Chapter 3 Hidden plots

Aria's consciousness began to stir, pulling her back from the depths of darkness. Faint whispers filled her ears, distant voices piercing through the haze that clouded her mind. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her vision blurry at first, before the world came into focus.

She heard snippets of a conversation from outside her door. Dragging her body out, pains sliced through her.

The wounds on her body had started healing but slowly.

Placing her ear against the door, she heard Knox's raised voice.

"You disobeyed my orders. What are the others going to think if my own beta cannot obey me?"

"Knox. I apologize. But I couldn't just let her die. She didn't deserve it."

Knox's eyes narrowed into slits, "And what would you know about what she is deserving of. Didn't you just meet her?"

Aria opened the door, interrupting the men.

"I can clean and cook".

Knox stared at her, "What?"

"I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer. My mother is dead so my pack doesn't have a Luna. I did all the cleaning and cooking around the pack house."

She continued, "I noticed that your pack doesn't have many females. I could work as a servant but please don't kill me."

Knox tilted his head to the side, "You want to work as a servant?"

"Yes."

"Fine. You can start by cleaning my shoes."

"What?" Aria glanced between the two of them confused.

"You heard me. Get on your knees and clean my shoes."

She had the blood of an alpha coursing through her veins. She was an alpha female.

Alpha females did not submit.

The highest form of disgrace would be her falling to her knees before him and from the look in his eyes he knew it.

"You want to be a servant yet you cannot obey simple instructions", turning to his beta, "I want her out of here before the day's end. I don't care what you do with her, just make sure I never set my eyes on her again."

Ryder nodded, "As you wish Alpha."

Knox gave her one last glance before walking away.

Immediately he entered his room, Sophia came up behind him.

"You look like you have had a stressful day. Let me help you unwind", she said in a silky voice while running her hand down his back.

Knox pushed her off him, "How many times do I need to tell you not to come into my room uninvited?"

"But Knox", she tried to argue.

"It's Alpha to you. Unless you want to find yourself another Alpha, do not ever come in here without me summoning you."

Sophia bowed her head in submission, "Yes Alpha?"

She walked to the door.

"Sophia." She paused, her hand on the door handle, "You will never be my Luna."

He walked to his window. He had felt it, that was why his wolf kept clawing, but it wasn't possible, he had found and claimed his mate a very long time ago.

When he saw her fall to the ground, his wolf almost lost it.

Luckily Ryder had stepped in. He didn't want to seem like the Alpha who couldn't stick to his decision and he couldn't explain how she could be his mate.

He had read stories once about a second mate. According to the book, the moon goddess could be merciful, give wolves another chance, give them a second mate but that had never happened in history.

His wolf growled. He closed his eyes.

Until now.

*****************

Aria followed Ryder.

As she walked, she took in her surroundings.

The Nightshade territory was beautiful, as if the moon goddess had spent time intricately designing every single detail.

Ryder looked down at her, "You are not healing."

She looked at her open flesh, "I am. I heal very slowly."

"Transform into your wolf form and transform back. You will heal immediately."

She looked away, "I can't. I haven't wolfed out yet."

"Oh", was all he said before they continued their walk in silence.

"We are here", Ryder finally announced.

"Just follow the straight path. It will lead you to the Moonlight Pack. Do not deviate. There are still a lot of wolves out there."

She nodded, "Thank you. For everything."

"Aria" he called her and she stopped just before the border, "Knox is not a bad person. He just has a really complicated past then he lost his mate."

She smiled at him, "I really wish I could believe that. Goodbye Ryder."

******************

Seraphina filed her claws, "The little twat is finally gone."

"Your father told me. He looked really sad."

Seraphina waved her hand dismissively, "He will get over it, just like he got over my mother's death."

Julian smiled at her, "You surprise me Seraph. I wonder how you got my son to reject his fated mate and choose you."

Seraphina smiled at her father's beta, "You underestimate me Julian. Speaking of your son, how much longer do I need to tolerate him?"

Walking towards her, Julian wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He placed a kiss on her lips, "All in due time my love."

"Everything has been set in motion. I will be Alpha of the Silvercrest pack, with you ruling by my side and we will dispose of any casualty."

Seraphina cleared her throat.

Julian smiled at her, "Sorry my love. We will both be the leaders of the Silvercrest pack."

Seraphina nodded, "Nice safe. And your son?"

Julian's jaw hardened, "He is not my son. Just an unfortunate product of a one night stand. If he gets in my way then he becomes a casualty."

Seraphina's lips turned up, "You make it hard not to love you." She kissed him.

Julian pulled away with a frown, "What if your sister comes back. She is your father's chosen heir. If she issues a challenge, the pack will stand by her. She was chosen by the moon goddess."

She laughed, "Aria is never going to come back. I made a deal with the leader of the lone wolves. He sent his wolves after her. By now, I'm sure my sister is torn into shreds and her bones are being used as toys."

