned closer and whispered with a grin, "See? I told you everyone already thinks of you as Luna."

I laughed quietly, though my hands had started to tremble.

"I've never been this nervous."

"That's because today changes everything."

We reached the entrance to the ceremonial grounds, where hundreds of pack members had already gathered in a wide circle around the sacred stone altar. The elders stood near the front in long ceremonial robes, while warriors lined the outer edge to keep order.

At the center of it all stood Ryan.

He looked every bit the future Alpha everyone admired. Dressed in black ceremonial robes embroidered with silver, he stood tall with his shoulders straight and his chin lifted. The firelight danced across his face as he spoke quietly with Beta Marcus and Alpha Victor.

For a moment, he looked in my direction.

Our eyes met across the crowd.

My heart skipped a beat.

I smiled, expecting him to smile back.

Instead, Ryan's expression remained unreadable. He held my gaze for only a second before looking away and turning back to Beta Marcus, who whispered something into his ear.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

It lasted only a moment, and I quickly pushed it aside.

He's nervous, I told myself. This ceremony is as important to him as it is to me.

The Head Elder raised his staff, and silence fell over the crowd.

"The Moon Ceremony shall now begin."

The sacred flames around the altar burst higher into the night sky as every eye turned toward Ryan.

Then the elder looked at me and smiled warmly.

"Aurora," he called. "Step forward and stand before your fated mate."

Taking a deep breath, I walked toward Ryan with a hopeful smile, certain that in a few moments, I would become his Luna.

I didn't notice the way Beta Marcus tightened his jaw.

Or the way Ryan slowly clenched his fists as if he had already made a decision that would change both our lives forever.

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