Then we reached a big open space. Many people were gathered there. Sitting. Waiting. When they saw us coming, they all stood up.
In front was a girl. She looked about my age. Maybe nineteen. She had red hair. Green eyes. She wore expensive clothes. She looked at me with sharp eyes. Mean eyes.
So that was her, the girl said. Her voice was not nice. The famous white wolf everyone was talking about.
Luna Elena's face became serious. Bethany. Be nice.
I am always nice, Luna Elena, Bethany said. But her smile was fake. She walked closer to me. She walked around me. Looking at me like I was a thing. Not a person. She did not look special. She looked weak. Small. Were we sure she really had a white wolf?
My face became hot. I felt angry. But also embarrassed.
That was enough, Bethany, Daniel said. His voice was hard. Leave her alone.
Oh, Daniel, Bethany said. She touched his arm. Always protecting the weak ones. Was this his new little project?
Daniel pulled his arm away. She was not a project. She was a pack member now. Show some respect.
Bethany laughed. But it was not a real laugh. Fine. I just wanted to see if the rumors were true. She looked at me one more time. Welcome to Dawn's Light, Ariana. She hoped I could keep up.
She walked away. Her friends followed her. They giggled. They looked back at me and whispered.
I felt small again. Like I did in Silver Moon Pack. Like I was nothing.
Don't mind her, Luna Elena said softly. Bethany was the Beta's daughter. She thought she was better than everyone else. But she was not.
Why did she not like me? I asked. She did not even know me.
Daniel sighed. Because she was jealous. Bethany liked to be the center of attention. Now everyone was talking about me instead of her.
I didn't want attention. I just wanted peace.
The rest of the morning was better. Other pack members came to meet me. Most were kind. They welcomed me. They asked questions but not mean questions. They seemed genuinely happy I was there.
A woman named Sarah gave me a basket of fruits. Welcome, dear. If I needed anything, I should just ask.
An old man named Thomas nodded at me. A white wolf. He never thought he would see one in his lifetime. I was blessed, he said.
A little girl ran up to me. She had curly brown hair. Big eyes. Was I really a white wolf? Could she see?
Her mother pulled her back. Not now, sweetie. Maybe later.
But the little girl's excitement made me smile. A real smile.
By afternoon, I was tired. So tired. Meeting so many people was hard. My head hurt. My body felt heavy.
Daniel noticed. Come. He would take me back to the pack house. I needed to rest.
We walked back together. The sun was high now. Hot. But there were trees that gave shade. The pack was beautiful. Peaceful. Nothing like the Silver Moon Pack where everyone was always fighting. Always trying to prove they were strong.
Daniel, I said as we walked. Could I ask him something?
Of course.
Why was he so nice to me? He didn't know me. He didn't owe me anything.
Daniel stopped walking. He turned to look at me. Because he saw me, Ariana. The real me. Not what people said I was. Not what my old pack thought. He saw a girl who survived. Who fought. Who was stronger than she knew. He smiled. And because everyone deserved kindness. Especially people who had been hurt.
My eyes became wet. Thank you, Daniel. For everything.
He nodded. I was welcome. Now come. Let's get me home.
Home. He called the pack house my home. Maybe it really could be. Maybe I really could start again.
We reached the pack house. Daniel opened the door for me. Inside, it was cool. Quiet.
Rest now, he said. That night, there would be a pack dinner. I didn't have to come if I was too tired.
No, I said quickly. I would come. I wanted to try. To fit in.
I already fit in, Ariana. I just hadn't seen it yet.
He left. I went up to my room. I lay on the bed. Closed my eyes. But sleep did not come. My mind was too busy. Too full of thoughts.
What if Bethany was right? What if I was too weak? What if I didn't belong there?
My wolf stirred inside me. She pushed against my chest. Like she was trying to tell me something.
We were strong, she seemed to say. We survived. We would survive that too.
I took a deep breath. She was right. I was strong. I did survive. And I would keep surviving.
No matter what came next.
The dining hall was very big. Long tables filled the room. Many people sat and ate together. The smell of food was everywhere. Roasted meat. Bread. Vegetables. My stomach growled.
Luna Elena brought me to a table near the front. Daniel was already sitting there. He waved at me. I sat next to him.
That was pack dinner, Luna Elena explained. Every week, they ate together as one family. It helped them stay connected.
Alpha Marcus stood up. Everyone became quiet.
That night, they had a new member, he said. His voice carried through the whole room. Ariana had joined their pack. She came from a difficult past, but she was one of them now. He expected everyone to treat her with respect. To help her. To protect her. His eyes scanned the room. Anyone who had a problem with that could speak to him personally.
Nobody spoke. Some people nodded. Some looked at me with kind eyes.
Good, Alpha Marcus said. Now they could eat.
Everyone started talking again. Passing food. Laughing. It was loud but in a good way. A happy way.
Daniel put food on my plate. Try that. It was really good.
I ate slowly. The food was delicious. While I ate, different people came to talk to me. To welcome me. To ask how I was settling in.
Then I saw her. Bethany. She sat at a table across from us. She was not eating. She was just staring at me. Her eyes were angry. Cold.
Next to her sat a young man. He was very handsome. Dark hair. Strong jaw. He looked like an Alpha. Powerful. Confident. He laughed at something Bethany said, but his eyes drifted to me.
Our eyes met. For a second, everything stopped. My heart beat faster. My wolf pushed forward. Excited. Alert.