Aria stood outside the chamber, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been waiting for a few minutes now, rehearsing what she would say, trying to steady her breath. Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her apron, wringing it nervously. Finally, the door swung open, and Kiernan, the pack's Beta and commander, stepped out. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair tousled from the earlier confrontation, his expression thoughtful.
Aria immediately felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you… for standing up for me," she said, forcing herself to meet his eyes.
Kiernan glanced at her, his gaze calm but distant. "It was nothing," he replied shortly, his tone polite but dismissive. "Just be more careful next time, Aria. You don’t want to be on the Alpha’s bad side."
Her heart sank a little at his response, but she nodded quickly, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "I will," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause trouble."
Kiernan gave a brief nod, already looking past her, his mind seemingly elsewhere. "Just take care of yourself," he murmured before moving past her, heading toward the training grounds.
Aria watched him walk away, a soft smile forming on her lips despite his cold response. Her heart fluttered as she imagined what it would be like to have him look at her with something other than pity. "He’s so strong, so brave," she thought, her cheeks flushing as she watched him disappear into the distance. "If only… if only things were different."
With a sigh, she turned away, knowing she had no place in his world.
Aria made her way back to her small house on the outskirts of the pack territory, where the scent of stew simmering on the stove greeted her. Her mother, Mira, stood over the pot, stirring slowly, her face lined with fatigue. Aria immediately noticed the pallor of her mother’s skin, the way her hands shook ever so slightly with each stir.
"Mama, let me help," Aria offered, stepping forward to take the spoon. "You should rest."
Mira smiled weakly, brushing off Aria’s concern. "I’m fine, dear. Just a little tired. Besides, you’ve had a long day too."
But as she spoke, her voice wavered, and her legs suddenly gave way. Aria rushed forward, catching her mother just as she began to collapse. "Mama!" she cried, panic flaring in her chest. "What’s happening? You’re burning up!"
Her mother’s breathing was shallow, her face twisted in pain. "I… I don’t know," Mira whispered, struggling to speak. "It’s… been like this for a while, but I didn’t want to worry you."
"We need to get you to the herbal doctor, now!" Aria insisted, her voice filled with urgency. She half-carried, half-dragged her mother out of the house, her mind racing with fear. "Please, hold on, Mama. Please…"
They arrived at the pack’s herbal doctor’s chamber, a small, dark room filled with the scent of herbs and potions. The old healer, Elda, looked up as they entered, her expression turning grave as she saw Mira’s condition.
"Lay her down here," Elda instructed, pointing to a cot. Aria gently placed her mother down, her hands trembling. "What’s wrong with her?" she asked, desperation seeping into her voice.
Elda examined Mira closely, her brows furrowing. After a few moments, she shook her head, her eyes sad. "Her condition is severe, Aria," she said softly. "Her lungs… they’re failing. At best, she has three months. Maybe less."
Aria felt the world tilt beneath her feet. "No… no, there must be something you can do," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Something… anything!"
Elda sighed, her gaze sympathetic. "I’m sorry, child. There are treatments, but they can only ease her pain, not cure her."
Aria’s mind spun, her thoughts a blur of panic and grief. "Three months," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "How… how am I supposed to…"
But before she could finish her thought, a loud commotion erupted outside. Raised voices, shouts, the unmistakable tension of conflict. Aria’s heart leapt in her chest, and she quickly turned to the door, her senses on high alert.
"What’s happening?" she asked, moving toward the entrance.
Elda looked alarmed, glancing toward the noise. "Stay here, Aria. It could be dangerous."
But Aria couldn’t stay put. She had to know. She pushed open the door and stepped outside, her eyes scanning the gathering crowd. At the center, she saw a figure—a tall, imposing man with a scarred face, his presence exuding menace. The air around him crackled with dark energy.
"Who… who is that?" Aria whispered to a nearby pack member.
"That’s the rogue Alpha," the pack member muttered, eyes wide with fear. "He’s here to challenge Alpha Caden for control of the pack."
Aria’s breath caught in her throat. The rogue Alpha. Stories of his brutality and ambition had spread like wildfire through the packs. She watched as he raised his hand, demanding silence.
"I’m here to claim what’s rightfully mine," he declared, his voice booming across the clearing. "Your Alpha is weak… unable to protect you. You need a real leader."
Caden stepped forward, his expression cold and defiant. "I won’t let you take what’s mine," he growled, his eyes blazing with fury. "This pack belongs to me."
The rogue Alpha smirked. "Then prove it," he challenged. "Mate, or lose your pack. Those are your choices, Caden."
Aria felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She gripped the doorway to steady herself, but her vision blurred. Her body felt suddenly hot, like she was burning from the inside out. Her hands flew to her forehead, feeling the intense heat radiating from her skin.
"What’s happening to me?" she thought, panic rising in her chest. Her heartbeat quickened, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "Why… why do I feel like this?"
She glanced down and saw her hands beginning to tremble, her skin seeming to pulse with an energy she didn’t understand. Then, she saw it—her eyes reflected in a nearby window, turning a deep, unnatural blue.
"No… no, not now," she whispered, fear clawing at her throat. But she couldn’t stop it. The heat intensified, her vision darkening at the edges. She stumbled back, her mind swirling with confusion and dread.
As the rival Alpha continued to issue his challenge, Aria felt herself slipping, her body swaying, the world around her fading into darkness.
The hidden power within her stirred, waking up to the call of the unknown.
