THE REJECTED PRIESTESS

The blood moon hung low over Tidehaven, its red glow casting eerie shadows on the cliffs. Aria stood at the edge of the pack's ceremonial ground, her heart racing. The Crescent Pack gathered around a roaring bonfire, their eyes sharp with excitement. The ocean roared below, its waves crashing against the rocks like an angry beast. Tonight was the Moonbond Ceremony, when fated mates were revealed and sealed. For Aria, a twenty-year-old omega with no wolf, it was her only shot to prove she wasn't worthless.

Her gray dress clung to her skin, worn and thin from years of use. She tugged at its frayed hem, trying to blend into the crowd. The other she-wolves wore bright silks, their laughter loud as they tossed their hair. Sienna, the Beta's sister, shone brightest in a golden gown, her smirk cutting like a knife. Aria looked away, focusing on the moon. Its pull stirred something deep in her chest, like a tide she couldn't name. For weeks, she'd dreamed of a scent-cedar and storm clouds. Her mate was here. She felt it.

Alpha Magnus raised his hands, and the pack fell silent. "The Moonbond calls us to honor fate. Step forward, those who feel the bond." Aria's breath caught as Elias, the pack's Beta, stepped into the firelight. His broad shoulders and amber eyes drew gasps from the crowd. That scent-cedar, storm-hit her hard. It was him. Her mate. Her hope surged, and she stepped forward, her legs shaky but sure.

Elias's eyes met hers for a heartbeat, and her heart leaped. Then he turned. Sienna glided forward, her smile smug. The pack's murmurs grew as Elias took her hand. "I choose Sienna as my mate," he said, his voice cold and final. The words hit Aria like a slap. He pulled Sienna close, his fangs grazing her neck. The marking bite sealed their bond, and the pack roared, their cheers drowning out Aria's gasp.

Laughter erupted, sharp and cruel. "The wolfless omega thought she'd get the Beta?" a voice mocked. Sienna's eyes gleamed as she leaned into Elias, whispering something. He glanced at Aria, his face blank, like she was nothing. The rejection wasn't spoken, but it burned hotter than the fire. Her chest tightened, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't breathe here, couldn't stay.

Aria ran, her bare feet pounding the dirt path to the cliffs. The ocean's roar matched the storm in her heart. She collapsed at the cliff's edge, tears falling into the salt spray. "Why?" she whispered to the moon. She'd never shifted, never felt a wolf inside her. Yet the waves seemed to answer, surging higher, wilder. She pressed her hands to the ground, and the tide calmed, as if listening. Her eyes widened. This wasn't right. No omega could do that.

A shadow fell over her. "You're no ordinary omega," a deep voice said. Aria spun to face a stranger. His dark hair danced in the wind, and his silver eyes pierced through her. He wore a scarred leather jacket, no pack sigil. Danger clung to him like the mist. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice steady despite her fear.

"Caspian," he said, stepping closer. His gaze flicked to the now-still sea. "Alpha of the Rogue Tides. And you're hiding something, aren't you?" His tone was curious, almost hungry. Aria's skin prickled. She wanted to deny it, to run, but the ocean stirred again, as if urging her to face him.

Before she could speak, a wave crashed high, swallowing the cliff's edge. Aria's hand shot out, instinct taking over. The water froze mid-air, glinting under the moon before falling back. Her heart stopped. She'd never done that before. Caspian's eyes narrowed, not with fear but with awe. "What are you?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.

Aria stared at him, her mind racing. The blood moon watched, its light blending their shadows. She didn't know what she was-not yet. But for the first time, she felt something stir inside her, something the pack couldn't break. Caspian's gaze held hers, and she sensed her rejection was just the start.

The pack's cheers still echoed in the distance, but they felt far away. Aria's hands trembled as she stood, the ocean's hum in her ears. She'd been called wolfless, useless, but the waves didn't lie. They knew her. And Caspian, this rogue Alpha, saw it too. His silver eyes searched her face, waiting for an answer she didn't have.

"I'm just Aria," she said finally, her voice soft but firm. "An omega." She didn't believe it herself, not anymore. The tide surged again, gentler now, like it agreed.

Caspian's lips twitched, almost a smile. "No omega calms the sea like that." He stepped closer, his heat cutting through the cold. "You're more than they think. More than you think."

Aria's throat tightened. She wanted to trust his words, to believe she was more than the pack's punching bag. But Elias's rejection still stung, and this stranger's intensity scared her. What did he want? Why was he here? The pack hated rogues, and an Alpha like him didn't wander into Tidehaven without a reason.

"Stay away from me," she said, backing up. The cliff's edge was close, the drop steep. She didn't care. She needed space, needed to think.

Caspian didn't move. "You can't hide it forever," he said. "Whatever you are, it's waking up. And they'll come for you when it does."

Her pulse raced. "Who's they?"

He didn't answer, his eyes flicking to the sea. Another wave rose, higher than before, and Aria's chest tightened. She raised her hand, and the water paused again, trembling in the air. Caspian's gaze snapped back to her, his expression unreadable. "You don't even know what you're doing, do you?" he said, almost to himself.

Aria lowered her hand, the wave crashing harmlessly below. Her knees shook, but she stood taller. "Leave me alone," she said, turning away. She didn't trust him, didn't trust herself. Not yet.

As she walked back toward the pack, the moon's light felt heavier, like it was watching her. Caspian's voice followed, soft but clear. "You can't run from what's inside you, Aria."

She didn't look back. The ocean's song grew louder, and deep down, she knew he was right. Something was waking up. And it scared her more than the rejection ever could.