Chapter One

ARIA POV

People said I was born cursed while some said I was chosen. Others said that the moon made a mistake but none of them were there that night when it all happened.

Only the storm, and the screaming, and a moon that bled red across the sky.

I don’t remember my birth, obviously. All I know is what people tell me, and what the Moonfang pack didn't forget.

But I remember the story so well, it feels like I lived it.

My mother’s voice always softened when she told me the story. Her fingers would always brush my hair like I was some kind of egg that shouldn't be hurt.

“You didn’t cry when you were born,” she always said to me. “You just opened your eyes and stared at the moon like you had once seen it, but you only saw it that day.”

The midwives panicked that day. Babies are supposed to cry but I didn’t.

Lightning and thunder were so heavy that night, but I didn't move an inch; I was motionless. No single trace of tears fell from my eyes

“It felt like the world stopped,” My mother whispered once more “It feels like you were waiting for something or someone. 

My birth began with the storm. Cold Wind was smashing against the pack house, and rain was hitting the windows, and warriors were all pacing outside as if they were expecting an attack.

Inside, my mother was in labor surrounded by panic. She gripped the sheet tightly 

“Beta Delilah, push!” one of the midwives had said.

Her screams shook the walls and the entire place. The room was dimly lit, and every shadow was huge and trembling.

Then someone shouted, pointing outside the window, and every head turned to look at the window.

“The moon... look!” The window was glowing red. Thick blood is kind of red. It wasn't a normal red but dark, deep, and deadly.

The kind of red that made even the wolves step back.

The midwives dropped to their knees immediately, clasping both hands together. An elder whispered, shaking with a fearful voice.

''Blood Moon births bring either power… or ruin.” He said in fear, staring at the moon. 

Lightning hit the ground outside, and this time around it was louder, and the whole building shook.

Beta Damian, my father, who was strong, strict, and calm, took one look at me emerging into the world under the red moon and stopped breathing.

My mom screamed one last time with full force, using her last strength, and then what was heard was silence. The storm froze, the wolves outside all went quiet and the heavy wind stopped moving.

I guess the world was holding its breath.

They placed me in my mother's arms and I didn’t cry. It was said that I opened my eyes, looked straight at the blood moon, and for a moment the storm obeyed me.

The lightning stopped midway and the rain suspended in the air. My mother swore that the moon shone brighter that night and then I finally made a sound.

A growl!

Everyone was shocked to the bone that a newborn baby was growling. The sound echoed through the entire pack house, powerful and sharp.

Every wolf shifted instinctively at the sound. My father stumbled backward like he was punched, but my mother didn't, for once, show any sign of shock. She just held me closer, her tears falling onto my tiny face.

My birth was not peaceful, but it was a warning.

*

Eighteen years later…

I walk through the Moonfang pack house, keeping my hood up and my face down. It’s morning patrol change, which means this hallway is full of warriors.

I hadn't walked far enough when I started hearing whispers from different directions.

“She’s the Blood Moon girl.”

“Don’t look at her eyes too long else....”

“Her wolf still hasn’t come out”

“Do you think she’s… broken?”

Their words hit harder than claws but I ignore them.

My mother has always told me that the Moon Goddess chose me for something bigger than I haven't fulfilled my purpose on earth yet.

The pack said the Moon Goddess punished me but it doesn’t change the fact that at eighteen, I still haven’t shifted. Every full moon, I stand outside the training grounds with heavy chest burn with my bones trembling but nothing happens.

The scene is always embarrassing, humiliating, and painful. Most wolves I know shifted at age thirteen, and even at seventeen, it is considered late, but look at me.

''The Blood Moon girl that can’t even shift, amazing, right?'' I chuckled to myself.

I pushed the training hall door open, breathing hard as sweat fell from my face.

And there I saw him.

Lucas Blackthorne! The future Alpha and also my childhood friend.

He was standing in the center of the training mats, shirtless, his muscles tense as he pinned another warrior to the ground effortlessly.

