and more importantly, the night of her first shift. She paced back
her fingers through her long dark hair. "Every
r Silver Ridge territory. The moon seemed different tonight-tinged with r
her door ma
came through the door. Alpha Caius Vale, leader o
ceremonial dress that all wolves wore for their first sh
ther waiting, his gray eyes-the sa
ant to be," he said, placing his hands on h
of Elias Storm, the young Alpha who would one day replace her father, was the greatest honor.
sked, following her fa
ne is waiting in t
touch the stars. As Serena and her father approached, she saw hundreds of wolves gathered in concentric ri
the firelight. When he saw Serena, his blue eyes lit up, and he smiled-a smile that normally made
e center of the circle. She held her head high, trying to
nnounced, his voice carrying across the hushed crowd. "Future Luna
Serena's hand in his. His touch
," he said, but his voice sou
like waves. Serena closed her eyes, feeling the energy building i
" her fathe
against the ancient rock. The crimson moon now hung di
" Elias called to h
rching for the wolf she knew was there. She had felt her prese
he gasped, doubling over as her bones began to crack and reshape. This wasn't
her voice distorting as h
faltered. Someone g
ng to her?" a v
lver-white paws of her family line, but into massive black claws, her
ered, horror etching h
g as Serena's human form gave way to the wolf within. But as the
the altar. Serena's fur was darker than midnight, seeming to absorb the
ed, and the words spread lik
se has r
a mon
otect th
as, expecting him to defend her, to calm the pack. Instead, s
to say, but it came
shaking. "You're not what we tho
physical agony of her transformation. She turned to
of disgust and betrayal. "How could this happ
whispered nearby. "Born u
ower rushed through her body. The torches around the clearing suddenly flared higher, then went out com
en in the darkness, Serena could see clearly-see the fear an
uted. "Before she brings
now!" anothe
at her to run. This couldn't be happening. This was
ced, his voice now cold and formal, "by the power vested in me as future Alpha
s. Rejected. Cast out. By the man who w
ry," Elias continued. "After that, you wi
But beneath those emotions, something else stirred-s
t, and she saw Elias flinc
crashed through the circle of terrified wolves. Her powerful legs carri
voice, cracked with emotion: "Find
e was cursed, hunted, and completely alone. But something told her this was just the beginning