"Everything seemed perfect. Nothing was out of place. Then came my tenth birthday. As you probably know, every Alpha child undergoes their first shift on their tenth birthday. I was ecstatic. The idea of having a wolf companion thrilled me. The whole pack shared in my excitement.

"I still vividly remember the moment. As the clock approached 11:59, the anticipation built. I was practically shouting in excitement, jumping up and down. However, there was an underlying uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. I brushed it aside, determined to remain positive.

"When there were only five seconds left, the feeling intensified. And finally, as the clock struck midnight, I closed my eyes, prepared for the anticipated pain. I waited for my princess dress to tear, for the searing sensation others had described. I waited for the bones to break.

"But it never happened. Instead, I was met with the sound of my twin brother's voice. Ervin screamed out in pain, clutching his chest. I watched as his shirt ripped, bones breaking and arms contorting. Black fur emerged, and before my eyes, he transformed into his wolf form.

"I witnessed it all, my twin brother shifting before my very eyes. But I remained unchanged. That's when my parents realized I couldn't shift. They took me to the pack doctor, who confirmed that I lacked a wolf. I was informed that I possessed human genes. And that's when everything changed.

"I became the pack's disgrace, burdened with the title of an omega. I was treated horribly, subjected to mistreatment by my own mother, father, brother, sister, and even my twin. Even at school, I faced relentless bullying. My best friend remained by my side throughout it all, until my brother asked her out. She had harbored feelings for him for a long time, and she betrayed me, becoming one of my tormentors.

"The only person who truly loved and cared for me was my grandma..." I trailed off, a mix of sadness and nostalgia washing over me.

"What the heck?! That's unfair! Just wait until I meet them. They should be praying we don't cross paths. If I do, I'll give them a taste of their own medicine," Alessia gritted out angrily.

"They're fools! Just because she doesn't have a wolf doesn't mean she isn't part of their pack! Who knows, she might be a late bloomer," Esmeralda yelled, her voice filled with frustration.

"Hey, calm down. I'm not going back to them," I mumbled, feeling overwhelmed by their passion and protectiveness.

"Great, then you're coming with us!" Alessia declared.

"But, I... I don't want to be a burden," I hesitated, not wanting to impose on them.

"Nonsense!" Esmeralda interrupted. "You are not going to be a burden. You are like us. You may not have a wolf, but you are one of us."

"You don't have a choice. You're coming with us!" Alessia smirked, her determination shining through.

"You're not alone, Ari," Esmeralda smiled warmly, using the new nickname they had given me.

"Ari?" I asked, surprised.

"Yep, a nickname for you!" Esmeralda grinned. "Oh, my siblings used to call me that," I mumbled, touched by the familiarity.

"Then we'll come up with a new nickname for you, babe!" Alessia chimed in with excitement.

"Huh?" I asked, curious.

"We are your new team, your new family. We want to have our own special nickname for you," Alessia giggled.

Oh.

"Hey, you have necklaces like ours," Esmeralda pointed out, noticing the onyx and moonstone necklace I wore.

"My grandma gave it to me," I explained.

"Here are ours," Esmeralda said, showing me her stone necklace. Alessia displayed hers as well.

"A labradorite stone," I said, observing Esmeralda's necklace.

"An alexandrite," I noted, studying Alessia's necklace.

"Beautiful," I commented sincerely.

"You know the names? We never knew," Alessia said with surprise.

"My pack has a rich history of stones, crystals, and diamonds, among others. My grandma taught me the names," I shared with them.

"This black one is onyx, and this one is moonstone," I informed them.

"Our necklaces have the same design, except for the onyx. But the moonstone, labradorite, and alexandrite ones are identical," Alessia noticed.

She was right. They all shared the same design, with only the stones differing.

"We were from Blood Moon Pack. We used to live so happily," Alessia began their story.

"Wasn't Blood Moon Pack attacked by rogues three months ago?" I asked, recalling the news.

"Yes," Esmeralda confirmed sadly.

"We had a tight-knit family—me, Esmi, Aaron, Mom, and Dad. Ron was our little brother. We were happy. Everything was perfect. A month before the attack, I found my mate, Daniel. He seemed like a sweetheart. Little did we know that he was pure evil," Alessia frowned, her gaze fixed on the night sky.

It was nighttime, and we found ourselves in Flower Wind Pack's territory.

