Life with my mom and dad was simple, full of joy—back when the pack wasn’t divided, and before the scars of loss marred our family.

“Aria! Come on, sweetheart, you're going to be late!” My mom’s voice echoed through the house, warm like the sunshine that filtered through the kitchen windows.

I rushed downstairs, my small legs bouncing with energy. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” I grinned, skidding to a halt as I saw her by the stove. She was flipping pancakes, her long brown hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked beautiful, as she always did, with that gentle smile that made everything feel okay.

“Pancakes again?” I teased, climbing onto the chair.

Mom laughed, flicking a tiny bit of batter at me. “You act like you don’t love them.”

“I do! I do!” I giggled, wiping the batter from my cheek. “Dad loves them too!”

As if on cue, my father, the Alpha of the Ravenhowl pack, walked into the kitchen, his presence commanding yet so soft when it came to us. “Do I smell my favorite breakfast?” he asked, his deep voice filling the room.

“You always know when it’s ready,” my mom teased, kissing him on the cheek. “Go easy on the syrup this time, you’re setting a bad example for Aria.”

“Me?” My father gave an exaggerated expression of innocence. “I would never.”

I beamed as I watched them. It wasn’t always easy being the daughter of an Alpha, but moments like these made it feel like nothing could ever go wrong.

“Dad, can we go for a run later?” I asked between bites, excited at the prospect. “Mom too?”

Dad looked at me thoughtfully, his eyes shining with affection. “Only if you can finish your pancakes without rushing through them.”

“I will!” I promised, stuffing another bite into my mouth, and the three of us shared a laugh.

Life was perfect. Every day was filled with little moments like these. The pack was strong, and our family was closer than ever. My parents were a perfect match—my mother, kind and patient, balancing my father’s fierce leadership. And me? I was their little ray of sunshine, the future of the pack, though I didn’t quite understand the weight of that responsibility yet.

“Aria, remember what I told you about the pack,” Mom said softly one evening, as she brushed my hair by the fire. “Our strength comes from our bond. Family always comes first.”

I leaned into her touch. “I know, Mom. And I’ll always be part of the pack, right?”

She smiled, her eyes softening. “Always.”

That memory fades until that one very night.

It was supposed to be a normal evening. Mom and Dad were preparing for a pack meeting. The moon was bright in the sky, casting a silvery glow over our territory.

Suddenly, a howl ripped through the night—a warning cry from the pack’s perimeter.

My father’s head snapped up. “Get inside, now,” he commanded.

“Dad, what’s happening?” I asked, trembling.

Before I could move, shadows emerged from the tree line—rogues, their eyes wild with hunger and desperation. There were too many of them, more than our patrols could handle.

“Inside!” My mom grabbed me, pulling me toward the house as my dad charged at the intruders in his alpha form, his massive black wolf tearing into the first rogue that dared to cross into our territory.

The battle was chaotic. I could hear growls and the sickening sounds of flesh tearing as the rogues fought against our pack. My father was outnumbered despite being strong.

“Now, Aria… stay inside. Stay safe.”

I watched in horror as my mother shifted, running toward the fight to protect the pack—protect us. I could still hear her last words, echoing in my ears.

But safety didn’t last.

Then I saw my mom, caught between two rogues, fighting with everything she had, but it wasn’t enough. One of them bit down on her shoulder, and the other slashed across her side.

“Mom!” I screamed, my heart breaking as I watched her fall.

She collapsed, blood pooling around her as the rogues closed in. My father’s roar shook the ground, but he was too far away to reach her in time. By the time he got to her, it was too late.

I ran to her side, tears streaming down my face. “Mom! No!”

Her eyes fluttered open, pain filling them as she looked up at me. “Aria...”

“Don’t leave me,” I sobbed, clutching her hand.

“I love you,” she said on her last breath.

The days after my mom’s death felt like a never-ending storm, one that refused to let up. The sky was always gray, rain falling in sheets as if the world itself was mourning with me.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen the sun. I barely even saw my dad. He was either locked away in his office or outside, barking orders to the pack. Once full of warmth, his eyes now carried only fury and grief.

"Have you eaten anything today, Aria?" My father would ask occasionally, but it was more out of obligation than care.

“Yeah,” I’d lie.

I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Not when the house felt so empty. Not when I knew she would never walk through the door again, smile at me from across the table, or scold me gently for not finishing my food. I’d just sit at the table in silence, staring at the rain-soaked window, waiting for something or anything to make the pain stop.

Dad had changed too. He was no longer the strong but kind Alpha I’d always admired. Now, he was always on edge, his temper sharp as a blade, ready to cut at any moment. Even the pack members noticed it.

One evening, after what felt like weeks of rain, Dad finally summoned me to his office. I didn’t know what to expect. He hadn’t called for me in what felt like months. As I walked in, I noticed how tired he looked. Dark circles framed his eyes, and his posture was rigid like he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Sit,” he ordered, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

I obeyed without a word, sitting down slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. Something about the way he was looking at me made me uneasy, like he had already made a decision I wouldn’t like.

“We need to talk about your future,” he began, his voice cold and detached.

I frowned. “My future?”

“Yes.” He paused, his fingers tapping the edge of his desk, a nervous habit he hadn’t shown before. “The attack… it wasn’t just random.”

I felt my heart stop for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“The rogues…” He exhaled sharply, as if the words were painful to say. “It was politically motivated. There’s been unrest between the neighboring packs. Some are pushing for an alliance, but others see me as a threat. Your mother’s death…” His voice wavered, just slightly. “It wasn’t an accident.”

