-Prologue-

I sat under the shade of one of the huge trees that stood upright in the garden in the back of the palace. "Did I make you wait too long?" Diana said as she made her way through the glass door of the study room, I assumed, as I have barely been inside the palace except the times when I had to wait for Diana in the foyer.

I looked up, taking a glance at how breathtaking Diana was. Her yellow blonde locks decorated the sides of her face as her hair swirled until her shoulders. Her golden brown eyes looked at me with a similar zeal. Everything about her was so golden unlike me. Nevertheless she was stunning, an accurate picture of everything a she-wolf should be. Everyone admired her softness and talked about how fortunate that wolf would be whose "mate", our Diana will be.

She chuckled when she saw me shaking my head side to side as I stood up to greet her.

"Of course not, my highness" I said, smiling at her cheesily; knowing how annoyed she gets when I address her so formally.

"Okay, take my apologies. But don't call me that again." She grumbled, chuckling once again, holding my hands in her delicate ones.

"Accepted." I said smiling back as I freed my hands from her grip and took the beige tote bag she held. "Shall we?" I asked as she nodded and led our way.

We walked through the streets as some she-wolves around us greeted Diana, once in a while, eyeing at me as I trailed silently behind her. It was a normal thing for me as I have been looked at like that since I was 7. And even after several protests from their Alpha's daughter, Diana, locals never stopped alienating me with their looks.

I kept my head low, not wanting to make any eye contact with anyone. And after a while we had crossed the packhouse area as we stood on the huge bridge that was a connecting link between our somewhat modernized town and the deep forest which was our real habitat.

We stood there for a while, silently taking in the sounds of literally nothing but water. Even though we both hadn't shifted yet, and didn't have much strong senses of sounds and scents; we admired nature equally. It was something that made us closer even though we belonged to different levels. She was an Alpha and I, Ayla, just an Omega.

Alright, let me get into this a little, since I can't see you all die in curiosity…

I was born in an Omega family but my appearance is always looked at, otherwise. It was all beautiful at first when the locals around talked about me. They always told my parents how unreal my beauty was, admired my silky silver hair and strangely effulgent turquoise blue eyes. It wasn't long ago when their admiring glances turned into judgmental stares as if they recognized me as an outlandish creature.

I don't know the real reason for that sudden flip-flop but the seven year old me was too young to handle it. I always asked my mom why it had to be me to have a silver head and such radiantly pigmented eyes. It felt a lot to me when I was being stared at like an alien. Although, I had overcome the fear to be stared at since it happened to me 24/7. It didn't help that I was almost an adult and still haven't shifted.

Most female wolves shift when they enter their teenage years, like 14, usually after they have gone through human puberty. Male wolves turned at 16 years old, since they tended to go through puberty later than us. It was always a celebration when a normal wolf shifted; a hunt usually followed by a barbeque and a night full of partying.

Along with my alienating personality, I had not shifted for five years, hence the bullying. In the pack's eyes, I was not normal and most did not want me here. However, there was one ray of hope still shining on me since my 18th birthday was tomorrow; although no one seems to care other than my parents, I have had this hope forever that I will shift soon. A gut feeling is what humans call it!

Alpha Phoenix, the leader of our "Blue Moon pack" that worshiped the Blue Moon, hence the name, had two children; a daughter called Diana and a son called Gray who had yet to take over since he had not found his mate; soulmate that is. Every single wolf has a soulmate, in short another half made just for them. We usually find our mates when we turn eighteen years old and a wolf born into Alpha status like Gray cannot take the ruling position until they have a mate or old Alpha dies. That is why Mara, the daughter of the most loyal Beta of our pack, is his mate-to-be. If he does not find his true mate by twenty-five, he gets betrothed to a female worthy of the position of Luna. Pack politics!

But why is it so necessary to have a mate? Exactly, I also asked the same to my mom and she explained to me that a Wolf's true potential is made once they mate, hence why Gray cannot take leadership from his parents. He was 24 now and yet mateless. God knows where our Alpha's mate was! Honestly speaking, I don't want Mara to be his mate.

If you guessed it, then you are absolutely right! She has such a bitchy personality, my wonderful tormentor and most importantly she is too shady to be a Luna. Not that I'm questioning her potential as Mara has always given her best when it comes to serving the Alphas but that also seems like an act to me. And don't be surprised when I say Diana hates her too.

"Aren't you going to paint something today?" I asked her, breaking the non existent silence when I realized it had been a while of staring at the water.

Diana usually finds something to paint, while we stroll around our land. I used to admire the garden at the palace and always desired to step in, just to closely look at the flowers and trees and everything. It felt so aesthetic to that ten year old me. Thankfully, I got caught by anyone but Diana; once when I jumped in the garden, assuming no one would catch me if I wore green and camouflage. How stupid I can be!

"Are you trying to play Sherlock Holmes?" Ten year old Diana had asked me. She still laughs at me till this day over the fact that I dressed up myself as a shrub just to get in the garden.

We had been really good friends since then. No matter if she is an Alpha and I am just an Omega, she has never alienated me, over my looks, like the other wolves. And the fact that bonds us even closer is that we both haven't shifted yet.

Seeing our healthy friendship, Alpha Phoenix had allowed me to stay by Diana's side whenever she went out, hence it became an excuse for her to meet me daily. Although I have never met Alpha Gray, the way Diana describes her bickerings with her brother makes me question if he is really mature enough to take up on the position. Never mind, it's none of my business because all I hope is for my mate to find me soon and take me away from this pack. But I'm yet to shift.

"I have already. You will know soon." Diana said, winking at me as she made her way back towards the packhouse.

"Huh?" I stood confused for a minute but then caught up with her quickly.

"Your birthday's tomorrow. I think you will have the prettiest fur." She snickered at her own words.

At least, you remember. I thought.

"And then you will become my competition soon." She laughed at my eye roll, knowing I remember her birthday too and it's nothing new to both of us.

I looked at the entrance of the palace and handed the tote bag back to its owner.

Diana bid me a goodbye after a small conversation we had under the tree of her garden. How clichè, you must be thinking but we really enjoyed this.

I made my way back to the packhouse. The packhouse was like a hotel. Four floors containing about 250 to 350 en-suite rooms. The Omegas were lower level with small necessary single or double rooms, a hundred of them in total. Middle wolves filled up the second and third floors with around 90 spares for the future. And the forty higher-ranking wolves, warriors and families were on the top floor in larger rooms. The top floor was a private area, only accessible by fingerprints, that belonged to Alpha, that had a lounge usually for celebrations.

As I approached the entrance, I heard voices. Wishing I had a wolf's sense of smell to work out who it was, I settled for my hearing. I could hear them in the foyer area, and I had a fairly large open doorway ahead, so if I was to get by unnoticed, I would have to time it right.

Peeking around the corner, I observed the bunch of teenagers facing away from me. I hate this! I have to reach my room as quickly as I can, or my day will be ruined like every other day. So, taking a deep breath, I braced myself before leaping across the two meter gap. I held my breath in anticipation, catching myself from stumbling and just as I thought I had gotten away with it, a pair of black shoes came into my sight. Fuck!

"Oh my gosh, look who's back after a stroll." Mara squealed. "Alpha Diana's cute little pet."