Aria's POV

The footsteps settle at my door, then a knock follows. "Aria darling, are you up already?" Mum says and proceeds to turn the door knob, cracking the door open. She walks in with a maid carrying a tray, which I presume contains my breakfast.

"Good morning Mum," I say, and she pulls me in for a hug.

"Oh my darling. I was scared to death, seeing you in your helpless state yesterday. How're you faring now?"

I smile reassuringly. "I feel better, Mum." She places her hand at the side of my face.

"Here you go. Your breakfast." Her gaze shifts towards the maid while she proceeds to place the tray on the dressing table. "I feel you might still be weak, so I brought it up for you."

"Oh Mum, you shouldn't have. I would have come down for breakfast myself," I protest.

"You're still very weak, why let you bother with that?" She moves over to the tray, repositioning the fork and knife. Mum is a clean freak, always organizing at every chance she gets. I can't help it either. I have grown to love this aspect of her regardless.

"Now eat your breakfast and have your rest. I'll call Dr. Blake, the park doctor, to check up on you." I don't waste another second before retorting.

"No Mum. You don't have to. I'm perfectly fine." She surveys my appearance, but isn't quite sure about my claims. When I see she doesn't look convinced, I try to say something to shift her attention.

"I have a training session with Lucien today," I say, wishing she would let me off her hook.

She takes me by my hands. "Darling, I don't think Lucien would mind if you decide to sit out this session with him. What do you say I tell him to let you take a break?"

"No Mum," I retort. "Another thing; I promised Raymond I'd watch him practice today. Please Mum... pretty please." I swing her hands in opposite directions, hoping she buys into my plea this time around. Mum flashes me a smile.

"Okay Aria. But you must promise you won't come back late. We don't want you falling ill a day before your big day. Okay?" She cups my face into her palm.

"Okay Mum. I love you." I move her hands aside, embracing her as she mutters.

"Love you too darling." We pull away and she makes her way out.

I rush into the bathroom to freshen up, eat breakfast, and get dressed for training.

I make my way towards Lucien's training ground. It's an open space, more like a field; nothing really special apart from a few training weapons.

I see him engaging in physical combat, and he isn't alone. Adrian, his beta, is with him. They are going at each other, sparring like their lives depend on it. Lucien is fierce, sending his spear in every direction, but Adrian calculatively blocks him at every point.

"Good morning guys," I say, trying to draw in their attention. Adrian looks in my direction, but Lucien doesn't, using the opportunity to send a spear across Adrian's right arm. He barely misses, dodging the attack as the spear slightly cuts through his skin. He falls to the ground, holding onto his wounded arm as he lets out a whimper.

Lucien gives him his arm in a quest to help him up on his feet.

"Next time, focus. You can't afford to be distracted while on the battleground. Got it?" Adrian lets out a grunt as Lucien pulls him back up with his wounded arm.

"There's certainly no distractions over here, Lucien. It's just Aria," Adrian says as he tends to his wounds. Lucien glares in my direction and returns to practice. I can't believe he just ignores me like that.

Just as I'm about to give him a piece of my mind, Adrian steals my focus with his warm greetings. "Hi Aria, how is your day going?" I switch my attention over to him, tending to his injured arm.

"Hi Adrian. So sorry about that," I say.

"No problem, I'll just take care of this real quick." I move past him, making my way towards Lucien. As I close in on him, he stops training with the spear, halting his practice.

He picks up a cloth and cleans the spear. "Shouldn't you be resting? You're not strong enough to practice today," he says, not meeting my gaze, still cleaning the blood on the blade.

"You barely even responded to me, Lucien. Is there any problem?" He finally looks in my direction, his expression unreadable.

"That's not an answer." He puts the spear back in place and grabs a towel to clean the trickle of sweat rolling down his bare chest. He drags the towel slowly against his skin, his muscles flex in an attempt to mop his body clean. It's tempting, No... It's enticing. My stomach flips, my chest tightens, I bite the inside of my lip to fight the urge not to drool. My jaw tenses.... I have to look away. Just when I'm in need of a distraction.... There my eyes fall on a perfect distraction: a sword.

