Chapter 1

The day dawned in shades of gold and rose, but the tension in the air seemed to tint it with something darker. The grand event of the evening cast a shadow over every glance and gesture from my cousin and aunt. They were radiant, and I tried to feel at least a little happy for them.

The village had been buzzing since early morning. Isabela’s friends came and went from the small wooden room, carrying dresses, glittering jewelry, and jars of fragrant ointments. The sweet scent of jasmine and vanilla hung thick in the air, making everything feel even more suffocating. I leaned against the doorframe, watching my cousin sit before a cracked mirror, smiling smugly as one of her friends braided her long, silky black hair that flowed like a dark river down to her waist. Every move she made was precise, rehearsed. She had always known how to captivate an entire room, and today would be no different.

“You’re especially quiet today, Aiyana.” Isabela’s voice carried a teasing tone, but I could hear the edge of superiority in it. “Nervous for me?”

She turned slightly to look at me through the mirror, her eyes sparkling with something I couldn’t quite decipher. Maxim. Not Max. Never Max. I wasn’t close enough to use a nickname, nor did I want to be. Maxim was hers, he always had been. And tonight, after the ritual, she would get the confirmation she had longed for.

“I’m just taking it all in,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

Isabela smiled. A sharp smile, more like a challenge than affection. I used to admire her. When we were kids, she was everything I wanted to be: beautiful, confident, desired. But over time, I started to see the cracks in the perfect facade. The way she manipulated those around her, made everything revolve around her. The way she kept Maxim in her orbit with carefully chosen words.

The destiny ritual wasn’t common anymore. It hadn’t been for decades. No one had been blessed with a true partner in ages—a bond marked by the ancestors. But Isabela believed she would be the exception. Everyone believed it. And what if she was right? What if the ancestors confirmed that she and Maxim were truly destined souls? She’d become unbearable.

The dress she had chosen for the ceremony was a vision,simple fabric tailored to hug her curves perfectly. When she finally stood and turned to face me, I could tell she already saw herself as a Luna.

“When Maxim claims me as his, everything will change.” Isabela ran her fingers over the thin costume necklace around her neck a gift from him. “You’ll see, Aiyana. Fate always favors those who know what they want.”

I just nodded, but something in her certainty unsettled me.

Her eyes slid over my body, and her expression twisted with distaste. She frowned, crossing her arms in dramatic disapproval.

“You’re going to the ritual like that?” Her voice dripped with disdain.

I looked down at my clothes. The brown leather pants, a gift from my grandmother, fit snugly and comfortably. The long-sleeved white blouse dipped in a modest V-neck. The hunting belt cinched at my waist held my knives. I didn’t see anything wrong, but to Isabela, my very presence regardless of appearance was an offense. I was used to it.

She scoffed, turning to her friend Brigitte, a short, curly-haired brunette who immediately returned her a look of complicity.

“My family takes pleasure in embarrassing me,” Isabela muttered, as if I wasn’t even there.

Brigitte let out a giggle, her dark eyes landing on me with barely concealed disgust. I held back the urge to laugh. As if she was the embodiment of virtue. I’d seen her sneak into Luca’s cabin,Maxim’s beta, just two nights ago. And everyone knew her boyfriend had dumped her in front of the entire village after finding out about her betrayal. So no, she definitely had no right to look down on me.

I swallowed hard, keeping my expression blank. Let her think she’d gotten to me. That was their game, wasn’t it?

The door creaked softly before a firm, aged voice filled the small room.

“Isabela, my dear, you shouldn’t concern yourself with Aiyana’s clothing choices. After all, you’re the star of the night.”

Aldrich, our grandmother, entered with the calm of someone who had seen decades of ceremonies like this. Her gaze was sharp, and there was a hint of amusement in her eyes as they settled on me. Before Isabela could protest, Aldrich gave me a discreet wink so subtle that only I would notice.

As expected, Isabela quickly regained her composure, the displeasure on her face vanishing as if it had never been there. Her chin lifted slightly, shoulders relaxed, and a satisfied smile took over her lips.

“You’re right, Grandma. Not worth getting stressed over,” she replied, adjusting her flawless hair. Then she turned to me once more, her eyes still holding a flicker of disdain. “But at least take a bath, Aiyana.”

She spoke with false sweetness before completely ignoring me and turning back to her mirror, satisfied to have had the last word.

I rolled my eyes and made my way to my room, grateful not to have run into my aunt, Birguit, on the way. Isabela’s mother could be twice as bad.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I let out a relieved sigh. Having a bathroom in my own room was a small privilege, but one I appreciated more than ever now.

I took a hot, relaxing shower, trying to wash away the tension of my encounter with Isabela. When I got out, I stared at my clothing options. The chill of the night was already settling in, so dresses were out of the question. I chose fitted jeans, a white off-the-shoulder top, and a jacket to keep me warm.

I stepped closer to the mirror and studied my reflection. My long, golden-brown hair fell in loose waves down to the middle of my back. My gray eyes, as pale as the full moon, sometimes took on a bluish hue under certain lights. My sun-kissed skin bore the signs of an active life, as did my toned body, sculpted by countless hunts. I wasn’t tall barely five-foot-four, but my presence never went unnoticed. People might call me solitary, sarcastic, but never weak. 

I pondered for a second whether I should actually participate in the ritual, no one would miss me, well, no one other than my grandmother and Alyssa.