Aria's pov

"Happy birthday to me." I murmured under my breath as I carried the the large tray of pastries into the dining room. Today was my birthday...not just any birthday but 'the great eighteen'. Many wolves looked forward to turning eighteen because that was when your wolf would awaken and you were most likely to find your mate. Most wolves were giddy with excitement on their eighteen birthday but not me. Apart from the dream about Elena waking me up, as usual, I felt nothing. I had waited anxiously for the faintest stir within me, for a hint that my wolf was there lurking within but I felt empty.

I didn't have a wolf and I most likely wouldn't have a mate, maybe this was my punishment from the moon goddess herself. Maybe this was the only way I could atone for what I did to Elena. Guilt gawned at me as I realized I held out hope on meeting my wolf and my mate. If Elena never had the opportunity to meet her wolf why should I?

"This isn't the time to get lost in thought, there is still much work to be done." Trish's harsh voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Don't just stand there, get to work. The alpha would be here any minute." She snapped when I remained unmoving. I snapped into action and made my way back to the kitchen to grab the remaining trays that needed to be brought to the dining room.

"I heard Alpha Rowan is returning with his chosen Luna." One of the slaves announced to her friend as we walked back into the dining room. That was the thing about being a slave, we were deemed insignificant and moved unnoticed, making it easy for us to get information.

"I never thought I'd see the day. The pack members speak about how cold and elusive he is, I must admit I'm suprised he finally took a mate." The other replied.

"I'm sure he did it for the pack, everyone knows he puts his pack before everything else...even himself." The first slave explained. I had heard different versions about Alpha Rowan's personality, from how cold and unfeeling he was to how ruthless he was when it came to dealing with his enemies but we all knew one thing for certain, he cared about his pack almost to a fault. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole reason he travelled was in order to secure a mate.

We went about the rest of the day, placing finishing touches onto the pack house and ensuring everything was perfect especially as it was now clear our future Luna would be present.

"Their here." One of the slaves announced and everyone scrambled into their stationed positions.

Alpah Rowan's beta and other pack members stood right in front of the door, waiting for him and I knew they would take the credit for all the work we had laboured for, just like every other time.

"Alpha." All of them bowed when the door swung open. The slaves remained hidden in the shadows as we observed from a distance. Our duty was to remain hidden and only appear when needed or summoned.

Alpha Rowan slowly stepped into the room and my breath hitched, I couldn't tear my gaze from him and I watched his every move. I had seen Alpha Rowan before but for some reason he seemed to captivate me right at this moment. He was a handsome man with dark brown hair and calculating silver grey eyes. He had a small scar running along his left brow which only added to his allure. Beside him was a tall elegant woman with fiery red hair and honey brown eyes. They looked like the perfect pair and that seemed to make something within me twitch.

Alpha Rowan stilled and scanned the room, my heart beat rapidly when his gaze settled on where the servants lurked hidden. I could feel his gaze on me but I knew that was impossible, he couldn't see me. The necessary introductions were made before Alpha Rowan and his companion were ushered into the dining room. Dinner began in earnest and the slaves moved efficiently and as swiftly as possible to ensure everything played out smoothly.

"Go get another bottle of wine before that one runs out." Trish ordered me and I scrambled into the kitchen, picked up the bottle and returned to the room. I approached the table with shaky hands and just as I placed the bottle in front of Alpha Rowan he stilled. He looked up at me and as our eyes met I felt a bond snap in place.

Could it possibly be?

No, I must be imagining things.

Alpha Rowan's stare burned the side of my face but I ignored it as I let go of the bottle and moved to leave.

"Mate." The words ripped out of his lips as he stared at me and my eyes bulged.

The whole table had fallen silent and we're now watching us curiously.

I wasn't mad, I hadn't been imagining things. Alpha Rowan was my mate, I could feel the bond pulling me towards him.

Maybe the moon goddess had seen that I had suffered enough and I had worked to drag myself out of the abyss of guilt I felt. Maybe I was finally free and the moon goddess had rewarded me by giving me a mate. Joy soared through me and I kept staring at Alpha Rowan like a fool.

"Rowan what's going on?" His companion asked him but he ignored her.

Would he claim me as his mate even though I was a slave?

The thought lingered in my mind as he rose from his chair and faced me.

"What is your name?" His deep baritone voice asked.

"Aria Thorn." I whispered.

"I, Alpha Rowan Blackthorn, reject you, Aria Thorn, as my mate." He announced and pain seared through me.

"I don't need a slave for a mate, I need someone fit to be my Luna." His said with cold eyes before he walked out of the dining room, leaving me with a gutting pain in my chest.

Aria's POV

Pain shot through my chest like a thousand knives. I fell to my knees right there in the hallway, clutching at my heart as Alpha Rowan's words echoed in my head: "I reject you as my mate." The bond between us was breaking, tearing apart inside me. Each rip felt like my skin was being peeled away. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, trying not to scream.

"Get up, slave!" Trish snapped, grabbing my arm. "Whatever game you were playing with the Alpha ends now. Back to your duties!"

I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. The world spun around me as Trish dragged me to my feet. My legs felt like water as she pushed me toward the kitchen.

