"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.

The shadow world was filled with the sound of my dragon's scream as it died. I watched as everything fell apart.


"Impossible!" I roared and hit the crystal ball hard with my clawed hand. As I looked at the white fire spreading across the battlefield, blood dripped from my hand. My perfect plan was falling apart.


I had to wait for three hundred years. I've been planning this moment for three hundred years while building my troops and corrupting people. Lady Vex was supposed to be my most powerful tool. It was meant to be impossible to stop the dragon.


"Commander," my deputy whispered behind me. "The divine power is getting stronger. It's starting to affect our realm too."


I spun around and backhanded him across the face. He flew twenty feet and crashed into the wall of my throne room. Dark blood spilled across the black stone.


"I can see that, you fool!" I snarled. "Do you think I'm blind?"


Chapter 153 - Chapter 154: The Shadow Realm