1. SHATTERED DREAMS
(Ava’s POV)
I had been counting down the days to my twenty-first birthday. For most werewolves, our wolves come at eighteen, but I was a late bloomer. I had to wait three extra years, listening to the whispers and feeling the stares of pity from the other pack members. An omega without a wolf. Pathetic. At least that’s what they thought. But tonight, everything was going to change.
It was the height of mating season, and tonight, during a pack gathering, I’d find my fated mate. I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my face as I hurried through the hallways of the pack house. My heart raced, not just because I was about to serve dinner to the Alpha and his important guests, but because of what I’d sensed earlier.
The moment I walked into that meeting room, carrying trays of food, I felt it. The pull. The magnetic force that told me my mate was near. My wolf, finally awakening inside of me, had stirred with recognition, and when I glanced up, I met the dark, piercing gaze of Alpha Caleb.
He smiled at me.
The warmth from that single look washed over me like a tidal wave, making my legs weak. He knew. He knew I was his mate too. The relief that surged through me was indescribable. I had always admired Alpha Caleb from afar. He was powerful, fair, and devastatingly handsome. I had dreamed of being his Luna ever since I was a child, even though I knew my chances were slim. I was just an omega—lowly, weak, overlooked.
But fate had other plans.
After the meeting ended and I was done with washing the dishes, I made my way down the halls to find my best friend, Tessa. I couldn’t wait to tell her the news. She had always been by my side, even though she was our Beta’s daughter. With her noble status and strong wolf, she could’ve easily chosen to distance herself from someone like me, but we’d been inseparable since we were kids. She had always encouraged me, always believed that something special awaited me, even when others didn’t.
“Tessa!” I burst into her room, my breath coming fast from excitement. She turned to me with a curious look. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, and her clothes were immaculate as usual, befitting her status.
“Ava? What’s going on?” she asked with a smile.
I could barely contain myself as I closed the door behind me. “You won’t believe it! Alpha Caleb is my mate!”
Her eyes widened. “What? Are you serious?”
I nodded vigorously, my grin so wide my cheeks hurt. “It happened just now, during the meeting. I felt the bond, and he looked right at me. He knows, Tessa. He smiled at me. Can you believe it? Me, the Luna of Ravenwood Pack!”
Tessa’s expression shifted briefly, something unreadable flickering across her face before she smiled again, wider this time. “Ava, that’s… amazing!” She reached out and hugged me tightly, her grip surprisingly firm. “I’m so happy for you.”
I pulled away, beaming. “I know! I can’t believe it either. It feels like a dream. My life is finally going to change. No more being treated like an omega. I’ll be standing beside Caleb as his Luna.”
Tessa’s gaze softened. “You deserve it, Ava. After everything you’ve been through.”
Her words made my chest swell with warmth. She was right. This was my time. Finally, I’d be recognized for something more than just being an omega. I’d be the Luna, powerful and respected, with Caleb by my side.
“Why don’t you go wait in your room?” Tessa suggested, her voice gentle. “I’ll come by in a bit, and we can celebrate properly.”
I agreed easily. “Okay! I’ll wait for you. Don’t take too long!”
Tessa chuckled. “I won’t.”
I left her room, feeling lighter than I had in years. Everything was falling into place. I couldn’t wait for Caleb to announce it publicly tonight. Soon, the entire pack would know that I was their future Luna.
When I got back to my room, I paced back and forth, too jittery to sit still. I imagined how grand the ceremony would be, how everyone would look at me with awe and respect once Caleb claimed me. It felt like hours before Tessa finally showed up, carrying a tray with two steaming cups.
“Tea?” I asked, surprised.
She grinned, setting the tray down. “Just a little something to calm your nerves. Tonight’s going to be huge for you, after all.”
I smiled, taking the cup she handed me. The warmth of the tea felt soothing as I took a small sip. We sat together, chatting about what the ceremony might look like, how I’d dress as the new Luna, and what my future would hold. Tessa seemed excited for me, though there was something in her eyes that I couldn’t quite place. A flicker of something… dark? But I brushed it off. Tessa was my best friend. She had always been there for me.
After we finished the tea, Tessa gave me another quick hug. “I’m so proud of you, Ava,” she said softly. “I’ll see you at the ceremony.”
I watched her leave with a smile. I felt a bit drowsy after the tea, but I assumed it was the nerves catching up with me. Tonight was going to be the best night of my life.
When the time came, I hurried to the grand hall where the pack gathered. My heart was racing in my chest, the excitement bubbling up with every step I took. The hall was filled with pack members, all dressed in their finest clothes. The air was thick with anticipation as Alpha Caleb stood at the front, tall and commanding as always.
I took my place at the back, my hands clasped tightly in front of me. I could feel the eyes of the pack on me, but I didn’t care. I knew that in a few moments, they would all know that I was their future Luna.
Caleb stood tall, his gaze scanning the room, and then he smiled. My heart soared as he began to speak.
“Tonight,” he said, his voice deep and authoritative, “I will announce my fated mate, the one destined to stand by my side as Luna of the Ravenwood Pack.”
My breath caught in my throat. This was it.
His eyes swept over the crowd, pausing on me for the briefest moment, and I smiled, anticipation building. But then… he turned to his right. To where Tessa stood.
My heart stopped.
“And my fated mate,” Caleb announced, his voice ringing through the hall, “is Tessa Morgan.”
I felt the world tilt on its axis. I couldn’t breathe. My chest constricted, a cold wave of disbelief washing over me as I stared at Caleb, my mind scrambling to make sense of what was happening. He was supposed to say my name. I was his mate. I felt the bond.
But there he stood, smiling down at Tessa, the entire pack cheering as if this was the happiest day of their lives.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I just stood there, frozen, while my best friend basked in the glory that should have been mine.
And as Tessa glanced back at me, her smile never faltered.
