THE OMEGA WHO BECAME ALPHA.

THE OMEGA WHO BECAME ALPHA

CHAPTER ONE

THE GIRL THE MOON CHOSE

The night the Moon chose me was supposed to be the night I disappeared.

At least, that was what I later realized.

At the time, I knew nothing.

I stood at the edge of the Moonridge clearing with my hands clasped tightly in front of me, trying not to tremble as hundreds of wolves gathered beneath the silver light.

Tonight was the Moon Ceremony.

Every eighteen-year-old wolf in Moonridge Pack was expected to attend. It was the night our wolves were formally recognized, our strengths evaluated, and our futures quietly decided.

For everyone else, it was a celebration.

For me, it was another reminder that I was different.

I had never shifted.

Not once.

At eighteen, most werewolves had already experienced their first transformation years ago. Some had strong wolves. Others had ordinary ones.

I had nothing.

No wolf.

No family.

No rank worth mentioning.

Only the name Aria Vale, given to me by the pack after I was found as a baby.

"Stop looking so nervous."

Lena's voice came from beside me.

I glanced at my best friend.

She smiled reassuringly, although I could see the concern in her eyes.

"What if tonight is different?" she whispered.

I almost laughed.

"Different how?"

"What if your wolf finally appears?"

I lowered my gaze.

"Then I'll be the first eighteen-year-old Omega in Moonridge history to receive a wolf this late."

Lena shrugged.

"There's always a first time."

"You sound like you actually believe that."

"I do."

Before I could respond, the ceremonial bell rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The crowd immediately fell silent.

At the center of the clearing stood the Moonstone, a towering silver crystal surrounded by ancient markings carved into the ground.

Behind it stood the elders of Moonridge Pack.

At the center was Elder Seraphine.

She was old enough to remember stories that had disappeared from ordinary pack history. Her silver hair was pulled into a tight braid, and her sharp eyes seemed to notice everything.

Beside her stood Alpha Marcus, the leader of Moonridge Pack.

And behind them were several visiting Alphas.

My eyes moved across the gathering until they stopped on one particular figure.

Kael Blackthorn.

I had heard his name countless times.

Everyone had.

Kael was the heir of Blackthorn Pack, one of the strongest packs in the northern territories.

He stood beside his father, Alpha Darius Blackthorn.

Unlike the other young wolves, Kael didn't look excited about the ceremony.

He looked bored.

Until his eyes met mine.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then he looked away.

I immediately lowered my gaze.

"Don't stare," Lena whispered.

"I wasn't."

"You absolutely were."

"I was looking at the Moonstone."

"The Moonstone is behind him."

I elbowed her gently.

She laughed under her breath.

Then Elder Seraphine stepped forward.

"The Moon Ceremony begins."

The first young wolf was called.

One by one, they approached the Moonstone.

Each person placed a hand against its glowing surface.

Some were surrounded by silver light.

Others heard the call of their wolves for the first time.

The crowd cheered whenever a powerful wolf manifested.

Then came my name.

"Aria Vale."

The clearing went quiet.

Not completely.

There were whispers.

There were always whispers when my name was called.

"The wolfless Omega."

"Why is she even here?"

"Nothing will happen."

I forced myself to walk forward.

My shoes touched the cold stone path.

Step.

Step.

Step.

I stopped before the Moonstone.

Up close, it was enormous.

Beautiful.

Terrifying.

Elder Seraphine stared at me.

Her expression was unreadable.

"Place your hand on the stone."

I obeyed.

The moment my palm touched the crystal, everything changed.

The wind stopped.

The sounds of the crowd disappeared.

Even my heartbeat seemed to vanish.

The Moonstone became warm beneath my hand.

Then—

CRACK.

A thin line of silver light appeared across its surface.

I pulled my hand away.

Someone gasped.

The light spread.

One line became two.

Two became dozens.

The entire Moonstone began glowing.

"What is happening?" someone shouted.

I stepped backward.

"I don't know."

The ground beneath my feet began to vibrate.

Then a sound filled the clearing.

A howl.

Not from any wolf around us.

It came from inside me.

My knees nearly gave out.

A strange warmth rushed through my body, followed by a voice that wasn't mine.

Finally.

I froze.

Who was that?

The Moonstone exploded with silver light.

