Aria's POV
The bucket flew across the marble floor before I could stop it. Dirty water exploded everywhere all over my dress, all over the floor I'd just spent two hours scrubbing.
Oops. The young wolf didn't even look back as he walked away with his friends. Their laughter echoed down the hallway.
My hands shook. Don't cry. Don't you dare cry.
I was invisible here. I'd always been invisible.
Still cleaning, child? Omega Mary appeared in the kitchen doorway. She was the only person in this entire pack who'd ever been kind to me.
They kicked it over again, I said quietly.
Mary shook her head and helped me mop up the mess. When we finished, she pressed something warm into my hand. Bread. Fresh from the oven.
Tomorrow's your birthday, Mary whispered. Maybe you'll finally shift.
My stomach twisted into knots. Tomorrow. The ceremony. My last chance.
What if I don't? The words tumbled out. What if there's really nothing inside me?
Mary squeezed my hand. Then you'll survive anyway. You're stronger than you know.
But I didn't feel strong. I felt terrified.
I finished cleaning and headed to the storage closet. That's when I heard voices from the library. I should've kept walking. But one voice belonged to Drake Morrison, and my stupid heart made me stop.
Drake was the Beta's son. Tall, handsome, with sandy brown hair and warm brown eyes. He'd always been nice to me bringing me extra food, asking how I was. Sometimes I caught him looking at me, and I'd let myself hope that maybe...
Are you sure about tomorrow? That was Sienna Stone. Alpha Marcus's daughter. Beautiful, powerful, perfect.
About what? Drake asked.
My blood went cold.
When that wolfless servant finally fails in front of everyone.
Drake laughed. Actually laughed.
The sound cut through me like a knife.
It'll be a relief when my father finally gets rid of her, Drake said. She's been following me around like a lost puppy for years.
I couldn't breathe.
She thinks you like her, Sienna said, laughing.
I know. Pathetic, right? I only tolerate her because my father asked me to watch her. But after tomorrow, that's done.
I ran. I didn't care if they heard me. I just ran.
My basement room was tiny and cold, but it was mine. I locked the door and slid down against it, hugging my knees to my chest.
Pathetic. That's what he thought of me.
Everything every smile, every kind word, every moment I'd treasured had been a lie.
I touched the silver pendant around my neck. A wolf, carved in beautiful detail. The only thing I had left from my parents.
Sometimes I could almost remember them. Warm arms holding me. My mother's laugh. My father's deep voice. But then the memory shifted to fire and screaming, and Alpha Marcus carrying me out of the burning house.
Your parents are gone, he'd told five-year-old me. But I'll take care of you.
He'd taken care of me by making me his servant for eighteen years.
Tomorrow was my twenty-third birthday. Tomorrow, I'd stand in front of the entire pack and try to shift. And when nothing happened because nothing ever happened everyone would finally know the truth.
I was wolfless. Worthless. Nothing.
I couldn't sleep. Around midnight, I snuck out of my room and climbed the narrow stairs to the roof. It was my secret place. The only place I could breathe.
The moon hung fat and silver in the sky. Tomorrow night it would be full. Perfect. Waiting for me to fail.
Please, I whispered to that cold, distant moon. If there's anything inside me anything at all please let me find it tomorrow.
Movement below caught my eye. In the garden, two figures walked together. Drake and Sienna. She had her hand on his arm. As I watched, he pulled her close and kissed her.
I looked away, my chest aching.
Tomorrow, everything would change. I'd stand in that ceremony circle. I'd reach for a wolf that didn't exist. And when I failed, Alpha Marcus would throw me out.
But maybe that was okay. Maybe leaving this place leaving the lies and the cruelty and the pain was exactly what I needed.
I stayed on the roof until the cold drove me back inside. My room felt even smaller than usual. I lay on my thin mattress and stared at the ceiling.
Four hours until dawn. Four hours until the longest day of my life began.
Someone pounded on my door before sunrise.
Get up, wolfless! Sienna's voice cut through my sleep. You're needed in the kitchen. Now.
I dragged myself out of bed and pulled on my servant's dress. My reflection in the cracked mirror showed a girl with mousy brown hair and dull gray eyes. Nothing special. Nothing worth looking at.
The kitchen was chaos. Tonight's ceremony meant extra food, extra work, extra everything.
Aria! The head cook barked. The Alpha wants his breakfast. Move!
I carried the heavy tray upstairs to Alpha Marcus's private dining room. My arms shook. I hadn't eaten since yesterday's bread.
Alpha Marcus sat at the head of the table. His cold blue eyes tracked me as I set down his food.
Tonight's the night, he said. His voice was smooth, but something in it made my skin crawl. Your last chance to prove you're worth the air you breathe.
I kept my eyes down. Yes, Alpha.
Look at me.
I forced myself to meet his gaze.
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. I took you in when you were orphaned. Gave you a home. Fed you. Kept you safe. He leaned forward. If you fail tonight, you'll leave with nothing. Do you understand?
Yes, Alpha.
Good girl. He waved me away like I was a fly.
I fled back to the kitchen, my heart racing. Something in his voice something in the way he'd looked at me felt wrong. Dangerous.
But I didn't have time to think about it. There was too much work to do.
The day crawled by in a blur of cleaning and cooking and keeping my head down. Every pack member I passed looked at me with either pity or disgust. Tonight, I'd give them a show. Tonight, I'd fail spectacularly.
As the sun began to set, Mary found me in the hallway.
Here. She pressed something into my hand. A small leather pouch. Your mother gave this to me before she died. She made me promise to give it to you on your twenty-third birthday.
My heart stopped. What?
I can't explain now. Mary glanced around nervously. But Aria be careful tonight. Nothing is what it seems.
Before I could ask what she meant, she hurried away.
I ducked into a closet and opened the pouch with shaking hands. Inside was a folded piece of paper, old and yellowed. I unfolded it carefully.
The handwriting was elegant, feminine.
My darling Aria,
If you're reading this, then I am gone. But you need to know the truth. You are not what they told you. The fire was no accident. Marcus
Footsteps approached. I shoved the letter back into the pouch and hid it in my dress pocket.
There you are! Sienna grabbed my arm. The ceremony starts in ten minutes. Everyone's waiting.
She dragged me toward the ceremony grounds, her nails digging into my skin.
My mind raced. The fire was no accident. Marcus
What had my mother been trying to tell me?
We reached the clearing. Hundreds of pack members formed a circle around a raised platform. The full moon was rising, huge and silver.
Alpha Marcus stood on the platform. When he saw me, he smiled that cold, empty smile again.
Ah, Aria. Perfect timing.
Something was very, very wrong.
And I was about to find out what.