3

SKY

I somehow make it through two whole days without any trouble from Lamen and his friends. It feels like a miracle, but I know it won't last. This morning's Silver Moon Pack meeting is bound to change that.

When I step into the large hall where the pack gathers, I keep my head low and slip into a seat at the back. My shoulders hunch forward as if hiding will make me invisible. Wolves fill the room quickly-chairs scraping, low voices rumbling, the familiar scent of fur and pine mixing in the air.

At the front, my father, Lucien Silver, stands tall behind the podium, his presence commanding as always. Around him, the Silver Moon elders sit in a half-circle, their serious faces giving away nothing. I twist my fingers nervously in my lap, my stomach in knots as I wait for Lamen and his crew to appear.

A few pack members I barely know take seats beside me. They're polite but distant, and I don't try to talk. The Silver Moon wolves are calm and respectable-good, loyal people, but to me, they've always felt dull. Maybe that's why I dream of leaving for New York. There, I can start over. No whispers, no stares. Just freedom.

Even here, surrounded by my own pack, I feel like an outsider. Their glances tell me I don't belong, like I'm a rogue among my own kind. If I study hard enough, maybe Father will let me handle the business side of things, far from pack politics and cruel eyes.

The door slams open. Lamen strides in, followed by his friends-loud, arrogant, and dangerous. My whole body stiffens. As they pass, Aria, his loyal sidekick, leans close to my ear. "Hey, bitch," she whispers, tugging my ponytail hard before flicking it back over my shoulder. I roll my eyes, trying not to give her the satisfaction of seeing me react.

Then it happens, our eyes meet. Lamen's dark gaze locks on mine, and something hot sparks inside me. My chest tightens, and a strange, unwanted heat spreads through my body. His smirk deepens as if he knows exactly what I'm feeling. His messy black hair falls over his face, shadowing his sharp eyes, and I can't look away.

He snickers. "Morning, Sky. Birthday girl, huh? Got a surprise for you." His voice drips with mockery as he moves past me, his friends laughing under their breath.

What does he mean by that? My stomach twists with both fear and something else, something I don't want to name. I hate how aware I am of him. His broad shoulders, the way his muscles move under his shirt-it all makes me dizzy. Aria glances back and catches me staring. Her glare is sharp enough to cut, and I quickly face forward, cheeks burning.

This day is already off to a terrible start. And it's only getting worse. My birthday. Once, it used to mean something good. I can still hear my mother's sweet voice in my mind: "Happy birthday, Sky! You're five now, such a big girl!"

Back then, Lucien used to smile more. Our house used to feel alive. But ever since she died, everything changed. He's become distant, like a stranger living under the same roof.

His deep voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. "Take your seats, Silver Moon Pack. This meeting will be brief. We have several matters to address."

I sink lower in my chair, hoping he doesn't mention me, but of course, he does. "As most of you know, it's Sky's eighteenth birthday this Sunday. As per tradition, we'll be holding a shifter celebration in her honor. Everyone is expected to attend. The festivities begin at four in the afternoon."

A few members from the social committee-Clare and Susan, look my way with blank expressions. My heart sinks. They don't care. No one ever does. Now my father's just made me a bigger target.

Lamen starts clapping slowly, his grin wide and mocking. "Whoo hoo! Big shifter party for Sky!" he calls out. Aria joins in, laughing too loudly, and the rest of his crew follows, their snickers echoing across the hall.

My father chuckles, completely oblivious to the cruelty behind their laughter. "That's the spirit of the Silver Moon Pack!" he says proudly, smiling like everything is fine.

But it's not. Not for me.

The meeting goes on, something about property investments-but his words blur into background noise. My chest feels tight. My breathing comes shallow. And that strange pull toward Lamen won't fade. I can feel him even without looking, like a magnetic force humming under my skin.

Maybe it's because my first shift is near. Maybe this strange attraction happens to every wolf before they change for the first time. I don't know. All I know is I need to get out of here before I lose my mind.

I grab my bag and slip out quietly, heading straight for school. My thoughts spin with dread. Two days until the party. Two days until my birthday.

And somehow, I already know, something about it won't end well.