로그인Ariana’s POVI woke up slowly, not because anyone disturbed me, but because the bed felt unfamiliar.For a moment, I didn’t open my eyes. I stayed still, half asleep, trying to understand what felt different. The mattress was too soft, too wide, holding me in a way my body was no longer used to. The sheets were smooth and cool, untouched by rough edges or movement. There was no sound from outside the window, no creak, no early noise from a busy street or someone already moving through a small house.Everything was quiet.Too quiet.I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. It was high, untouched, exactly the same as I remembered. The light coming through the curtains was soft and controlled, not the uneven brightness I had grown used to waking up to.I turned my head slowly, taking in the room.Everything was in place. The large wardrobe. The polished table. The mirror across the room reflects the same space I had known my entire life. Nothing had been moved. Nothing had been change
Ariana’s POVThe gates opened before I reached them.The guards had already seen me from a distance, and by the time I stepped onto the stone path leading into the royal grounds, they were standing in full attention. Their posture was formal, precise, and familiar in a way I hadn’t felt in months.“Princess,” one of them said, lowering his head.I acknowledged him with a small nod and continued walking.Everything looked exactly the same as I remembered. The high walls, the wide paths, the quiet order that defined this place—it hadn’t changed. The royal pack still carried itself with the same calm strength, untouched by the kind of noise and unpredictability I had grown used to.But as I walked further in, I became aware of something else.Eyes.People had already noticed.Servants paused in their movements. Guards along the corridor straightened more sharply. Even those who tried not to stare couldn’t fully hide their curiosity. News traveled quickly here, and my return had already r
Ariana’s POVOnce I made the decision, everything felt clearer, even though it was not easier.I would stay one more week.One week to finish things properly, to spend time with Leah and Ethan, and to leave without rushing. It was not enough time to hold on to everything, but it was enough to say goodbye in a way that would not leave regrets behind.I told Leah and Ethan the next morning.We were sitting in our usual spot, the one we had claimed without ever speaking about it. The air felt calmer now that exams were over, and the tension that had followed us for weeks had finally disappeared. Ethan was talking about how he planned to do nothing for as long as possible, while Leah listened with quiet amusement.“I’ll be leaving soon,” I said.Both of them looked at me at the same time.“Leaving?” Ethan repeated. “Where are you going?”“Home,” I replied. “My parents want me back now that I’m done here.”Leah didn’t interrupt, but I could see the understanding in her eyes. She had always
Ariana’s POVThe final exam ended quietly, but the meaning behind it was anything but quiet.When the instructor announced that time was up, the room shifted with a kind of relief that only comes after something long and exhausting is finally over. Papers were handed in, chairs moved, and conversations slowly started to rise again as people stepped out into the hallway.For most of them, this was the end of high school.For me, it was more than that.It was the end of the life I had built here.I walked out of the hall at my own pace, letting the noise of others pass around me without really listening. Some students were already celebrating, talking about their next steps, their plans, their future. Others looked uncertain, like they were not sure what came next.I understood that feeling more than I wanted to admit.Because while they were thinking about what they would do next, I already knew what I had to do.I was going home.Not because I wanted to leave.But because this was alw
Ariana’s POVThe results were posted just before midday, and the hallway outside the main hall filled almost instantly. Students who pretended not to care pushed forward first. Others hovered at the edges, waiting to see reactions before checking their own names. I would have waited, but Leah refused to let me escape.She scanned the board quickly and exhaled sharply when she found her ranking. Ethan leaned over her shoulder, offering unnecessary commentary. I stepped forward more slowly, not expecting anything unusual.When I found my name, I had to read it twice.First in Combat Theory.First in Strategy.Third overall.It didn’t feel triumphant. It felt exposed.The shift in the air around me was subtle but real. The whispers weren’t mocking this time. They were uncertain.“She ranked above him?”“That doesn’t add up.”“Since when does she—”I stepped back before anyone could look at me directly. Leah turned toward me with narrowed eyes, as if she were solving a puzzle she hadn’t
Ariana’s POVTwo months passed faster than I expected. The season shifted quietly, and with it the mood of the school. What had once been loud and restless now felt focused and tense. Exams were approaching, and everyone seemed to carry that knowledge in their shoulders and in the way they walked through the corridors. Conversations were shorter. Laughter was less frequent. Even the usual troublemakers had started showing up to classes early.Leah took the upcoming exams more seriously than anyone I knew. She created a strict study routine and insisted that Ethan and I follow it without argument. Every afternoon we claimed the same corner of the library, spreading our books across the table until it looked like we were preparing for something far greater than school tests. Ethan complained constantly but still showed up. He would grumble about how unfair the system was while quietly copying notes and asking questions when he thought we weren’t paying attention.Those afternoons became
Adrian’s POVI had always believed the mate bond would feel like certainty.Not the loud kind—the kind that swept men off their feet and turned them reckless—but a quiet, grounding force. Something steady. Something that aligned with reason as much as instinct. As the future Alpha of Riverline Pack
Adrian’s POVA full week in Silvercrest had taught me more than I expected.Not about politics or military strength—those were obvious within the first day. Silvercrest Pack valued power that could be seen and measured, strength that announced itself before being questioned. Their warriors trained
Ariana’s POVThe moment Adrian said the word mate, the world didn’t explode the way it had before.There was no sharp crack in my chest. No tearing pain. No public humiliation dressed up as destiny. Instead, there was a strange stillness, like the calm that comes after a storm has already passed an
Ariana’s POVThe pack grounds felt different the morning after I spoke with Adrian.Nothing had changed on the surface. Warriors still trained at dawn. Omegas moved through the pathways with baskets and tools. Children ran laughing between houses, unaware of politics, bonds, or expectations. Silver







