Helen's POV
The steam in the pack house laundry room was so thick it felt like wet wool pressing against my skin.
At nineteen years old, my life was measured in the rhythmic thud of industrial washers and the endless piles of white linens I was forced to scrub by hand. Because I was plus-sized and hadn't yet shifted into a wolf, the Silver-Moon pack treated me as nothing more than a ghost that performed chores.
I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. My arms ached, and my simple grey dress was damp with soapy water. I didn't mind the work as much as the silence.
In a pack that valued speed and predatory grace, my slow, heavy movements were seen as an insult.
The heavy iron door swung open with a bang. I didn't need to look up to know who it was. The scent of expensive perfume and Mean-Girl malice filled the small room.
"Look at her," Serafina said, her voice dripping with fake pity. "The future of our pack, scrubbing socks. It's a good thing you're big, Helen. It gives you more surface area to soak up the bleach."
Serafina was everything I was not. She was lean, fast, and had shifted into a beautiful mahogany wolf two years ago.
Behind her stood two other girls, giggling as Serafina walked over to a pile of folded, clean towels.
With a slow, deliberate movement, she tipped her cup of iced coffee over the stack. The brown liquid soaked into the white fabrics.
"Oops," Serafina smirked. "I guess you'll have to stay an extra hour to redo these. You don't want to be late for the ceremony tonight, do you? Or maybe you should skip it. I doubt the moon has anything planned for a human failure like you."
I kept my head down, my fingers gripping the edge of the washbasin until my knuckles turned white. I didn't fight back. I couldn't.
"I'll clean it up, Serafina," I said quietly.
Serafina laughed, a sharp sound that echoed off the damp walls. "Good girl. Just remember, no matter how much you scrub, you'll still be an Omega."
When the girls finally left, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. My eyes stung with tears, but I pushed them back. I couldn't afford to cry. Not today.
Today was the Choosing Ceremony. It was the one day a year when the moon revealed fated mates. For me, it was the only hope I had left.
A soft knock at the side door made me jump. A young man with messy brown hair and a kind face slipped inside. It was Toby, the only person in the pack who didn't look at me like I was a mistake.
"Those vultures again?" Toby asked, walking over to help me pick up the ruined towels.
I nodded, giving him a small, tired smile.
"It's fine, Toby. I'm used to it."
"You shouldn't be," he said, his voice unusually serious for a moment. "But hey, don't let them get to you. Tonight is the big night. I have a feeling things are going to change for you."
My heart gave a little flutter of hope. "Do you really think so? What if I don't have a mate? What if the moon doesn't see me at all?"
Toby reached out and squeezed my hand. His skin was warm, and for a second, and I felt a strange sense of calm.
"The moon sees everything, Helen. You've got a heart of gold and the patience of a saint. Any wolf would be lucky to have you. Even Kevin."
I blushed at the mention of the name.
Kevin was a high-ranking warrior, a man with shoulders as broad as the mountains and eyes like stormy seas. I had watched him for years. He was strong, respected, and most importantly, he had never been the one to throw the insults. In my mind, his silence was a form of kindness. I dreamed that tonight, the bond would snap into place, and Kevin would step forward to take me away from the laundry room forever.
"Go on," Toby urged, pushing me toward the door. "Go get ready. I'll finish these towels for you."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"I'm sure. Just promise me you won't forget your old friend when you're a high-ranking mate," he joked, though there was a strange look in his eyes that I couldn't quite read.
I ran to my small, cramped room in the basement of the pack house. I showered quickly, scrubbing away the smell of bleach and sweat.
I pulled on a simple cream-colored dress that I had hidden away for months. It was tight in some places and loose in others, but it was the best thing I owned. I brushed my long hair until it shone and took a deep breath.
"You can do this," I whispered to my reflection.
"Tonight, you'd become someone."
The Great Hall was filled with hundreds of pack members. The air was thick with the scent of forest floor and woodsmoke. High up in the ceiling, the large glass skylight showed the full moon. I knew the stories of how the moon guided us, but I didn't know about the sensors hidden behind the stone pillars. To me, it was just magic.
I stood near the back, trying to blend into the shadows. I saw Serafina standing near the front, looking like a queen. And then I saw him. Kevin was standing with the other warriors, his chest out, looking proud.
The High Priestess, Madame Vora, stood on the raised platform. She wore long black robes and held a silver bowl.
"The moon calls to its children," Vora's voice boomed.
"Tonight, souls are joined. Tonight, the pack grows stronger."
The ceremony began.
One by one, pairs of wolves found each other. There were cheers and hugs as the moon's light seemed to pulse with every new bond. My heart was beating so hard it felt like a drum in my chest.
Then, it happened.
A sudden, sharp electric shock ran through my body. It started at the base of my spine and raced to my heart. My skin tingled, and the world seemed to grow brighter.
At the same time, Kevin gasped, his head snapping around as if he had been struck.
Our eyes locked across the crowded room.
My breath hitched. It was him. The pull was undeniable. It was like a golden thread was tied to my soul, and he was on the other end, pulling me in.
I felt a rush of pure joy. All the bullying, all the lonely nights, all the pain was over. I had a mate. And it was Kevin.
The crowd went silent as they realized what was happening. A wolf-less Omega and a high-ranking warrior? It was unheard of.
I took a trembling step forward. The crowd parted for me. I felt like I was walking on air. I reached the middle of the hall, my eyes fixed on Kevin's face. I expected to see joy. I expected to see relief.
But as I got closer, I saw his expression harden. His lip curled back in a snarl. The storms in his eyes weren't full of love; they were full of rage and embarrassment.
"Kevin?" I whispered, my voice shaking.
The silence in the hall was deafening.
Kevin looked around at his fellow warriors, seeing the smirks on their faces. He looked at Serafina, who was watching with a cruel grin. He looked back at me, at my simple dress and my tear-filled eyes, and he felt a wave of shame so strong it turned into hate.
He took a step toward me, but he didn't reach out to hold me. He stood tall, making sure everyone could hear his voice.
"Look at you," Kevin said, his voice echoing off the high stone walls. "You think the moon would give me a mate like you? A useless, fat human who can't even find her own wolf?"
"Kevin, please," I gasped, my heart beginning to crack.
"I refuse to let my bloodline be dragged down by a mistake," Kevin shouted. "I will not be the laughingstock of the Silver-Moon pack because of a glitch in the bond."
He raised his hand as if he were taking an oath, his face twisted with disgust.
"Helen, I reject you as my fated mate."