The Unattainable Full Moon

"At my best friend’s marking ceremony, another shewolf tried to snatch the bouquet. It bounced off her hand and landed right in my arms.Everyone in the room looked in unspoken agreement at Alpha Derrick Anderson.They started egging him on.“Mark her! Mark her!”“This is the Moon Goddess’s will. Alpha Derrick, mark your Luna!”Derrick was pushed forward by the crowd until he stood in front of me.My cheeks turned red. My heart pounded as I waited for him to say 'will you be my mate'?Instead, he calmly took the bouquet from me, turned around, and handed it to the shewolf beside him.I froze.He reached out and ruffled my hair. His voice was as gentle as ever. “She got it first. Come on now. We’ll get it next time.”I looked at the shewolf next to me. Her face lit with surprise and quiet delight. My own face turned pale in an instant.What Derrick didn’t know was that there wouldn’t be a next time, as my marking ceremony was next week."