Chapter One - Meet Nyra Black

Nyra’s POV

I remember it like it was last night. Three years ago, my brother, Aran, was made the Beta of our pack alongside the new Alpha. It was supposed to be a moment of celebration, but it came at a price.

Our father.

My father was the Beta of Oakland. He died protecting our land from the outsiders three years ago. The attack was sudden, an ambush no one saw coming.

Oakland had never been attacked under Alpha Ring’s reign—the Alpha who united the Oak pack and secured our land. Everyone feared him. He was untouchable. Anyone who dared to threaten our pack... he ripped their hearts out without question. No one could stand against him.

But ever since he passed and his son took over, the outsiders came back and attacked.

No one knew who they were or why they attacked, but one thing was certain: they vanished the moment my father’s heart was ripped from his chest.

I will never forget that moment.

One of them, a figure with piercing golden eyes, was the one who did it. He tore my father’s heart out while we watched, helpless. We couldn’t do anything. My brother’s only duty was to get our mother and me to safety.

The outsiders are those stray wolves who don’t belong to a pack or who have been cast away. But rumor has it that someone is bringing them together to form a pack—an empire of their own. They have been claiming lands and killing their Alphas, but when they attacked our land, they left the moment my father died.

I close my eyes, and the memory haunts me once more, the moment my father whispered his final words to me before turning to my brother. 'Never trust anyone, not even your kin.' I still don’t know what he meant. I wish it had all been a dream. I wish my father were here today because today, his daughter turns sixteen. Today, I will finally meet my wolf.

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I wonder what my wolf will feel like. Will she like me… or hate me? I just don’t know.

I have never felt this anxious before, never. I spent my whole life waiting for this day, yet now that it’s here, I can’t stop the unease twisting in my stomach. Will it be painful? Less painful? Or worse than I imagined?

My best friend, Naria, met her wolf last month. For her, it was… effortless. Almost too easy. She barely screamed when the shift began, and when it was over, her wolf stood strong, her silver fur glowing under the moonlight. She had trained for it, prepared for it. I still remember how intense her training was—hours of endurance, pushing herself past limits I couldn’t even reach.

I tried. Goddess knows I tried. But no matter how hard I trained, I could never match her level.

Still, my brother always told me, “Your wolf will come out according to your nature.”

I’ve always felt like I didn’t truly belong here, like there was a part of me missing, and maybe today I’d finally find it—maybe today, the missing piece would come alive with my wolf.

I just hope my wolf likes me.

I don’t need to be the strongest. I don’t need to be the fastest. I just need her to be someone who will protect the ones I love.

“Nyra, your friends are here!”

“Okay, Mom! I’ll be there in a sec, Ma.”

I still have to put on my dress for the night. I’ve been staring at it this whole time, as if waiting for it to speak to me.

Or maybe… I just don’t want to put it on.

It’s beautiful—one of my best designs—but what’s the point? The moment I shift under the full moon, it will be shredded to pieces. Months of work, gone in seconds.

I love designing, pouring my heart into every stitch, and this dress? This one is special. With a sigh, I put on the white gown, put my hair down, and brush it.

Then, I head downstairs. Waiting for me in the living room are my two best friends, Naria and Jade, their faces lit with excitement.

"Here comes the birthday girl!" they shouted.

I blinked, surprised—not just at their enthusiasm, but at what they were holding: two cakes.

One for my birthday. The other… to celebrate when the Moon Goddess blesses me with my mate.

I still can’t believe these two were fated to be mates.

Not only did Naria meet her wolf last month, but she also found her mate—and it turned out to be Jade.

Even Jade couldn’t believe it himself—that one of his best friends was his fated mate. But instead of fighting fate, he embraced it wholeheartedly. By the next morning, he had already given her a promise ring. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen: my best friends are one.

I can’t help but wonder… will I be lucky enough to find my mate today?

I hope I find my mate today.

Not everyone does on their birthday. Some wolves have to wait weeks, months—sometimes even years—before they finally feel the bond. Even the Beta and Alpha of our pack are still mateless.

Maybe it’s because they’re always protecting our land, standing at the front lines with the warriors, preparing in case the outsiders strike again.

But deep down, I pray the Moon Goddess won’t make me wait.

I want to find my mate.

And I hope it’s tonight.

“Okay, I'm just going to put these cakes in the kitchen,”

Naria says, already making her way toward the kitchen, where my mom was busy preparing breakfast.

Jade's eyes land on me, then widen in admiration. “Wow, is this the dress you made for tonight?” he asks.

“It’s stunning, Nyra! Too bad it's going to be torn apart when you shift.”

I sigh, running my fingers over the soft white fabric.

“I know… but at least I get to wear it, even if only for a while.”

Naria returns, grinning.

“I still can’t believe it, bestie. It’s finally happening! I can’t wait for you to meet your wolf, Nyra.”

Jade nods eagerly. “Me too! I wonder what she’ll be like.”

I smile, but inside, nerves twist in my stomach. What if my wolf is weak? What if she isn’t what I had imagined?

Before I can dwell on my thoughts, my mother walks in, a knowing look in her eyes.

“You should hurry, Nyra. The Alpha and Beta will be at the ceremony tonight.” My heart skips a beat.

The Alpha and Beta? Why would the Alpha attend my ceremony?

Something about this night suddenly feels… different.