All the girls in the room had their eyes on him, and I rolled my eyes with a scoff.

He’s so attractive. He was tall, with broad shoulders, intense eyes that looked so innocent. His hair is dark and messy, falling in his face when he moves. He looks powerful and dominant without being told.

He turned around in slow motion and his eyes locked on mine.

My chest tightens as I start breathing hard. I immediately looked away. I hate the fact that he has lots of effects on me.

We grew up together. We used to race to the woods every time barefoot. We used to talk about everything about our lives, the moon, my dreams, and fears, and he does the same too.

And then one day, he became the future Alpha and I became a nobody. Ever since he started his Alpha training, Lucas acts like I'm a ghost he used to know.

“Aria!” someone called out from the mat.

It’s Mira, one of the female warriors. She was very bold, loud, and beautiful, and she's very much interested in Lucas. Anyone would know she likes him. It's obvious.

“Here to watch training again?” she chuckled.

I lift my chin. “I’m here to train.”

A few people hissed, and she smirked.

“You can’t shift. What exactly do you plan to train?”

The words hit me hard in the chest.

Lucas turned sharply toward her, then toward me, and I saw something flash dark in his eyes.

Was it from Possession? Anger?

It can't be.

He’s always serious when it comes to pack training but he doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t defend me, he hasn't for once defended me.

Mira laughed when I walked past her, hitting him with her shoulder, and I stumbled, almost falling, but I held myself. I won't even give her the chance to mock me in front of everyone. It's impossible.

I step on the mat with hands up as my heart pounds harder.

Even If I can’t shift, then I’ll fight.

Lucas watched us silently as I exchanged a fight with one of the junior warriors. He’s very fast and I end up on my back more times than I can count.

I get up every time.

After the last takedown, Lucas stepped forward.

“That’s enough.” His voice was deep and calm. 

“I am not done,” I said.

He clenched his jaw “You’re shaking.”

He’s right. My body is exhausted and trembling but I don’t want him to know that.

“I can keep going.”

His eyes darkened immediately.

“You're pushing yourself too hard, Aria .” He said.

“You stopped caring before, so what changed? I blurted out. The words slip out before I can stop them.

The room went silent immediately.

For a moment, Lucas looked like I slapped him then his voice dropped, low and dangerous.

“Meet me outside. Now!” he commanded as he turned around and started walking outside. My stomach twitched as I hit my forehead with my knuckle.

I follow him out into the cold morning air.

He stops near the training yard fence with fists clenched at his sides.

“What was that?” he asked without turning around.

“You don’t get to be angry,” I said quietly, and he finally faced me. He then stepped closer.

“You think I don’t care?” Lucas asked.

Pain flashed through his eyes, and I could see it, and my heart stumbled.

“No,” I whisper. “I think you used to.”

Wind blew past us and the memories of it flashed into my head.

He reached up to me and used his fingers to brush a loose strand of hair from my face.

The touch is gentle and soft and warm. I shouldn't be feeling this way because I know how dangerous this person in front of me is.

“Aria…” His voice cracked a little. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I still belong to you.”

My heart stopped racing at once, and I opened my mouth to talk, but before I could say a word, a deafening howl came through the training yard.

Every warrior started running. Something is happening at the northern gate and Lucas stepped backward a bit with his eyes flashing with Alpha instinct.

"Stay here." He commanded and turned to leave, and I don't know what came over me, and I grabbed his wrist, and he froze.

"Lucas " I swallowed hard. "Please be careful out there"

He looked at me in surprise, and he opened his mouth to say something, but instead he pulled his wrist freely and continued with his race.

I stood there all alone, my heart pounding faster, knowing fully well that something in the air had shifted.

I could feel it in my bones and in my blood. That same storm from my birth that my mother has told me about us coming back, and this time around, I'm not a helpless newborn baby who knows nothing but the girl the blood moon marked, and my story is finally starting.