"Aria," he said softly. "Today is your birthday."
It wasn't a question, but I nodded nevertheless.
"The moon is full tonight," he added, his voice quiet. "You will attend the ceremony."
"Of course, Elder," I replied, puzzled. All eighteen-year-olds attended the ceremony. It was essential.
He leaned in, smelling gently. "You already feel it, don't you? "The change."
My heartbeat skipped. "What change?"
Elder Malin's eyes narrowed. "Interesting. "Very interesting." He reached inside his pocket and retrieved a little pouch. "Wear this tonight."
I accepted it hesitantly. Inside was a simple moonstone pendant with a leather cord.
"But this is for—"
"Wear it," he interjected. "Hide it under your clothes if you must, but wear it."
Moonstones were precious. They aided our connection to the Moon Goddess during ceremonies. However, they were only given to wolves from influential families (Alphas and Betas). Not Omegas like me.
"Why?" I questioned.
Elder Malin glanced at Mira before returning his attention to me. "Because someone is harboring secrets about you, child. And tonight, those secrets may be revealed."

~

I never mattered in our pack. Omegas like me serve, submit, and survive. We don't dream of love. We don't dream of power.

She was the future Luna. I was just the girl who watched from the shadows.

But everything changed on my 18th birthday.

I felt the bond. I met my mate.

One of the Alpha's sons.

But the Alpha has triplets, and I felt the mate bond with all three and it seems the three of them felt it too — three perfect warriors, three powerful Alphas, three secrets buried beneath the surface.

One of them is my destiny.

One of them is lying.

And one of them might be the death of me.

The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes... but this time, I think she might've given me too much to handle.

Glass shards flew everywhere, cutting my hands as I jerked backward. The picture I'd been seeing vanished in a shower of sparks, but the image was burned into my mind forever.


"Morgana!" My trainee Elena rushed to my side. "What happened? What did you see?"


I stared at the blood dripping from my hands, trying to make sense of what I'd witnessed. "The Final Sacrifice ritual," I whispered. "If they perform it as planned, everyone dies. Not just the Shadow Lords—everyone."


Elena's face went pale. "That's impossible. The ancient books say—"


"The ancient texts are wrong!" I snapped, then instantly felt bad for yelling at her. Elena was just eighteen, barely finished with her training. She didn't deserve my fear and anger.


"I'm sorry," I said, more gently. "But we have a problem. A big one."


Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: The Witch Coven's Price