A Forbidden Bond and An Alpha's Rejection

Maeve’s POV

The day of the most anticipated werewolf ceremony in Hexon had arrived. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the ancient city of Hexon where the ceremony was expected to take place. My family and I had already traveled from Evergreen pack to Hexon, the Lycan headquarters, with hopes of finding a suitable place to spend the night after the ceremony.

This ceremony was the most important event in a wolf’s life. Here our destiny was written on gemstones which were symbols of our mate bonds. It would glow under the moonlight if our destined mate was present, but if the gemstone remained dormant, it meant we would have to return the following year in the hope of finding our mate.

I was the last of triplets, born at the stroke of midnight. Unlike my sisters who had golden blonde hair and radiant skin, I had been gifted with jet-black hair and pale skin.

My mother’s love for my sisters was hard to miss, her eyes always shined with adoration whenever they entered the room. I, on the other hand, felt like a shadow, always lurking in the background. Even now, she was doing everything to make my sisters stand out in the ceremony while leaving me out of her plans totally.

Last year, I attended the ceremony with high hopes, only to be left heartbroken as my gemstone remained lifeless. This year, I decided not to attend the ceremony. The prospect of facing another year of disappointment was too much to bear.

But fate had other plans for me.

That evening, as I wandered deep into the forest, I met a mysterious woman. Her presence felt ethereal as if she were a creature of the woods herself. She had eyes that sparkled like moonlight on a calm lake, and a voice as gentle as a whispering breeze. She told me a story about a special amulet that lay hidden in my grandmother’s old jewelry box. It was said to hold the power to change one’s destiny, to awaken the dormant gemstone.

The woman's words stirred something within me. Normally, I would dismiss such talks, but this time around, I couldn’t help the feeling that she might just be telling the truth. I rushed home and found my mother still preparing my sisters for the ceremony.

With a heavy heart, I went to the room I was to share with my sisters for the night and looked for the dusty old jewelry box my grandmother once owned. I searched through it until my fingers brushed against a strangely shaped necklace, just as the mysterious lady had described. Without hesitation, I slipped it around my neck, feeling a strange connection to the ancient jewelry.

I knew I had to attend the ceremony that night, so I went back to ask my mother if she packed any extra clothes for me to wear to the ceremony, but she gave me a pointed look, then she looked at my sisters and they laughed. That was my answer.

I decided that my old attire from the previous year would have to suffice since it was obvious that my mother had given all the jewelry and adornments to my sisters in an attempt to keep me from attending.

As the moon began its ascent into the night sky, I left my family quietly, not wanting to disrupt the festivities they had prepared for my sisters. I was too upset to watch my mother dote on them any longer. I needed to discover if the mysterious necklace held any truth.

I met up with my best friends, Lia and Faye, who were born to a prominent beta in our pack. They were both radiant in their ceremonial attire, a stark contrast to my modest outfit. They looked at me with disappointment, but their support never wavered. “Maeve, what’s this you’re wearing? Don’t tell me your mother didn’t provide you with a decent gown at least,” Lia said, her eyes filled with concern.

I smiled weakly, “It’s alright, I’m not here for the glamour. I just want to know if this necklace means anything.”

“ What necklace? This old thing?” she asked.

“ Uh… it’s my grandma’s“ I said, and she flinched, smiling guiltily before she said,“ Oh it’s beautiful! Isn’t it Faye?” but Faye just laughed.

“ But umm, Maeve, you could’ve told us if you needed anything, I would’ve brought a gown from my mom’s room”, Lia nagged, but I knew she wanted what was best for me.

It was well known that this ceremony was one where not even the humblest of women would dress shabbily, yet, here I was.

“ It’s fine guys, let’s just go. I don’t care how I’m seen today. If my mate really is there tonight, I don’t think he would care what I’m dressed in,” I said, holding Lia’s hand and soon, she calmed down.

Faye nodded, her silver eyes reflecting surprise. “ What’s this? Is Maeve showing signs of optimism? Today must be a good day. However, I can’t lie, that necklace is hideous”

“ Faye!” Lia and I said in unison, but she grinned innocently, making us laugh.

“ Beautiful outfit or not, you’re one of the most beautiful girls in Evergreen Pack. Your mate would love you regardless, right Faye?”

“ Of course!” Faye said with a smile that I knew was genuine this time.

“ Whatever, let’s go. This outfit makes me feel ancient. I can’t believe we can’t even use our phones just because they want us to stay true to our roots!” Faye said, trying to change the topic.

As we made our way to Hexon, the Lycan Territory, the excitement in the air was intense. The moon was now a radiant pearl, casting its glow over the sacred ground. We spent a long time laughing and playing along the way, but luckily, we arrived just as the ceremony commenced.

