Chapter One — The Girl Without a Wolf
The night my pack celebrated the next Alpha's coronation was the night I discovered I was the greatest disgrace in the entire Silver Moon Pack.
Everyone had gathered beneath the enormous oak tree in the center of the territory. Hundreds of wolves stood in their human forms, dressed in silver and black.
I stood at the very back.
Alone.
As always.
"Move aside, Lyra."
I lowered my head as two girls brushed past me.
They didn't even bother hiding their disgust.
I was used to it.
At eighteen, every wolf in the pack had awakened their wolf.
Everyone except me.
The elders called it a weakness.
The younger wolves called it a curse.
My stepmother called it an embarrassment.
And my father?
He never called me anything at all.
The drums suddenly stopped.
Every conversation died.
The Alpha entered the clearing.
Beside him walked his son.
Kael Draven.
The future Alpha.
He was the strongest wolf in our generation, feared even by warriors twice his age. His dark hair fell across his forehead, and his expression was unreadable.
When he stepped onto the platform, everyone bowed.
I did too.
Then something strange happened.
Kael looked directly at me.
For one heartbeat, his expression changed.
His eyes widened.
Then he quickly looked away.
I frowned.
Why was he looking at me?
The Alpha raised his hand.
"Tonight, my son will receive the mark of succession."
Cheers erupted.
Kael stepped forward.
The elder lifted the ceremonial blade.
Then a scream came from the forest.
Every warrior immediately turned.
A second scream followed.
"Rogues!"
Panic exploded through the crowd.
The pack warriors shifted almost instantly.
I backed away.
Then something slammed into the clearing.
A massive black wolf landed several feet from me.
Its eyes were blood-red.
I froze.
The wolf growled.
Everyone else was running.
I couldn't.
My legs refused to move.
The wolf charged.
I closed my eyes.
But the attack never came.
A powerful roar shook the clearing.
Something collided with the rogue.
Kael.
The two wolves crashed into the ground.
I stumbled backward.
Kael's wolf was enormous—larger than any wolf I'd ever seen.
The rogue fled into the forest.
Kael shifted back.
Blood covered his shoulder.
He looked at me.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head.
"No."
He stepped closer.
Then his expression changed.
He stared at my neck.
More specifically, at the strange birthmark beneath my collar.
His face went pale.
"Where did you get that?"
I instinctively covered it.
"I was born with it."
Kael's eyes darkened.
Before he could say anything, the oldest elder pushed through the crowd.
He saw my mark.
His face became terrified.
"Impossible."
The clearing went silent.
The elder pointed at me with a trembling hand.
"Take her."
My heart stopped.
"Why?"
He looked at Kael.
"Because she isn't wolf-less."
Everyone stared.
The elder swallowed.
"She's something much worse."
Kael stepped between us.
"What are you saying?"
The elder whispered the words that changed my life forever.
"That girl is the last descendant of the Blood Moon."
And suddenly, every warrior drew their weapon.