"Aria is a really powerful wolf. You think she will be that easy to kill?"

Seraphina frowned, "Do you want to go and be her since she is so powerful?"

"Seraphina?" Liam called from outside.

"Seraphina". He smiled at her, "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Plastering a fake smile on her face, she walked up to him, "I've been looking for you too."

Julian nodded at the two of them before leaving the room.

After what felt like hours, Seraphina finally managed to get rid of Liam.

She stepped into Aria's room. Her wolf growled as Aria's scent filled her senses.

Her wolf like her hated how everyone called Aria special, exceptional because she had the mark of the moon goddess.

Her eyes went to the picture on the wall. She closed her eyes as she remembered how it all started.

~Two years ago~

Seraphina angrily stomped to where Aria sat under a tree, reading.

"You always have to get everything don't you?"

Aria got up, placing the book she was reading on the grass. Her wolf paced, ready.

"What is it now Seraphina?"

Seraphina's eyes blazed, "Don't fucking pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about."

Aria sighed, "Look Seraphina. All I want to do is read my book peacefully. If you want to throw a tantrum, please could you check with me in like two hours?"

"You think you are so funny. Everything has to be about you and now father is picking you as his heir."

"What?", Aria's eyes widened.

Seraphina scoffed, "Please don't pretend like you didn't know."

"Dad didn't say anything to me, Seraphina. I promise. I will go and talk to him right now. I don't even want to be Alpha."

Aria made to leave.

"Where do you think you are going? I'm not done talking to you". Seraphina's eyes darkened as she gripped Aria's hand.

She raised her hand at Aria, clawed hands aiming for her cheek. Instinct kicked in, and Aria tried to shield herself.

Aria raised her arm to shield her face, inadvertently revealing the mark of the moon goddess, shimmering with a silver brilliance. Seraphina's claws made contact, but instead of tearing through flesh, they collided with an unseen force.

A shockwave reverberated through the air, sending Seraphina hurtling backward. Aria's eyes widened in disbelief.

She watched as Seraphina crashed against a tree. Pack members nearby gasped, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.

Aria rushed to her.

"Seraphina. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Get off me."

Seraphina pushed Aria off her, stomping inside the pack house.

Later that night, she let her wolf out. When she came back to the pack house she heard voices talking in whispers.

She peeped into the room trying to hear their conversation.

Gabriel paced, "I know Aria hasn't wolfed out yet but she is powerful and compassionate. She will make a great Alpha plus we saw what happened today."

The eldest member of the pack stood, "I know. But choosing Aria as your heir doesn't have anything to do with Seraphina not being your real daughter right?

Seraphina covered her mouth before the gasp flew out.

Gabriel frowned, "Of course not. I love both of them equally. That will never change."

"But if her father wasn't banished, he would have been Alpha."

"It's late. Why don't we continue this discussion tomorrow?"

The elder nodded in respect.

Seraphina hid as they passed her by.

She opened her eyes. That was the day it began.

Her hatred only grew each passing day until she uncovered the whole story with Julian's help and they discovered they wanted the same thing, power.

Her wolf growled. Her claws emerged and she slashed the picture of the two of them.

**************

Aria continued down the path Ryder told her to go. Her stomach rumbled. It would have been rude of her to ask him for some food after everything he had done for her.

She looked around. Anything she could find that was edible would be very much welcome.

An apple tree caught her eye.

There was only one problem, she would have to leave the path.

Her stomach rumbled again and she had her answer.

Gathering whatever she could after eating her fill, she continued her journey.

Two steps was all she had taken when she heard an angry voice yelling.

She followed the sound of the voice.

The lone wolves gathered.

"You had one single thing to do. Kill the girl", the man in the middle bellowed.

The man on the receiving end was covered in blood, "I'm sorry Woods. We chased her into Knox's territory."

"I gave you one single task. She is a wolf that cannot transform, how possibly hard could it have been. You called your brothers and had them slaughtered by Knox's men."

Aria's hand flew to her mouth. She had been wrong.Those wolves were not savage. They had been sent to kill her.

There were wolves that chose to be lone wolves, why some were banished from their packs because of treachery.

She heard some of them banded together, forming a new pack in isolation. This must be one of them.

The man in the middle raised his hand, his claws slicing the bloodied man's neck.

His dead body fell to the ground immediately.

Aria covered her mouth just before a gasp flew out.

The man turned to his fellow wolves, "I have had enough of Knox. Tonight we attack. Claim his territory for ourselves."

"But Knox's wolf-", one of the wolves started.

"Nothing about his wolf. I don't care what people say about his wolf. Everyone has their weakness and tonight, we shall find that weakness."

She had to warn them. In her haste, she stepped on a tree branch, snapping it.

Fourteen pairs of eyes turned to look at her.

The man smiled maliciously, "Well well well. Looks like the moon goddess does give second chances after all. Boys. It's dinner time."