Everyone screamed.

Wolves began growling.

The elders stumbled backward.

And then I heard another voice.

This one came from the crowd.

"No."

It was Alpha Darius.

His face had gone completely pale.

He wasn't looking at the Moonstone.

He was looking at me.

"What?" Alpha Marcus asked.

Darius didn't answer.

Elder Seraphine stepped closer.

Her expression had changed too.

For the first time since I had known her, she looked frightened.

"Impossible," she whispered.

I swallowed.

"What is impossible?"

She didn't respond.

"Tell me!"

My voice echoed across the clearing.

Then something happened that silenced everyone.

The Moonstone rose from its foundation.

It floated above the ground.

A beam of silver light descended from the sky and struck me.

I cried out and dropped to my knees.

Images flashed through my mind.

A woman running through a forest.

A man holding a newborn baby.

A burning house.

A silver crown.

A wolf with glowing eyes.

And then—

A symbol.

A crescent moon surrounded by three sharp points.

I had seen that symbol before.

But I didn't know where.

The vision vanished.

I opened my eyes.

The entire clearing was staring at me.

Then a deep voice spoke from somewhere beyond the trees.

"Moonborn."

The word traveled through the clearing like a warning.

Several elders immediately dropped to their knees.

Kael stepped forward.

His eyes were fixed on me.

"What did you call her?"

The elder who had spoken didn't answer.

Alpha Darius suddenly turned toward his guards.

"Take her."

My stomach dropped.

"What?"

Two guards started walking toward me.

Lena rushed forward.

"You can't just take her!"

"Stay back," Alpha Marcus ordered.

"But she's done nothing!"

"Stay back!"

I scrambled to my feet.

"What is happening?"

Nobody answered.

The guards continued toward me.

I backed away.

Then Kael stepped between us.

"Father."

Darius looked at him sharply.

"Move."

"Why?"

"Because you don't understand what you're standing between."

Kael glanced at me.

For the first time, I saw something different in his expression.

Not disgust.

Not pity.

Fear.

"What is she?" he asked.

Darius's jaw tightened.

"Something that should have remained dead."

My blood ran cold.

I looked at Elder Seraphine.

She was staring at the symbol that had appeared on my wrist.

A silver crescent.

Her face had lost all color.

"That's impossible," she whispered.

I looked down.

The symbol was glowing against my skin.

Then the voice inside my head returned.

Aria.

I froze.

Open the door.

A sharp pain flashed through my chest.

I grabbed my shirt.

"What is happening to me?"

Nobody answered.

Then, from somewhere deep inside me, something growled.

Not a human voice.

Not an ordinary wolf.

Something ancient.

Something powerful.

The crowd fell silent.

Kael stared at me.

And I realized with horror that he could hear it too.

His eyes widened.

"You have a wolf."

I shook my head.

"No."

Another growl echoed through the clearing.

This time, it was louder.

Kael took one step backward.

"That's not an ordinary wolf."

The Moonstone suddenly shattered.

Silver fragments flew across the clearing.

And before I could understand what was happening, every wolf in Moonridge Pack lowered its head.

Not to Alpha Marcus.

Not to Alpha Darius.

Not to Kael.

To me.

I stared at them in disbelief.

Then Elder Seraphine whispered the words that changed my life forever.

"The last Moonborn heir has awakened."

And somewhere in the darkness beyond the clearing, another wolf answered with a howl.

A howl that sounded like a promise.

Or a warning.

THE OMEGA WHO BECAME ALPHA

CHAPTER TWO

THE SECRET THEY BURIED

Nobody moved.

For several seconds, the Moonridge clearing was completely silent.

Hundreds of wolves stood with their heads lowered toward me.

I couldn't understand why.

I had spent eighteen years being ignored.

Eighteen years being called weak.

Eighteen years being treated like the lowest creature in the pack.

Yet now, the strongest wolves in Moonridge wouldn't even look me in the eyes.

My breathing became uneven.

"Lena?"

She didn't answer.

I looked toward her.

She was staring at me as if I had suddenly become someone she didn't recognize.

"Lena," I whispered again.

She finally blinked.

"I... I don't know what's happening."

Neither did I.

I turned toward Elder Seraphine.

"What does Moonborn mean?"

The elder's face remained pale.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Tell m