CHAPTER 2

Ariana’s POV

Life in Silvercrest Pack was nothing like home. Back in the palace, everything moved with grace and quiet order. Here, life was loud, chaotic, and brutally honest. Wolves here respected strength, not kindness. They valued dominance, not gentleness. Every day reminded me that I was truly living as an ordinary wolf—just like I had begged for.

My first weeks were… rough.

From the moment I entered Silvercrest High, the students looked at me like I was prey. I wasn’t loud, I didn’t try to dominate anyone, and my simple clothes made me blend in. Unfortunately, blending in made me an easy target. Some mocked my glasses, others whispered about how I always kept to myself. A few even shoved me during training just to see me fall.

At first, I thought I could ignore it. But Silvercrest was filled with wolves who respected only confidence and power. Anyone who didn’t show it was immediately pushed to the bottom of the ladder.

Still, I refused to break.

I learned to wake up early, make my own food, walk myself to school, and keep my head high even when I heard laughter behind my back. Living without guards, servants, or luxury taught me more about myself than any royal lesson ever did.

But it wasn’t all misery.

Three weeks after school resumed, I met Leah.

She found me sitting under a tree during lunch, eating alone like I always did. She simply walked over, sat beside me, and said,

“I don’t like eating alone. Move your bag.”

That was it. No pity. No questions. Just a blunt invitation.

The next day, she introduced me to Ethan, Gamma's son. He was loud, funny, and always in trouble, but he was loyal. Together, the three of us slowly carved out a corner in a school full of wolves who treated life like a competition.

With Leah and Ethan, my days didn’t feel as heavy.

But training days… those were the worst.

Silvercrest didn’t go easy on anyone. Every week, students sparred under the warriors’ supervision, and I quickly learned how brutal the pack really was. Wolves here fought like they were proving something to the world. Some of the girls even used training as a way to humiliate me.

That was when I noticed Damien Walkers.

The future Alpha of Silvercrest.

Damien wasn’t like the other male wolves. He fought differently—smooth, calculated, dangerous. Every move he made showed confidence and raw power. He always won his matches with ease, sometimes without even breaking a sweat.

From afar, I couldn’t help but admire the way he fought. His skills were unmatched, and his presence was commanding. Whenever he walked past, the entire training ground grew silent. Everyone respected him, or feared him—I couldn’t tell which.

But that was where my admiration ended.

Because the same boy who moved like a warrior destined to lead the pack… also treated lower-ranking wolves with cold arrogance. He didn’t hide his irritation around anyone he considered beneath him. He rarely spoke to anyone outside his circle, and when he did, it was usually to bark orders.

Still… something about his confidence pulled my eyes toward him whenever he was training. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was fascination. But definitely not affection. At least, that’s what I thought.

Six months passed like this—school, training, chores, repeat.

And then my eighteenth birthday approached.

Silvercrest Pack celebrated eighteenth birthdays like a festival. To them, it was the day new mates were discovered, the day destinies changed, the day life truly began. Leah had been talking about it for weeks.

“You’ll find your mate soon, Aria,” she said excitedly. “Maybe he’ll be amazing and handsome and protective—”

“Or maybe he’ll be dramatic and annoying,” Ethan interrupted. “Like Damien.”

Leah snorted. “Damien? He’d never look at someone outside his rank.”

I laughed softly and shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. If I find my mate, I’ll accept whoever the Moon Goddess chooses for me.”

If only I knew what was waiting for me.

The evening of the celebration arrived quickly.

The Silvercrest Pack Hall was decorated with silver lanterns, white ribbons, and strings of glowing crystals that lit up the entire space. Music played softly, wolves danced, glasses clinked, and laughter filled the hall.

I stood at the back with Leah and Ethan, feeling nervous but also… curious. What would it feel like to meet my mate? Would it be gentle? Strong? Overwhelming?

“Relax,” Leah whispered. “You look like you’re about to faint.”

“I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile.

But I wasn’t fine.

Not even close.

Then it happened.

A sudden pull—warm, magnetic, impossible to ignore—rushed through my body. My wolf lifted her head instantly, alert and trembling.

Mate.

My breath caught.

The bond tugged harder, guiding me, pulling me forward as if the air itself had become a rope. My heart raced as I followed the invisible force.

Until my eyes met his.

Damien.

Standing in the center of the hall. His eyes locked onto mine with shock—pure, undeniable shock. For a moment, my heart soared. My wolf howled with recognition, happiness, excitement.

But Damien’s expression changed quickly.

The surprise turned into disgust.

He looked at me as if I had committed the greatest insult of his life.

“You?” he said loudly, making sure everyone nearby heard. “You’re my mate?”

Wolves around us turned sharply, whispering, staring. My cheeks heated, but I didn’t look away.

I couldn’t.

Damien took a step forward, anger twisting his expression.

“There’s no way,” he said harshly. “I will not accept someone like you as a mate. A weak, low-ranked wolf can’t be my Luna.”

His words were knives—sharp, cold, merciless.

But I didn’t cry. I didn’t beg. I didn’t say a single word.

I simply stood there and let him speak his mind.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said finally, straightening his shoulders. His voice carried through the hall as he spoke about the rejection law.

“I, Damien Walkers, future Alpha of Silvercrest Pack, reject you, Aria Williams, as my mate.”

The hall went silent.

My wolf whimpered inside me, her heart breaking, but she didn’t collapse.

And neither did I.

I took a slow breath and raised my chin.

“I accept your rejection.”

A heavy thud echoed through my chest as the bond snapped painfully, leaving a cold emptiness behind. But still, I stood tall.

Damien turned away immediately, as if I were nothing worth remembering.

Leah rushed to my side. Ethan followed with wide, furious eyes. But I didn’t speak.

There was nothing to say.

My mate had rejected me publicly. Cruelly. Without hesitation.

And yet… as I walked out of the hall with Leah and Ethan on each side of me, one thing was clear:

I wasn’t broken.

I wasn’t defeated.

And I wasn’t done.

I am sure the Moon Goddess has a plan for me.

Damien Walker was not the end of my story—

He was barely the beginning.