Chapter 1 Broken and rejected

Aldric looked directly into my amber, penetrating eyes, No affection. Cold detachment alone. "You are not suitable to be my Luna, Elara." Sharp as a sword, his deep voice rumbled through the pack. The assembled members of the pack let out a series of gasps. "What?" My breath was little more than a whisper. Even though my knees felt weak, I resisted letting them give out. He moved in closer, looming over me with Alpha-level dominance. "You heard me. You're not strong enough. You could never be my equal at my side. "Please, Aldric." My voice broke as my chest ached from his rejection. "I've given this pack my all, please don't do this. A grimace curved his lips. "You believe that loyalty is sufficient? We need strength, not a weak excuse for a partner. The whispers became ruthless laughter, and the murmurs became whispers. They were audible, and I could feel their contempt stabbing me. Even though I could hardly hear myself, I said, "I'm not fragile." "I've been there for you no matter what. Doesn't that make a difference? Anger surged in Aldric's eyes. "It is meaningless. Elara, you're not Luna material. Embrace it. Instead of becoming a burden, the Bloodfang Pack should have a leader. The shame was more intense than fire, and the words felt like a slap. Unshed tears clouded my eyes, but I resisted letting them go. With a shaky voice, I answered, "You're making a mistake." "You'll regret it." He grinned, the ruthlessness in his face further entangling the blade. "Here, the only error was ever believing that you could be sufficient." Around me, laughter broke out, and I felt my chest smothered by their disdain. I was so ashamed and incredulous that my feet would not budge. It felt like glass fragments in my throat, but I pushed myself to speak at last. "I'll go if that's what you want, Aldric. But don't count on me to return. He didn't flinch at all. "Well done." Ignoring the murmurs and jeers, I turned on my heel and bounded off the dais. Even though my heart felt like it had been torn to pieces, I refused to let them see my breakdown. All I could think of was the dark, ominous forest of the Shadowglade, but it was the only location that came to me. The sound of my own cries followed me as I raced, breathing in ragged gasps. "Weak. Useless. A load. Aldric's words kept repeating in my head, each one piercing my already broken heart. I fell hard to my knees after stumbling on a root. Despite the cold and unforgiving soil under me, I lacked the strength to get up. "Why?" I spoke in a whisper to nobody. "What made me insufficient?" Perhaps it was my own imagination torturing me, but the wind carried voices in whispers through the woods. "You were always insufficient." "Stop it!" I put my hands to my ears and yelled. However, the voices persisted. “You know, they’re right.” Through the confusion in my mind came a voice, definite this time, smooth and feminine. I looked up, trying to find the source. "Who is there!?" A shadow moved closer, shifting between the trees. "Someone who recognizes your true potential," the soothing, deep voice whispered. "Elara, you're not broken. Not quite yet. I stumbled to my feet and retreated. "Don't come near me!" A tall lady with piercing violet eyes and long black hair that appeared to shimmer like liquid night emerged as the figure moved into the dim moonlight. She wasn't a member of the group. That much was obvious. "Who are you?" Despite the lack of confidence in my voice, I insisted. With a little grin on her lips, she cocked her head. "Lysandra is my name. I had also been anticipating your arrival. My heart was racing as I stood still. " You were waiting for me? Why? Lysandra stepped forward, her motions elegant and almost unearthly. "Because your destiny is much bigger than you could have ever dreamed." And tonight is when it starts. I stepped back again and shook my head. “I don’t have a destiny. I am nothing. A rejected partner, that's all. Something I couldn't identify flared in her violet eyes. That's what you think? Or did they lead you to think that? I recoiled as her comments struck a chord. "What's the point? That's the reality. Lysandra's face became softer. "Elara, the fact is that you have been misled. You are not weak. You are a power that is just waiting to be released. I tightened my chest as I gazed at her. "What makes you worthy of my trust?" With a hint of mischief in her eyes, she grinned. "Because I'm giving you an opportunity to disprove them. to develop into the woman you were destined to be. A part of me wanted to turn away, to write off what she had said was bullshit. However, there was a part of me that still aches from Aldric's rejection and wanted to believe her. "What do you mean?" With hesitation in my voice, I asked. Lysandra took a step forward and extended her hand. "Allow me to demonstrate." I grasped her hand against mine, Her skin felt chilly, and I felt a rush of electricity as soon as our hands touched. Around us, shadows started to tangle and contort like living creatures. "What's going on?" I tried to break away as I gasped, but she held on tightly. With a firm and authoritative voice, she said, "You are the moon's chosen." Darker and heavier, the darkness closed in on us. My chest ached, but Lysandra's calm demeanor kept me grounded. "Take a breath," she said. "Give up your fear." I closed my eyes and gave myself up to the weird energy that was pulsing through me. A weird warmth and a growing sensation of power inside of me took the place of the anguish and shame I had experienced before. The shadows disappeared by the time I opened my eyes, but something had changed. I felt it in my body and in the air. Lysandra grinned broadly. "Elara, you've made the first step. When you return, the pack won't recognize you. Her words made me shiver. "Come back? What are you saying? She stepped back, her violet eyes shining. "You'll see. Rest for now, however. The change is only getting started. She vanished into the darkness before I could reply, leaving me alone in the clearing. I looked down at my hands and saw that they seemed... strange. more powerful. There was no turning back now that something had changed. A solitary thought kept ringing in my head as my eyes succumbed to the darkness around it. "What am I now!!?"