you he

o a halt. I remained motionless even though the gentle clat

by the door leading into the main dini

ere speaking quietly. But when they were talking s

growl in his voice. "The Luna Selection Ceremony will so

as not permitted to have any knowledge of it. Howeve

did

held my breath. Every phrase seeme

someone the soldiers didn't want to

er was the voice of the first fighter. "You know, s

y reaction. That was a lesson I had learned since I grew up. They'd see me if I r

n the second warrior's voice. "A hybrid

e myself and acted as if I wasn't listening to it. My fingers tremb

g the rage to subside like dust on the ground. I was

is would not be the first time. However, my heart b

e selected by the Alpha. H

myself to pond

it

ld never be chosen by the Alpha. I was an outcast, an Omega,

n continued to nag at the back of my min

s' dining room while feigning busyness. Even af

was filled with the soldiers' normal chatter as they sat at big oak tables

d informal. I had mastered staying out of the way and making mys

st table. I was afraid to glance up at any of them.

athy. The sam

rief sidelong glance and s

lone at the other end of the room. His attention

me without that same condemnation was him. I didn

e to hear. I tensed, trying not to move, as I he

ortant. The Alpha doesn'

ather, I continued to walk, head down, at a stead

ming back to me: Why had I be

lacked strength. I was merely a shattered object, an error that had

own another plate of food on a table.

ake place

replayed in my head. Tomorrow. The Ceremony of Luna Se

y wanted me to be present. It would never be permitted

A towering figure stood in the doorway, h

an A

n't usually come here at this time. As he stepped inside, the

aught Alpha Ki

meone or something. Then

tormy, penetrating eyes, met mine. The entir

g on something else. I didn't know I was t

d while keeping my head down. I had t

e and niggle in the back of my mind.

approaching me as I heard foo

though he had an important thing to say. Hi

d to concentrate on the empty

e place tomorrow. You are not require

k I could talk. In the silence, my min

is eyes softened as if he k

on me, he continued, "Do

I took one final look at the Alpha as he left. His face was unreadable and

. I heard it again as I turned to le

ur in the recesse

he Luna Selec

rent. Would that be the star