Howling of the Rejected Luna Novel – My mate slammed my head against the wall, choking my neck. “I, Alpha Luke Sanders, will NEVER accept you, Ella Fisher as my mate. You kiled my brother, do you think you can simply get away with your punishment? No, you will stay in this pack and be our toy for the rest of your life.” Luke grabbed my arm violently, staring at me like I was trash. My heart felt like it was being ripped out of me as I listened to the murmurs of the crowd. So I ran away. One year later, I faced my mate again who regreted what he did before and wanted to chase me back now. NO WAY. All I wanted was my innocence and revenge. Chapter 1 Ella There was once upon a time when l had it all. Loving parents, sister, and above all my crush and best friend. I was born into the beta family of Crimson Moon pack, the second daughter and honestly my life was good.
My sister Jane was everything my parents wanted us to be while I was a bit of a tomboy. The future Alpha, Lyle Sanders, was Jane’s mate. I was envy their love and I hope one day I could be with Lyle’s brother, my secret crush Luke Sanders. He meant the world to me, and at one point l couldn’t imagine living without him. But everything changed three years ago, the year I was fifteen. The day I was accused by Jane of killing Lyle, also Luke’s brother. From then on, I was nothing of the pack, the unwanted slave, the murderer. “This pain is not enough for killing my mate.” Jane stepped on my hand, bullying me again for accusing me of killing her mate, I felt completely helpless. I screamed as Jane stomped on my hand like she was squishing a bug. Her heels kept on piercing my skin and shattering my bones. She pulled my hair backward and slaped me.
My face felt numb. It had been three years since our pack found the lifeless body of the Alpha’s firstborn Lyle, lying next to me in our pack’s secluded area. When I woke up, I was holding a silver dagger covered in blood. Everyone was around me, and Jane was pointing at me, saying she saw me kiled Lyle. Since then, my life descended to hel. Now, I am nothing but the pack slave, a target for the wolves of the Crimson Moon pack to play with and mistreat for fun. Jane smirked as she stopped stomping. She gestured to her friends, and they let me go. Together, they all admired my bloody hand as if it were a piece of art they had created. Some even high-fived Jane, while others spat at me in disgust. I bit my inner cheek at the realization. Ever since my sister spread the lie about me kiling Lyle, I became everyone’s toy and source of entertainment. “Now, gather stones and throw them at this betch!” Jane instructed and everyone agreed. “She killed our Ryle. She deserves to be punished.”
Before I could walk away, a stone flew towards me, hitting my forehead. More rocks came after, causing me to curl to the ground for protection. Blood streamed down my left eye, blurring my vision with red. All I received was laughter. Seeing me in pain was the only thing that would make them happy. Everyone in the Crimson Moon Pack thought I was guilty, so they wanted to punish me for it. But, I didn’t kil Lyle, and it tore me apart that no one except my mother believed in my innocence. The rain of rocks stopped. Jane and the others seemed satisfied with it, and they left. As I tried to wipe the blood from my forehead, I noticed someone approaching. It was Luke Sanders, my childhood crush, looking in my direction. His beautiful green eyes met mine, and my heart stopped. I’d secretly liked him for a long time, but I never got to tell him because of what happened. He stopped talking to me after that. But I never blamed him for it because Lyle was his older brother. He was looking at me coldly, and then walked away. It felt like something was taken out of my chest. If only I had listened to my instincts and not believed Jane’s text that night, I could have avoided this. And who would doubt Jane when she accused me?
Lyle and she were mates, so everyone naturally sided with her. Limping to the ground, I made my way to my small hut. I cleaned my wounds with my medicine kit, I feel sorry for myself for living like this. The moon goddess knew I was innocent but still allowed everyone to treat me worse than a criminal. Where was justice? A knock sounded. Hearing the three knocks followed by a whistle, I smiled. I knew it was my mom, who likely snuck away from my Beta father to see me, since my father cut ties with me after the incident. We came up with this special knock to recognize wolves who might mean me harm, especially since I lived alone in a secluded area of our pack. Excitedly, I opened the door. “Hi, Ella! How are you–” Her words stopped when she saw my injured hand. Mom’s cheerful expression turned sad, and tears appeared in her eyes. I held her arms and whispered, “I’m okay, Mom. This was nothing compared to yesterday,”. I led Mom inside and asked her to sit on an old chair. Even though I kept telling her I was okay, she couldn’t stop worrying. She kept looking at my wounds, which was still fresh and sore at that moment. “I guess you have no choice,” my wolf, Flora, echoed inside my head.