I go to it, pick it up and start surveying its beautiful design. It's intricate detailing, it's beautiful. Once he's done, Lucien moves towards a hanging support and drops the towel on it.

He inches closer, then l hear him say at my back, "I'm still waiting for an answer." I flinch, spinning towards him, forgetting the proximity that our bodies are at. My hand touches his bare chest and I pull away as though I've touched something hot.

I try to argue about his nonchalant response towards me, but I withdraw. It was pointless, he's probably still mad at me from yesterday's altercation.

I inhale, then exhale. "You're still angry at me from last night. Right?" He leans on a thick wooden pole, while he stares in my direction. "You bet I'm still angry," he says.

"OK, let's just put all that behind us," he smirks at me, like he totally agrees with me.

"That's not a problem, provided you apologize for yesterday. Remember you started it, so it's all your fault." I look at him, puzzled that he would even think of asking for an apology when I'm clearly right about Mara.

"Hell no, Lucien. Not when I know I'm right and definitely not over Mara; who wouldn't give a care if I lived or died." I say as I watch his expression turn sour, lips curl downward. He is about to say something but stops when we hear a familiar voice mutter from afar off.

"Hi Babe."

Aria's POV

I turn around to see Mara walking towards us. "Mara... What the hell is she doing here?" I mutter under my breath, but Lucien turns to flash me a stare.

"Mara is family, Aria, you don't need to be told that, or do you?" he says and walks away to welcome her. She closes in on him and stops right in front of him. His arms encircle her waist while he plants a peck on her cheek.

She blushes at the gesture, but it soon fades as her gaze lands on me. Way to go. Now she isn't going to let me hear the last of it after I crashed her party. They start making their way towards me, and I excuse myself to another part of the training ground.

I can't even imagine putting up with her. Ugh, she's so impossible. Sparring is my worst thing to do, but I'm in for something to keep my mind occupied. My eyes fall on a wooden staff, and I pick it up to practice sparring.

I step forward, spinning the staff with both hands, lunging it in all directions while pretending to block attacks. I duck my head as though someone is sending a spear over it, all in one swift move. Just then Adrian makes his way back to the training ground. He greets Mara and pulls Lucien away in a bid to tend to something important.

Mara moves her gaze towards me and begins walking in my direction. As she closes in on me, I remain focused on training.

She stops at my back, applauding as she utters, "Wow. Way to go, party wrecker. Such an impressive move you've got there." I pause at her words. Party wrecker. Now that's the height of it. Someone needs to call her out on her BS, and if no one is going to, then I am.

I whirl in her direction and meet her cold gaze. I know that look all too well, but sadly it doesn't scare me a bit. I push my staff onto the ground, pinning it in one place while my fingers encircle it.

"Party wrecker," I sigh. "You really think I'd sabotage your party on purpose?"

She picks up a staff beside her and directs its end at me. "Then what does it look like? Huh. You tell me, since you seem to know more than me." She replies with raised brows.

I push the end of her staff away with my hand. "Mara, I don't have all the time in the world for this. I was busy before you interrupted me. So if you don't mind, run along." I pick up my staff to return to training. But Mara does something unbelievable; she lifts her staff to hit against mine.

Shocked, I pause, my face drenched in anger. I grab hold of her staff, my knuckles white around it as I try to dislodge it from her hand, but she doesn't budge, fastening her grip around it.

"Have you lost it already?" I ask, my tone cutting through the air.

She smirks and dislodges the staff from my grip instead. "You bet I have. And you just wait and see how I ruin your big day tomorrow. I bet you can't tell what's coming for you." Her eyes widen, her breathing heavy against my skin. "You messed with the wrong person, Aria. You weak Omega." She proceeds to take her leave, but I pull her by her clothe.

My heart pounding, pupils dilating, knuckles white around her fabric. She spins around, and I point my staff directly at her.

