CHAPTER 4
1064 Words
Aurelia's POV
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Darkness filled the room,the glowing silver eyes were gone.
The strange voice had disappeared.
Only silence remained.
For several seconds, I sat frozen,my breathing unevenly.
My hands trembled.
"What was that?"
The question slipped from my lips but no answer came.
Moonlight still spilled through the window.
Everything looked normal but nothing felt normal.
Slowly, I touched my shoulder.
The bruise Rowan had given me yesterday was completely gone.
As if it had never existed.
A chill ran down my spine.
That wasn't possible,not for an omega.
I spent twenty-two years being weak.
Twenty-two years of being reminded that I was different but lately strange things kept happening.
The rogue attacks and my sudden instincts.
Something was changing and I had no idea whether I should be afraid.
The following morning, Silver Crest Pack buzzed with activity.
The rogue attack had shaken everyone.
Warriors patrolled every corner.
Additional guards stood at the gates.
Even the training grounds were crowded but despite everything, the pack continued preparing for its most important event.
The Moon Bond Ceremony.
I carried a basket of decorations toward the ceremonial courtyard.
The entire area was being transformed.
White lanterns hung from silver poles.
Flowers lined the pathways.
Workers moved everywhere.
The full moon would arrive in only three nights.
My stomach fluttered,every unmated wolf in the territory would attend.
Every eligible wolf would gather under the moon.
A tiny piece of hope still lived inside me.
Maybe my mate was out there,maybe somewhere in this world existed a wolf who wouldn't look at me with disgust.
A wolf who wouldn't laugh when I walked by.
A wolf who wouldn't remind me every day that I wasn't enough.
The thought felt foolish but I couldn't stop myself from dreaming.
"Aurelia!"
Selina hurried toward me carrying several boxes.
Her curls bounced as she walked.
Unlike me, she looked excited.
"You look terrible." She said,
I rolled my eyes.
"Good morning to you too."
She laughed.
"You barely slept, did you?" She asked
"Still thinking about the rogue attack?"
I hesitated. Mostly I was thinking about silver eyes appearing outside my window, I was thinking about voices in my head.
Things I definitely couldn't explain.
Before I could answer, a loud voice interrupted.
"There she is."
My mood sank.
Rowan,the Delta approached with two female warriors behind her.
Her eyes narrowed the moment she saw me.
"I heard you got lucky during the attack."
I remained silent.
Experience had taught me that responding only made things worse.
Rowan stopped directly in front of me.
"You seem proud of yourself." She said
"I'm not." I said
"Liar!”
Her gaze hardened.
"You dodged attacks yesterday."
Several nearby wolves glanced our way.
I could already feel another public humiliation coming.
Rowan folded her arms.
"People are talking."
I frowned.
"What people?" I asked
"The warriors." She said
That surprised me,Rowan sneered.
"They're wondering how an omega suddenly avoided a rogue wolf."
The surrounding wolves became quiet.
"I don't know." I said.
"Convenient answer." She said
"It's the truth."
Rowan took a step closer.
Her wolf flashed briefly behind her eyes.
"You better remember your place."
The familiar words hurt.
Even though I heard them a thousand times.
"You are an omega."
She took another step.
"You are weak." She took another step.
"You are nothing."
The courtyard fell silent.
Nobody intervened.
A voice came through the tension.
"Delta Rowan!"
Every wolf straightened.
My stomach dropped as Alpha Ragnar strode across the courtyard.
He is tall,broad-shouldered and always dressed entirely in black.
Authority radiated from him.
The entire atmosphere shifted the moment he arrived.
Rowan instantly stepped back.
"Alpha."
Ragnar's eyes swept across the group.
"Shouldn't you be preparing for the ceremony?" He asked.
His gaze settled on Rowan,she did not reply
"I asked a question!"
"I was correcting behavior." She said
His expression remained cold.
"By causing a scene?"
Rowan looked uncomfortable.
Ragnar's gaze shifted toward me.
I hated how aware I became whenever he looked at me.
His eyes traveled briefly over my face.
"You." He pointed in my direction.
"Yes, Alpha?"
"The Elders require additional staff at the Moon Temple."
Confusion flickered through me.
The Moon Temple?
I had never been assigned there before.
"Today?" I asked, confused
"Immediately."
I nodded.
"Yes, Alpha."
His attention moved away just as quickly.
As if I no longer existed.
The strange ache returned.
The one that always followed every interaction with him because no matter how many times Ragnar dismissed me...
A small part of me still wanted his approval.
The Moon Temple sat on the highest hill inside Silver Crest territory.
Unlike the modern buildings below, the temple existed solely for pack traditions.
Ceremonies,pack gatherings.
The moment I arrived, Elder Miriam handed me several lists.
"We're behind schedule."
"What happened?"
"The rogue attack."
She sighed.
"Now move. We have three days."
The next several hours passed in a blur.
Decorations,flowers,ceremonial seating and food deliveries.
Everything needed to be perfect.
The entire region would attend.
Including neighboring packs, important Alphas, the future political Luna.
The thought alone made my stomach twist.
Everyone already knew about the arrangement.
Ragnar and Alpha Victor's daughter.
Lady Serena. A beautiful,powerful and respected figure
Rumors claimed the official announcement would happen during the ceremony.
Which meant Ragnar would likely have a mate before the night even ended.
I forced myself not to think about it.
As evening approached, Elder Miriam finally dismissed me.
Exhausted, I started toward the exit.
Then I heard voices of two Elders talking quietly nearby.
I didn't mean to listen until I heard Ragnar's name.
"The alliance must happen."
"It will."
"The future of Silver Crest depends on it."
"What about the mate bond?"
Another Elder laughed softly.
"The Alpha understands duty."
My pulse quickened.
The first Elder nodded.
"If his fated mate appears?"
"He'll reject her."
The words stopped me cold.
The second Elder continued.
"Nothing will interfere with the alliance."
A strange feeling settled in my chest.
I didn't know why hearing those words suddenly hurt.
As though something inside me had cracked.
The Elders eventually walked away,leaving me alone with thoughts I couldn't explain.
I found myself staring toward the Alpha Residence.
Toward the man who barely tolerated my existence,completely unaware that in only three days...
Fate was preparing to turn both our lives upside down.
- Writer
