Chapter 1 Untitled Chapter

Aeloria's POV

I twirled in front of the cracked mirror in my tiny apartment, the layers of soft white tulle floating around my legs like clouds, and for a moment, I forgot everything bad in my life. All the overdue rent notices, whispers from pack members, exhausting daycare shifts that barely paid anything.

Tonight wasn't like any other night. Tonight was my Moon Rite.

Tonight, I would finally shift into my wolf for the first time, what I have aalways wanted.

My grin widened as I held the skirt out dramatically. “Okay, be honest. Do I look like a goddess or do I look like a giant wedding cake?”

From behind me, Thessara clapped slowly.

“Well,” she drawled lazily, crossing her long legs on my couch, “I can’t believe you’re finally coming of age now. Twenty years old. Goddess, you’re getting old.”

I gasped dramatically. “Excuse you?”

She laughed softly, her silver bracelets jingling as she leaned back. “I can’t wait to see you shift tonight. What color do you think your wolf will be? Grey? Or dark brown maybe, like your hair?”

My eyes sparkled instantly.

“I don’t know,” I admitted excitedly, already imagining how she would look like. “Maybe white? Or silver? Or black? Imagine if she has glowing eyes! I know she will be so beautiful.”

I wasn't the most beautiful, but I had high hopes for my wolf. I mean, my wolf and I couldn't be both ugly, right?

Thessara smirked. “If your wolf ends up ugly, don’t cry.”

I snorted. “You’re evil.”

“I’m realistic. You're not exactly the prettiest flower in the field.”

I laughed harder, shaking my head.

Thessara had always been like this, sharp-tongued, blunt, intimidating to everyone except me.

Well… mostly except me.

Still smiling, I looked back at my reflection, smoothing my hands over the gown carefully.

“I think I made the best choice for material,” I said proudly. “I saved a lot toward this tulle.”

Thessara stared at me for a second before laughing.

“You know I wanted to buy something more expensive for you, but you refused and chose to buy this cheap fabric with your measly daycare job. That job can barely afford your rent which you're behind by two months? Or three?”

The words stung more than they should have and my smile faltered slightly, but I quickly brushed it off.

That was just Thessara. She teased a lot.

Both my parents were late and they practically left me with nothing. I grew up on pack welfare funds, living with my nightmare of an uncle till I turned eighteen and even that money stopped. 

I couldn't afford training of any kind and the only thing I had were child caring and botany. My botany skills came in handy in the daycare because children had the burst of wolf energy,were clumsy and repeatedly hurt. I knew how to treat them with just herbs, saving parents the trip to the hospital, which was expensive.

Thess mostly called me boring because I wasn’t like her, she decided not to further her education and she had the family money to live comfortably.

“You don’t always need to buy things for me, Thess, I can manage just fine.”

“Nonsense, Loria.” She waved me off dismissively. “It’s your coming-of-age shifting for Goddess’ sake. At least look presentable. You know the Alpha is coming. Orvian told me that and I don't want you to embarrass me out there when I introduce you.”

I rolled my eyes immediately. Thess and her obsession with Alpha Vaelor.

“And what business do I have with the Alpha?” I scoffed. “Babe, I get Orvian is your brother, but I don’t have business with any of them. I just want to shift and see my wolf.”

Thessara suddenly went quiet.

I frowned slightly at the mirror when I noticed the strange expression on her face. Her eyes were fixed on me strangely.

“Everything okay, Thess?”

Instantly, she smiled again too quickly. “Nothing,” she said lightly. “I was just thinking that you and my brother would be perfect together.”

I blinked.

“What?”

She stood up and walked toward me slowly.

“We’d become family,” she continued softly. “More than best friends. He can take you out of this life. You don’t have to feed from hand to mouth, or work at that daycare earning so little. You will live in your own house with Orvian and he will give you everything you want. You will be the Beta female of this pack, alongside me when I become Luna. Orvian doesn't have a mate. You both will have babies together, it will be great.”

I burst out laughing.

“Thess, Orvian is like… what? Twenty-nine?” “Twenty-eight.” “That is still eight years older than me!”

“So?” she challenged. “What if your mate has a ten-year age difference?”

“Well…” I hesitated. “That one is different. The Moon Goddess knows why she made it that way. But no way am I choosing a man eight years older than me willingly.”

Thessara folded her arms.

“Orvian is handsome.”

 “He’s terrifying.” 

“He’s powerful.”

“He looks like he’d kill someone for breathing wrong.”

“He probably would.”

I pointed at her dramatically. “Exactly!”

She laughed loudly this time.

“Besides,” I continued, “Orvian is the Beta as you said. There are hundreds of prettier girls for him. I'm not in his league anyways.”

Something unreadable flickered across her face. Then she shrugged. “Well, my brother is trying to set Alpha Vaelor and I together,” she said casually. “If it works out, I’ll become Luna and that is why I want you to be our Beta female.”

My face lit up instantly.

“Oh my Goddess, Luna Thessara!” I grabbed her hands excitedly. “I’m so glad I’m your best friend.”

She giggled proudly. “You know how long I’ve had a huge crush on Alpha Vaelor.” She sighed dreamily. “He’s so strong and cold and—ugh. I shiver anytime I think about him.”

I groaned dramatically. “You better not turn into a puddle here.”

