Aurelia POV

My hands shook as I stared at the letter,the words seemed to burn themselves into my mind.

I had no clue who sent it.

A cold chill crawled down my spine.

"No," I whispered to myself.

It couldn't be connected to me.

Could it?

I looked around my tiny room.

The silence felt heavier than usual,the folded paper trembled slightly between my fingers.

A knock sounded suddenly and I jumped.

The letter slipped from my hand.

"Aurelia?" Selina called from outside. "Are you awake?"

I rushed to the door,the moment I opened it, Selina frowned.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

I hesitated before handing her the letter.

Her expression changed as she read.

"What is this?"

"I don't know."

"Who gave it to you?"

"I found it on my bed."

Selina looked up sharply. "You mean someone entered your room?"

"I guess so."

Her face paled. Neither of us spoke for several seconds.

Selina folded the paper carefully.

"I don't like this." She said,

"Neither do I."

"Aurelia..." She lowered her voice.

"Maybe you should tell someone." "Who?"I asked

Selina opened her mouth, we both knew the answer.

Nobody would care,not about some mysterious letter.

"Keep it hidden," Selina said finally.

"What if it's true?" I asked.

She sighed.

"Then we find out during the Mating Ceremony."

The Mating Ceremony,just hearing those words made my stomach twist.

Every unmated wolf in Silver Crest had been talking about it for weeks.

And now we were one night away.

One night until destiny chose our mates,until everything changed.

"What if I don't have a mate?" I asked.

Selina immediately frowned. "You do."

"You don't know that." I said, "Everyone has one." Selina said

I forced a smile.

"Not everyone gets a happy ending."

Selina reached out and squeezed my hand.

"You deserve one."

The sadness in her eyes nearly broke me.

The next morning began exactly the way most mornings did,with humiliation.

"Aurelia!" The shrill voice echoed through the kitchen.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

Serena,of course.

I hurried toward the pantry.

Serena stood waiting with two of her friends.

The moment she saw me, her lips curled.

"There you are."

"What do you need?" I asked carefully.

She tossed a clipboard at me.

It struck my shoulder before falling to the floor.

"You forgot yesterday's inventory."

I bent down and picked it up.

"I finished it." I said

"No." She said

Her smile widened. "You didn't."

I stared at the papers. Someone deliberately removed several pages. The pages I completed.

"You did this," I said before I could stop myself.

"You accusing me, Omega?" She questioned

I immediately regretted speaking.

"No."

"That's what I thought."

One of her friends snickered and Serena stepped closer.

"Since you failed your duties, you'll be cleaning the banquet hall today."

The banquet hall,the largest building in the territory.

The location of tomorrow's Mating Ceremony.

My shoulders slumped.

"Yes,of course" I said

"Good." She smiled.

"Try not to embarrass yourself." She said before leaving.

The banquet hall looked beautiful,huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Silver decorations covered the walls,workers rushed everywhere preparing for tomorrow's celebration.

I spent hours cleaning,sweeping,and moving decorations,and polishing tables.

Ignoring the ache in my muscles. Most wolves couldn't wait for tomorrow.

I wasn't sure how I felt,hope was dangerous.

Hope usually ended in disappointment.

"Aurelia."

The familiar voice made me turn.

Luna Helena stood near one of the decorated tables.

A soft smile touched her lips.

"Good afternoon, Luna."

"You've been working all day." She said

I nodded.

"You should rest."

Rest? I repeated

Omega servants didn't rest,not if they wanted to keep their jobs.

"I'll be fine." I said.

Before she could reply, her expression changed.

One hand flew to her temple,the color drained from her face.

My heart jumped. "Luna?"

Helena swayed,the table beside her rattled.

"Luna!" I shouted.

I lunged forward just before she hit the floor, I caught her.

Gasps erupted throughout the hall,several wolves rushed toward us.

"Get the healer!"

"Call the Beta!"

"Move!"

Helena blinked slowly.

she winced,the pain on her face looked unbearable,without thinking, I grabbed her hand.

The moment our skin touched, something strange happened.

Warmth surged through me.

A strange energy,Helena's breathing steadied.

The tension in her face eased, the pain seemed to fade.

Then the sensation vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

Helena looked at me as if seeing me for the first time.

"Aurelia..." she whispered.

Before either of us could speak again, footsteps thundered across the hall.

The crowd stepped aside.

Alpha Ragnar entered,and Kieran followed behind him.

Ragnar's grey eyes locked onto his mother instantly.

"What happened?" Ragnar demanded.

One healer stepped forward.

"She collapsed, Alpha."

Ragnar's jaw tightened. He crouched beside Helena.

"Mother."

"I'm alright," Helena said softly.

"You don't look alright."

Kieran scanned the room,his gaze landed on me.

"What happened before she collapsed?" he asked.

Every eye turned toward me.

"I don't know."

Ragnar finally looked at me.

The attention made me uncomfortable.

After a moment, he stood.

"Take Luna Helena home," Ragnar ordered.

The healers obeyed.

Helena looked over her shoulder as they escorted her away.

Her eyes found mine. A strange expression crossed her face.

Then she disappeared,the hall slowly returned to normal but the knot in my stomach remained,something was wrong and somehow, I felt connected to it.

That evening, Silver Crest buzzed with excitement,and decorations lined the streets.

Music echoed from every corner of the territory,Everyone talked about one thing.

The Mating Ceremony. I sat alone outside the servants' quarters.

