REJECTED LUNA' S REVENGE: THE FORGOTTEN QUEEN RISES

Aria's POV

I'm staring at my reflection when Miranda walks in without knocking.

She never knocks anymore.

"You're actually going?" Her voice drips with disbelief. "Aria, he's not going to choose you."

My hands grip the sink. The girl staring back looks small, silver hair dyed black, violet eyes too large, wearing a borrowed dress because I own nothing suitable for a mating ceremony. Especially not my own.

"He's my mate, Miranda. The bond..."

"The bond." She laughs, and I remember when that laugh meant friendship. Before she sat at the Alpha's table. Before she stopped sneaking me food. "You think a bond matters more than pack survival?"

I meet her eyes in the mirror. "It used to matter to you."

Something flickers across her face, guilt, maybe. Then her expression hardens.

"I grew up. You should too." She moves closer, expensive perfume filling the space between us. The kind Lunas wear. "Save yourself the humiliation."

"I have to go. If I don't, everyone will say I was too cowardly."

The bathroom door swings open. Beta Marcus fills the doorway, his smile making ice slide down my spine.

There you are, wolfless." His eyes rake over me with open disgust. "The Alpha requests your presence in the ceremonial hall. Immediately."

Now." The command in his voice makes my omega instincts scream at me to submit, to obey. I hate that part of myself. The part that cowers.

‎But I lift my chin anyway. If I'm going to be rejected, and I'm not stupid enough to deny that anymore, I'll face it standing tall.

The walk through the pack house feels like a funeral march. Whispers follow me:

"finally doing it..." "wolfless omega as Luna, can you imagine..."

Five years. Five years since the mate bond snapped into place, tying my soul to Kade's. Five years of watching him pull away until that rope frayed to almost nothing.

The ceremonial hall doors loom ahead. Marcus grabs my arm, grip bruising.

"Accept the rejection quickly. Don't embarrass yourself more than you already have."

He shoves me through the doors into a hall packed with every pack member. Hundreds of eyes lock onto me, some pitying, most satisfied.

At the front, Kade stands waiting.

My breath catches. He's beautiful...all golden perfection and controlled power. His amber eyes find mine, and for one fragile second, I think I see regret.

Then Miranda steps out wearing white. A Luna's ceremonial gown. She moves beside Kade, and he doesn't stop her.

This was planned. I'm the only one who didn't get the script.

"Aria Moonstone. Approach."

My legs move on instinct. When I stop three feet from him, I force myself to meet his eyes.

"You know why you're here."His face could be carved from stone, but his hands are clenched into fists, knuckles white.

"Yes."

"The Crescent Moon Pack requires a Luna who can strengthen our position. Who can provide alliances, support, and power." Each word lands like a blow. "You cannot provide these things."

"I could try..."

"You're not what I need." He cuts me off, and his tone is final. "You're not what this pack needs. My father's debts are crushing us. We need strength."

"The bond doesn't care about debts. The Moon Goddess chose us."

"It means she made a mistake." Miranda's voice cuts in. "Kade needs a real Luna. Someone who can actually shift."

The crowd murmurs agreement.

"I have a wolf. She's just quiet."

"Aria, you're twenty-three." Kade's laugh is hollow. "If you had a wolf, she would have shown herself. Stop lying to this pack."

Tears burn behind my eyes. I will not cry. Not here. Not in front of them

"Kade. Please. Just give us a chance."

He closes his eyes. When he opens them, something is wrong. They're still amber but blank, like someone pulled a curtain over his feelings.

"I, Alpha Kade Blackthorn..." He stops. Swallows hard. "I reject you, Aria Moonstone, as my mate and future Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack."

The bond doesn't just break

It detonates.

The connection that's been part of me for five years rips away with violence that drops me to my knees. Pain explodes through every nerve. My chest feels carved open. I can't breathe.

"Rejection... accepted."

The pain gets worse.

When I lift my head, Kade is staring at his hands, trembling. Then Marcus grips his shoulder, whispers something. Kade's expression goes blank again.

"Alpha Kade has chosen Miranda Silvercrest as his Luna," Marcus announces.

The pack erupts in cheers.

Miranda crouches beside me. "You should leave, Aria. There's nothing for you here anymore."

"Where would I go?"

Her smile widens. "Not my problem."

She takes Kade's arm and they walk away. The pack parts for them.

No one looks at me.

I'm still kneeling when Marcus appears holding silver chains.

"You need to come with me. Alpha's orders."

"What..."

Before I can react, he clamps the chains around my wrists.

The silver burns.

It shouldn't. Silver only affects wolves. But the metal sears into my skin, raising blisters. I cry out.

"Well, well." His eyes gleam. "What do we have here?"

"It's just...the metal is hot..."

"No." He jerks me to my feet. The chains dig deeper. "You've been hiding something. And the Alpha is going to want to know."

He drags me toward a side door. One that leads down.

"Wait...Marcus, please..."

"Shut up."

The last thing I see is the crowd still celebrating while I disappear into the darkness below.

The basement door slams shut, and the sound echoes like a coffin closing.