Moon Marked

9| Mark of Disbelief

Aurelia

It was a shocked silence that skittered across the walls of the cavern, the quickened pacing of hearts beating in irritation at the events that had unfolded. To every other marked woman that had been left in their unclaimed state, they reeled in resentment knowing that a wolf as reluctant as Meena had been given exactly what they wanted.

The selfishness of their thoughts suffocated the room, clinging to the divine architecture as everyone turned their noses up in indignation.

Once upon a time, I had been a culprit to these feelings too—the unworthiness flourishing in waves, the impatience turning into a feeling of betrayal that swallowed you whole as you came to terms with the inadequacy of who you were—because in this moment we were everything we had been taught to be, and somehow we had all still failed at the only thing we were fated for.

The witches told us it was our destiny.

The witches told us that we were gifts for better men.

The witches told us that we weren't good enough until an Alpha had staked his claim.

After the countless times I had attended these ceremonies, clutching onto the false hope that had been fed into my system, this time I tussled with the terms of my unfortunate fate—and in doing so, in being so consumed by the troubles of my own heart, I had barely even considered all the other things that could be taken away from me too.

Meena had been claimed just moments after we had made our plans to escape this place together, and now I couldn't help but feel my heart cracking at its seam as once again I was left alone with the plight of my misfortune.

Was this how the moon intended to punish me, by taking away my only source of happiness after a small lapse in faith—by stripping me of the hope of finding my mate and by taking me away from the only other person who understood me more than anyone else?

None of us had arrived at this sanctuary with the purpose of making friends, but Meena and I had bonded in an unexpected way, and now Meena would never set foot in this place again just like we had planned, and I would never know if she'd ever find the peace she had been searching for.

All everyone else saw was another girl taking the place that they wanted, but I knew her fears like the palms of my hands, and I knew that there was absolutely nothing I could do to help her through the nightmare she had now found herself in.

She had kept her past sealed inside of her and in the time I had known her, it was only this morning she had let some of it slip. Her Alpha seemed kind enough in this sacred place, but what if she was right? What if the only constant an Alpha knew was violence, and even worse—what if she sought to keep her past bottled up against the only man who could provide her with a more fulfilling life?

I tried to push my worries out of my head as I concentrated on making it through this moment, but Meena was consuming my thoughts as I peeked a glance at the darkened corner of the cavern where I knew she and her mate were standing. Meena was the most skilled wolf this place had ever seen when it came to combat, and regardless of whatever the moon had fated for her, I knew that this time around she would be able to protect herself from it, and I would only get in her way if I made a scene in front of everyone.

"Straighten your spines, we have two more Alphas to present during this ceremony—it is not over yet." The head matron's voice was sharp as she stood in front of us once again, the other matrons moving on her command to reform the picturesque performance they sought to display.

They assessed our statures as they pushed our hands back to our sides, brushing our hair behind our shoulders and lifting our chins so that our marks were clearly visible for our Alphas to find. When they were satisfied with our presentation, they took their places with their backs pressed against the stone walls once again.