01 💫

- BEGINNING -

Aurora POV.

Can I just disappear?

Would the world even notice if I did?

I’ve been invisible my entire life. Even as a child, no one wanted me around. When I was seven, my teacher paired us up for a school play. I ended up standing at the back of the classroom, watching everyone else giggle and chat, while I stood there like a ghost. Unnoticed. Unwanted.

Nothing’s changed since then.

I’m still Aurora Lancaster—the girl who doesn’t belong. I am omega, the one who doesn't matter.

“Stop being hard on yourself.” Ice growls in my head, her sharp voice cutting through my spiraling thoughts. My wolf’s been with me for five years now, ever since I survived my first shift alone in the woods. She’s the strong one—the confident one—always urging me to fight back when I’d rather shrink into the shadows. But tonight, like so many other nights, I ignored her.

My small apartment-like house feels colder than usual as I stare out the window at Hyper Town, its shimmering skyline mocking me. My parents thought sending me here would be my way out—a chance to prove myself in college, to climb out of the debt and shame we left behind. But this city doesn’t care about ambition or hard work. It devours the weak.

And me? It's the easiest meal it’s ever had.

Rebecca Celestial made sure of that earlier today.

Her slap still stings—not just my cheek, but deep in my soul. She cornered me in the cafeteria, her perfect, manicured nails clutching a pink invitation like it was a weapon. I’d chosen the most isolated table, hoping she wouldn’t notice me. But Rebecca always finds me.

You shouldn’t have gone to the cafeteria. Ice mutters, her tone laced with disapproval. You knew she’d be there.

“Don’t forget,” Rebecca had said, her grin as venomous as her words. “If you don’t come to my 22nd birthday party tonight, Aurora, you’ll regret it. And we both know you don’t need another reason to hate your life.”

The entire cafeteria had stared, their judgment piercing me like knives. No one stepped in. No one said a word.

Back in my tiny apartment, the invitation sits on my nightstand like a bright, mocking slap in the face. Bachelor Village. Rebecca’s mansion. It was a place where I could never truly belong.

You don’t have to go, Ice urges. Stay home. Let her talk. You owe her nothing.

“I can’t,” I whisper. “If I don’t go, it’ll be worse.”

Coward, Ice snarls. Do you think bending to her will make her stop?

Her words make me cringe, yet they are incredibly accurate. Rebecca won’t stop—not unless I find a way to stand up to her. But tonight isn’t that night. Not yet.

I pull on my black hoodie—the closest thing to armor—and step out into the freezing night.

The mansion towers above me, reminiscent of a scene from a fairy tale. The mansion boasts gilded windows, shimmering chandeliers, and music loud enough to shake the ground beneath my feet. My stomach churns as I step inside, the scents of alcohol, perfume, and wolves hitting me all at once.

The pack is everywhere. There are betas, alphas, and even a few other omegas. But none of them look like me. They’re polished and powerful, their laughter ringing out as they mingle in a world I’ll never belong to.

Leave, Ice growls, her voice cold and commanding. Turn around and go home.

But I can’t. Rebecca’s already seen me.

“There you are!” Her voice cuts through the crowd with a sharp edge. She strides towards me, radiant and imposing, her long blond hair swaying as she moves. My instincts scream at me to lower my gaze, to submit. Ice bristles in my mind, her defiance like a spark of fire.

Look her in the eye, she demands.

I force myself to meet Rebecca’s gaze. She smiles, sharp and cruel, and presses a glass into my hand. “Drink up, Aurora. Everyone’s watching.”

Don’t, Ice snaps. She’s baiting you. You know this.

“I’m not used to drinking,” I mumble, hoping she’ll let it go.

Rebecca laughs a sound that makes my skin crawl. “Don’t be such a buzzkill. This is your chance to prove you’re not a total waste of space.”

Her words slice through me, and I feel my grip on Ice slipping. Fight back, she urges, but her voice is quieter now, fading under the weight of my insecurities.

One drink turns into two, then three. The room spins, and my limbs grow heavy. Rebecca stays close, her grip firm, her smile full of poison.

“You’re fine,” she coos, her voice sickly sweet. “I’ve got you.”

No, she doesn’t, Ice growls. Run. Now.

“I… I need to go home,” I slur, my legs wobbling beneath me.

Rebecca’s smile sharpens. “Of course. Let’s get you upstairs to rest.”

Her words should send alarms blaring in my head, but my mind is foggy, and my body feels like it’s moving through syrup. Ice howls in frustration, her anger like a storm in my mind.

Get out of here, Aurora!

Rebecca leads me up the grand staircase, her arm steadying me as the noise of the party fades. The hallway is dark, the only light coming from the moon streaming through a window. She stops at a door at the end of the hall and opens it with a flourish.

“Here we are,” she says, her tone too sweet.

Two men are waiting inside. Their scents hit me like a warning—betas, strong and cruel. Ice erupts in a frenzy, her growls echoing in my mind.

Fight! She roars. Don’t let this happen!

Rebecca turns to the men, her smile wicked. “Lay her on the bed.”

Their hands grab me, rough and unyielding. Ice howls, her fury burning through my haze. Now, Aurora!

Something inside me snaps. With a burst of adrenaline, I twist my body, kneeling one of the men in the stomach. He stumbles back, cursing, and I shove the other off me.

The door remains locked, yet the open balcony door beckons me. I don’t think so. I run.

I leap from the balcony, the cold air biting at my skin. The ground rushes towards me, but instead of hitting the earth, I crash into a soft surface—a couch.

I tumble off it onto the marble floor, groaning as pain shoots through my body. Before I can gather my thoughts, a deep, commanding voice cuts through the chaos.

“What the hell is going on here?”

I look up and freeze.

Standing in the middle of the room is a man, unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating power. His amber eyes, sharp and piercing, contrast with his tousled black hair. He doesn’t look at me like the others do. His gaze isn’t filled with mockery or pity—it’s filled with something far more dangerous.

“Who are you?” His voice is low, steady, and terrifyingly calm.

I don’t answer. I can’t.

“Stepbrother,” Rebecca’s voice comes from behind me, sickly sweet. “She’s just drunk. I’ll take care of her.”

He raises a hand, silencing her. “Quiet, I'm not asking you.”

I look at Rebecca. She planned it; I know she contracted two men to do such horrible things to me earlier. But as I look at her, she seems terrified in front of her stepbrother. I’ve never seen her act like that. She doesn’t even bother to look at me. At this point, she is looking at Alpha Cali, while her stepbrother’s eyes never leave mine. For the first time, Ice is silent.

We both know who he is.

Alpha Cali.

Are you Rebecca's new stepbrother?

Uh-oh, Aurora; he looks powerful—more powerful than Rebecca. Ice noticed.

I knew. I was just hearing his name before, but now I am seeing him personally.

Cali Riverlane is a well-known, powerful, and dominant figure.

He was the most powerful wolf in the Newgen ranking.