Rejected by the Omega, Crowned as the Alpha's Luna

Edmend dragged me roughly from the carriage, the chill of the air biting against my skin. His packmates erupted into laughter, their jeers cutting deep.

"Ova," one sneered, doubling over with amusement, "you're so desperate you'd even settle for being a second mate."

Another chimed in, his grin wicked. "But even that requires Edmend's permission, doesn't it?"

"Edmend," a third mocked, "look at her devotion. Why not take her in? She's been waiting three years, after all. It's not like you'd lose anything!"

Their laughter grew louder, a cruel symphony.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep the rising humiliation at bay, my gaze instinctively seeking Edmend's.

He tilted my chin up, his grip firm and mocking, his golden eyes devoid of the warmth I once knew. "Ova, after all these years, I see you've grown bolder. Did you really think I'd take you as my mate?"

His words were a dagger to the heart.

"The offer to make you my concubine? That was a joke, Ova. I can't believe you didn't catch on."

I clenched my fists, the sting of tears threatening to betray me. "You misunderstand," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. "I'm not here to marry Edmend."

Their laughter redoubled, echoing in the clearing.

"Not here for Edmend? Who else would have you, Ova?" one taunted, pointing at a scarred, one-eyed soldier in the back. "Maybe Mathew? A blind fool for a desperate one. Sounds like a match made in heaven!"

Edmend smirked, turning to the soldier. "Mathew, how about it? She's all yours. I'm sure she'll make a great consolation prize."

The soldier flushed but managed a shaky, "I... I'd be honored."

Their jeers and laughter roared louder. My heart twisted in disbelief. This wasn't the Edmend I knew-the boy who once stood as my protector, who broke the hand of anyone who dared touch me, who gave me his mother's heirloom ring as a token of his promise. The one who swore he'd make me his Luna.

What had changed?

Then, one of Edmend's friends stepped closer, his hand grazing mine in an unwelcome touch. "If Mathew doesn't suit you, Ova, I'd be happy to take you in. You're a little older now, but I've always appreciated someone with experience."

Disgust surged through me. I yanked my hand away, his smirk deepening at my reaction.

Before I could react, a snarl tore through the air. My maid Natasha, her wolf gleaming silver in the moonlight, charged forward, her growl shaking the ground.

"Enough!" she bellowed, her voice filled with fury. "Ova is alpha's Luna! How dare you disgrace her?"

Edmend leaned against the ornate carriage, laughing so hard tears glistened at the corners of his golden eyes. "And she still dreams of becoming alpha's Luna."

Behind him, his packmates doubled over with laughter, their mockery ringing in the crisp night air.

"Do you even know your place, Ova? A cast-off Omega trying to climb so high-you'll only drag him down."

"Careful, Ova," another chimed in with a smirk. "If the Alpha's reputation suffers because of you, who will bear the cost? Certainly not us."

Their taunts twisted like knives in my chest, but I stood my ground, refusing to let them see my pain.

Vivian appeared then, her delicate frame stepping into the flickering torchlight. Her arrival silenced the crowd for a brief moment. The woman they spoke of so reverently, the one Edmend had brought back from the battlefield with such adoration-it had to be her.

"What's going on here?" Vivian asked, her voice soft yet commanding.

Edmend draped himself over her shoulder, his grin stretching wide. "Vivian, you won't believe it. Ova here actually thinks she's alpha's Luna. Can you imagine?" He erupted into another fit of laughter.

Vivian's gaze flicked to me, her expression a mix of pity and amusement. "Ova, I've heard all about you," she said, her tone saccharine. "What happened between you and Edmend was unfortunate. For that, I offer my apologies on his behalf."

Apologies? For abandoning me? I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms.

Just as I began to lower my gaze, defeated, something caught my eye-a ring glinting on Vivian's finger. My breath hitched. It wasn't just any ring. It was my ring. The one Edmend had once slipped onto my hand, vowing I would be his mate.

He noticed my stare and smirked, casually taking Vivian's hand in his own. "Vivian, don't blame me. I was only teasing her. I never expected she'd actually try to marry me."

The pack howled with laughter again.

"Edmend's heart is yours. Ova here is just desperate, clinging to a dream that's long gone."

Another added with a malicious grin, "After all, you saved him on the battlefield. Edmend's told us a hundred times-he owes you his life and his love."

I stared at the ground, my vision blurring. So this was it? This was the reason he broke every promise? How could childhood vows compare to a life debt?