During the ceremony,Every dignitary and other stronger packs had been invited to what was supposed to be our birthday party,Trisha my twin sister was back in her room probably preparing for her party downstairs.Just like how it had always been fr the past five years,hidden amongst the shadow my father bellowed my name.
" Trixie,go and get your sister .Tell her the ceremony is about to start and after that I'd prefer if you disappeared for the rest of the night."
''Yes father ,''I squeaked.
Father wasn't always like this,his attittude changed on that fateful night,when everything in my life went south.
''Maybe if she was still here,I'd also be in the party and not just some errand girl."
''Trisha ,Father requests for you.''
''Faster,Xander,oh my God!'' Her voice echoed the empty hallway. Soon a series of laughter followed by a click of the lock were heard.
''What do do you want ,reject ? I thought I made it clear tonight stay off my lane,can't have you ruining things as you always do.''
''Father requests of you.''
''Alright then beat it,Let me not see you around the ceremony.''She said with malice coating each and every word.
Soon I was all alone in the hallway,my mother's voice filling my head and her smile that always seems to know when I needed the comfort.
The packhouse was lively,every corner decorated with Trisha's favourite flowers.No one really cared if I existed or not.I mean who would respect a child rejected by her own flesh and blood.Alpha Kaiden,was my father but to him I had died the same day as my mother.
Soon everyone had gathered at our sacred ground waiting for the perfect moment when our wolves,more of when Trisha's wolf would appear.We were both of alpha birth our wolves were bigger than most of the people but that did not stop them from looking down upon me.
All alone at the back ,I felt a sharp pain in my spinalcord.This kind of pain is nothing I had experienced .The mere seconds had me down clutching on my sides.I could not afford to disrupt the ceremony before me.Out of instinct I run towards the forest to the place my mother had been buried.
The wind and occasional howls from afar made the darkness ten times scarier.The pain was worsening per minute and my sides now ached .
''Mama if you're out here ,help me,the pain is too much and am all alone.''I whispered to the forest.
The pain afterwards was something out of this world,bones breaking to fit my wolf was pain no one deserved to go through alone.It might have been a figment of my imagination but I could swear I felt my mother's scent around me,her voice encouraging me to endure and triumph over this .Her voice guided me through until I heard a foreign voice,''Hello Trixie,I'm Isa your wolf''
After what felt like an eternity,the pain subsided as I huddled next to a tree stump.Tears flowed down my cheeks as the night breeze hit my naked body.From far I could hear the cheers,I guess my sister had also shifted successfully.
''Mama, I wish you were here.'' I whispered as I let the sleep take over my body.
''Wake up,'' a voice echoed in my mind.
''Did my shifting turn me crazy,whose voice is this ? ''
''It's me Isa,well technically am your wolf,not just a voice.''
''You mean ,we can talk?''
''I mean yeah ,why else would I be your wolf ? You better get dressed the sun is about to rise .''
Back at the packhouse,everything had been cleared of the ceremony.
A young girl,one of the packs's mid approached me.
''Alpha Kaiden calls for you in the pack meeting room. ''
''Alright I'll go to him.''
I slipped through the back door ,ran to my room and took a quick shower.
''Oh my God cant believe,you are of alpha blood .''My wolf Isa excitedly spoke.
''I would not raise my hopes up,if I were you.''I quipped back as I headed to the meeting room.
The place had been awfully quiet,just the noises from the antique clock in the room and the occasional noises from outside.After what seemed an eternity,my father spoke up.
''I take it that you shifted successfully taken that you are still here.'' His voice cold as always.
''Now that you are of age,I can finally cut off the last ties between a cursed childlike you and our pack.As of now,you are no longer a member of this pack and I no longer recognise you as my child.Whether you live or die is no longer my business.''
Those words were sharper than any knife,how could any father be this cruel to their own flesh.
''Why ? '' was all I could croak out.
''Need I remind you of what happened five years ago ? If it weren't for you my wife,your mother could still be alive.On that day I buried you both ! '' He bellowed.
''It was not my fault,that I happened to be there and mama chose to save my life.''I broke down.
''It is not fair,I get to be blamed for something I had no control over father.''
''I will not take back my words ,as of today you're no longer welcome and that's final.''
''Did I ever mean anything to you father ? ''
After a few seconds with no reply,I left the meeting room.What I had known my whole life crumbling with each step I took.
''Where will we go now ? '' asked Isa.
''Reject,finally father has put an end to your stay in this house.I never knew a day would come when mommy dearest would break down to nothing.You always carried yourself with such might,let's see how you shall survive in this cruel world with no protection.Bye loser hope we never meet in this life or the next.''
My mind had come to a stand still,the wall I had always leaned on crumbling bits by bits.
