The Alpha's Hidden Mate

Scene 1: The Outcast* Aria trudged through the forest, her feet carrying her on autopilot as her mind wandered. She hated days like this, when the pack gathered to celebrate the full moon. It only served as a painful reminder of her status as an outcast. At 22, Aria was still without a wolf. While her peers had all found their inner beasts, Aria's remained elusive. The pack's Alpha, Kaid, had taken to calling her "wolf-less" in front of the others, his tone dripping with disdain. Aria's eyes stung as she recalled the latest humiliation. She had tried to join in the hunt, eager to prove herself, but Kaid had refused, citing her lack of a wolf as a liability. As she approached the pack's gathering spot, Aria could feel the weight of their stares. The others seemed to view her as a freak, a defective wolf who didn't belong. Valtira, Kaid's loyal supporter and Aria's arch-nemesis, sneered at her from across the clearing. "Look what the wind blew in," Valtira said, her voice dripping with malice. "The little wolf-less girl thinks she can join our celebration." Aria's face burned with anger, but she refused to rise to Valtira's bait. Instead, she squared her shoulders and approached Kaid, who stood at the center of the gathering. "Alpha," Aria said, her voice firm. "I've come to—" Kaid's gaze cut her off, his eyes cold and unyielding. "You're not welcome here, Aria. You're a liability without a wolf." Aria's heart stung, but she stood her ground. "I'll find my wolf, Alpha. And when I do, I'll prove myself to you and the pack." Kaid's expression remained skeptical, but Aria detected a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. For a moment, she wondered if he might actually believe in her. But the moment passed, and Kaid's mask slipped back into place. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with doubt. Aria's face burned with frustration, but she knew she had to keep pushing forward. She would find her wolf, no matter what it took.