Aria’s Fate

The gathering audience was bathed in a silvery glow as the moon hung low over the ceremonial meadow. The wolves gathered were silent, their breaths held in suspense as everyone's gaze was riveted to the scene in front of them. As if to reveal her feelings to the whole pack, Aria stood at the edge of the meadow, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. She made an effort to compose herself, to prevent her hands from shaking and her face from becoming agitated, but she could feel the pressure of a thousand critical eyes on her. The cool night air carried snippets of murmured talks, each one eroding her determination. "Isn't it unbelievable? Who else than the Troyers? “Alpha Lukas must be completely delusional to believe she’s deserving.”... Every comment was a reminder of the shame her family had endured for so long, and it felt like a whip across her flesh. Tonight was meant to be different—a night of atonement, an opportunity to overcome the rumors and restore the dignity her family had forfeited. For years, she had dreamed of victory and hope, holding fast to this moment in her thoughts. But the murmurs and the voices weighed heavy, tearing off her confidence one thread at a time. Aria looked up and saw Alpha Lukas on the other side of the clearing. He was the epitome of strength, a confident figure clad in dark leather that attracted the attention of every individual in the pack. She had never been able to ignore the authority he exuded, his proud posture, and his captivating presence. He glanced over the crowd effortlessly, but as he turned to face her, her pulse pounded in her chest, accelerating with a mix of dread and awe. She forced herself to look into his eyes while swallowing forcefully, but beneath the courage, a feeling of dread awoke inside her. Lukas cried out, "Aria Troyer," his voice piercing the muttering with a command that reverberated over the assembly. All of the wolves fell completely quiet. Everyone stared at her, their faces shifting from curiosity to expectation. Aria took a deep breath and forced herself to stay steady as she took a step forward, feeling the pressure of the moment. This was her chance—the future she had spent years aiming for. This was her opportunity—the future she had been striving for for years. At last, she was standing in front of the group, ready to make her claim known. She extended her hand to Lukas, her fingers trembling with anticipation. However, Lukas's expression changed as her hand hovered in midair. Something icy flickered across his face, hardening his eyes, and he suddenly pulled his hand back. As he gazed at her with unfathomable eyes, Aria's confidence crumbled and her heart fell. Lukas murmured in a low voice that sliced through the quiet like a sword, "I... cannot do this." Each of the words sank like a stone in her chest as they replayed in her head. Her heart thumping so violently that she feared it could break, she dropped her outstretched hand to her side. Shock froze her, and she gasped, "W-what?" her voice not more than a whisper. Lukas turned to the pack, his jaw clenched and his visage as hard as iron, without even looking at her. With a serene, cold voice, he declared, "I have chosen another." "My mate will be Selena." She has the strength that this pack requires. As a wave of incredulity swept through the audience, their expressions ranged from astonishment to pity. Aria tried to absorb what he had spoken, but her cheeks burned with shame. Her entire world seemed to tilt, and her dreams seemed to go in an instant. Lukas' decision to reject him was definitive. She reeled as reality hit her like a punch. "Lukas..." He ignored the deep sorrow in her eyes and the way her heart was aching, despite the fact that her voice sounded faint and no more than a whisper. "Selena will be this pack's future," he added in a firm voice, as if he were asserting an indisputable truth. "She is essential to the pack's survival." The terrible severity of his words struck her. At her feet, in ruins, were her dreams, her future, and everything she had worked so hard to attain. The fact that Lukas rejected her was more than simply an insult; it was a death sentence for all of her convictions. She could feel the pack's pitying gazes bearing down on her as she stood there, stunned and dumb, each one laden with scorn and condemnation. As Selena moved nearer, a small, victorious smile curled her lips, and she effortlessly placed her hand in Lukas's, turning Aria's stomach. She had always known that Selena was viewed by the pack as being more powerful, outspoken, and a good fit for Lukas's strengths. Now that Selena had taken her place next to him, Aria was thrown aside like a pawn in their power struggle. Aria's vision blurred with a mixture of humiliation and rage as her chest constricted. She could hear the voices surrounding her, mocking her suffering with each whisper like a dagger twisting deeper. "She never had much of a chance." "Did she really believe he would pick her?" Louder than ever, the words pierced deeper than any wound. Under their mocking gazes, her hopes and pride felt crushed and exposed. She was at her breaking point. She turned and went without thinking, running into the trees with her heart racing. She continued despite the cold, stinging night air and the darkness that enveloped her. She was unable to. She only wished to get away from the constant agony that tore at her from within, the embarrassment, and the treachery. Her breaths came in harsh gasps as she stumbled through the forest, getting farther away from the clearing and the people who had seen her humiliation with every step. The truth of Lukas's rejection was replayed in her mind, each memory twisting, scorching, and piercing like a knife. Her night, her opportunity to make a difference in her life, was meant to come. Now everything was gone. She continued, ignoring the branches' scalding cuts as they rubbed against her flesh. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision as the crushing weight of her dashed hopes pressed down on her. She continued till her legs eventually failed, and she collapsed next to a tiny creek. In sharp contrast to the chaos in her heart, the forest was quiet around her. "Why?" Her voice could hardly be heard over the silence as she muttered. "What rendered me insufficient?" As the pain fought its way through her, she tightened her hands into fists and slammed her forehead into her knees. She was overcome with memories of the years she had spent attempting to establish herself and overcome her family's shame. All of the sacrifices and work she had put in to gain her position had been in vain. She was left with nothing but the stinging burden of her family's disgrace after Lukas stole everything from her. She felt more alone and hopeless as the wilderness seemed to enclose her. She felt forgotten and abandoned, like a shadow of herself, a ghost. There was a part of her that wanted to just slip into the woods, into the darkness, and away from the sorrow that consumed her. However, the hush was broken by a calm, deep voice that cut through the stillness. "Young wolf, why do you cry here?" Aria's head shot upward, her tear-streaked face looking directly into the eyes of a man who was a few paces away, his body partially obscured by the darkness. He was older, with dark, piercing eyes and a gray-streaked beard. Like the old trees around them, his presence was both enigmatic and anchoring as he moved closer. In an attempt to hide the weakness that pervaded her face, she wiped away her tears quickly and managed to inquire, "Who... who are you?" As he watched her, the man kneeled next to her, his eyes softening. "My name is Elder Zane. "I have been keeping watch over this forest for a long time," he stated in a warm and calm voice. "And Aria Troyer, I have hardly ever seen a soul as troubled as yours." Before she could stop herself, she let out a bitter laugh. “Potential?” she whispered, her tone full of incredulity. "I am a complete embarrassment. They just see that. "Just because they are afraid of what you might turn into," Zane said, his eyes unblinking. "Your lineage possesses strength that the pack cannot comprehend." Because they were afraid of what would happen if you ever found out, they tossed you. Aria averted her gaze as a new wave of misery swept through her. "You're not correct. Lukas turned me down. None of that is visible to him. He believes that I am weak. Something furious flared in Zane's eyes. His tone was stern as he replied, "Lukas is a fool, blind to what he does not understand." However, Aria, I see your potential. If you are prepared to accept it, your inner strength is waiting for you. An odd mixture of optimism and worry stirred inside Aria. She had no idea where this journey would take her, but the first time since the rejection, a small spark of purpose ignited inside her.