"You think you've got what it takes? I dare you, Mara. I might be that weak Omega to you, but I bet you I don't take threats like this lightly."

She frees herself from my grip and tries to speak, but I cut her off before she can even utter a word.

"You better brace yourself, 'cause I'm not letting you have your way. Not so easily." My gaze pierces into her, and she is too surprised to respond. She wasn't expecting this side of me, and I really don't care what she's thinking right now. I launch my staff onto the ground and begin walking away from her.

As I close in on the exit, she lets out a mocking laugh and fires back, "Run away, you scary little wolf. Ooooh, I'm so scared." She quivers in false fear, her voice rimmed with mockery. I bite the inside of my lip to suppress my anger while making my way out without looking back.

On my way, I encounter Lucien and Adrian making their way back. Lucien flashes me a confused look as he approaches. "Where are you heading off to so early?" he says.

I suck in a breath and let it out at the same time, trying to calm myself in order not to transfer aggression. Once my head suddenly feels lighter, I reply, "I promised to watch Raymond practice, so I should be there." I observe his mood shift; his face suddenly wears a frown, which he tries to conceal with a quick, light smile.

Lucien also plays basketball. He's on the opposite team from Raymond. I know it sounds absurd, but I've never made an attempt to watch him practice. Shocking, considering the fact he's my brother-but it's not like he ever involves me in that part of his life either.

I move past them to make it in time for Raymond's practice. I arrive at the college basketball court, where the practice is taking place. As I go down the stairs to help myself to a seat, I sigh in relief, realizing I really need a breath of fresh air. And this practice works well. I spot Chloe already on standby. I draw closer to her, exchanging hugs and warm greetings.

Practice begins, and we settle into a seat, watching with keen interest as everyone on the team displays their incredible skill on the court. As the practice progressed, Chloe and I show our support by waving foam fingers in the air.

As they continue practicing, the coach draws in their attention by blowing his whistle. "Time out, boys. Take a quick break, then we'll continue," he says, and they halt their practice.

Raymond moves towards Chloe and me, seated in the spectators' section of the court. We smile, waving at him with the foam fingers, while he smiles back.

He approaches us and collapses into a nearby seat. His hand reaches into a cooler carrying refreshments like carbonated drinks and water.

He grabs a bottle of water, twists off the cap, and drenches his face with it before gulping down the remnants.

He lets out a heavy sigh and finally finds his voice. "Hi, girls. Glad you could make it," he says, exhausted, his hands dangling weightless by the sides of his seat.

"Anytime," Chloe and I chorus together. We stare at each other, smiling at the unison in our words.

"Jinx," Chloe blurts out, and we both simultaneously point to each other. "I said that first," she says and cuts my finger with hers, while we all giggle at the same time.

Just then Drake passes by and winks in Chloe's direction. She blushes. My eyes move fast, catching the drama from Drake and then back to Chloe. Raymond witnesses the scene as well, making us both let out a chuckle.

I spin in Raymond's direction,"Raymond," I say while he looks at me with a wide smile spread on his face.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I tease and he readjusts into his seat.

He replies, "You bet I am," Chloe nudges our shoulders in a playful manner, still blushing like she has just seen her prince charming.

Raymond doesn't stop there but proceeds to tease further.

"Tell us, Chloe, what is this chemistry I sense building up between you and Drake?"

I nod in agreement. "Yes, Chloe, please tell us."

Aria's POV

"Stop it, guys," Chloe says, playfully protesting against our teasing, her cheeks turning pink from blushing too hard. "There's nothing going on between me and Drake. And if there is, you guys will definitely be the first to know about it," she says, and we're forced to withdraw from teasing her further.

"Okay Chloe, we'll let you off our hook this time. But just remember; we've got our eyes on you," I say with a mock–stern look while Raymond nods in approval. Together, we move two of our fingers from our eyes and back at Chloe. After this gesture, we all laugh in unison.

