CHAPTER ONE: ARIA

I sat at my desk, my gaze drifting out the window as I waited for the teacher to arrive. Again. It was a ritual I'd grown accustomed to – the tardiness, the excuses, the awkward silences. My mind began to wander, and I found myself scribbling in my notebook, the words flowing effortlessly onto the page.

"In shadows cast by fleeting light,

Suffering wears a mask of night,

A paradox of pain and peace,

A silence that the soul can't cease."

As I wrote, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the scratch of my pen on paper and the quiet hum of the fluorescent lights. But my solitude was short-lived. The door burst open, and Chloe breezed in, a whirlwind of red hair and a big bright smile.

"Hey, girl! Oh my gosh, you won't believe what happened yesterday!" Chloe plopped down in the empty chair beside me, her big brown eyes sparkling with excitement.

I set my pen down, a mixture of amusement and resignation on my face. "What is it this time?" I asked, already knowing the answer would be very dramatic.

Chloe Rivers, my best friend since forever is a 5'7 petite redhead. She's almost two years older than me just like my siblings Ryder and Reena. She has big brown eyes that take most of her small round face, a cute button nose and perfectly rounded rosy lips. She's the most bubbly person I've ever met and she's an only child to the Gamma of my pack, The Raven Claw Pack.

"Reena and her crew were totally dissing Emily's outfit in the cafeteria," Chloe said, barely containing her giggles. "I mean, who does that? And then, Rachel joined in, and it was like a competition to see who could be the most brutal."

I rolled my eyes. "Drama never ends in this school, does it?"

Chloe leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I know, right? But then Spencer came up and told both of them to shut their food holes up. Do you think Emily is Spencer's mate?"

"I don't know about that Chloe, maybe he was just standing up for what's right?" I offered. I honestly didn't want to talk about any mate related topic.

"Well...then why didn't he.." Chloe started and I cut her off.

"Honestly, I'm more worried about the test next week. Have you started studying?"

"What test?" She asked, her face pinched

"Algebra" I smiled wryly earning a groan form her.

"Remind me to come as a dolphin in my next life" she spat as she brought out her algebra textbooks. Classic Chloe.

"Of course" I shook my head smiled and patted her shoulder.

As Chloe buried her face in algebra, I was left alone as my mind wandered back to my own struggles.

My family and one-third of all the families here in Slateville aren't like others. We're werewolves, creatures of legend. We live in Packs and my Pack is called Raven Claw Pack. There are various Packs across the globe but we try to keep our secret from humans that's why we live close to highly forested regions.

The male leader of each pack is called an Alpha while his soulmate, wife is the Luna. He has Two most trusted warriors known as The Beta and Gamma. We have a pack doctor, warriors etc. We function pretty much like normal humans. We are a myth to the rest of the world, but a harsh reality for me. My parents, Victor and Nadine Vale hate the fact that I'm different from my siblings Ryder and Reena.

I often wonder if I'm adopted. My light blonde hair and green eyes stand out starkly against my family's grey eyes and brown hair. It's as if I don't belong, and sometimes I feel like I don't.

My parents see my differences as a weakness, a flaw that initially needed to be worked on but now just needs to be beaten out of me. I can't really remember when the punishments, I mean extra trainings began but they escalated with each passing year.

I've learned to hide my tears, to mask my pain, and to survive in a world that seems determined to break me. Firstly because, my parents hate my tears, they are another striking symbol of how weak I am, secondly because I'd almost gotten used to taking everything in till I was left alone to regurgitate my pain and cry myself to sleep.

I'm turning 18 in a couple of months, which means I'm at the proper age to find a mate. In our world, this is a critical time for female werewolves – we're expected to find our mates between the ages of 18 and 20. But the thought of being paired off with some wolf I don't love or even like is terrifying.

Ryder my brother, hasn't found his mate yet even though he's already 19 but that's fine because males tend to find their mates around the ages of 19-22 and I hope he finds an amazing and caring she-wolf for a mate. Ryder, My best friend Chloe and very few werewolves are the only ones who don't treat me differently in this Pack.

Reena, Ryder's twin and my sister, hasn't found her mate yet too and she hates me with a passion that rivals our parents. She makes it look like it's my fault Ryder and her haven't found them.

Being a werewolf myself, or at least supposed to be, I constantly feel like a failure. My Dad is The Beta of our pack, yet I can't sense my wolf or shift. The only reasons I'm even considered a werewolf is my ability to mind link; well I almost always have my mental shields up... I don't fancy hearing the nasty things majority of the pack think and say about me.

I can also heal automatically, although I'm extremely slower at healing than an average werewolf and then my sense of smell, it's not as distinct as a werewolf's. I can only differentiate simple smells so that counts for something right?

Reena's beautiful brown wolf with black tipped ears just like Mum's, plus their razor-sharp claws and effortless transformations, seemed to embody everything I lacked.

Ryder, on the other hand, was different. He'd always been kind to me, never judging me for my limitations. In fact, he'd often try to help me practice shifting, though it never seemed to work. I cherish those moments with Ryder, more than he'd ever know.

"Hey, earth to Aria! You okay? You seem a little spaced out." Chloe playfully nudged my arm.

I smiled, pushing aside my thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about...stuff."

Chloe's eyes a mixture of concern and curiosity, stared back at me but she didn't press the issue. Instead, she leaned in closer.

"So, have you noticed anything weird about Ryder lately?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Weird? What do you mean?"

Chloe's shoulders slumped as her voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't know, he just seems...different. More distant, maybe? I've been trying to talk to him, but he just brushes me off. I think he might be avoiding me."

My expression softened. Chloe's had a crush on Ryder since middle school, she hopes he's her mate. I hope so too that's why her concerns for him are completely valid from my end but I know Ryder well enough to recognize when he was struggling.

"Maybe he's just stressed about something. I'll try to talk to him, see if everything's okay." I said with a smile.

Chloe's face lit up with gratitude. "Thanks, Aria. You're the best!"

As Chloe chatted on, I wished my parents cared about me just a little, more than they showed. I couldn't help it, their disdain for me stung, but Chloe's unwavering support was a constant source of comfort. I was grateful for her friendship, especially given the complicated dynamics I'd come to terms with at home.