Chapter 1 Blood Awakening

Lya's POV:

I was six years old when I first realized I was different. Not quite like everyone else in the Moon Shadow Valley Pack.

It happened during dinner. Elaina had been teasing me all day, hiding my toys and laughing when I couldn't find them. When she knocked over my juice and blamed me, something inside me snapped. I felt a strange heat rush through my body, and everyone at the table went silent.

"Victoria," my father whispered, his voice tight with alarm. "Her eyes."

My mother's face contorted with disgust and fear. "Get to your room, now!" she hissed, gripping my arm so tightly it left bruises. "And don't come out until they're normal again!"

I didn't understand until I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror—my eyes had turned an unusual reddish color, unlike the typical wolf-gold of our pack members when they got angry.

That night, through the thin walls of our Beta residence, I heard Mom sobbing. "We can't keep hiding this, Sebastian. The pack will find out eventually."

"She's our daughter," my father replied, his voice hollow. "What would you have me do?"

"But she's... she's not right! You know she's not..."

I couldn't hear the rest, but something about their conversation left me feeling hollow, like I was missing a vital piece of my own story.

While Elaina received birthday parties with the entire pack attending, my special days passed almost unmarked. Father was always busy with pack duties, barely home long enough to notice me. Noah, my brother, occasionally slipped me an extra dessert or a small trinket, but never when anyone could see.

By the time I was ten, I'd learned to become invisible. I kept my eyes down, spoke only when spoken to, and took the special herbs Mom forced down my throat that she claimed would "help me be normal." The metallic taste made me vomit for hours, but the punishment for refusing was worse.

"Stand still!" Mom would shout, forcing my mouth open to pour in more of the bitter concoction. "Do you want everyone to see how different you are?"

While Elaina was groomed to be the perfect pack daughter—beautiful, pure-blooded, and destined to mate with Damian Sterling, the Alpha's son—I became the family's embarrassment. I cooked, cleaned, and ran errands, always careful to stay in the shadows.

And now, my sixteenth birthday dawned with no celebration. While most wolves anticipated their first shift with family rituals and gifts, I just hoped to get through the day without incident.

Instead of preparations for my ceremony, I was ordered to help with Elaina's engagement party to Damian.

"Don't touch the good china," Mom snapped as I set out platters. "And stay away from the guests tonight. If you have one of your... episodes... on Elaina's special day, I'll lock you in the cellar for a week."

I nodded silently, feeling a strange energy building inside me. Today was different somehow—my skin tingled, my senses sharper than ever before. I felt like I was on the edge of something important, a change I couldn't name.

While carefully arranging the table settings, Sophia Black—Elaina's best friend—deliberately tripped me as she passed by. The crystal vase slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor, water and flowers splashing everywhere.

"You clumsy freak!" Mom screamed, slapping me hard enough to make my ears ring. "Can't you do anything right? Those were specially made for Elaina's big day!"

Elaina smirked from the doorway. "Freaks don't deserve ceremonies anyway. It's fitting you'll spend your sixteenth birthday cleaning up your own mess."

I knelt down to collect the shards, an unfamiliar anger rising within me. I noticed my hands were shaking, my fingertips seeming paler than usual.

"I'll get the broom," I said quietly, hurrying toward the kitchen.

Once out of their sight, I leaned against the kitchen wall, taking deep breaths. My heart was racing, my skin burning. Something in the mirror looked off—my eyes seemed brighter, my skin paler. I quickly closed my eyes, splashing cold water on my face, praying it was just the stress.

When I returned to continue helping, I heard cars pulling up outside. Looking through the window, I saw the Alpha family's luxurious black SUV parked in the yard.

Alpha Richard stepped out, dressed in a tailored suit, radiating authority and power. Luna Isabella followed, elegant in a silver gown. Then came Damian, in a dark suit, his hair neatly combed, his expression serious.

I couldn't help but stare at Damian for a moment. He had grown considerably, taller and stronger than when I'd last seen him at a pack gathering. His jawline was more defined, his gaze sharper. He looked... handsome, I grudgingly admitted to myself.

"Stop staring, you idiot," Mom hissed, pushing me toward the kitchen. "Go help with the food and don't let anyone see you. Tonight is about Elaina and Damian, not you."

Through the kitchen doorway, I watched my father go out to greet the Alpha family. Elaina followed, looking perfect in an exquisite white dress. Her beautiful golden hair was curled into elegant waves, and her face glowed with happiness.

Damian walked toward her, but his smile seemed forced. He took her hand, but I noticed his body appeared somewhat tense. Perhaps it was just my imagination.

"Our future Luna looks so beautiful," Isabella said to Elaina, her tone full of approval. "You'll be the perfect mate for my son."

"Thank you, Luna," Elaina replied softly, perfectly displaying the respectful demeanor of a female wolf.

As more guests arrived, the Beta residence began filling with important members of the Moon Shadow Valley Pack. I was assigned to the kitchen, preparing food and drinks for the servers, far from the center of all activities.

I worked quietly, chopping vegetables and arranging appetizers on trays. The sounds of laughter and conversation filtered through from the main rooms, a celebration I was part of only in the most peripheral way. Every now and then, a server would rush in for more food or drinks, barely acknowledging my presence.

Through the kitchen door, I could hear Alpha Richard's authoritative voice as he addressed the gathering. "Tonight, we gather to celebrate a special moment," he announced, his tone commanding immediate silence. "The engagement of our heir Damian to Beta Sebastian's daughter Elaina. This is a joyous occasion for the Moon Shadow Valley Pack, a promise of our prosperous future."

Applause erupted, followed by the clinking of glasses and cheers.

"Before Damian becomes Alpha and takes over the pack, Elaina will undergo Luna training," Richard continued. "Isabella will personally guide her, ensuring she becomes a Luna worthy of respect."

More applause and cheers followed.

I couldn't help but move closer to the doorway, peering through the crack to see the celebration. Damian and Elaina stood together at the center of the room, surrounded by well-wishers. Elaina was radiant, smiling and gracious, while Damian maintained a polite smile, though his eyes seemed somewhat distant, almost distracted.

In that moment, Damian's gaze drifted across the crowd and somehow landed directly on me. Our eyes met briefly, and I felt a strange current pass through my body, my skin beginning to tingle.

Damian seemed to feel something too, his brow furrowing slightly before he quickly looked away.