I took a deep breath, preparing myself. Even though I disliked using my healing power, I knew it was the only way to alleviate her worries. “Ira es menele wahi noz…” I whispered, repeating the enchantment. Little bits of light came from my palm, moving like they had a mind of their own, gathering around my wounds. As my skin absorbed them, my bruises began to heal. “It’s okay Mom. These are nothing,” I uttered afterward. Mom smiled, acknowledging how I had developed my powers on my own. She was the only one who knew my power, fearing that our pack mates might take advantage of this gift for their benefit. This was also the reason why despite being the pack’s punching bag, my tiny body was still able to endure all their abuse. “You’re 18 tomorrow, Ella.
Finally, you will be able to feel your mate,” she said as she helped me clean my hut. I glanced at my mother, surprised but trying to hide it. With everything going on, I almost forgot about my birthday. I knew there was a reason she brought it up. Since the pack abused me, I believed finding my mate was my only way out. I had faith that he would be my savior, and I’d been eagerly awaiting my 18th birthday for this reason. “Do you still plan to leave the pack if you find him?” Mom asked again. I met her eyes and nodded firmly. “Good. Because I’d rather be apart from you than see you suffer like this,” she said. I squeezed her hand tightly, both of us fighting back tears. Little did we know, everything was just the beginning of what was to come.
Chapter 2 Ella Forget to say, I was demoted to an omega slave. I lost all my privileges as a Beta daughter. “Damm, I’m late! Molly’s going to kil me,” I whispered to my wolf as I hurried into the omega quarters, anxiously hoping that I would make it on time. Too bad luck was not on my side today. “Well, well, Ella Fisher is late again,” The head maid Molly said as she scanned me from head to toe. She crossed her hands on her chest and continued, “Let me remind you of your position as a maid. You are no longer a Beta daughter so act according to your status!” “I’m sorry. It will not happen again,” I whispered as I braced myself for another round of nagging. Molly continued to humiliate me. Her insults were a necessary part of my daily routine. After enduring endless complaints, she finally gave me a task. Lily, who usually serves Luke, was sick. So, I had to step in and be his maid until she got better. But there was one problem, Luke didn’t want anyone to enter his room except for Lily! “Tomorrow is Alpha Luke’s 18th birthday and his accession ceremony. Take these clothes to his room,” Molly said, handing me the clothes.
It seemed like Molly planned this, as laughter echoed around us. Luke was fiercely protective of his privacy. Molly could have handled this issue better but she chose not to. She always created situations to make me suffer, as she also felt she had a responsibility to make my life miserable. “Forgive me for being blunt, but doesn’t Alpha Luke detest anyone entering his room except Lily? I don’t think—” Before I could finish, Molly slapped me. “Who do you think you are to defy my orders?” Molly shouted, I covered my face. It was ironic how this omega leader, now made my life miserable. Molly used to serve me when I was still a Beta daughter. I was kind to her before so I didn’t understand where the animosity was coming from. I could only stare at her fiercely, desperately wanting to reason with her. But my wolf Flora discouraged me. “Bear a little longer, Ella. Tomorrow, we’ll find our mate and finally be free of this life. Just follow Mooly’s orders so you will not make your situation worse than it already was.” In the end, I followed my wolf’s advice. So, I took the set of clothing and made my way to his room.
My heart pounded loudly in my chest as I reached my destination after a while. “Alpha Luke. I have your clothing for tomorrow’s ceremony,” I uttered as I knocked on his door. It still felt weird to address my best friend as “Alpha,” but I had grown accustomed to it over time. “Alpha Luke?” I begged. But as I continued knocking, I realized the door was unlocked and slightly ajar. Knowing Luke wasn’t inside, I seized the opportunity to sneak in and place his clothing on his table before he returned. The plan seemed flawless until I noticed a picture of him and Lyle on the table. It was a photo from our childhood, taken during a shared beach trip. Memories flooded my mind as I reminisced about those innocent moments we once shared and things weren’t so complicated. “Why did you have to die, Lyle? Things would have been different if only you were here.”
