Aria's POV My eyes slowly fluttered open as my pupils took in the light rays of sunlight that rained on me. The sky was now giving off a a faint orange glow, decorated with little white patches of clouds and birds retreating back to their respective homes. It was a relief to feel a less harsh version of the sun on my skin. As my eyes wondered about my surroundings, the memory of what had happened before my sleep flashed through my mind. I had been attacked by rouges and won, then found an oak tree at the center of a field where I laid and rested. I sighed in relief. It was a miracle that I was safe. Out here in the woods anything could have come at me. Wild animals, more rouges or even London's guards. The opening created by the trees roots that I had slept in helped but still, I was glad to be safe. As I crawled out of the small space, I felt my thoughts drift to a certain dream that I had had. For some reason, I couldn't really recall what I had dreamt about. Somehow, I felt th
London's POVI placed the scroll ok the table and broke the seal on it, Elsa and the messenger watching me. After I was done, I opened up the scroll carefully as I recalled the rattle sound it had made when I collected it from the messenger. The faint crackle of the parchment as I unrolled the scroll added to the tension in the room. I paused as I sighted my name at the top and looked at Elsa whose eyes were fixed on the scroll, a mix of curiosity and concern written on her face. She looked up from the scroll at me and I quickly averted her gaze. "I still have a lot of messages to deliver, Alpha London," the messenger said and I turned to face him. "I don't think the Lycan King would take my lateness too lightly." I grunted, ignoring his remark as I moved my attention back to the scroll. With the room now silent, I proceeded to unroll it. The looping script soon became invisible and I went on to read aloud its contents;"To London, I am writing this letter to inform you that the s
Ryder's POV It was already night-time and seven hours since I sent the letter to London. My messenger still hadn't returned but I wasn't bothered. Nothing at this moment bothered me anymore. I took a small sip from the cup of tea in my hands and sighed loudly. Relaxing the small couch, I stared at the fireplace, watching as the flames danced around the log of woods that had been thrown into the pit. I smiled and took another sip from my cup. "Alpha Ryder," I heard someone call out from behind me. Turning around, I saw John standing in the doorway of my study with something in his hands. "Yes, John," I muttered as I slowly turned back to face the fire, taking a small sip in the process. "What is the matter?" "Are you worried that the messenger you sent to deliver your message to London hasn't arrived?" John asked with a concerned tone as he stepped further into the room.I chuckled softly before downing the entire content of the cup. As I picked up the jug of tea on the table besi
Ryder's POVI opened my eyes wide, panting loudly. The harsh desert wind blew against my face, striking me with little stones that tore at my skin. I grunted, blinking twice as some of them entered into my eyes. "Where am I?" I muttered, coughing as I looked around the place. My entire surrounding was covered in a thick cloud of dust, one that made it hard for me to breathe and see. But still, something told me to walk. Placing my hands over my face, I took a step, defying the strong push of the wind. The ground under me seemed to move with every step that I took, making it seem like I was stationary. But I still walked. All of a sudden, just as fast as it had come, the sand storm sudden disappeared. Almost instantaneously, the entire place went dark. it was as if someone had placed a cloak on the sun, drowning it of it's light. "What the fuck is happening?" I said under my breath as I continued on, my hands placed right in front of me. My senses were at high alert but the oppres
Aria's PovToday was the annual mating ceremony, and also the day, five years ago, that I lost my parents to the cold hands of death. They were killed by rogue wolves, and all that remained of them were bits and pieces of their torn out flesh.Smack! I felt a sharp sting on my left cheek which snapped me back to reality."Ouch!" I winced in pain, as the slap echoed in my ears. I rubbed my stinging cheeks with my palm, as tears welled up in my eyes."Get your head out of the clouds, Aria!" Mrs. Beatrice, the person in charge of caring for the Alpha's quarters barked. "There's a lot of work to do before the mating ceremony tonight, and you are here daydreaming?!""I– I'm sorry Mrs. Beatrice," I bowed and apologized in a trembling voice, and got back to cleaning, even though my cheeks still hurt, there was no time to nurse that now."Sorry Aria," my wolf, Ava comforted me. "Just say the word, and I'd have her head rolling," she threatened."Yeah right," I rolled my eyes at my hot-headed
Aria's Pov"Mate!" Ava called again in a louder voice.My heart skipped a beat. "A- Ava are you sure?" I stuttered, not wanting to get my hopes up."Mate!" Ava said again happily, jumping excitedly in my mind."Are you sure about this?" I asked again. "Hope you're not doing this because I'm losing all hope of finding a mate?""Trust me Aria," Ava said. "He's here, I can sense him.""Why can't I sense him?" I questioned. "Cause your heart is finding it hard to accept," she told me. "Now let's go find out mate," she urged.I sighed in defeat. "Where is he?" I asked, even though I couldn't sense him yet. Well, I just have to trust Ava on this."Just walk straight ahead, and climb the first stairs you come across on your right," Ava described."Stairs?" I asked in disbelief. "Why go up the stairs? All the unmated werewolves are down here.""Quit complaining, Aria," Ava scolded me, with a hint of frustration in her voice. "Just trust me, will you?""Alright, alright," I said and did as Av
Aria's PovAs I said the official rejection words Ava howled in pain and we felt the mate bond severing. I stared at London with so much desperation, hoping against hope to at least see an ounce of pain or regret, but London was fine, and his expression remained cold as ice.London turned to Elsa and gave her a long, passionate kiss."Why can't he feel any pain?" I mumbled under my breath."People should learn to know their place," London said as he and Elsa walked hand in hand towards the stage. "The moon goddess clearly made a mistake," London said, staring at me with nothing short of contempt. The pack members nodded their heads in agreement. "An orphaned omega with no roots will NEVER be my mate, or future Luna of the great Startling Pack."There was no point trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down my cheeks, so I just let it flow shamelessly. Maybe, just maybe, it would reduce the hurt I'm feeling."There's no other she-wolf worthy of being my mate, and Luna of
Ryder's PovTwo weeks Later...I was barely holding on to the remnants of sleep when a persistent knocking echoed. I was a light sleeper and any slight noise I could hear from a mile away."Go away Ma Levine," I grumbled half asleep, as I already caught her familiar scent of freshly baked bread."I'm coming in," she announced from the other end and turned the doorknob."Ugh!" I grumbled in frustration, burying my head deeper into the pillow.Ma Levine walked in and pulled the duvet I was wrapped in, off me."I just want to sleep some more," I protested and covered myself with the duvet again.Ma Levine chuckled. "Who would believe that the almighty Lycan King, Ryder Nixon was such a big baby?" She teased and pulled the duvet off me again. This time around, she tossed it far away, and the only way I could get it back was by getting up from bed, which I was clearly not ready for. "Get up boy," she instructed as she made her way to my bathroom to prepare a warm bath water for me."Go hav