Moon Goddess

Why had Elara agreed to the poisoning if she knew Sophia was faking? Did she want to prove something? Or…. did she secretly wish it had been real?

Something in Sophia's expression changed, her body growing tense. Her instincts screamed at her to leave. And so, she forced a weak smile and took a step back. "Okay, sister. I'm disturbing you, so I'll take my leave."

And just like that, she turned and left, slipping out of the room in a heartbeat.

Elara remained frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space where Sophia had stood. A bitter chuckle escaped her lips as she collapsed backward onto her bed, hitting the mattress with a soft thud.

She was exhausted.

Not just physically, but emotionally.

It was moments like these that made her wish her dark powers weren't dormant. If only she could use them, if only she had full control over her abilities, she wouldn't have to be a victim anymore. She wouldn't have to suffer punishment for crimes she hadn't committed. She would have truly committed the crimes they framed her for. She wouldn't be punished for things she didn't do, she would at least deserve it. If she had the power to destroy, she would wield it without regret.

Wouldn't that be better?

Wouldn't it be better to be hated for something real rather than something imagined?

If she was going to be labeled as cursed, as dangerous, as forbidden, then wouldn't it be better to at least deserve it?

That way, at least, she could make Sophia and the rest of the pack pay for everything they had done to her.

She didn't know how long she lay there, staring at the ceiling, lost in the turmoil of her thoughts. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, pulling her into a restless sleep.

When Elara woke, it was already dark.

The first thing she noticed was the rhythmic chanting from outside, a low, steady hum that sent an eerie chill through her bones.

She rubbed her sore eyes and pushed herself up from the bed, feeling the stiffness in her limbs. Dragging herself toward the window, she pulled aside the curtains and looked out.

Below, members of her pack—her family—stood gathered beneath the glowing full moon, their heads bowed in solemn reverence. Their voices rose in unison, offering praises and prayers to the Moon Goddess.

Elara knew exactly what this ritual was for.

It was a desperate attempt to seek divine protection in the wake of the recent horrors that had plagued their pack.

People had been going missing. Entire areas had been left in ruins, as though attacked by an unseen force. The bodies of the dead, when found, were mangled beyond recognition. Fear had spread like wildfire through the pack, consuming even the strongest warriors.

For weeks, they had wanted to perform this ritual, but something unnatural had been happening. The moon hadn't appeared for nights on end, leaving the pack restless and on edge.

Now that it had finally emerged, they wasted no time in carrying out the sacred ceremony.

Elara's gaze flickered over their faces. They all looked so grateful, so full of hope. As if the Moon Goddess would truly protect them.

But Elara?

She felt nothing.

No gratitude. No reverence.

Only resentment.

She clenched her jaw, her nails digging into the windowsill. How could she be expected to worship a deity that had given her nothing but misery?

Her life was the perfect definition of a curse.

What was a miserable existence if not this?

She was the daughter of a high-ranking family, born with the blood of an Alpha, something that should have guaranteed her power, respect, and strength. And yet, she was an Omega, the lowest rank, despised and looked down upon.

And as if that wasn't enough, she was cursed.

Marked with dark magic—magic that came not from the revered Moon Goddess, but from the Dark Moon Goddess.

The forbidden deity.

The bringer of chaos and death.

Once upon a time, the Dark Moon Goddess had wiped out an entire realm before being banished for eternity. And now, Elara bore her powers, her bloodline, branding her as evil.

The people in her pack had made it clear from the moment she was born: she was an abomination, a monster, someone who was meant to be feared, shunned, and cast aside.

She was forbidden.

But the worst part?

The cruelest joke of all?

She had a mate, but the bond meant nothing.

She couldn't feel it.

The one thing that should have brought her solace, the one person who was supposed to complete her, did not exist in her world.

Even if her mate stood right in front of her, she wouldn't feel a single spark. No warmth, no connection. Just..... emptiness.

The mate bond was supposed to be sacred. A bond of love, of completion.

But for Elara, it was just another punishment.

And it infuriated her.

Especially because, with no mate to fulfill her needs, her cravings only grew stronger. the most agonizing, humiliating part, was the desire.

The overwhelming, inescapable craving for sex, for pleasure, for something she could never have.

How could she possibly worship a goddess who had cursed her in every way imaginable?

Her fate had been sealed from the moment she was born.

A cursed wolf.

A rejected mate.

A forgotten daughter.

To Elara, the Moon Goddess wasn't a symbol of love or guidance. She was a tormentor. A cruel, unyielding force that delighted in the chaos she had created in Elara's life.

And she would never forgive her for it.

Just then, her phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts.

She glanced at the screen, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a small, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.