Tears escaped my eyes as I remembered what happened to Lyle. He had always been more than just a friend, he was like a brother to me. He cared for me and treated me like a sister. I had no reason to seduce or harm Lyle like Jane was saying to everyone. It simply didn’t make sense, but no one seemed willing to believe me. “If you are feeling guilty, why don’t you just kneel? Your victim act would be a little convincing that way.” I was startled by the accusing voice, my hand trembling as I lowered the picture frame. “Alpha Luke, I…” I began, my voice faltering under his intense gaze. Luke glanced at my hand and smirked. “Your wound from earlier was healed, while the wound you left when you kiled Lyle is still fresh. How ironic.” I didn’t know what came over me, but I felt an unexpected surge of defiance rising within me. Gathering my courage, I met his accusing stare and locked eyes with him. “Lyle was like a brother to me. How many times do I have to tell you I am innocent? I didn’t kil your brother, Luke. When will you ever believe me?” Luke was taken aback, perhaps surprised by the familiarity of me calling him by his first name, something we hadn’t done in years.
Or maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to come to his senses, choosing to believe in the innocence of his once closest friend. For a brief moment, I believed that things might finally take a turn for the better. But the moment he opened his mouth again, all of my hopes were shattered like a fragile glass. “Three years have passed and you still haven’t regretted what you did?” He approached my direction, grabbed my arm violently. “You don’t deserve happiness, Ella. You deserve to rot in hel for taking my brother’s life. On your birthday, I pray that you never find your mate. I will beg the moon goddess to make you suffer for the rest of your days. Now, get out of my sight before I lose my patience. OUT! NOW!” With that, I stormed out of his room, feeling the weight of Luke’s curse heavy on my shoulders. As soon as I left his room, I heard the constant giggling of my fellow maids. They must have heard Luke’s shout from outside the door while they were listening in. Melina, one of the maids, stepped forward. “We don’t feel sorry for you, Ella. That’s what you get from kiling Alpha Lyle. You’ve got what you deserved.” I walked past them, bowing my head in shame. I am tired of this life.
When will it all end? Maybe tomorrow will bring the change I’ve been longing for. Finding my mate could be my chance to change things. Yep, better days are coming, I hope. Chapter 3 Luke It was yet another empty dinner with my Alpha family. Dinners used to be the best part of my day when I was younger. It was when my family, led by my parents who were in charge of the powerful Crimson Moon Pack, would come together. Even though they were busy, my older brother Lyle was always there for me. He made me feel less lonely and taught me about the weight of our family’s duties. I didn’t resent my parents for being busy, thanks to him. Instead, I promised myself to share the burden with them, by being a responsible member of the Alpha family who would prioritize the welfare of our pack. But ever since Lyle passed away three years ago, everything changed. My parents, Beta James, and his daughter, Jane, sat quietly at the dinner table, feeling the weight of Lyle’s absence. We had been looking forward to our pack’s accession ceremony, but things didn’t turn out as expected.
We thought Lyle would be the center of attention as he was the Alpha heir, but now it’s up to me. It made things even harder because the ceremony was scheduled for my 18th birthday, the day when I was supposed to find my mate. It was supposed to be my best day ever, but it only reminded me of my brother’s passing. “I’m sure Lyle would be happy knowing we’re carrying on for the sake of Crimson Moon. He loved this pack dearly,” My father, Alpha Lander, uttered. My mom choked up at the mention of my brother’s name. “Indeed,” Beta James acknowledged silently. “And I wouldn’t be tired of apologizing for what Ella did to the mighty Alpha.” The mention of Ella Fisher made us all growl softly. To say we hated her for what she did was an understatement. Ella and I used to be best friends, and I even had a crush on her at one point. But she wanted Lyle, and when he turned her down, she made the terrible choice to take his life, causing great suffering for all of us.
“We have to keep going. Our pack needs us. We can’t abandon them just because we lost Lyle” Dad said, trying to encourage us. As he spoke, the room was filled with tension again, reminding us of the loss we still felt deeply even after three years. I looked at my mom, seeing tears in her eyes as Dad talked about Lyle. His absence still hurt, and it felt like the wound reopened every time we mentioned him. “I miss him,” Jane said quietly. Her words were barely heard over the room’s murmur, sounding like she had to say something about Lyle because they were mates. I could never understand how she could talk about him without crying like Mom did. It seemed like she was totally over his death, something that I wished my family and I had. Meanwhile, Beta James seemed nervous whenever we talked about Lyle, probably worried about his role as the pack’s Beta because Ella is his daughter. My dad hadn’t blamed him for Ella’s mistakes though, but I felt like he had been standing on thin ice ever since. Then, Jane’s eyes turned golden yellow, indicating her rage, as she had spoken her next words.
