Chapter one: On the Eve of the Moonlight Feast

Ayla's pov

The packhouse buzzed with an excitement that didn’t quite reach me.

The eve of the moon ball was always a bubbly evening for Silver fang packs, there were decorations and lights and scented candles.

The ball was held every year and done just the same way…

Well all except this one.

This one was different because I was turning eighteen tomorrow, I was going to shift for the first time and I was going to meet the one…

“Oops" someone giggled

The basket of clothes that suddenly disappeared from my grip disrupted my train of thoughts.

“Your adopted clumsiness is showing, Ayla" Lila and her group of mean girls stepped in front of me

“Give me back the basket" forcing myself not to react

Lila stepped closer, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder. She was the daughter of the Gamma, adored and mated to the Alpha’s son of our pack and unfortunately, the pack's reigning queen of cruelty.

While I was one of the many daughters of the Beta of the Alpha to our pack.

“You mean the basket?" She smiled wickedly as she overturned the clothes in it, scattering them across the floor.

I press my lips together to pull myself together.

"Aren't you excited for tomorrow, little orphan?” She asked, her smile was vicious as she crossed glances with the girls by her side "your big shift? Or will you embarrass the beta family when nothing happens”

They all giggled.

My jaw tightened, I was indeed adopted but she loved using the wrong word because she knew it cut deeper.

“Tomorrow has to come before you make assumptions" I reached for the empty basket in their grip but they only snatched it further away from my reach.

“Why? You don't think you will actually shift.. Do you?” Lila asked

“Ayla doesn't know the moon goddess doesn't waste her powers on weak blood” one of the girls said as they all laughed

"That too an adopted weak blood" Lila added

“Then the pack will finally know where she belongs," another of the girls beside her scoffed.

"I belong where the Beta says I do” I said quietly, as I crouched to gather together the clothes that fell.

Lila nudged my shoulder with her foot, knocking off what I had gathered out of my hands again.

"Beta Rowan only took you in out of pity” she hissed "Don't get any hopeful ideas"

I didn't look up. If I did, they'd see the sting in my eyes and I didn't want to give them that satisfaction.

As they tried to force me up.

“Leave her alone Lila,” someone said from the other end of the corridor “else I'll tell the Beta" further threatened

Lila scoffed.

"Should have known the maid's daughter will come to save you" she flung the basket at me "stupid orphan"

With that they all walked away, their laughter echoing down the corridor.

Juno was one of the maids' daughters who found her mate two years ago. She was nice to me and surprisingly one of the few who could stand against the mean girls.

She walked towards me

“Don't let their words get to you, Ayla," she said quietly. "Ignore her, she's just mad her wolf's probably a yappy chihuahua” she joked while helping me arrange the clothes into the basket and taking my hand, making sure I was on my feet before letting it go.

I gave her a curt nod that I was okay.

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” she asked

“No" I was being honest

“You scared?" Still peering into my eyes

I shook my head “I'm terrified"

“Of the shift?"

I couldn't tell her that while I got picked on because of my shift, my father was more worried about me finding a mate, it was all he ever talked about.

He reminded me everyday of how a she wolf needed a mate and that was what really determined where she belonged.

“What if my wolf isn't good enough” I started to say "or what if I don't shift at all, what if Lila is right and I'm just adopted and not entitled to any of the moon goddess powers”

She placed her arm on my shoulder to calm me, squeezing lightly

"You are entitled to everything this pack has, you're the Beta's daughter”

I sighed, again no one knew the part where I felt like I was an outcaste.

“I just want to matter" my voice broke

“You do" she encouraged, squeezing harder “to your father, to the moon goddess and tomorrow to the whole pack"

The corner of my lips suddenly lifted in a stiff smile as she smiled back at me.

Her words made me exhale.

“Thank you" I say while she arched her brow at me “for being so nice to me"

her smile only grew.

"Go, you should prepare for tomorrow, no one shifts with a heavy heart"

With that, I went back to my room and slumped on the bed, I felt like my whole life was balanced on the edge of a blade.

But If I shifted properly then the whispers would finally stop, the doubts, my father's silent hatred and the comments about being the outcast daughter. If not, I wasn't sure what would happen to me, to what little respect I still held.

I heard wolves howling from a distance, chilling air brushing against my skin through my window.

My heart thudded like it was about to burst through my chest, then I recalled what Juno said about a heavy heart, I took deep breaths to calm myself.

Hours from now, I would stand under the full moon and everything would change, for worse or better.

My heart still thudded from thinking about it.

I pressed my palm against my chest as I tried to steady my breathing.

No matter how much fear coiled in my stomach or how loud Lila's cruel words echoed in my head..

A part of me still hoped that tomorrow, for once, I wouldn't be an outsider and the moon would claim me like it claimed everyone else.

I closed my eyes.

The countdown had begun