Chapter 1

Only two days left until the mating ceremony.

I was rushing to make the full moon ritual potions for the pack when suddenly my alchemy circle went haywire. Moon energy raged around me.

The violent backlash of moon energy ripped through my insides. The pain was so bad I almost passed out.

I gritted my teeth, fighting to keep my shaking body steady.

The betas around me were loving it, snickering without even trying to hide it.

"That's hilarious! Lady Sophia tricked the silver wolf again!"

"She's sure stubborn, though. After all this crap, she still won't give up on Alpha Ethan."

Sophia's sharp voice cut in from the cave entrance, "A mutt like her finally snagged someone important. Why would she let go easily?"

She stood there, all high and mighty, a total contrast to me, a mess from the moon energy backlash. It just made me feel even smaller.

It just made the betas next to her look down on me even more.

"I don't get it. Is Ethan blind or something? Passing up his own kind, his childhood sweetheart, for some lone wolf with impure blood!"

"What can a lone wolf even offer the pack? She's got no status. What does Ethan see in her? It can't just be how wild she is in bed, can it?" Such disgusting talk.

Nasty laughter erupted all around, each laugh like a slap in the face.

I just focused on fighting back the surging moon energy inside me, ignoring their awful words. Otherwise, I'd fall apart.

Then, I heard Ethan's voice. I froze.

"Aria, I told you the pack had an important ritual today. How could you let your alchemy circle go out of control?" His question was cold, heartless.

"The sacred water potions are all ruined! How can you be the future Luna of my pack if you're like this?"

I looked up and met Ethan's icy gaze. Those golden eyes I used to get lost in now only held disappointment.

He flicked his wolf tail, annoyed. Only then did he notice the silver moon marks spreading across my skin, the pain making it hard for me to even stand.

"Hit by the moon energy backlash again?" A hint of impatience in his voice.

Ethan started to come closer, and a tiny spark of hope flickered in me. But then Sophia grabbed his arm.

"Ethan, we agreed. This bloodline trial goes on until the night before your mating ceremony." Her voice was sickly sweet, full of smugness.

She shot me a look, like I was a piece of trash.

"Miss Aria, didn't you claim you love Ethan for him, not for his status as the Alpha heir?"

"You've got to let us pack members feel okay about trusting our future leader to you, right?"

A beta chimed in, "Sophia's right! If you back down from a little moon energy backlash, you must be after our pack's power!"

Ethan stopped. His eyes darted around, unsure.

That hesitation, it was like a poisoned wolf claw ripping right through my heart. My blood ran cold.

I never wanted to go through this ridiculous bloodline trial in the first place.

It was Ethan who held me, his low wolf howl vibrating in my ear, warm and mesmerizing, making me almost melt in his arms. He'd said:

"Aria, my mother still doesn't trust you because you're a lone wolf."

"Once the trial is over, I'll prove your loyalty to the pack. The elders will definitely accept you then." His hot breath on my neck made me believe him.

Thinking about all his passionate touches and promises, and because I naively thought the trial would just be some minor hazing from the pack...

I agreed. I walked right into this mess.

But I never, ever imagined that Sophia would try to kill me with every move!