Chapter 6

ARIA'S POV

I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down my plain blue dress. It wasn't fancy, but it was the nicest thing I owned.

Three days had passed since Dante last spoke to me, and now here I was, getting ready for his mother's birthday celebration.

"It will only be for a few hours," I whispered to my reflection. "Just remember to smile and be polite."

The moment I stepped into the grand hall of the Crescent Moon Pack's mansion, I felt out of place.

Werewolves in designer clothes chatted and moved around, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. I clutched my carefully wrapped gift tighter, searching the crowd for a familiar face.

Out of nowhere, someone forcefully bumped into me. I stumbled, nearly dropping the gift.

"Watch where you're going!" a sharp voice snapped. I looked up to see a tall woman in a white dress glaring at me. "The help should know better than to get in the way."

My cheeks burned. "I'm not-"

"Oh, let her be, Vivian," another woman cut in. "She's probably new. Girl, the kitchen's that way." She pointed with her champagne glass, a smirk on her face.

I opened my mouth to challenge them, but the words died in my throat.

What was the point? They had never seen me as anything but an outsider. I forced a smile and nodded, moving away from their judgemental stares.

My eyes scanned the room until I finally found Agatha. She was seated elegantly on a plush couch, surrounded by admirers. Her hair was styled high on her head, and she wore diamonds that glittered around her neck. I took a deep breath and made my way towards her.

"Excuse me, Luna?" I said softly. "Happy birthday. I brought you a gift."

She turned, her icy blue eyes narrowing as she saw me. "Oh, Aria."

I held out the present, wrapped in sparkling paper. "I hope you like it. I made it myself."

I had crafted a ring for her, and it turned out to be really beautiful. I just hoped she would like it.

Agatha's lips twisted in disgust. She took the gift from my hands with two fingers, as if it might contaminate her. "How... charming. I'm sure it's very nice, dear, but honestly, you shouldn't have bothered."

My heart sank as she carelessly tossed the gift aside. It landed with a soft thud on the carpet.

"Now, go on," she said, waving her hand. "The grown-ups are talking."

Her friends burst into laughter. I stood there, frozen, as humiliation washed over me.

"Didn't you hear her?" a man drawled. "Get out of here, little rogue.”

I stumbled backward, blinking quickly to hold back tears. They had no idea how much I had done for this pack. How many times I had helped Dante behind the scenes, using my connections to smooth over problems. And for what? To be treated like garbage?

Just then, something snapped inside me. I marched over to a nearby table and grabbed a champagne flute. With shaking hands, I clinked it loudly with a fork.

The room fell silent and all eyes turned to me. I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

"I have something to say," I announced, my voice shaking slightly. "You all look down on me just because I didn't experience the wolf awakening. You think I'm worthless. But let me tell you something - your precious Alpha, Dante, wouldn't be where he is today without my help.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd. I saw Agatha's eyes narrow dangerously.

"That's right," I continued, gaining confidence. "I am always working behind the scenes. I may not have claws or fangs, but I have connections. And I've used them time and time again to help this pack."

For a moment, there was silence. Then someone in the back began to laugh. Soon, the whole room erupted in mocking sneers.

"Aha!" someone cackled. "The rogue actually thinks she's important!"

"Maybe we should make her Alpha!" a man called out, setting off another round of laughter.

I felt my face burning, but I stood my ground. "It's true! I-"

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed my arm. I turned to see Dante, his green eyes flashing with anger.

"That's enough," he growled, low enough for only me to hear. "You're embarrassing yourself. And more importantly, you are embarrassing me."

My heart clenched at his words. Was that all he cared about? His precious reputation?

He started dragging me towards the exit, but my anger flared up. I dug my heels into the carpet, and with a hiss, I shouted, "Let go of me!"

To my surprise - and I think to Dante's too - I managed to free my arm. I stumbled back a few steps, putting some distance between us. The room fell silent, all eyes on our little drama.

Dante's jaw clenched. "Aria," he said, a warning in his tone.

But I was done being silenced. "What?" I spat. "Are you scared of what I might say?”

He took a step towards me, his hand outstretched. "Don't do this," he pleaded softly.

I backed away, shaking my head. "No. For once, you are going to listen to me."

I turned to face the crowd, my heart pounding so hard I was sure everyone could hear it. "I'm telling you the truth," I insisted, my voice stronger than I felt. "Everything I said before - it's all true."

For a moment, there was silence. I dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, they might actually believe me.

Then someone in the crowd snickered. It was as if a dam broke. Suddenly, the room was filled with mocking laughter and taunts.

"Oh, honey," a woman in a slinky red dress drawled. "I think someone's had a bit too much champagne."

I felt really stupid, but I stood my ground. "I am not lying," I said, my voice shaking. "I've helped this pack in ways you can't even imagine."

"The only thing I can imagine," Agatha's cold voice cut through the noise, "is how delusional you must be to think you're anything more than a burden on my son."

She stood up, her elegant frame towering over me. In her hand, she held the ring I had given her - the ring I had spent weeks designing and crafting.

"You call this a gift?" she scoffed, holding it up for everyone to see. "It looks like something from a child's toy box."

Without warning, she threw the ring at my feet. I watched in horror as she deliberately stepped on it, grinding her heel into the delicate metalwork.

"There," she said, satisfaction dripping from her voice. "That is what I think of your 'contributions' to this pack."

The room erupted in cruel laughter, and I felt like I was drowning in it, gasping for air that wouldn't come.

"Mother," Dante said, a note of shock in his voice. "That's going too far."

However, Agatha wasn't finished. She circled me slowly, like a predator toying with its prey. "You know, I have to put up with you for my son's sake," she said. "But I think it's time we all faced facts. You don't belong here, Aria. You never have, and you never will.”