Why Moon Goddess? A Mute for a Mate

every morning? Father yelled as he dragged me out of the room by my hair, leading me to the kitchen

r eyes blazing with fury. "You're a complete disappointment!" she spat, her voice venomous. "A useless, good-for-nothing child!" She

sed his grip on my hair and I crumpl

s and the sink overflowing with greasy pots and pans. The floor was a sticky mess of

hat hasn't affected your hands and ears, so do as I say and at least

ouldn't speak, couldn't even think. All I could do was stare blankly ahead, my eyes fixed on some invisible point. I

oice dripping with venom. "Why are the plate

My mother's expression turned even uglier. "I don't know why the Moon Goddess gave me a child like you," she sneer

to my heart. I felt a wave of sha

continued, her voice dripping with malice. "You should have died at bir

ouldn't speak, couldn't even breathe. All I could do was lie there,

ld come as a perfect child, with no disabilities at all. I would be able to speak and sing, to laugh and cry out loud. But I was stuck

after all. Wasn't she supposed to love me unconditionally, to accept me for who I was? But instead, she seemed to resen

day, to be exact. An adult, supposedly. But do they care? No. All they care abo

and cleaning the kitchen, my movements mechanical as I scrubbed and swept away the remnants of last night's dinn

get to meet my fated mate. This is a day I've been anticipating for all my life. I'm certain I'll find my mate who wil

eir expectations. Even having a brother hadn't helped. It had only made things worse. My parents were always comparing me to him, holding him up as the perfect

, on the other hand, could do no wrong. He was the golden child, the one who would inherit the pack

pt me for who I was. The thought sent a shiver of excitement down my spine, and for the first time in my life, I

packs today and the ceremony will be taking place at the Oak

My eyes landed on a beautiful, flowing dress that I had been saving for a special occasion. I slipp

y fated mate, and I couldn't wai

*

number of people throwing disdainful gazes at me. I was known to be the useless mute wh

one wanted to have anything to do with me but I didn't care at this point. My story

es out but as time went on, I began to feel uncomfortable. I wondered why I hadn't found my mate by n

ill, nothing happened. The mating ceremony came to an end and everyone started leaving. Seeing others w

en better if I had died at birth like my mom said rather than witnessing everything happening to me r

me but the more I walked the more it felt like the glazes increased. The atmosphere shifted abruptly and as I turned to scan

ckward, desperate to create some distance, but they kept coming, forming a tight

yself, my mind racing with fe

was heavy with their lustful energy, and I could feel their gaze stripping me ba

mean by mate?" I thought, my heart poundin

ice grips. I tried to yank free, but they held firm, their grip unyielding. They st

One of them licked my leg, sending shivers down my spine, while another touched my hair, his fi

walked on, leaving me to my fate, and the realization hit me like a ton o

d, their eyes glinting with cruelty. I wanted to scream, to beg them to stop, but

e and tears welled up in my eyes. The world around me dissolved i

scent, it was a very strong one and as I kept inhaling the scent, I ga

es wide with shock and awe. But as I gazed up at the Alpha, I saw something that made my

thunder as he spoke a si

in