“Ella would suffer every single day of her life for what she did to my mate.” It hurt to watch Jane and her friends bully Ella, especially when she looked at me for help. Truth is, I almost gave in. But thinking of my dear brother, whom she killed without a second thought, stopped me. I should have hated Ella for taking my brother’s life, but I still found myself caring for her. Damm it! I was sure my parents would be horrified if they knew I still cared for my brother’s kiler. After dinner, I went to my room, still thinking about Lyle. I noticed the door was slightly open, and furrowed my brow in concern. Inside, I found the last she-wolf I expected to invade my privacy, which made me clench my fists at my sides. It was Ella, holding a photo of me and my brother, crying as if she mourned his death. My blood boiled at the sight of her, feeling the anger surging up within me as I clenched my fists tightly at my sides. “You didn’t deserve to even stand in front of his photo. If you are feeling guilty for kiling him, why don’t you just knel? Your victim act would be a little convincing that way.”
Ella was startled and quickly put the frame down. Nervously, she looked at me. It was impossible not to notice how she was breathing fast, her chest moving up and down quickly. Was it guilt from what I said to her? And yet, my mind was on something else. I grew up with Ella, so I was familiar with the petite and plain girl she was before. But now, her body looked different. She looked more like a woman now, with fuller breasts and a curved figure. I was stunned by how beautiful she still looked despite wearing a maid’s uniform without makeup and with her hair tied simply. Shet! Am I still attracted to her? “Alpha Luke, I…” she stuttered. My eyes fell to her injured hand, the one that Jane had stepped on earlier. Surprisingly, it was completely healed. I smirked, realizing how foolish I had been to the way I think of her earlier. “Your wound from earlier has healed, while the wound you inflicted when you kiled Lyle is still fresh. How ironic.” Upon hearing that, she looked at me defiantly. “Lyle was like a brother to me. How many times do I have to tell you I am innocent? I didn’t kil your brother, Luke. When will you ever believe me?” But no, Ella maintained her false innocence despite all the evidence pointing to her as Lyle’s kiler.
Jane’s explanation made sense and matched the evidence. She also told everyone that Lyle had mentioned how Ella had made inappropriate advances towards him, disrespecting his relationship with Jane. Although I still didn’t understand how she kiled Lyle, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Ella had taken my brother’s life, and I could never forgive her for not showing any remorse. So I said harsh words making her leave with tears. I was so terrible when I saw her crying. Ella ran away, hurt by the words I uttered. Well, good. At least she had an idea of the pain we are carrying because of what she did. I walked over to the photo she had been holding earlier and let out a deep sigh. “Tomorrow, I’ll be 18,” I whispered to the picture, feeling unsure. “Becoming Alpha… I’m not sure if I can fill the void you left behind.” At that moment, sadness overwhelmed me. Memories of my brother flooded my mind. He never loved power, all he wanted was to be with his mate. Tears streamed down my face. I worried I would never fully recover from his death, another thing I blamed Ella for.
Tomorrow, I will turn 18 and possibly meet my mate. In the quiet corners of my heart, I quietly prayed to the Moon Goddess, asking for my destined mate to help me heal from losing my dear brother. Chapter 4 Ella Under the moon’s gentle glow, I turned into my wolf form, my heart racing as I ran through the night. Each step brought me closer to the cliff’s edge, where I stood alone under the starry sky. Here, I found solace. I took a deep breath and smiled. This place was my sanctuary amidst the chaos of my life. I couldn’t count how many times I had been here, nor how often I thought of ending my life because of my suffering. But every time, Flora reminded me of hope, of a life like a wheel where one cannot stay at the bottom forever. That hope she talked about was my mate, and that thought kept me going. For that, I was grateful. I couldn’t imagine where I would be without my spirit wolf. “No need to thank me, Ella. Just remember that I will always be here for you. Forever.” I smiled at Flora’s words and went back into wandering about my mate. I couldn’t care less about his rank or how he looked like. All I wanted was for him to love me forever and I would be the same to him. I wanted to believe that love was enough to conquer everything. It should be, right? “Are you ready to meet our mate tomorrow?” I asked.
