The Lycan King's Gift

Nova’s POV Two days until the start of senior year. Most people can’t stop buzzing about it—the parties, the anticipation of finding their mates, the excitement of finally being able to shift without supervision. The halls of the Lycan Academy will be full of gossip, flirtation, and dreams wrapped in moonlight. And me? I’m excited too… just not for the same reasons. While everyone else is focused on fate and romance, I have something else driving me: purpose. I’ve worked too hard to let hormones and wishful thinking distract me now. My goals are bigger than finding a mate. I’m determined to graduate at the top of my class, secure a warrior ranking, and prove that bloodlines don’t define worth. My name is Nova Rosewood. Technically. I wasn’t born into the Rosewood Pack, but I was raised as one of their own. Alpha Lawrence Rosewood and his mate, Luna Rachel, found me abandoned at the edge of their territory late one autumn night. I was barely a day old—left in a pristine white blanket embroidered with silver stars and a single name stitched into the fabric: Nova. There was no note. No scent. No trail to follow. Just me. That night changed everything. The Rosewoods had been trying to have a child for years, but after Luna Rachel was gravely injured during a rogue attack early in their mating bond, the damage to her womb made it impossible. The pack healer said she would never be able to carry pups. It was a quiet pain they carried with them—a wound deeper than anyone outside their inner circle could understand. Still, they never gave up hope. Every full moon, they prayed to the Moon Goddess. Not for power, not for wealth—just for a child to love. And then, I appeared. Some saw it as a miracle. Others whispered it was fate. A few feared it was a curse. The pack’s seer claimed she felt an ancient power awaken the moment I was brought across the border. Whatever the truth is, I became theirs in an instant. They never treated me like I was anything less than their daughter. I was raised with love, patience, and strength. Luna Rachel used to tell me that I was the Moon Goddess’s answer—an unspoken prayer carried on by starlight and silence. But that didn’t stop others from questioning my place. The Rosewood Pack is the smallest recognized shifter pack in North America. We don’t have the vast lands or warrior legends like the Crescent Creek, nor the political influence of the Blood moon pack. But we’re strong in our own way—united, disciplined, and proud. Every member trains. Every bond is honored. Loyalty is our foundation. Still, being the Alpha’s adopted daughter came with scrutiny. I had no known bloodline, no legendary lineage to fall back on. I wasn’t born a Rosewood—I was found. And to some wolves, that would always matter. When I turned sixteen, my parents did something no one expected: they enrolled me in the Moonhaven Academy. The Academy is prestigious—some even say sacred. It’s where the next generation of Alphas, Lunas, warriors, and diplomats are trained. Admission is limited to the best of the best—those with powerful wolves, strong bloodlines, and something to prove. I may not have had a bloodline, but I’ve always had something to prove. And I proved it. I trained harder, studied longer, and kept my head down when others tried to break me. Two years later, I’m returning for my final year—stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever. My classmates are obsessed with this year’s Awakening. At eighteen, unmated shifters are able to see if the Goddess has chosen their fated mates. The bond is sacred, unbreakable… and entirely out of your control. Some dream of it their whole lives. But me? I’m not sure I’m ready to give myself over to destiny. Not until I know who I really am. Because no matter how much I love my adoptive parents… there’s always been a part of me missing. A quiet question the Moon hasn’t answered. And I won’t rest until I find the truth.