Caden stood in the center of the pack’s gathering ground, his chest still heaving with anger from his confrontation with the rogue Alpha. His mind raced with the conditions set before him—Mate, or lose the pack. The words echoed in his head like a relentless drumbeat, mocking him, taunting him with their simplicity and brutality.He could feel the weight of his pack’s fear pressing down on him. The usual lively buzz of conversation was muted; their eyes, wide and worried, darted around like they expected an attack at any moment. Mothers clutched their children closer, warriors whispered among themselves, and the older pack members shook their heads with grim expressions."They’re scared," Caden realized, his jaw tightening. "They don’t think I can protect them."He knew he had to act fast, do something to restore their faith in him, something to reignite their spirit and make them believe in their Alpha again. His eyes flicked to the dueling ground, where his Beta, Kiernan, was prepar
Aria lay still on the cold stone floor of Caden’s chamber, every part of her body throbbing with pain. The sharp sting between her thighs reminded her of what had just happened, a cruel, painful reminder that she couldn’t escape. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her chest tight with a mixture of fear, shame, and anger."Get up," she told herself, her mind racing. "Just get up… move."She forced her body to obey, pushing herself up with trembling arms. Her legs felt weak, barely able to support her weight, but she managed to stand. Her clothes were torn, her hair a tangled mess. She brushed a strand away from her tear-stained face, wincing at the sharp pain that flared with the movement. She had to get out of here, away from this chamber, away from him.Her eyes darted to the door. She stumbled towards it, every step a painful reminder of the violence she had just endured. She opened the door, stepping out into the corridor, where several pack members loitered. They turned to look at
Caden sat in his chamber, his fists clenched on the armrests of his chair, his face twisted with frustration. "An omega," he muttered to himself, disbelief and anger bubbling inside him. "Of all the women in this pack, the Moon Goddess chose an omega for me?" He could still hear Elder Thorne’s words echoing in his mind, his father’s stern expression, his mother’s insistent nod. They had already accepted this ridiculous fate, leaving him no choice.The door opened, and his parents stepped in, their faces serious. His father, tall and imposing, crossed his arms and gave him a pointed look."We’ve decided," his father began, his tone brooking no argument. "Aria will be your mate. The ceremony will proceed as planned."Caden’s jaw tightened. "No," he growled, "I will not mate with her. She’s not fit to stand by my side. She’s weak."His mother’s eyes narrowed. "The pack needs a Luna," she said sharply. "And the Goddess has chosen her. You don’t have the luxury of choice, Caden. We need t
“Wait”, Caden growled with panic and fear rising in his heart. His voice quivering and his hands trembling “We.. we can do something about this”, he muttered. His heart pounding fast as he thought about what would become of his fate if the rogue alpha takes over his pack Seeing the fear and distrust in the packs faces, he knew this is not the time to let them down. Silence and fear filled the whole place. Every mother drawing their pups closer to their arms. Caden's parents stood still, speechless with their eyes filled with disappointment. With the fear of not wanting to give up his power and territory to the rogue alpha, Caden decided to brace himself and protect his pack by all means “I can't let this happen. I'm the strongest werewolf and that is why I am the leader of this pack.” “I will not back down now, no… I have to do something. My pack can't see me as a weak Alpha.” He looked at his Father, ready to bring back his father's trust and hope in him as his son, he de
Caden, now fully transformed into his wolf form, faces the rogue alpha at the center of the Arena. The crowd's murmurs immediately turned into a tense silence as they watched.The moon, shining bright, exposed his eyes glowing and his fur shimmering with a deep metallic shin. The rogue alpha ready to start the fight, let out a loud growl, making the atmosphere more tense and engaging. His body muscles large and really built up in a way that it could intimidate his opponent."I can't let my fear show." Caden said to himself almost whispering, as he took his stance, his fist giving him a good balance and ready to go attack form.The weight of his pack's expectation continually weighed him down, but he had to stay strong and not show his weakness.Just then, the words of his father to him resounded in his mind, "a true alpha stays strong to the end, without showing weakness. You are the real son of your father."He tried being motivated by these words but the reality of what was about t
The arena was blood soaked, silence filled the whole place. Indeed the pack of Darkwood territory just witnessed a kind of fight that has never happened in the whole history of darkwood.The rogue alpha laid lifeless, he had just barely survived. Blood gushed out of his face, sides and claws.The crowd couldn't believe that the rogue alpha had been defeated. They looked at him like a fallen Goliath.Caden, now satisfied that he had won, staggered and was headed back to his chamber.His vision was very blurry, his fur soaked with blood, his legs shaky and some of his claws broken. His injuries and wounds were so much that one could tell that he had narrowly escaped death.As he was staggering back to his Chamber, faced down, and silent his legs were beginning to fail him.The tension and panic in the air kept reducing, the pack began to whisper and murmur.Some still had doubts lingering in their heart, while some said silent prayers of relief for their wounded alpha.Though the rogu
The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the arena as Caden stood in the center, every muscle in his body taut, eyes fixed on the beast before him. The pack had gathered around, murmurs of anticipation rippling through the crowd. His parents sat at the front, watching closely—his father with an expression of expectation, his mother with the same cool, unreadable gaze she always wore.The beast, a monstrous creature with matted fur and razor-sharp claws, snarled, circling him slowly. Caden could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy. "Focus, Caden," he thought, keeping his eyes locked on the creature. "Everyone's watching. You can't afford to slip up."The beast lunged suddenly, teeth bared, claws outstretched. Caden dodged, just barely, feeling the wind of its swipe graze his skin. His heart pounded in his chest. “Too close,” he muttered under his breath. He could hear his father’s voice in his head: "Show them what it means to be an Alpha, son."He clenched