My heart was pounding in my chest as I walked towards the pack's gathering spot. Today was the day I would finally meet my mate, the one person chosen by the Moon Goddess for me. As I entered the clearing, my eyes immediately locked onto his. Marcus was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing green eyes and a chiselled jawline that made my knees weak. I could feel the pull of the bond between us, the unbreakable connection that had been forged by the Moon Goddess herself.
I approached the pack, my heart raced with anticipation. I had heard stories about this place from other members of the pack, about how it was the site of holy ceremonies and some things I can not remember now. But today was different. Today was the day that I would finally meet my mate.
The clearing was large and open, with patches of wildflowers scattered throughout the grassy expanse. At the centre of the clearing was a large stone altar, flanked by tall trees that rustled gently in the breeze. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, and the distant sound of a nearby river added to the peaceful ambience.
When I entered the clearing my eyes immediately locked onto him. Marcus was standing near the altar, surrounded by members of the pack who had come to witness our bond. He was even more handsome up close than I had imagined, with chiselled features and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight into my soul.
Around us, the other members of the pack murmured excitedly, their eyes flickering back and forth between us. I could feel the weight of their expectations and hopes resting heavily on my shoulders, but all I could focus on was Marcus.
But despite the nervousness that had been building within me, I couldn't help but feel a calmness over me as I stepped closer to him. Our eyes met, he smiled and I could feel the pull of the bond between us, the unbreakable connection that had been forged by the Moon Goddess herself.
For a moment, everything else faded away, leaving only the two of us standing in the centre of the clearing. It was a moment that I knew I would never forget, a moment that would change the course of my life forever.
As I approached him, my heart beating faster with every step, I heard a voice behind me. "Stop," it said, and I turned to see another woman, one I had never seen before, stepping forward. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked, confused.
The woman sneered at me. "I am Marcus's true mate," she said. "You were just a placeholder until I came along."
I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. "That's not true," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Marcus is my mate."
The woman laughed bitterly. "Oh, honey, don't be so naive. Marcus only agreed to meet you today because he knew I would be here. He wanted to make it crystal clear to you that you were never really his mate."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned back to Marcus, hoping that he would deny the woman's claims. But to my horror, he remained silent, his eyes downcast as if he couldn't bear to look at me.
"Please," I said, my voice cracking with emotion. "Tell me this isn't true."
Marcus finally looked up at me, his expression pained. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's true. I've known about my true mate for a while now, but I didn't want to hurt you. I thought it would be easier to let you down gently."
"What are you saying?" I said.
My heart shattered into a million pieces as I looked around at the members of the pack, all of whom were now staring at me with a mixture of pity and disdain. I had always felt like an outsider in this pack like I didn't quite belong, and now I knew why. I had never truly been accepted because I was never really meant to be here.
As the reality of the situation set in, I knew that I had to leave. I couldn't bear to be around these people any longer, not when I knew that they all saw me as a failure. Without a word, I turned and walked away from the gathering spot, my heart heavy with grief and regret.
But Marcus didn't say anything. He just looked at me, his face unreadable, as the woman walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Say something," I demanded. He looked at me and said coldly,
"You are not good enough for me. I can't be with you."
I felt like I had been hit with a sledgehammer. How could he say that to me, after everything we had been through? "What do you mean, I'm not good enough for you?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger.
Marcus sighed heavily as if my question was a burden to answer. "You're weak," he said simply. "I need someone who can keep up with me, who can stand by my side and support me in all things. You just don't have what it takes."
I felt tears welling up in my eyes again, but this time they weren't tears of grief. They were tears of rage. "You don't get to decide what I'm capable of," I spat. "You don't know me at all."
Marcus shook his head. "I know you well enough to know that you're not the one for me," he said. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."
I wanted to scream at him, to tell him how wrong he was about me. But I knew that it wouldn't change anything. The bond between us had been severed, and there was nothing I could do to bring it back.
Without another word, I turned and walked away, leaving Marcus and his true mate behind. As I disappeared into the woods, I knew that my life would never be the same again. But I also knew that I had to keep moving forward, even if it meant doing it alone.