"Aria," he said softly. "Today is your birthday."
It wasn't a question, but I nodded nevertheless.
"The moon is full tonight," he added, his voice quiet. "You will attend the ceremony."
"Of course, Elder," I replied, puzzled. All eighteen-year-olds attended the ceremony. It was essential.
He leaned in, smelling gently. "You already feel it, don't you? "The change."
My heartbeat skipped. "What change?"
Elder Malin's eyes narrowed. "Interesting. "Very interesting." He reached inside his pocket and retrieved a little pouch. "Wear this tonight."
I accepted it hesitantly. Inside was a simple moonstone pendant with a leather cord.
"But this is for—"
"Wear it," he interjected. "Hide it under your clothes if you must, but wear it."
Moonstones were precious. They aided our connection to the Moon Goddess during ceremonies. However, they were only given to wolves from influential families (Alphas and Betas). Not Omegas like me.
"Why?" I questioned.
Elder Malin glanced at Mira before returning his attention to me. "Because someone is harboring secrets about you, child. And tonight, those secrets may be revealed."

~

I never mattered in our pack. Omegas like me serve, submit, and survive. We don't dream of love. We don't dream of power.

She was the future Luna. I was just the girl who watched from the shadows.

But everything changed on my 18th birthday.

I felt the bond. I met my mate.

One of the Alpha's sons.

But the Alpha has triplets, and I felt the mate bond with all three and it seems the three of them felt it too — three perfect warriors, three powerful Alphas, three secrets buried beneath the surface.

One of them is my destiny.

One of them is lying.

And one of them might be the death of me.

The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes... but this time, I think she might've given me too much to handle.

Thorne's massive hand crashed into the stone wall where my head had been a second before.


"You can't run forever!" he roared, pulling his hand free from the hole he'd made in solid rock.


I rolled between his legs and came up behind him, but the Eldest's voice stopped me from hitting.


"Halt!" she ordered. "The Moon Goddess has spoken!"


The golden light in Luna's eyes pulsed once, then faded back to silver. My daughter looked around the cave in confusion before focusing on me.


But the Eldest was studying the crack patterns Thorne's punch had made in the wall. Her old face grew pale with worry.


"The mountain has decided," she announced. "This challenge cannot be solved by simple combat. The stone itself begs the Trial of Stone."


"What trial?" I asked, helping Luna sit up straight.


"An ancient test," Raven said, her silver eyes wide with fear. "No one has attempted it in over two hundred years."


Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Trial of Stone