The Frayed Moonbeam

The shiny moonlight poured through the big windows of the pack house, making everything glow. Seraphina stood in the middle of the training hall, surrounded by other werewolves practicing with claws and swords. Her heart beat fast.

Seraphina used to be the pride of her pack, but now she felt broken. Her red hair, usually in a thick braid, was messy. Her green eyes, once bright and confident, looked sad. She held a practice sword tightly in her hand, feeling scared.

On the other side of the hall, Rylan, the Alpha, walked around gracefully. He was big and silver, with eyes that used to be warm but now seemed cold. Every move he made felt like he was judging her.

"Again!" Rylan shouted loudly. A young werewolf stumbled back, dropping his sword in fear.

Seraphina felt a knot in her stomach. It wasn't just the tough training that bothered her—it was how Rylan made her feel weak in front of everyone. He picked a young werewolf for her to fight, someone she could easily beat. He wanted to show everyone how "weak" she was.

"Seraphina," Rylan called impatiently. "Your turn."

Seraphina stepped forward on the cool wooden floor. Her opponent, Brutus, grinned meanly. He was big and liked to fight rough, not caring much for skill.

Brutus attacked, swiping his claws at her chest. Seraphina dodged quickly, but she felt slow and heavy without her werewolf powers. Brutus tried again, aiming for her legs. She twisted to avoid it, but he caught her ankle. She fell hard on the floor, feeling embarrassed.

People gasped. Seraphina blushed with shame. She, the Luna, the Alpha's mate, was outmatched by someone like Brutus. Some young wolves even laughed quietly.

"Pathetic," Rylan growled. "Even a beginner can beat you."

Seraphina pushed herself up, ignoring her ankle throbbing with pain. She felt rage building inside her. She wouldn't let them see her give up. She wouldn't let Rylan win.

"Again," she said fiercely. Brutus charged at her. This time, Seraphina didn't dodge. She met him head-on, eyes blazing with determination. They wrestled, limbs and fur tangled. Brutus stumbled back, surprised.

Seraphina make use of her chance. She kneed Brutus hard in the stomach. He gasped and staggered back, stunned. A wild sound came from Seraphina, a sound she didn't even recognize as her own. In that moment, she felt a surge of power.

"Stop!" Rylan shouted. His voice was so strong it made Seraphina shiver. Brutus backed away, scared now. Seraphina stood there, breathing hard, feeling the power still buzzing under her skin.

The hall was quiet. Rylan walked towards her, his eyes narrowed and serious.

"Do you think you can challenge me, Luna?" Rylan's voice growled low, making the air tense. Seraphina looked right back at him, her green eyes showing defiance even though her hands trembled.

"I wasn't challenging you," she said firmly, her voice rough. "I was just standing up for myself."

The other wolves whispered among themselves. No one had ever talked back to the Alpha like this before, especially not the Luna. Rylan snarled, showing his sharp teeth.

"Defending yourself?" he mocked. "Or trying to prove you belong here at last?"

His words hurt. Seraphina used to feel proud and at home with her pack, but Rylan's coldness and reminders that she couldn't transform like the others made her doubt herself.

"I am the Luna," she declared, getting stronger with each word. "I belong here, by your side." But she wondered if Rylan still believed that.

He studied her for a moment, searching her eyes. Then he turned away, speaking softly to the pack. "Training's done. Go home."

The wolves scattered quickly, giving curious glances to Seraphina. She stayed where she was, her ankle hurting. Rylan lingered near the door, his back to her.

"Rylan," she called out quietly. He didn't turn. She walked towards him. "We need to talk," she said silently, barely louder than a whisper.

He finally looked at her, a bit annoyed. "What is it, Seraphina?"

"This… this can't keep happening," she started, nervous. "The pack… they can feel the tension between us."

Rylan scoffed. "Let them. It's not their problem."

"It's my problem," she insisted, getting firmer. "I'm the Luna, and our fighting makes the pack weaker."

He sighed in frustration. "It's not about the pack, Seraphina. It's about you. About your..."

He stopped suddenly, not finishing his sentence. Seraphina knew what he meant—her inability to transform into a werewolf, which bothered him.

"I know who I am," she said, voice cracking a bit. "But I'm still your mate, Rylan. And the Luna."

Rylan looked at her, his face unreadable. For a moment, she thought she saw sympathy in his eyes, the Rylan she knew. But then he turned cold again.

"Maybe," he said finally, his voice flat. "But a Luna who can't do her duties… what good is she?"

His words hit Seraphina hard. It hit her so hard that she tightened her fist, feeling her nails pierced through her palm. Why is it difficult for him to understand?

"I'm trying," she said softly, holding back the tears that has filled up her eyes. "But I can't… I can't change it."

Rylan came closer, his voice softer. "There's nothing to change, Seraphina. Maybe… maybe you're not meant to be Luna."

His final words crushed Seraphina's last hope. She wasn't Luna material anymore. She wasn't good enough for Rylan. Anger replaced her tears, making her determined.

"Then maybe," she said, surprisingly steady, "I should find where I do belong."

Rylan looked surprised. Before he could say anything, Seraphina turned and limped out of the hall, leaving him alone with their broken bond echoing around him.

Walking back to her room felt like a blur. Her ankle hurt, a reminder of her embarrassment. But the emotional pain was worse. Years of happy memories and secrets with Rylan threatened to fall apart under the weight of Rylan's words. 

Seraphina hurried to her room, a fancy place that suddenly felt too small. She threw her training clothes on a soft chair and sank onto her bed, tears running down her cheeks.

Her life felt like a golden cage closing in on her. The wolves used to whisper nice things about her, but now they whispered pity or even made fun of her. She was the Luna who couldn't turn into a wolf, and it felt like everyone laughed at her. She sobbed loudly in the quiet room.

But in the middle of feeling hopeless, she felt a spark of bravery. She wouldn't let Rylan's mean words hurt her. She didn't want to be trapped in her fancy room forever. There had to be something else she could do with her life.

She remembered stories her grandma told her, about a special part of their werewolf family who were different because of their connection to the moon. Could that be why she couldn't transform like the others?

Seraphina decided she wouldn't give up. She wiped away her tears and stood up. Although Her ankle hurt, but she didn't care. She was determined. Rylan couldn't decide who she was. She would find her own way.

She limped to a big chest in the corner of her room and searched through it. Among old toys and memories, she found her grandma's old journal, with its pages yellowed and edges worn. Her grandma was always different from the other wolves, and she had secrets about a special power connected to the moon.

Seraphina opened the journal with shaky hands. The words were hard to read, but she looked for any clue that could explain why she was different and what it meant for her future.

As the moonlight filled her room, Seraphina felt something change inside her. It wasn't the feeling of changing into a wolf, but something new and tingling deep inside. She looked at the full moon outside her window, its bright light calling to her.

She decided right then that she wouldn't let herself stay broken. She wouldn't be just the Luna who couldn't shift. She would be Seraphina, the She-Wolf with a special mark, and she would make her own path under the moon's watchful eye.