Moonbound Redemption
CHAPTER ONE

Lila's POV.

"The mate of who? How will she be my mate? Impossible!" Lucas fumed. My chest thumped slowly as my heartbeat slowed down to the expectation of what was to come. He stared at me with so much disgust that I could feel it seeing through me. I lowered my gaze and immediately our eyes made contact.

"The moon goddess never lies and according to the prophecy, she's going to restore balance and harmony amongst us" One of the elders at the table explained even though they knew he was well aware of how mating works. "Have you forgotten who I am? I am the almighty Lucas, powerful Alpha of the Diamond pack, how can I lead with that feeble thing as my mate? I, Lucas, reject Lila as my mate" Lucas said and stormed out. The thumping of my heart stopped and was replaced by a heart-wrenching cry from my wolf, Lia.

"Noooooo!" I yelled immediately feeling a sharp pain in my heart. My whole body started to ache and I lost my footing there and there in front of the elders confirming Lucas's accusations that I was weak. My legs gave way and there on the floor, my chest began to palpitate twice the normal rate it should. I was rushed into the healing room. I could faintly hear them call my name but I was far too gone to react as I lay there, motionless, my wolf silent as if she had been ripped away from me. The faces of the elders came above me and that was the last thing I remembered.

I guess I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Lila Rake, I know that's like a gardening tool but it's my last name anyway. I'm a member of the Diamond pack led by Lucas. The Diamond pack is considered to be the most powerful pack in Moonville and beyond. We'd won most of our battles against Rival packs and our pack was envied by others. I lost my parents in a battle against the Sapphire pack. Though I was quite young when it happened, I remember the incident vividly. Every fortnight, we usually spend time together as a family in a treehouse in the woods. Dad considered it as a way of relaxing and enjoying a little time away from the pack. We were having our usual family moment together in the woods when we heard movements in the woods. Peeping from the treehouse, we discovered it was the Sapphire pack led by Selene. They had been our rival pack who was always jealous of our strength and victories. Mum immediately suggested I run back to get Lucas and other members of the pack while she and Dad distract the Sapphire pack.

They transformed and I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me. I got to the village and alerted other pack members who swung into action immediately. While waiting for them to return I started hearing howls from the woods. It sounded familiar. It was Gemma. She usually howled as loud as she could once a member of the pack died during battle. I continued waiting patiently hoping to see my parents again. My whole body went numb when the other members of the pack arrived without my parents. I cried till I couldn't anymore. I couldn't believe they were gone, everything happened so fast.

I still haven't gotten over their deaths; my life had been a mess ever since. I couldn't ignite my powers or even discover what they were. I'd always been avoided like a plague by everyone ever since except for Rieka who still treated me like family. Other pack members assumed I was cursed by the moon goddess and so were cubs trying to figure out their abilities were often asked to avoid me so I don't inflict them. I would've been considered a lone wolf if not for Rieka. She was the only member of the pack who related and cheered me up most times. Ever since the awful incident, she often did her best to cheer me up. I took her as the sister I never had.

I opened my eyes and saw one of the elders sitting next to me. I felt relieved. He left seeing I had opened my eyes. Remembering all that had happened, tears rolled down my face. The Alpha of the pack had just rejected me as his mate. Shame and anger engulfed me. I was angry at myself for being so weak that the Alpha rejected me as his mate. I thought I was living a miserable life before but this just made it worse. Stefan, the Beta of the pack, came in and sat next to me.

He began, "I know this may sound weird to you, but I just feel it's important I let you know. I know you've been going through a very tough time having lost your parents. But the truth is, you can't keep sulking around. You have to put yourself together and bring the best out of you. Your parents would be proud to see you living your best life, exploring your strengths and abilities. Sulking around every day would only make them disappointed in you. A wise man once said 'The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall'. It is your time to rise from your fall and stop staying too long on the ground." He then left, patting me on the back.

I wondered if this was the kind of conversation I needed at this moment but I hadn't been spoken to like this before since I lost my parents. What was happening? Did my dad tell him to talk to me? Why didn't he appear and talk to me directly instead? Were they disappointed in me because the Alpha rejected me? I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. Stefan was right, I had stayed too long on the ground. I felt motivated and thought my powers would surface at that moment. I tried to reach out to my wolf but she was still silent.

A few days later, I fell ill. I couldn't stand or even sit. Were these also part of the pains of rejection, I wondered rolling in pain.