“ Quickly, the gemstones are descending!” Lia said, and we all ran to the clearing where everyone who sought a mate was standing with arms open to receive their gemstones.

My heart pounded with a mixture of hope and anxiety. One by one, gemstones began to glow with couples finding their destined mates. My gemstone remained lifeless, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the mysterious necklace had been a mere fairy tale.

My thoughts began to drift towards the past year, the loneliness that had settled in my heart. My hopes had been so high, only to be shattered once again. I fought back tears and contemplated making a discreet exit, away from the prying eyes of the crowd. I most definitely did not want Faye and Lia’s happiness to be ruined when they realized that, unlike them, I remained without a mate, yet again.

I watched them fondly as they hugged and kissed their mates. Soon, they were ushered away from the clearing and I heard a faint announcement that the Lycans would be seeking their mates next. Well…that was my cue to leave. But just as I turned to leave, a brilliant light erupted from my gemstone, casting an otherworldly glow that left me temporarily blind.

Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd. I blinked away the afterimages, and there before me were three men, each with gemstones that shone just as brightly as my own.

My heart raced as I tried to make sense of the situation.

“ Our Lycan kings have found their mate!” Yola, the priestess who oversees the ceremony announced. I became breathless, realizing who they were. I could hardly breathe as I took in their regal appearance, their eyes locked onto me with a fervor that sent shivers down my spine.

One of the kings, his amber eyes burning with intensity, spoke, “Maeve, our gemstones have led us to you. You are our mate.”

The declaration sent shockwaves through the gathering. A mate bond between a wolf and a Lycan was strictly forbidden, a union that was said to taint the pure Lycan bloodline. The consequences of such a bond were unclear, but one thing was certain – it would unleash chaos.

My mind whirled with confusion and disbelief. I had never imagined myself as the mate of a Lycan, let alone three powerful Lycan kings. The enormity of the situation weighed heavily on my shoulders, and I could feel the eyes of the entire pack upon me.

I could hear everyone’s judging whispers and feel their resentful glare. Soon, their whispers turned to angry chants and disagreements, my legs started to give way and my whole body trembled at the intensity of their yells.

“ She’s not a Lycan!”, “This is an abomination!”, “She’ll bring death to us all!” were a few of the things I could make out being said.

I looked for Faye and Lia hoping to draw some encouragement from them, but I couldn’t find them. All I could see were the angry faces of the packs present at the ceremony.

The kings’ expressions remained stoic, their gemstones still shining brightly. They seemed undeterred by the brewing storm. The situation had escalated beyond my control, and I was overwhelmed by the weight of my actions. I hadn’t sought this forbidden bond, just wanted a regular mate!

As the murmurs and protests grew louder, a sense of dread settled over me. The three men were subtly taking in my scent. They probably knew by now that I wasn’t a Lycan. At that moment, I could tell that a decision would have to be made.

I wonder if they will accept me regardless, or will they break this forbidden bond here and now?

The uproar continued to echo through the Hexon forest, and I was at the center of it all, my gemstone still aglow, and the three Lycan kings stood before me, their expressions unreadable.

The one who stood at the center exuded the most authority. His eyes were as blue as the sea, and his hair was white as snow, making him appear cold. Yet this cold demeanor of his could not dampen his godly looks. I went breathless at the sight of him, but I didn’t dare to inhale his scent, for fear that I would latch onto him, igniting his fury.

Still, as I looked at him, I heard his name in my heart, Erik. He was clearly the greatest of the Lycan kings, but he seemed particularly disappointed. His blue eyes, once intense with desire, now held a mixture of anger and frustration. Without a word, he clenched his fist around his gemstone, crushing it into pieces. The shards of the gem scattered like stardust, their brilliance fading into nothingness.

At that moment, the bond between us shattered, and I felt a sharp, searing pain in my chest. The connection we had shared, however brief, was severed, and I was left with an overwhelming sense of loss.

“ No, please. Don’t do this…” I found myself saying as tears poured down my cheek, but his voice cut through the chaotic atmosphere. “Maeve, you have brought an abomination into our midst. You are no longer welcome in Hexon. You are an Anomaly, an enemy of our rules and traditions. I Erik, Lycan King of East pack, reject you! Leave, and never return.”

The decree sent a wave of cheers through the pack. I watched as the faces of the people reflected a mix of fear and joy. I searched the crowd for my friends or even my family, but I couldn’t find them. I was alone and no one dared to defend me.

With a heavy heart and tears streaming down my cheeks, I turned away from the Lycan kings and the pack that had been my home. My gemstone, now dull and lifeless, was a stark reminder of the love that had once been within my reach, only to be cruelly torn away.

I ran as far and as fast as my legs could carry me, fleeing the only life I had ever known.