“Whatever.”

She grabbed my wrist suddenly. “Come on. We’re late.”

—

The ride to the Moon Rite grounds felt unreal.

The entire pack territory glowed beneath the full moon, lanterns hanging from trees while silver ribbons danced in the night breeze.

The scent of incense filled the air and excitement buzzed everywhere.

My heart wouldn’t stop racing.

“I can’t believe this is finally happening,” I whispered against the window, taking in all the beauty of the ground.

Thessara smirked while driving. “You’ve talked about this day since you were fifteen.”

“I know!” I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt.

Last year, I sat in these same grounds and watched Thessara shift for the first time.

She had looked breathtaking, so powerful.

Her wolf was cream colored and she was so beautiful.

I remembered how excited she’d been, hoping Alpha Vaelor was her mate.

And I remembered the devastation on her face afterward when she felt nothing.

No mate bond or pull to Alpha Vaelor.

I spent an entire month consoling her after that.

Now it was finally my turn. I was finally going to meet my wolf. I was finally going to shift beneath the moon. I’d finally get to experience pack runs instead of sitting home alone while everyone else shifted together.

My chest tightened happily.

No more being left behind, no more feeling incomplete, and most of all, no more of Thess using ‘but you haven't shifted yet’ to ditch me for her friends.

Thessara parked the car, and we stepped out into the massive gathering.

My breath caught immediately.

The grounds were beautiful.

Huge bonfires crackled around the clearing while wolves and pack members gathered in elegant ceremonial clothing I began feeling underdressed. Maybe I should have allowed Thess buy me a dress.

The Elders stood near the altar dressed in silver robes.

Music echoed softly through the air.

My stomach flipped nervously.

“Oh Goddess,” I whispered. “I’m actually terrified right now.”

Thessara squeezed my hand. “You’ll be fine. It's really nothing.”

“Aeloria!”

I turned instantly at the familiar voice.

Sylver waved at me from across the clearing with a bright smile on her face.

Relief flashed through me. 

I liked Sylver.

She worked at the bakery near the daycare, and every time we spoke, she was kind.

Before I could wave back properly, a low growl vibrated beside me. Her fingers tightened painfully around my wrist before she pulled me away sharply.

I stumbled after her. “Hey! what was that about?”

Thessara’s jaw clenched. “I’m protecting you, Loria.”

I frowned. “What?”

“You can’t trust Sylver,” she snapped. “She wants to pretend to be your friend so she can get close to me. People like her only chase clout.”

The excitement inside me dimmed slightly. “Oh.”

“If I were you,” Thessara continued firmly, “I’d avoid her. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Something heavy settled in my chest.

Again.

Every time someone tried getting close to me, Thessara always found a reason they were bad.

Fake.

Using me to get to her because she was Orvian's sister and they were trying to gain her favour.

At first, I believed her completely, but lately… I didn’t know anymore.

Sometimes I wondered what it would feel like to have more than one friend.

Still, I didn’t want to argue tonight.

Maybe after my shift run, I could speak to Sylver alone without Thessara hovering nearby.

Thessara suddenly smiled again and squeezed my hands.

“Good luck, Loria.”

Then she disappeared into the crowd.

And just like that… I was alone.

The nervousness returned immediately.

The Moon Rite began moments later.

The Elders chanted ancient words while incense smoke curled into the night sky.

The full moon hung above us, enormous and glowing silver.

Beautiful.

My body suddenly vibrated. A gasp escaped me. Heat spreading through my veins, and the pain followed instantly.

I dropped to my knees with a cry, bones cracking and reforming.

Around me, other shifters cried out as their wolves emerged for the first time.

My entire body trembled violently.

And suddenly, I could smell everything.

Hear everything.

Feel everything.

I stood on four legs beneath the moonlight, breathing hard.

My wolf.

Oh Goddess.

I shifted.

Joy burst through me so hard I nearly cried.

A howl ripped from my throat instinctively as the other new wolves howled around me.

Then suddenly a soft feminine voice echoed inside my head.

“Hey, Aeloria.”

I froze.

My heart nearly burst.

“I… I…”

The voice giggled warmly.

“I am your wolf. Elarisse.”

Emotion slammed into me so hard my chest hurt.

“Hi,” I whispered internally.

Elarisse purred happily. “Hi.”

I wanted to laugh, to cry, to run, to howl all night.

Everything felt overwhelming and beautiful all at once.

Then all of a sudden, Elarisse stiffened.

A strange scent wrapped around me, warm and dangerously addictive.

A violent shiver ran through my body.

Elarisse gasped.

“Our mate is here, Aeloria.”

My heart stopped.

Mate?

No.

No no no.

I wasn’t ready.

I wanted freedom first, wanted time to enjoy this.

I slowly turned toward the scent and then my eyes locked onto him, my supposed mate.

Alpha Vaelor.

The Alpha stood at the edge of the clearing beside Orvian, dressed entirely in black, his piercing silver eyes fixed directly on me.

The mate bond slammed into me like lightning.

So powerful my knees nearly buckled.

“Mate,” Elarisse whispered emotionally.

My heart sank instantly.

No.

No no no.

Not him.

Not Alpha Vaelor.

Not the man Thessara loved.

Not the man she dreamed about.

Why was this happening to me?