I stared at him in shock, my breath catching in my throat. “You’re saying… my mother was killed because of politics?”

“Yes,” he said flatly. “Because I’m the Alpha of Alphas, and they see me as too powerful. Taking out someone close to me was a message.”

Anger and sadness bubbled up inside me, mixing into a volatile storm of emotion. “So what? They just killed her to get to you?”

He didn't say a word but the answer was clear enough.

“Which is why you need to leave.” he continued.

I was confused with what he meant. “What? Leave? Where would I go?”

He leaned forward with a hard gaze. “You’re going abroad. I’ve made arrangements.”

“Abroad? Why?” I asked, panicking. “I don’t want to leave. I belong here, with the pack… with you!”

His eyes darkened. “It’s not safe for you here anymore, Aria. If they killed your mother to get to me, they’ll come after you next.”

“But—”

“No buts.” His voice was sharp, cutting through my protests. “I need you to understand that this is for your safety. If you stay, you’ll be a target. I can’t focus on leading the pack if I’m constantly worrying about you.”

“So, you're just sending me away?” I felt the sting of betrayal. “Like I don’t matter?”

He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “You matter more than anything, Aria. That’s why I’m doing this. If something happened to you…” He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Silence fell between us. Finally, I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper. “When do I leave?”

“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice cracking ever so slightly.

Tomorrow. So soon. I felt my chest tighten, the walls closing in around me. But I had no choice. My father had made his decision, and no amount of pleading would change his mind.

I nodded and just said, “Okay.”

After coming back from abroad, I continued my study inside my pack's University. In this way, I get to spend time with my dad and his new supposed to be Luna.

“You,” Celine hissed, her eyes burning with fury as she stormed toward me.

I barely had a second to register the rage before her hand collided with my cheek, the slap ringing in my ears. The sting was sharp, and I stumbled, grabbing the wall to steady myself.

Before I could speak, her hand struck again, this time on the other side of my face.

“Celine, wait—” I started, but she wasn’t listening.

“You think you can just show up here, after seducing my husband, and act innocent?” She sneered, her voice dripping with disgust. “You’ve got some nerve, showing your face.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, touching the side of my cheek throbbing with pain. “I’m not—”

“Oh, you’re not?” Celine interrupted, waving her phone in my face. “Then what is this?”

I blinked through the haze and saw a photo. It was the one I had posted this morning of me and my father, arm in arm. I’d been wearing the latest Chanel bag, smiling, proud to be with him. It was the day of finally seeing him after so many years. I returned from Italy and had come back to my pack territory.

The photo had the caption I’d written: ‘No matter what happens in the future, we will always be the most important people to each other.’

The same words my mom would say if she was still alive.

“You think I’m blind? Posting this for the world to see—like some sort of declaration that you’re the only one who matters to him!”

I opened my mouth to explain, but her “No, you’ve got it wrong,” I said quickly, but Celine’s eyes glinted with triumph as if she’d already won.

“Wrong? Oh, I don’t think so. You’re no daughter of his. He told me his real daughter was off studying abroad, not—” she gestured at me, eyes rolling in disgust—“this.”

My blood froze. My father was supposed to introduce me to her at the right time. If I was my father, I would have waited some time too. It was such an embarrassment for an Alpha to have a daughter who can't even shift.

“But I am his daughter!” I sounded like I'm convincing myself more than her. “I’ve been away, yes, but that’s because I’ve been studying. If you don’t believe me, ask him! There are pictures of me at home.”

“Don’t lie. There are no photos of you anywhere. You don’t exist in his life—just some girl clinging to a fantasy.”

“I’m not lying!”

“Face it, you’ve got nothing to stand on here. You’re just some pathetic werewolf trying to worm your way into the pack’s power.” She turned to her omegas, flicking her wrist. “Tear it all down.”

The omegas rushed past me, their eyes cold, and my heart dropped. “Wait, what are you doing?!” I shouted, panic rising as they began ripping through my belongings.

“You’ve been living like a queen, haven’t you?” Celine’s voice was sickeningly sweet now, mocking me. “Time to see how much you lose when you’re cut off.”

I could only watch in horror as they tore through my suitcase, ripping my clothes apart with claws. They smashed my perfume bottles, spilling the expensive liquid across the floor. My bags, my shoes, even the rare items I’d brought back from abroad—they shredded it all with vicious glee.

“Stop!” I shouted, trying to push past them, but one of the omegas shoved me back.

Celine turned the phone camera toward the destruction, broadcasting it live. “Look at this, everyone,” she said into the phone, her voice smooth as silk. “This is what happens when a girl like her tries to steal what isn’t hers.”

I could hear the comments rolling in through the phone’s speaker, people feeding into her lies, agreeing with every word. My breath hitched, the weight of it all crashing down on me.

“This is all a mistake,” I whispered, but my words were drowned out by the sound of my life being destroyed around me.

Celine crouched down beside one of my torn bags, picking up a pair of scissors. She looked at me, smirking. “Let’s see what else you treasure, shall we?”

“No,” I whispered, but she was already slashing through my clothes, laughing as the guards continued their rampage. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I do,” she said simply, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Because you need to learn your place.”

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I couldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. My father wasn’t here to stop her. He hadn’t even told her about me. I was on my own.

By the time the omegas finished destroying my room, it was a wasteland of torn fabrics, shattered glass, and scattered memories. Celine stood amidst the chaos, her phone still broadcasting.

She looked down at me, one final insult on her lips. “Remember this, Aria. You don’t belong here. You never did.”