"Clean yourself up and get back to work," she ordered, shoving me through the door.

I stumbled to the sink and splashed cold water on my face. In the small cracked mirror above it, I barely recognized myself. My green eyes were dull with pain, my face ghostly white.

"Mate rejection," I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue. I had read about it in old pack books. The pain could last for weeks, maybe months. Some wolves never recovered.

A memory flashed through my mind - Elena's small white coffin, covered in flowers. My mother's face twisted with hate as she looked at me across the grave. "You shouldn't be here," she had hissed. "You should be in that box, not her."

I shook my head, trying to push the memory away. Ten years, and still her words cut deep.

"You okay?" a deep voice asked.

I spun around to see a tall man with messy black hair and sharp green eyes watching me from the doorway. I recognized him as Beta Caleb, Alpha Rowan's second-in-command.

"I'm fine," I lied, straightening my back despite the burning pain in my chest.

"You're not," he said simply. He stepped into the kitchen and closed the door behind him. "I saw what happened. Mate rejection is serious. You need rest."

I stared at him in confusion. Why would the Beta care about a rejected slave?

"I can't rest. I have work," I said, reaching for a dish towel.

"I'll handle Trish," Caleb replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial with purple liquid. "This will help with the pain. Take it."

I hesitated before accepting it. "Thank you, but... why are you helping me?"

Caleb's eyes softened. "Because what happened to you wasn't right. No one deserves to be rejected like that, especially not in front of others."

Before I could respond, he turned and left. I quickly tucked the vial into my pocket as Trish burst through the door.

"Enough lazing around! The Alpha's guest needs fresh towels," she barked.

By "guest," she meant Lyra. The woman who had watched me be rejected with a smirk on her face. The woman who would take my place by Rowan's side.

I grabbed the towels and made my way to the guest room, each step sending waves of pain through my body. The rejection bond was getting worse, not better.

As I approached Lyra's door, I heard voices inside.

"She's nothing, Rowan. A slave! What were you thinking, calling her mate in front of everyone?" Lyra's angry voice carried through the wood.

"I wasn't thinking," Rowan answered, his deep voice making my heart ache. "The word just... came out."

"Well, make sure it doesn't happen again," Lyra snapped. "I am your chosen. You rejected her. End of story."

I knocked softly on the door, wishing I could be anywhere else. The door flew open, and Lyra stood there, her red hair wild around her angry face. She grabbed the towels from my hands.

"Wait here," she ordered before turning back to Rowan. "We'll finish this conversation later."

She slammed the door in my face. I stood frozen, not sure what to do. Then the door opened again, and Rowan stepped out.

My breath caught in my throat. Up close, his silver-gray eyes were even more striking. The scar along his eyebrow made him look dangerous. The pull toward him was so strong I had to grip the wall to keep from moving closer.

"Aria," he said, my name sounding strange on his lips.

"Alpha," I whispered, lowering my eyes.

"Look at me," he commanded, and I couldn't help but obey.

For a moment, something flashed in his eyes - pain? Regret? But then it was gone, replaced by coldness.

"What I did was necessary," he said stiffly. "A pack Alpha cannot have a slave as Luna. The pack needs strength. Respect. You understand?"

I wanted to scream, to cry, to beg him to reconsider. Instead, I nodded.

"Good," he said, then brushed past me down the hall.

The pain in my chest flared worse than before. I leaned against the wall, fighting tears.

"He's wrong, you know," Lyra's voice came from behind me.

She stood in the doorway of her room, watching me with narrow eyes.

"It wasn't necessary. He could have kept you as a secret, a toy. But he didn't want even that." Her words were meant to hurt, and they did.

"Stay away from him," she continued, stepping closer. "If I see you looking at him, speaking to him, even breathing near him, I'll make sure you regret it."

"He's my mate," I whispered before I could stop myself.

Lyra laughed, the sound cruel and sharp. "He rejected you. You're nothing to him now."

She slammed the door in my face again, leaving me alone in the hallway.

That night, alone in my bed, I finally let the tears come. I pulled Caleb's vial from my pocket and drank the purple liquid in one gulp. The pain in my chest dulled to a throb.

As sleep began to take me, Elena's face floated into my mind. Not as the seven-year-old who had drowned, but older, how she might look now at seventeen.

"I'm not dead, Aria," dream-Elena whispered. "Find me."

I sat bolt upright in bed, fully awake. The voice had been so clear, so real. A chill ran down my spine as I remembered the words.

"I'm not dead."

I looked around the dark room, heart racing. Something shifted in the shadows by the door. I squinted, trying to see better.

A girl with long blonde hair stepped into a patch of moonlight. Her blue eyes - so much like my mother's - stared straight at me.

"Elena?" I gasped.

The girl smiled, then raised a finger to her lips. "They told you I was dead," she said softly. "They lied."

I lunged forward, grabbing Elena's wrist before she could disappear. My fingers passed through empty air.

"Elena?" I whispered into the darkness.

The moonlight that had shown her face seconds ago revealed only shadows now. Had I imagined her?