"It was the day we were attacked. It was the day of our cousin David's Alpha ceremony. We were all so happy that he was finally going to become our Alpha," Alessia continued, her voice filled with a mix of sorrow and anger.

"The ceremony was filled with joy and vibrant colors. I remember noticing that Daniel was acting strangely, but I brushed it off, thinking he was just overly excited. Just as David made his vows, cutting his palm and claiming the title, an arrow pierced through his heart. That's when the attack began. A man in black arrived, his face concealed. He called upon his army, and they descended upon us. It was chaos. And then, the man in black revealed his face... It was Daniel. He was the one leading the attack," Alessia's voice quivered as tears streamed down her face.

"Daniel was like a brother to me. He was kind and respected by everyone in the pack. Seeing his face behind that black mask shattered my belief in him. He killed David, our cousin and the future Alpha," Esmeralda continued, her voice filled with pain.

"That's how everything unfolded. The pack was furious, and they tried to fight back, but Daniel summoned his army. We were all captured and thrown into the pack cells. The beatings were relentless. There was no mercy, regardless of age or gender. Women suffered the most," Esmeralda's voice trembled with the weight of those memories.

"Daniel found a new mate, and I could feel the pain of it. It was excruciating. But I refused to break," Alessia interjected, her voice laced with determination.

"We were in no condition to fight. We were battered and bruised. Any man who dared to resist was either killed or subjected to severe beatings. Our cousin Darren, David's younger brother, stood up for the pack despite the brutal treatment he endured. The former Luna, our aunt, also fought for the pack tirelessly," Esmeralda explained, her voice tinged with both sadness and resilience.

"One day, Daniel came for me. I knew what he intended to do. He wanted to rape me. I refused, and he beat me, along with Esmi and Ron. I couldn't bear to witness it any longer, so I reluctantly agreed. But in a moment of surprise, I punched him. He never expected it. His anger intensified, and he nearly killed me. However, he sent me back to the cell. It was then that I learned my little baby brother didn't survive. He was only two years old," Alessia's voice cracked as her tears fell uncontrollably.

"The following day, before dawn, our parents woke us. They had discovered a way for us to escape and go rogue. One of the guards had left our cell door open. But before we could all make our escape, they discovered our plan and launched an attack," Esmeralda sighed, recalling the harrowing experience.

"Only the two of us made it out alive, just me and Ale," Esmeralda said, glancing at her sister, who silently wept beside her.

It was clear that Alessia had endured unimaginable pain and suffering. Her mate had turned out to be a villain, having mated another woman and even taking the life of her own brother. The depth of his cruelty was truly sickening.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, my voice choked with tears.

"It doesn't matter anymore. We are not alone anymore. Now, we have you," Alessia said, rising to her feet. Confusion filled my face as I asked, "What do you mean?"

"Rowy! Now we have you. Me and Ale are not alone anymore. We have found a partner, a friend, a true companion," Esmeralda beamed, joining Alessia in standing.

"Um...thank you, guys! It means a lot to me," I smiled in gratitude. I had never experienced such a sense of belonging in the past five years. This feeling was entirely new to me, and I reveled in it. It was the love and acceptance I had been yearning for.

"Come on, girl! Stand up! It's time for a group hug!" Esmeralda and Alessia exclaimed in unison. Laughter escaped my lips as I stood up, joining them.

We wrapped our arms around each other tightly, forming a circle of solidarity and support. When we finally pulled away, our eyes were filled with warmth and determination. We raised our gaze to the sky, our arms resting on one another's shoulders.

Esmeralda on my left. Alessia on my right.

A shooting star streaked across the heavens, capturing our attention. Tradition dictated that we make a wish upon witnessing this celestial phenomenon.

"This is our new family," Alessia whispered, her eyes glistening with tears of joy. A brilliant smile graced her face.

"A new family," Esmeralda affirmed with a nod.

"A new family, indeed," I echoed, my own smile matching theirs.

"Every story has an end," Alessia began to say.

"But in life," Esmeralda continued.

"Every ending is just a new beginning," I finished, my gaze fixed upon the radiant moon.

The moon, luminous and full, seemed to smile down upon us, as if in agreement with our words.

"A new family. A new future. A new beginning," the familiar voice resonated within me.

And the voice was right. Leaving my old pack had been necessary for a better future, and it led me to these two beautiful souls who now slumbered peacefully before me.

Fate had intervened, uniting our paths and guiding us toward the promise of a brighter tomorrow.