My wolf seemed to forget about me healing the bunny and replied enthusiastically. “Of course, Ella! Is that even a question?” “But what if… he didn’t like me?” “Well, he is a jark,” my wolf retorted without hesitation. “If he fails to see how beautiful and awesome you are, then he should pluck his eyes out and get new ones.” Her last sentence made me laugh. I was expecting her to laugh with me, but instead, she turned serious. “I haven’t heard you laugh like that since Lyle was kiled. I’m glad you found a reason to be happy again.” Her last statement tugged at my heart. I couldn’t help but question what I did in my life to deserve a wolf like Flora.
The soft light of dawn woke me, marking the start of a new day. It was the day I had been waiting for, and I couldn’t help but feel excited about what it might bring. “Happy birthday, Ella!” I said to myself, smiling. I saw a present at the end of my bed and quickly opened it. Inside, I found a pretty bow hair tie and bright red shoes made from cowhide. The card said they were from my Mom. I didn’t know when she left them there, but I didn’t mind. What mattered was how much I liked them. My Mom surely knew how to put a smile on my face. The bright colors of the gifts stood out against my usual plain clothes, bringing me joy. It had been ages since I wore something so colorful, and the thought of putting them on made me smile. Without delay, I took a bath and dressed in the new clothes. Looking at myself in the mirror, I slipped into the shoes and tied the cute ribbon in my hair.
A faint scent of my mother lingered, comforting me. Even though things were tough with my Beta father, who had already disowned me, my mother’s love was more than enough for me to continue. With a thankful heart, I got ready to enjoy the day I had been waiting for so long. Today was Luke’s accession Ceremony, and everyone was excited. I kept myself busy with tasks, secretly trying to catch the scent of the wolves nearby, hoping to find my mate. I hadn’t found him yet, but that didn’t make me feel down. The day was far from over, and I knew I had enough time to find him. During the ceremony, I was tasked with handing over the Alpha Crown from the old Alpha to the new one, who was going to be Luke. I knew it was another plot by Molly, remembering how successfully she humiliated me last time. If the alpha father and son found out that I was made to be the one carrying the crown, I could be in trouble. They might think I did it on purpose to disrupt the ceremony, which I definitely didn’t. Determined not to let Molly frame me again, I came up with a plan to avoid this trap.
I covered myself with fragrant oil to hide my scent and wore a veil to hide my face, hoping the ceremony would end quickly so I could continue searching for my mate and avoid being humiliated once again. As the ceremony started, I waited nervously, picturing how Luke would look as the new Alpha. I remembered how Luke and I used to talk about Lyle’s accession ceremony, never thinking it would end like this. But it did, anyway, and we could never do anything about it. It wastough, but we needed to accept. Regardless, I knew Luke would be a great Alpha, especially with Lyle’s memory to guide him. Suddenly, Flora spoke in my mind. “Our mate is near. I can feel him!” Excited by this discovery, my anticipation grew as I sniffed the air, hoping to catch his scent. Suddenly, I caught a faint smell, like creamy, warm vanilla mixed with Sandalwood. My heart raced, and my body tensed with excitement. I couldn’t help but fidget with my hands and tap my foot nervously as I took shallow breaths, feeling butterflies fluttering in my stomach. If only I could fast-forward time and get this ceremony over with, I would gladly do it. As the old alpha finished speaking, I nervously went up to the stage to do my duty.
I hoped no one would recognize me because of the veil, so I kept my head down, wishing time would go by faster so I could find my mate. But as I got closer to the stage, the scent of my mate got stronger. I wished I could look around to see where it was coming from, but I couldn’t risk being recognized, so I kept my head down in a bow. Then, I reached the stage. When I handed the crown to Luke, the amazing smell got even stronger. I couldn’t understand what was happening until our fingers touched. And this was the time my world stopped spinning. When our fingers touched, I felt a sudden rush of energy go through me, sending tingles down my spine. My heart raced, and I felt warm all over, making my cheeks turn red.
I felt excited and dizzy, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment. It felt like there was a special connection between us, like magic, which was hard to explain. Everything else faded away as if we were the only ones in the world. Overwhelmed, I dropped the crown, hearing gasps from the crowd. But that wasn’t what shocked me, because the next moment, Flora appeared in my mind, confirming the impossible. “Mate!” she said, turning my world upside down. That’s not gonna happen.