The Last Shadow Luna

Catherine's POV

I shoved my way through the sweaty chattering crowd with my heart pounding. 

"Excuse me... excuse me, please," I squeaked but nobody moved. Typical. It was like I was a ghost in my own pack. 

Today was supposed to be my day... the Mate Choosing Ceremony... and I was already late. 

My silver-blue eyes stung from the dust kicked up by a thousand feet and my long black hair stuck to my neck in the humid night air.

I pushed harder, elbowing between two big warriors who didn't even glance down. 

My legs ached. I'd run half the distance after helping an elder with her baskets but did anyone care? Nope. Just another day of being Catherine Linn, the weak twin.

Finally, I burst through to the front clearing where moonlight and my chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath.

"Catherine!" Mom's voice cut through the murmurs. 

She grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward with her nails digging in. 

"Where have you been? Everyone's waiting! Do you want to shame this family even more?"

Dad just shook his head with arms crossed, disappointment written on his face. 

"Always last. Always."

Before I could even apologize, Mom dragged me over to the line of girls who had come of age. 

My feet stumbled on the grass and I fell into place beside my twin sister Cassandra, trying to smooth down my simple white dress.

Cassandra didn't look at me at first.. then she leaned close, her voice in a sweet whisper only I could hear. 

"Look who finally showed up. Did you get lost smelling the flowers again, little weakling? Or were you too busy dreaming about your precious Raphael while the rest of us actually trained?"

My cheeks burned but I kept my eyes forward, biting my tongue like I always did. 

We were identical... same black hair with silver undertones that glowed under moonlight, same elegant figure, same striking eyes... but that's where it ended. 

Cassandra stood tall and proud, muscles toned from years of fighting. I was... me. The one everyone whispered was the weakest girl in Silvercrest Pack. Beautiful, maybe.. but useless in a fight.. a fucking liability.

"Shut up, Cass," I whispered back, but it came out too soft.

She smirked. 

"Make me."

Across the clearing, the boys our age stood in their own line, chests puffed out, eyes gleaming with wolfish excitement. 

My gaze locked on Raphael Valecrest immediately. He was tall with dark brown hair tousled just right and sharp jawline and athletic build that made my stomach flip. 

He was looking my way too. A small smile tugged at my lips. 

We'd loved each other in secret for years... stolen kisses by the river, promises under the stars. Today the Moon Goddess would make it official. I could already feel the pull.

The priestess stepped into the center, her robes flowing like liquid silver. The whole pack fell silent and drums beat low and steady as she raised her arms, eyes closed as she chanted to the goddess.

Energy crackled in the air. I felt it first in my chest... a warm snap like a golden thread tying my heart to Raphael's. 

The mate bond. 

Joy exploded inside me. I had to press my lips together to stop from squealing out loud. 

'It's real. He's mine. Finally.'

The priestess opened her eyes. 

"The Moon Goddess has spoken. Raphael Valecrest... your fated mate is Catherine Linn."

For one perfect second, the world was golden.

Then... silence with no cheers and no clapping. Just a few awkward coughs and someone in the back muttering, "Figures."

My smile faltered and heat crawled up my neck. 

I looked at Raphael, waiting for him to step forward.. to pull me into his arms like I'd dreamed a thousand times.

Instead, he stared at the ground with his jaw clenched.

"Raphael?" I whispered, voice cracking.

He stepped forward anyway and the crowd leaned in, hungry for drama while my stomach twisted.

"I've got something to say," he announced but still wouldn't meet my eyes. "Catherine... you're beautiful. I'll give you that. But beauty doesn't make a mate. You're weak. Pathetic, even. The weakest in the pack. How can someone like you stand beside me when I'm fighting my way to Beta? You'd be dead weight. A pull-down..!"

Each word landed like a slap and I felt the bond stretch painfully tight.

"I, Raphael Valecrest, reject you, Catherine Linn, as my fated mate."

The pain hit like fire ripping through my veins and I gasped, doubling over. It felt like my soul was being torn in half. Whispers turned to chuckles around us and someone actually clapped.

"No..." I breathed as tears blurred my vision.

Raphael's voice rose again. 

"I choose someone worthy. Cassandra Linn."

My head snapped up. Cassandra? My own sister?

The priestess frowned deeply. 

"Young wolf, the consequences of rejecting a goddess-given mate are known. Calamity follows. Are you certain?"

"I don't care," Raphael said flatly.

Cassandra brushed past me with her shoulder bumping mine hard as she leaned in again, lips at my ear. 

"Poor little Cathy. Always second place. Even in your own love story." Then she walked to him with that seductive sway and they kissed right there... deep, hungry, like they'd done it a hundred times before.

The new bond snapped into place between them with a golden glow and the pack cheered this time.

I couldn't breathe. My world crumbled into dust. Tears poured down my face as I stumbled backward. Everything hurt... my chest, my head and my heart. It felt like someone had reached inside and shredded me. 

I turned and ran with weak legs carrying me away from the lights, away from their laughter.

"Catherine, wait!" But no one actually chased me. Not really.

I didn't get far before footsteps pounded behind me. Cassandra and Raphael caught up easily... werewolf speed and all. I was too slow as usual.

"Running away already?" Cassandra laughed, circling me. "How dramatic. You always were the emotional one."

Raphael rubbed the back of his neck but his eyes had gone hard. 

"Look, Cat... it's not personal. We've just been seeing each other for months behind your back and she's strong and she fits. You don't."

The words sank in like claws. 

"You've been... dating my sister?"

Cassandra grinned. 

"Oh, more than that. While you were picking flowers and being all gentle and useless, we were together.. training.. panning and fucking under the same moon you thought was yours." 

She stepped closer, voice dripping venom. 

"Face it, sister. You were never enough. Not for him.. not for anyone."

Pain swallowed me whole. I couldn't even scream.. it came out as a broken sob.. like a child who'd been slapped for the first time, I spun and ran... blindly, desperately... into the dark forest beyond the clearing. 

Branches whipped my face and roots grabbed at my ankles but I didn't care. I just needed to get away.. away from the rejection.. away from their cruel laughter echoing behind me.

Tears streamed nonstop. 

"Why me?" I choked out between gasps. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

My lungs burned but I kept going deeper, legs shaking until the sounds of the ceremony faded completely. 

The forest grew thick and silent except for my ragged breathing and the distant hoot of an owl. Moonlight filtered through the canopy in silver patches.

I slowed, wiping my face. 

"Okay... okay, I need to go back. They'll be worried. Or... not." 

A bitter laugh escaped me. Even in pain, my brain tried to crack a joke. 'Great job, Catherine. Ran away like a pup who got scolded for peeing on the Alpha's boots.'

I turned around but every tree looked the same. 

Panic prickled my skin. Which way was home? I sniffed the air... werewolf trait... but my senses had always been dull. Another thing Cassandra loved to mock me for.

A twig snapped under my foot and I tripped on thick roots and went down hard, scraping my palms and knees. 

Pain washed over me but it was nothing compared to the hole in my chest. I lay there on the cool forest floor, sobbing quietly. 

"I just wanted to be loved... Is that so bad?"

Exhaustion pulled at me and my body trembled.

Suddenly, the moonlight above me vanished as a huge shadow fell over my curled-up form.

I looked up slowly to see.. oh goddess.. no...!