A crash from outside my window made me jump. I rushed over and peered out. A dark figure darted across the lawn toward the forest edge. Blond hair caught the moonlight.

Without thinking, I threw on shoes and raced out the door. The rejection pain throbbed in my chest with each step, but I didn't care. If Elena was alive, nothing else mattered.

The cold night air hit my face as I sprinted after the shadow. Branches scratched my arms, but I pushed deeper into the woods.

"Elena! Wait!" I called out.

The forest went silent. No footsteps, no movement. Just me, alone with my pounding heart and the ache in my chest.

"You shouldn't be out here." A deep voice came from behind me.

I spun around. Alpha Rowan stood there, moonlight catching his silver-gray eyes. He wore only sweatpants, his bare chest rising and falling with each breath.

"I saw someone," I said, stepping back. "My sister."

His eyes narrowed. "Your sister is dead."

"I know what I saw," I insisted, even as doubt crept in. "She was in my room, and then she ran out here."

Rowan stepped closer, his face inches from mine. The mate bond pulled like a magnet between us. His eyes flickered down to my lips, then back up.

"You're delirious from the rejection," he said, but his voice sounded strained. "It's making you see things."

"I'm not crazy," I whispered.

Something shifted in his expression. For a second, the coldness melted away. His hand reached up, almost touching my cheek, then dropped.

"Go back to your room," he ordered, but there was no anger in his voice. "It's not safe out here at night."

"Because of wolves or because of ghosts?" I asked.

A muscle in his jaw tightened. "Both."

I held his gaze. "Why did you follow me?"

Rowan looked away. "I felt... something. Through the bond."

"The bond you rejected," I reminded him.

He flinched as if I'd slapped him. "Go back inside, Aria."

Before I could answer, voices called from the direction of the pack house. Lyra's voice rang out above the others.

"Rowan! Where are you?"

Panic flashed across his face. He grabbed my arm, pulling me behind a large tree. His body pressed against mine, hiding us both in shadow. His heart pounded against my back. I could feel his breath on my neck.

"Don't move," he whispered, his lips nearly touching my ear.

Footsteps approached. Lyra and two guards passed by, flashlights sweeping the forest floor.

"Alpha?" one called out.

Rowan's grip on my waist tightened. My skin burned where he touched me.

"He wouldn't be out here," Lyra snapped. "Keep looking near the training grounds."

They moved on, voices fading into the night. Rowan didn't let go right away. We stood frozen, bodies pressed together, neither of us breathing.

"Why are you hiding from her?" I finally asked.

He stepped back like my words had burned him. "I'm not hiding."

"Really? Because it seems like—"

"Enough," he growled. "This doesn't change anything. I made my choice."

"Did you?" I challenged. "Or did someone make it for you?"

Something dark crossed his face. "What are you saying?"

Before I could answer, a twig snapped nearby. Rowan pushed me behind him protectively. Beta Caleb emerged from the trees, eyebrows raised at finding us together.

"Alpha, the council is waiting. They want to discuss... the situation."

"What situation?" I asked.

Caleb's eyes met mine with sympathy. "Pack members are talking about the mate rejection. The council is concerned about what it means for Alpha Rowan's leadership."

Rowan's face hardened. "I'll be right there."

Caleb hesitated, looking between us. "Aria, Trish was looking for you. She's reassigned your duties."

My stomach dropped. "To what?"

"Alpha's personal quarters," Caleb said carefully. "Cleaning, serving, organizing."

Rowan's head snapped toward his Beta. "I didn't approve this."

"Lyra did," Caleb replied, watching Rowan's reaction. "She said you needed more help since the pack keeps growing."

The muscle in Rowan's jaw twitched again. "Fine. But she starts tomorrow."

I stared at him. "You want me working in your rooms? After rejecting me?"

His eyes met mine, conflicted emotions battling in them. "It's just work, Aria."

"It's torture," I corrected him.

"Life is torture," he said quietly. "We all endure what we must."

Caleb cleared his throat. "We should go. The elders are getting impatient."

Rowan nodded, then turned back to me. "Don't go looking for ghosts again, Aria. Some things are better left buried."

As they walked away, I called after him, "Is that why you buried what's between us?"

He froze mid-step but didn't turn around.

I headed back toward the pack house alone, my mind racing. Something was wrong with Rowan. The way he looked at me, the way he touched me—it didn't match his rejection.

Back in my room, I collapsed on the bed, emotionally drained. As I closed my eyes, something caught my attention—a piece of paper on my pillow that hadn't been there before.

With trembling hands, I unfolded it.

*Not everyone is what they seem, big sister. Rowan is under her spell. Break it before it breaks you both. Meet me at the old willow tree tomorrow at midnight. Come alone or I'll disappear forever.*

*-E*

My heart nearly stopped. On the back of the note was a child's drawing—the exact picture Elena had made for me the day before she died. A drawing only she and I had ever seen.

She was alive. And tomorrow, I would find out how.

Unless someone stopped me first.

A shadow moved across my window. I rushed over just in time to see Lyra walking away, her red hair gleaming under the moonlight, a satisfied smile on her face as she looked up at my room.

What did she know? And what would she do to keep me from discovering the truth?