The moon hung above the trees,Tomorrow destiny would choose.

Maybe I would finally belong somewhere,maybe I would finally stop being alone.

A howl suddenly echoed across the territory.

Pack wolves began moving toward the central square.

This wasn't part of the ceremony.

I spotted Selina hurrying toward me.

"Aurelia." She called.

"What happened?" I asked.

Selina grabbed my arm.

"The Alpha just made an announcement."

Fear crawled through me.

"What announcement?"

She swallowed and looked directly into my eyes.

"The Mating Ceremony has been moved forward."

"What?"

"It starts tonight."

Selina's words echoed inside my head, I simply stared at her.

"What do you mean tonight?" I asked.

"The Alpha moved the ceremony forward," Selina explained. "Nobody knows why."

My heart pounded,the ceremony wasn't supposed to happen until tomorrow. Now it was only hours away.

Around us, wolves hurried through the streets of Silver Crest,excitement buzzed through the territory.

Everyone seemed happy,everyone except me.

"What if I don't find my mate?" I asked quietly.

Selina squeezed my hand.

"You will."

"And what if they don't want me?"

Her smile faltered.

"Aurelia...."

"I'm serious." I said and I looked away.

"Look at me, Selina."

My voice cracked. "I'm an Omega."

The weakest wolf in the pack,someone every girl laughs at.

The girl Alpha Ragnar barely remembers I exist.

How was destiny supposed to give someone like me a happy ending?

Selina stepped closer.

"Then your mate would be a fool."

I wanted to believe her,I really did but hope had never been kind to me.

By sunset, the entire pack gathered.

The ceremony was held in the massive central pavilion. Silver lights decorated the building,moon symbols covered every wall,music echoed through the night air.

Hundreds of wolves filled the area.

Unmated wolves stood near the center.

Families occupied surrounding sections,warriors lined the perimeter.

The atmosphere felt electric.

I had never seen Silver Crest this crowded.

My palms were sweaty,my stomach twisted with nerves.

Selina stood beside me.

"You look like you're about to faint."

"I might." I said.

She laughed softly.

Then her expression changed.

"Aurelia."

I followed her gaze,the crowd was parting.

Alpha Ragnar had arrived. Every conversation immediately quieted.

He wore a black suit,his dark hair was neatly styled,his grey eyes remained cold and unreadable. Beside him walked Kieran and behind them came Luna Helena.

The crowd noticed her,whispers spread because she still looked pale.

The collapse earlier had clearly affected her. Concern flickered across my chest.

Helena's eyes swept through the crowd.

She smiled when her gaze met mine.

"Aurelia."

The sharp voice snapped me from my thoughts.

I turned. Serena.

She looked stunning.

Her silver dress sparkled beneath the lights,several unmated males openly stared at her,her smile widened when she noticed my simple outfit.

"What happened?" Serena asked mockingly. "Couldn't afford a real dress?" Her friends laughed.

"Oh, come on," Serena continued. "At least try to look presentable."

Selina stepped forward.

"Leave her alone!" Selina said

Serena rolled her eyes. "I'm just being honest."

"No," Selina replied. "You're being cruel."

Serena's smile vanished,before she could respond, a loud howl echoed through the pavilion.

An elder stepped forward. Elder Marcus.

One of the oldest wolves in Silver Crest. His white hair gleamed.

"The Mating Ceremony will now begin!"

Excitement erupted instantly,my pulse quickened.

This was it,the moment every unmated wolf waited for.

The elder raised both hands.

"Step forward." The unmated wolves obeyed,including me.

I swallowed hard,the crowd blurred in my eyes.

My heartbeat became the only sound I could hear.

"Aurelia," Selina whispered.

I glanced at her.

"You'll be okay." She said,

I nodded weakly then faced forward again.

The elder began speaking ancient words,words older than Silver Crest.

The ceremony existed for generations,long before any of us were born and long before Ragnar became Alpha.

The air seemed to shift,a strange energy filled the pavilion.

My wolf stirred,then it happened. A scent. The strongest scent I ever experienced.

My entire body froze,my wolf suddenly surged forward inside me.

"MATE!"

The word ran through my mind.

Slowly, I turned.

Across the pavilion stood Ragnar Blackthorne.

The world stopped,the crowd disappeared in my eyes.

His head snapped toward me,shock flashed on his face.

The Alpha looked stunned. He was my mate.

The Moon Goddess had chosen him,the strongest wolf in Silver Crest.

Tears immediately filled my eyes in joy and relief because after everything,after years of loneliness,humiliation,someone belonged to me.

I allowed myself to believe things would finally change.

Then Ragnar's expression hardened,the warmth vanished.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

"Did you feel that?"

"The Alpha found his mate."

"No way."

"It can't be....!"

"It is."

The whispers became louder,then silence fell again because Ragnar stepped forward.

Every eye followed him eager to see his next move.

My heart pounded as I watched him step forward.

He stopped several feet away from me,his grey eyes locked onto mine.

"Alpha?" Elder Marcus asked carefully.

The entire pavilion waited for a response

"Aurelia Nightbane." Ragnar finally spoke

The sound of my name from his lips sent hope rushing through me.

I thought everything would be okay.

"The Moon Goddess has made a mistake," he said coldly.

I must have heard wrong,the crowd gasped,someone dropped a glass.

Ragnar's voice echoed through the pavilion.

The world tilted under my feet and the entire pack watched me break.

"I will never accept Aurelia Nightbane as my mate!" Ragnar said again.