The Alpha's Wolfless Mate

Jessica could feel her heart being ripped out of her chest standing right before her long-time boyfriend and best friend, their hands clasped together. ​

She narrowed her eyes at them, her full blossom pink lips pressed together watching a smirk appear on Zoe's tin lips. It was a full moon and also her 18th birthday, Jessica had been looking forward to it because everyone at the moon shadow pack had mocked and laughed at her for years.

Her mother has vehemently assured her that she would finally get her wolf on her 18th birthday. But it was the full moon, the one everyone had been waiting for because it was a Lunar night one that was regarded as the blood moon night, and the feast was to be held within all packs in Hilltown. Landon and Jessica have been dating since college, when Landon became Alpha of the pack, he met his wolf and realized that Jessica was his mate.

​Jessica was so excited when she was been told that he was her mate and she dreamt so much of the day when she would finally meet her mate and be able to feel the mate bond. But as the festival proceeded, Jessica could not stop anticipating the feeling that came with her wolf, the rush of adrenaline accompanied by her mate. But nothing was forthcoming, there weren't any new feelings, neither was there a newfound strength, everything felt the same and to top it all, she could not find Landon anywhere around the festival ground. Jessica's mother Vivian who sat with the rest of the elderly wolves could not stop watching her daughter, she could hear her every heartbeat beat anxious and pacing frantically.

“ Jessica dear, what is going on?”. Vivian finally stride over to her daughter who wasn't enjoying the festival with restlessness she felt. “ Mother what is happening! Why haven't I met my wolf”. She cried out, her light skin poring sweat out.

“ I told you to calm down, your wolf can sense when you are anxious and wouldn't want to meet you in such a state”. “ Everyone else has met their wolf, Zoe is going to find her mate soon while I sit here unable to accept the mate bond that I haven't felt”. “ Landon understands that you are his mate, and it doesn't matter if you are unable to identify it or not, what matters is the both of you love each and that is the bond that matters”.

​Vivian trailed her fingers through her brown long hair that was cascading down her shoulder, her warm brown eyes filled with worry that was slowly fading. “ But mother, I can't find Landon anywhere, where could he be? ”. “ He is the Alpha, he might be performing some rituals at the ancestral hall, so let him be”.

​Vivian could tell that her daughter's heartbeat had calmed down, she tugged her around and dragged her back to a seat. It was almost drawn, the blood moon fading away into the sky and the festival was slowly coming to an end with families going back to their various homes.

​Life animals were killed to appraise the moon goddess for showing mercy and strength she granted to them. Jessica strode down to the ancestral hall after waiting endlessly without any sign of Landon, although it was dark, she could see two figures standing under the apple tree close to the ancestral hall.

They looked familiar and had their lips locked together, as she drifted closer to them, her heart began to race rapidly, and the feeling of having everything taken away was slowly clouding her. She came to a halt a few inches away from them and was now certain about the identity of the two of them. “ Landon! ”. She called slowly, still holding onto her breath.

​Landon immediately pulled away from Zoe while she adjusted the strap of her dress, a sly smirk appeared on her thin lips. “ Zoe, what is going on? ”.

“ What does it look like to you, are you expecting the Alpha to make a wolfless girl his Luna? ”. “ I am sorry Jessica, but I can't keep lingering for you, there is no way that I can make you my Luna”. Landon expressed, that the words flew so easily from his full lips with no emotions attached.

“ What are you saying Landon, I am a late bloomer, you said it yourself”. “ Forget what I said before, I need a real werewolf as my Luna who will strengthen my position as the Alpha”. Jessica could feel herself gasping for breath, she clutched onto her chest searching for a means to breathe properly but it proved impossible.

“ But I am your Mate, you know it”. “ I am sorry, but I will have to reject the mate bond”. “ What!! ”. Jessica felt her world flash before her eyes before it crumbled. “ I Landon Arlen, Alpha to the Moon Shadow Pack reject you Jessica Lyon as my mate”. Jessica could feel her heart being shredded into tiny pieces, she tilted her head forward hoping to keep the tears from flowing down her eyes. She could feel the mate bond untangle, what felt like a feeling of bliss, drawn to him when when he was far away was gone, replaced with a sad feeling of yearning that she could never get again.

“ I Jessica Lyon, daughter to the beta of Dark Moon Pack accept your rejection”. She forced the words out of her mouth, her lips pursed into a thin line hoping to feel some relief. She felt nothing other than the entanglement released, her heart filled with the burden of living without Landon for the rest of her life. She clenched her chest tight and whimpered in pain, piercing deep into her eyes, the feeling of love she had experienced for five years with Landon slowly fading away as she watched them walk away, both their hands clasped together.

Drizzle of rain began to drip down, it was a sign that the mood goddess had answered their prayers, Jessica knelt under the rain wishing that it could wash away all the pains she felt, but nothing changed, her heart still clouded with an unending feeling of pain, sorrow and guilt.

“ She has been parading herself all this while as the soon-to-be Luna of our pack”. “ And now she is nothing but a worthless girl with no wolf”. Another spoke and they all laughed.

Vivian immediately dashed out to the river bank where she knew Jessica would be in a moment like this where she was down. Jessica was indeed at the river bank, throwing stones and starting at the water splash while the tiny stones sank in, her eyes filled with so many tears that they had turned bleary red.

​Vivian silently took the space close to her daughter, Jessica did not turn around to notice her presence, she was familiar with her scent and had perceived it from a mile away. “ Why did it have to be me, mother, why did I have to go through so much pain”.

​

A stream of tears flowed through her eyes, Vivian found her arm and squeezed it firmly. “ Because it had to be you, it takes someone strong and courageous to be special”. “ But I don't want to be special, I want to be nor