With a growl, Aria swept the pack kitchen floor. Like always, the other wolves were busy and didn't pay attention to her. People who were omegas were hard to see because they ate last, went to work first, and were easy to forget.
"Aria! "
Those dishes won't clean themselves!" yelled Marta, who was in charge of the kitchen. Her sharp voice made Aria flinch. I agree, Marta. Right away." Aria tucked a piece of raven-black hair behind her ear and hurried to the sink. The huge stack of breakfast plates that she washed seemed to get bigger as she worked on them. Even though her hands were red and hurt, she couldn't complain. Omegas did their jobs without any problems.
That's what everyone reminded her everyday. Through the kitchen window, she spotted three forms crossing the training yard. The Alpha's sons—the triplets. Even from here, she could see how different they were. Kael walked with his shoulders back, every step screaming dominance. Ren moved with a relaxed swagger, high-fiving pack members as he passed. And Dax, quiet as a ghost, kept slightly apart, his eyes watchful. "Stop daydreaming!" Marta snapped. "Those boys aren't for the likes of you." Aria's cheeks burned.
"I wasn't—"
"Save it. Just finish these before lunch prep." With a sigh, Aria returned to her work. Today should have felt special. Eighteen years old. Adult by pack standards. But nobody remembered, not even Liora, her only friend who was busy training with the pack doctor. When the dishes were finally done, Aria slipped out the back door. She had fifteen minutes before she needed to help with lunch. Fifteen valuable minutes of freedom. The spring air filled her lungs as she jogged toward the forest edge. Her legs carried her along a hidden path she'd used since youth. Five minutes of running brought her to the Whispering Grove—a small clearing where white flowers grew year-round and the trees seemed to whisper secrets when the wind blew. Aria dropped to her knees in the center of the space. "Happy birthday to me," she whispered, picking one of the white flowers. Its sweet smell reminded her of happier times, before her parents died in a rogue attack when she was seven. Before she knew what being an omega truly meant. The sunlight filtered through the leaves above, making dappled patterns on her pale skin. In these times alone, she didn't feel worthless.
"They say you listen," Aria said to the trees. The pack elders told stories about the Moon Goddess watching over this special place. "If you're there, I wish for something different. Something more than this." A breeze suddenly rustled through the opening, making the white flowers dance.
For a moment, Aria could have sworn she saw a woman's face in the swirling leaves. Her heart jumped.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
Silence answered her. Aria shook her head. Silly thinking. She glanced at her worn watch—a hand-me-down like everything else she owned. Her break was almost over. As she stood to leave, something caught her eye. A silver-blue flower unlike any she'd seen before grew where she'd been kneeling. She reached down to touch it. The moment her fingers brushed its petals, a jolt shot up her arm. Aria gasped as warmth spread through her body, settling into a pleasant tingle at her wrist. "What was that?" she whispered, studying her arm. Nothing looked changed, but it felt...charged. The trees around her seemed to lean closer, as if sharing a secret.
The wind picked up, bringing a whisper that sounded almost like words: "Remember..." Aria backed away. The Whispering Grove had never actually whispered before.
"I'm late," she said to no one, turning to run back to the pack grounds. As she ran, the strange feeling faded, leaving her wondering if she'd imagined it all. The kitchens were chaos when she returned—lunch preparation in full swing. "Where have you been?" demanded Marta, pushing a potato peeler into Aria's hand.
"We're behind schedule!"
"Sorry,"
Aria murmured, taking her place at the bar. She worked quietly, peeling potatoes while her mind went back to the grove. The strange flower. The whisper. The tingle at her wrist. "Watch it!" snapped the wolf beside her as Aria nearly sliced her finger. "Sorry," she said again. The word felt permanently stuck to her lips. The kitchen doors swung open, and Aria's breath caught. Lyra strode in, her brown hair perfect as always. As the former Beta's daughter, she moved with the ease of someone who knew her place in the world—at the top. "I need to check today's menu," Lyra announced, not bothering with welcomes. Her golden-brown eyes swept the kitchen, landing on Aria with a familiar look of disgust.