The fire crackled low in the hearth, casting amber light across the den walls. Outside, the forest had settled into its nocturnal hush - wind threading gently through the trees, the occasional call of night birds echoing from the canopy.Inside, it was quiet. Not the stillness of absence, but of fullness ,the kind that followed a day well-lived.Trixie stood by the window, cloak shrugged from her shoulders, her tunic loosened. Moonlight spilled across her collarbone, catching faintly on the still-glowing mark at her neck. She didn’t speak, just watched the stars beyond the treetops like they might whisper something back.Behind her, Ryker moved closer, barefoot and shirtless, arms folding gently around her waist. He pressed a kiss to the curve of her shoulder, his voice low, threaded with something quieter than pride.“Tell me,” he murmured, “what does it feel like - your first day as Luna?”Trixie let out a breath, long and quiet.“Like wearing something that finally fits,” she said
Dawn came softly.Golden light filtered through the high windows, dappling the stone floor and furs with warmth. The air in the den was still, the fire burned low, and outside, the forest murmured its quiet rhythms , wind through leaves, the distant stir of pack life beginning anew.But inside, time had slowed.Trixie stirred beneath the heavy blanket of fur and skin, warmth wrapped around her like a second skin not just from the covers, but from Ryker’s arms, still snug around her middle. One of his hands rested at her waist, the other lay over her heart as if to guard it even in sleep. His breath moved gently against her shoulder, even, content.She smiled to herself, not daring to move yet. Her body still ached pleasantly from the night before, marked not just by the bond, but by the way he had held her like something sacred. She turned her head slightly, gaze drifting to the burnished mark on her neck still faintly golden, warm to the touch, as if pulsing with shared life.She was
The moon hung low and golden, full as prophecy, as if blessing the valley itself. Lanterns strung between ancient pines cast flickering light across the clearing, where the entire pack had gathered-fur brushed, hearts full, voices hushed in reverence. Tonight was not just a wedding. It was a promise. A culmination.Trixie stood just beyond the firelight, cloaked in silver and dusk-blue, her gown a weave of soft wolf-spun fabric gifted by the elders. Her hair was crowned with moonflowers, each petal kissed with dew. Eric stood beside her, offering his arm.“You ready?” he asked quietly.She turned to him, and for a breath, he saw the girl she had once been ,the slave with fire in her eyes and wounds on her spirit. But now she stood tall, luminous with dignity. Her gaze didn’t flicker.“Yes,” she said. “More than ready.”Music began ,soft flutes, a low drum, and the harmonic hum of the pack’s oldest women, weaving a melody of blessing older than memory. As Trixie stepped into the cleari
The pack’s dispensary smelled of healing—mint, lavender, and the faint warmth of stewed roots. Shelves lined the rock walls, heavy with jars of dried herbs and tinctures. Soft morning light filtered through a small window, painting the room in muted gold. It had always been Will’s domain, a space both safe and sacred.Trixie stood at the threshold, the moonstone ring on her finger glinting faintly in the glow. Her pulse throbbed not from fear, but from the weight of what she was about to do. She drew in the aroma of healing before stepping inside.Will was bent over a workbench, carefully mixing crushed basil with honey. Nearby, Eric lounged on a stool, reading a ledger. He looked up as she entered. His eyes were steady, warm—an unwavering anchor. He and Will had a relationship rooted in years of trust a
The first light of dawn crept through the frost‑rimmed windows, painting the cabin in soft, golden hues. Shafts of sun warmed the wooden floorboards and scattered across the bed where Ryker and Trixie lay tangled skin still slick with memory, breaths shallow but steady.Trixie stirred, eyelashes fluttering as she came awake in the familiar press of his body. Ryker held her gently, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with hers. Their night together had been both reverent and wild, a merging of hunger and safety, passion and devotion. Now, in the hush of early morning, their bond felt like something ancient being woven anew.He watched her sleep—observed the delicate rise of her shoulder, the stray tendrils of hair along her jaw and something in him rose too. A tide of certainty, gentle yet insistent, moved through him. This night had unveiled everything he felt for her, and as the dawn deepened, he knew he had to ask.Ryker shifted, careful not to disturb her too much. He curled a p
The Ridge howled differently now.Gone were the ceremonial chants, the proud footfalls of soldiers in polished armor. Gone, too, was the voice of Silas—Alpha King of The Ridge, feared and revered in equal measure.All that remained now was the echo of power drained too quickly, and the daughter left behind to carry what she thought she had earned.Trisha stood before the council with her hands clasped tight behind her back, nails biting into her own skin. Her crown—a circlet of silver and onyx—felt heavier by the hour.“The people are unsettled,” said Elder Merrin, his tone as sharp as his narrowed eyes. “Three moons have passed since the siege. They want a voice. They want strength.”“T