Selene walked into the Grand Hall of the Alpha's mansion alongside her stepmother and stepsisters. Her stepsisters were eager, their eyes darting around, looking at every high-ranking young male, hoping to feel a bond.
But for Selene, it was like walking straight into a battlefield where she was already the loser.
The Grand Hall was dazzling, filled with golden chandeliers and the heavy scent of wine, roasted meat, and blooming night flowers. It should have been a night of excitement.
But for Selene, it was suffocating.
Tonight was the Mating Ceremony, where unmated wolves would come together, hoping to find their fated partner. Already, she could see some of them—wolves whose eyes had widened in shock, lips parting in silent recognition, their bodies instinctively moving closer.
Gasps of joy. Low, possessive growls. Some couples had already disappeared into the shadows, unable to resist the primal pull of their mate bond.
Miriam, draped over her father's arm, was all polished beauty and confidence. She wore a gown of deep red silk that tightly hugged her—expensive, the kind that drew attention effortlessly. Every time she smiled, another ranked wolf took notice, and Selene's father practically pushed her into their line of sight, showing her off like a prize.
Behind her, Clarissa and Daphne, her stepsisters, walked with their chins high, smirks playing at their lips. They were both adorned in dresses just as luxurious, one in sapphire blue, the other in emerald green. They were undeniably beautiful.
And then there was Selene.
She looked down at her own gown. It wasn't ugly. It was just… plain. A soft silver gown that clung gently to her frame. The gown had a small opening on the chest, revealing a glimpse of fair cleavage. Compared to her sisters, she faded into the background like a shadow.
But some girls noticed.
She could feel their eyes on her.
The girls in the room, wolves from powerful families, daughters of Betas and Alphas from other packs, cast her sideways glances, some barely hiding their mockery.
"She actually came."
"Did she really think she'd find a mate tonight?"
"Who would ever be fated to her?"
Selene swallowed the lump in her throat. She had heard it all before. She had learned to ignore it.
But it wasn't just the girls.
The male wolves didn't even spare her a second glance.
They looked over her as if she wasn't even there—as if she were invisible. Some directly avoided her gaze. They didn't even want such a bond.
Selene wasn't expecting admiration, but the sheer lack of acknowledgment burned.
Of course. Same old, same old. She forced a smile that barely reached her lips. Nothing new. Nothing surprising.
Not that she wasn't beautiful enough. She was extremely beautiful. Innocently beautiful, almost childish. But she was not strong enough. Not worthy enough.
She clenched her fists, squeezing the fabric of her gown.
She shouldn't care.
You don't care, she told herself.
But the ache in her chest said otherwise.
Selene's stomach twisted. What if tonight wasn't for her?
She clenched her hands, pushing back the sting of humiliation at the thought.
Then she looked around the hall again. Damian wasn't here.
Her heart sank. Would he even come?
The night was just too much.
The loud conversations accompanied by laughter, the judgmental looks, and the expectations of everyone at the ceremony were all choking. She needed to get out.
Selene turned and slipped outside, stepping into the cool night.
The cool night air brushed her skin, slowly calming her.
She exhaled, folding her arms and rubbing them.
But before she could fully relax, the air shifted.
A masculine scent hit her. Deep. Powerful. Overwhelming. Possessive.
It hit her like a wave, making her gasp.
It was masculine and raw, thick with dominance, the kind of scent that made wolves submit instinctively.
Selene staggered.
"Mate."
Her wolf's voice in her head was a whisper at first. Then it turned into a growl.
"Mate. Mate! Go to him!"
Her skin tingled as she felt her knees go weak. Her breath hitched. A feverish need built inside her, primal and desperate.
She needed to find him.
Her gaze darted across the terrace, searching the shadows, but nothing.
And yet, she felt him watching.
The weight of his presence was heavy, suffocating in the most intoxicating way.
Selene clutched the stone railing as her legs trembled.
A heat unlike anything she had ever known spread through her body.
Her skin felt too tight. Her breathing grew heavy and short, coming in soft, desperate pants.
And then, she felt it.
A sharp, unbearable ache between her thighs. She put her hands there. Her fingers were met with the stickiness pooling under her thighs.
Her body was betraying her, reacting to a mate she hadn't even seen yet.
"You're going into heat," her wolf panted. "Because he's near. He's here, Selene. He's watching. He wants you."
Selene let out a shaky breath. The sensation was unbearable.
She squeezed her thighs together, but it did nothing to ease the pressure.
Her nipples hardened against the fabric of her dress, a flush rising to her cheeks as a strange, unfamiliar desperation clawed at her insides.
"Oh, fuck."
She barely recognized her own voice. It was breathy, needy.
The mate bond was merciless.
"Where is he? Who is he?" she whispered.
The bond only tightened.
She needed to be touched. Marked. Subdued.
The hunger in the air was thick, wrapping around her like a vice, suffocating in the most intoxicating way.
She knew he felt it, too.
Somewhere in the shadows, he was fighting it.
But why?
Selene bit her lip, her body trembling from the effort to resist what she didn't even understand.
Her wolf whimpered in frustration. "Go to him. Find him. Let him take you."
Selene squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the railing so tightly her knuckles turned white.
And then, the presence faded.
Like a shadow slipping away, he was just…
Gone.
Just like that?
Selene gasped, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her body still aching.
"No."
No, no, no!
Her mate had been there.
He had been right there.
And he left.
No introductions. No claiming. No pulling her against him and whispering mine.
She had heard stories about the events that accompanied meeting your mate. So why was her own different?
She pressed a hand on her stomach, her body still hot and needy.
"Why?" she whispered.
Why had he come so close, only to leave?
Her wolf growled in frustration.
Selene tightened her jaw. She wasn't going to stand here, helpless and needy.
If he was inside, she was going to find him.
She inhaled shakily, straightened her shoulders, and turned around, walking back into the Grand Hall with raw determination.
And this time, both her body and her wolf were desperate.