Chapter 7

The Crescent Pack was alive with music, the clang of goblets, and the loud chatter of wolves celebrating their Luna. Bethanie stood at the heart of it all, glowing in a sapphire gown that shimmered under torchlight. She lifted her chin high as her people cheered, drunk on her new power.

From Gamma to Luna—her rise had been swift, and her pride soared with it.

Her gaze swept the hall, drinking in the respect, the envy, the bows of submission. For Bethanie, every smile was a victory, every lowered head an acknowledgment that she had triumphed where others had failed.

And above all, she savored the memory of her step-sister’s humiliation.

Aria.

Poor, pitiful Aria, Bethanie thought with a cruel smile. No wolf, no strength, no beauty. Rejected and cast aside like the weakling she always was.

Her fingers curled possessively around Rion’s arm as she looked at him, her Alpha, her prize. “No one will ever take you from me,” she murmured under her breath. “You are mine. Always mine.”

The Crescent Pack howled in celebration. Bethanie raised her goblet high, basking in the illusion that she had won.

She did not know that in the shadows of another territory, a storm was brewing.

---

Moon Pack

In his office, Alpha Kael studied the crimson-sealed envelope lying on his desk. The crest of the Blood Pack gleamed faintly in the candlelight.

Samuel, his Beta, stood at attention. “It is an invitation, Alpha. The Blood Pack is hosting a grand celebration for the first birthday of their heir—Red Blood. All Alphas are expected to attend.”

Kael tapped the letter with a finger, silent for a long moment. Finally, he rose from his chair, his tall form radiating quiet dominance.

“Prepare the carriages. Assemble the warriors,” he commanded. “We will attend.”

Samuel nodded but hesitated. “And Aria? Will she go with us?”

Kael’s golden eyes gleamed, though his face remained unreadable. “Yes. She will attend at my side.”

Samuel frowned. “Alpha… the Crescent Pack will be there. If she sees Rion and Bethanie—”

“She must,” Kael interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. “The day will come when she faces them. Better she does so standing at my side, not in hiding.”

Samuel bowed his head. “As you command.”

But as he turned to leave, Kael added, his voice low and firm, “And Samuel—no one must know what she is. Not yet.”

The Beta paused, understanding dawning.

“She is the White Wolf,” Kael continued. “A secret more dangerous than any weapon. If the packs learn of her power too soon, she will be hunted, caged, or used. Until the right moment, her strength must remain hidden. To the world, she is only Aria—my companion, nothing more.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Samuel said quietly, before departing to fulfill his orders.

---

Aria’s Balcony

The night air was cool, the moonlight spilling across the forest like liquid silver. Aria sat cross-legged on the balcony, her golden-white hair glowing faintly beneath the stars. She had grown used to her reflection startling her—those strange mismatched eyes, half-silver, half-sapphire, marking her as something other, something dangerous.

Her wolf, Larah, stirred within her. You feel restless.

Aria exhaled softly. “I keep thinking about them. About Rion. About… her.”

You fear them still, Larah said, not accusing, merely stating. But you also burn to face them.

“Yes,” Aria admitted, her fists tightening in her lap. “They broke me. Humiliated me. But I’m not the same anymore. I’ll never be that girl again.”

No, Larah agreed. You are the White Wolf now. Stronger than them all.

Her breath caught. The words still felt surreal. She had seen what she became in her wolf form, the golden-white fur, the three radiant tails, the strength that dwarfed even Kael’s. But still, a part of her struggled to believe it.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

“Enter,” she called.

Kael stepped inside, his presence filling the room like a tide. His golden eyes locked on hers, and as always, her heart gave a strange, unsteady beat.

“The Blood Pack has invited us to their celebration,” he said. “You will come with me.”

Aria rose slowly, startled. “Me? But… Crescent will be there.”

“Yes.” Kael’s voice was steady, unwavering. “That is why you must come.”

Her chest tightened. To see Rion again, to face Bethanie—it terrified her, but it also sparked something deep inside. A hunger.

Kael stepped closer, his gaze steady. “Do not reveal your strength,” he warned softly. “Not yet. To them, you are simply Aria. They must not know who you truly are—not until the moment is right.”

Aria’s brows furrowed. “Why? If they see me, see what I’ve become, they’ll know they were wrong.”

“They’ll also fear you,” Kael countered. “And fear drives wolves to dangerous choices. Some may seek to control you. Others may seek to kill you. Your power is your greatest weapon, Aria. But a weapon is most dangerous when hidden until the strike.”

His hand lifted, brushing a strand of golden hair from her face. “Trust me.”

She swallowed hard, searching his eyes, and nodded. “I trust you.”

“Good,” Kael said, stepping back. “Then prepare yourself. When you stand in that hall, do not think of yourself as the rejected girl they remember. Think of yourself as the storm they never saw coming.”

Aria’s mismatched eyes gleamed with resolve. “I’ll make them see.”

Kael smiled faintly. “Not yet, little wolf. Not yet. For now, we let them underestimate you. And when the time comes… we strike.”

---

That night, as Crescent Pack feasted on illusions of power, Aria stood on her balcony, the moonlight painting her in silver fire. The howl of Larah rose inside her chest, fierce and unyielding.

Her secret burned within her, hidden but unstoppable.

Bethanie believed she had won. Rion believed his choice was final.

But neither of them knew the truth.

And when the White Wolf was revealed, the world itself would tremble.