Chapter 1 – Birthday Blues and Moonlight Hopes
REINA
Birthdays are useless. Especially when you're an omega and no one gives a damn if you're alive or not.
Eighteen. That's supposed to be special, right? The big age. The one where the Moon Goddess waves her magic and hands you a mate. The one where everything changes. Where you get picked. Loved. Claimed.
Whatever.
For me, it's just another day waking up on this squeaky bed in a storage room they like to call my "living quarters." A dusty window. Cold floor. One pillow that feels like it's stuffed with sand.
I sat up, not because I wanted to, but because the door burst open and Mira stormed in like a mini hurricane. She didn't knock. She never knocks.
"Happy birthday, loser!" she yelled.
She jumped onto my bed, nearly broke the leg of it, and held up a plate with a piece of burnt toast. There was a tiny candle stuck right in the middle of it, crooked and already melting wax onto the bread.
"You have three seconds to blow that out before it burns the toast completely," she said.
I stared at it. "You couldn't find a cupcake?"
"Nope. You're lucky I even found a candle."
I sighed and blew it out. The smoke rose straight into my face almost choking me. Of course.
"Make a wish," she added.
"I wish I had real friends."
"I wish you'd stop being a pain in the ass." She shoved the plate at me. "Eat up, birthday girl."
"I'm not hungry."
"You're never hungry."
"I'm never excited either, but here you are, throwing me a one-toast party like it's some big deal."
She rolled her eyes. "It is a big deal. You're eighteen now. That means you could meet your mate tonight."
"Right," I said flatly.
She sat up straighter. "No, I mean it. What if your mate is secretly a royal Alpha who's been dreaming about you for years and he finally sees you tonight and—"
I cut her off. "If I ever get a mate, he'll probably trade me for a roast chicken."
Mira threw a pillow at my face. "You're annoying."
"And you're dramatic."
"I'm trying to make you excited."
"Why? So I can go to some stupid festival and pretend I belong?"
Mira looked at me. She didn't say anything for a second. "I know you think it won't happen. I know you don't believe in this stuff. But… what if it does?"
I shrugged. "Then I'll deal with it."
She got up and grabbed something hanging on the chair. It was a dress. Deep red. Shiny.
"What's that?"
"A gift. Kind of."
"Mira…"
"It's from the donation bin," she said quickly. "No one's gonna notice."
"I'm not going."
"You are."
"No."
"Yes."
"I hate you."
She smiled. "I know."
—
By the time the sun dropped, I was dressed in that red dress, with Mira dragging me across the pack grounds like a kidnapped bride.
Wolves filled the field. Some laughing. Some looking around like hunters. Everyone looked like they belonged. Except me.
I kept my head down. The firelight from the bonfires made everything look soft and golden. There were drums playing in the background. Girls wore flowers in their hair. Guys looked like they'd spent three hours choosing shirts. It was all a little too much.
Mira whispered something about "energy" and "vibes." I stopped listening after the first ten words.
I tried to breathe.
My hands went still. My chest got tight.
Mira looked at me. "Reina?"
I didn't answer. I just stood there, staring ahead. My feet rooted to the ground.
The music was loud. Drums. Flutes. Voices. Laughter. Everything mixed together in the air, and I could barely think straight.
Wolves were holding hands. Some looked like they were holding their breath. Their scents filled the field. Sweet. Wild.
Everything smelled stronger tonight.
Mira grabbed my arm, dragging me deeper into the madness. Her eyes were glowing with excitement.
"Can you feel that?" she whispered, smiling. "Tonight is crazy."
I nodded, but honestly, I felt like throwing up.
Before I could say anything, she spotted a tall warrior with a stupid grin and ran off, hips swinging like she was in a music video. She didn't even look back.
Great.
I was standing alone. In the middle of all this heat and perfume and noise. I wanted to disappear.
I walked slowly toward the biggest fire in the center of the field. The mating flame. It burned higher than the others, a bright orange and gold. They said it flared when two fated mates were near. They said the fire could feel the bond before the wolves did.
Of course, it hadn't moved when I got close. It just kept burning like I wasn't even there.
I looked around, pretending I was fine.
Suddenly, there was shouting. Laughing. Cheers.
I turned my head in time to see a Beta girl scream with joy. A tall male had just claimed her. She was shaking in his arms, and everyone was clapping around them. Another pair—two warriors—grabbed each other by the shirt and kissed like they'd waited years for this night.
It was always them and never me.
Then I walked farther from the crowd. The noise was too much.
I stepped into a quieter spot, near the edge of the trees. The music faded a little. I could hear my own breathing now.
I sat down on the branch wondering if a time would ever come that I would have a mate of mine?
My mind was still crowded when suddenly a strange warmth jotted me off my thought.
It was soft at first. Then stronger. Like someone had placed their hand flat against my back.
I quickly turned around to check who it was but no one was there.
My skin tingled.
I knew something was wrong. Or right. I didn't even know. My heart was racing, and my body started trembling.
I backed up slowly, confused. My head spinning.
Then I walked right into something.
No… someone.