Raymond chips in just when the laughter dies down. "Come to think of it, we get to see the full moon tomorrow, same time as your birthday, Aria." A small gasp escapes my lips as I remember the full moon event taking place tomorrow. My stomach flips in excitement; my birthday alongside the full moon event. It just can't get any better than that.

"Wow. Aria, that's nice. Your eighteenth birthday lands right on a full moon. Not many wolves are that lucky, you know," Chloe says as she playfully nudges me by my shoulder.

My lips curl upward in a smile. "You're really lucky, Aria. A full moon on your birthday. That's double your blessings from the Moon Goddess." Just when Raymond utters this, Chloe cuts in. Her face brightens as though something pops into her head.

"I have an idea, guys," she says, and our gazes drift to her. "How about we shift and go for a run in the woods near the park borders, after Aria's party and the Full Moon event?" My face and Raymond's suddenly wear satisfied looks.

"Wow. Way to go, Chloe, that's a great idea," I say, while she smiles and Raymond agrees with a raised brow accompanied by a head gesture.

Chloe tugs onto my arm, with a warm expression framed against her face. "Kiara and I can't wait to see your wolf, Aria," she says. "Our wolves will be the best of friends, just like us." She adds, and we all chuckle while the sound of the whistle shifts our focus. It's Raymond's coach hinting at the end of their break.

Raymond rises to his feet. "Gotta go, girls. I have a basketball tournament to practice for." He stretches and warms up to return to practice. Practice ends at around 5:00 pm. By then, the sun is dropping below the horizon. We all set out to our various houses in a bid to rest for the next day.

I arrive at the park house a little too late, my heart beating frantically in my chest. As I make my way up the stairs, I hope Mum doesn't have any clue I stayed longer than promised. Once in my room, I slowly shut the door behind me, trying not to make a sound that could alert her.

She doesn't notice, I realize once I'm ready for bed. Guess she gets caught up in birthday preparations and Full Moon event planning.

Tired from today's practice, I collapse into my bed, my whole weight sinking in as I think of tomorrow's event. My mind reminisces about what tomorrow holds for me. The Full Moon event, coupled with my eighteenth birthday, looks like a good sign from the Moon Goddess. At this point, I mumble a silent prayer, hoping everything goes as planned. And Mara!! She is definitely the last of my worries. I know she doesn't stand a chance against me. And with this thought, I slowly fall into a deep sleep.

In the Morning,

The rays from the sunrise filter into my room, warm against my skin as my eyes flicker open to another lovely morning. The atmosphere feels lighter than usual. The thought of me turning eighteen settles in my mind, causing a smile to tug on my lips and sending a flutter of excitement through my heart.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." My eyes widen in surprise as I pull myself into a sitting position on the bed. My eyes scan my room for anyone. I didn't see anyone around, causing me to wonder who might be pulling such stunts. Then the voice comes again, now with a laugh that feels all too real.

"It's me, your wolf, Alera." A strange blend of awe and nervousness surges through me.

"Alera," I mutter under my breath. It sounds pure, powerful, and soft at the same time.

"What a nice name. I love it," I tell her.

"I'm glad you do," she says and proceeds to add, "Now get out of bed, we don't have all day. Mila has already sensed my presence, and she can't wait to meet her pup." I peel myself out of bed, freshen up, and get dressed for the morning.

As I glare into the mirror to assess my look, my eyes drift to a small package. It's wrapped in white paper, with a red bow sitting perfectly on top of it. The package is placed on my dressing table, and beside it is a note.

I move over to the package, picking up the note resting on top. A light smile settles on my face as I read Lucien's familiar handwriting:

"Happy birthday to the best sister in the world. A little gift for you on your big day; wear it to your party."

A soft chuckle escapes my lips as I lower the note. While I move to the package and begin tackling the ribbon; then the white wrapping paper follows. Soon my hard work pays off as it exposes a medium-sized box. From its packaging, I can tell the item inside is luxury itself.

As I open the box, I shudder in surprise at seeing the lovely gift inside.