"Still here, Omega? I thought they might have finally realized you're useless." The kitchen staff claimed not to hear. No one defended an omega. Aria kept her eyes down.
"The menu is with Marta."
"I didn't ask you to speak," Lyra said coldly. A flash of anger shot through Aria—unusual and powerful. She looked up, meeting Lyra's gaze without thinking. Lyra's eyes opened in surprise, then narrowed. "Know your place, Omega." Something inside Aria whispered: My place isn't what you think. The thought was so clear and strong that for a scary second, Aria wondered if she'd said it aloud. But Lyra was already walking away, demanding the menu from Marta. What was happening to her today? First the grove, now this strange confidence? The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of work. By evening, Aria's back hurt and her feet throbbed. But at least dinner was over, which meant she could finally eat whatever was left. She filled a plate with cold scraps and found an empty table in the corner of the dining hall. Most wolves had moved outside to enjoy the spring evening, leaving her in peaceful isolation.
"Happy birthday, Aria!" Liora slid onto the bench across from her, smiling happily. Her curly ginger hair was tied back, and her freckled face showed real warmth. Relief washed over Aria.
"You remembered."
"Of course I did! I'm sorry I couldn't find you earlier. Healer Brenna had me picking herbs all day." Liora reached into her pocket and pulled out a small package covered in cloth. "I made this for you." Aria carefully unwrapped it to find a band of braided leather with a small carved wooden charm—a crescent moon. "It's beautiful," she whispered, quickly slipping it onto her wrist. "I know it's not much," Liora said, "but—"
"It's perfect." Aria blinked back tears. One person remembered. One person cared. As she admired the band, that strange tingling returned to her wrist, stronger now. The carved moon seemed to glow for a second. "Did you see that?" Aria asked. "See what?" Before Aria could explain, a commotion broke outside. Wolves were shouting, their sounds excited. "What's happening?" Liora stood, peering toward the windows. A young wolf burst into the dining hall. "The Alpha's calling everyone to the main grounds! Some rogues were spotted near our borders!" Liora's eyes widened.
"Rogues? This close?" Aria's stomach twisted. Rogues were wolves without packs—dangerous and unpredictable.
They'd killed her parents. "We should go," she said, leaving her half-eaten dinner. Outside, the pack gathered in a big circle. Alpha Thorne stood in the middle, his massive frame commanding attention. Beside him were his sons—the triplets who would someday lead the pack.
"Secure the borders," Alpha Thorne was ordering. "No one leaves the pack grounds until we know what these rogues want." From her place at the back of the crowd, Aria could barely see.
She stood on tiptoes, trying to get a better view. That's when it happened. All three triplets suddenly stiffened. Their heads turned in perfect unison, scanning the crowd until... Three pairs of eyes locked straight on Aria. She froze.
Why were they looking at her?
Had she done something wrong?
Kael's green eyes narrowed. Ren's golden eyes widened in surprise. Dax's gray stare increased. A strong wave of... something... washed over Aria. Heat. Recognition. Need. It knocked the breath from her lungs.
The crowd noticed the triplets' strange behavior. Wolves turned to see what they were staring at, making a path straight to Aria. "What's happening?" whispered Liora, grabbing Aria's arm. Aria couldn't answer. The tingling at her wrist had become a burning feeling.
The carved moon on her band was definitely glowing now, visible to everyone. Alpha Thorne followed his boys' gaze. When he saw Aria, his face drained of color.
"Impossible," he growled, loud enough for everyone to hear.
In that moment, standing under the attention of the entire pack, Aria felt something shift inside her. Like a door opening. Like a wolf waking.
The whisper from the grove returned, clearly now: "Remember who you are."
And as the three most powerful men in the pack stared at her with shock and hunger in their eyes, Aria suddenly wasn't sure she wanted her birthday wisht o come true after all.