~~ANIKA VALERION~~
I braced myself, clutching the hem of my linen dress until my knuckles turned white.
I knew the stories. The transition was supposed to be brutal—a breaking before the becoming. And God, I craved that agony.
I waited, every nerve ending screaming for the snap of bone, the tear of skin, the blood-curdling pain that would signal my wolf was finally clawing her way out. I was so desperate for the break that I almost didn't notice the hollow silence inside me.
Beside me, Joana was already writhing, a guttural growl ripping from her throat. Her fingers elongated into claws, shredding the fine silk of her dress.
For a fleeting moment, I saw a few others still standing, just like me. A surge of hope hit my chest.
Maybe we are just a little late, I whispered to myself, my voice trembling.
But as the minutes ticked by, the hope bled out.
One by one, the others around me shifted. Their bones snapped and reformed until powerful wolves stood where teenagers had been just moments before.
But I remained standing.
I remained human.
The Alpha stepped forward to the edge of the ledge, his voice booming across the square.
"I welcome all the new wolves of the Eclipse Pack tonight! Tonight, you have been reborn!" Alpha Marcus declared proudly.
The pack let out a collective howl, a deafening sound of victory that made my skin crawl.
"And now..." His voice dropped, turning cold as winter. "We address the one the Moon Goddess has rejected."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"By the ancient laws of the Eclipse Pack, those who do not transition by their eighteenth year are demoted to the status of an Omega or a Null." He stared straight at me. "I label you a Null."
I stood perfectly still, the brand of my new status burning into my skin like a hot iron.
"The Ceremony is concluded. Take home your new wolves and celebrate."
I turned, taking slow, numb steps toward the exit. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into Nana’s arms and disappear.
"I told you, Anika."
Joana stepped into my path. She was back in human form, naked and unashamed, a cruel sneer twisting her lips. "I knew you’d be a failure."
"Why don't you go celebrate instead of wasting time on me?" I tried to sound brave, but my voice cracked into a pathetic whimper.
In a fit of rage, she shoved me. Hard.
I hit the ground with a thud, the rough dirt tearing at my bare skin.
The crowd began to disperse, glancing at us but doing nothing. They saw. They just didn't care.
Tears pricked my eyes. I should have known better than to expect help from a pack that loathed weakness.
Joana’s smile widened. “What? Expecting some knight in shining armor to save you?” She snickered. “Not even in your dreams, Null.”
I scrambled backward, trying to get to my feet. Joana’s foot lashed out, kicking me in the ribs and forcing me back into the dirt.
A group of new wolves passed by, cheering her on.
"You were never meant to be one of us," she hissed. "Even the Moon Goddess agrees with me."
She stooped down, deliberately stepping on the hem of my dress to pin me there. "What? Why so quiet now? Where's that fire from earlier, you scrawny outcast?"
I winced as she leaned closer.
"Even the Omegas will look down on you now. I’ll make sure to request you for my personal quarters. I’d love to see you on your knees scrubbing my floors."
She traced a sharp fingernail along my jawline, the threat clear in her eyes.
"Maybe I should give you a mark to match your status," she whispered, extending her claws. The tips pricked my skin, drawing a bead of blood. "How nice would that look?"
I flinched, bracing for the pain.
“Enough!”
A voice boomed through the air, vibrating with authority.
I looked up and recognized him instantly.
Conor Mortain. The Alpha’s firstborn—but illegitimate—son. Unlike his brother Xander, Conor played the part of the people’s prince. He made sure everyone knew his face and his "kindness."
Joana froze. Her claws retracted instantly, and she scrambled to her feet, hands trembling as she tried to fix her hair.
“Lord Conor…” she stammered, bowing her head in respect.
Conor stepped forward, concern etched perfectly onto his handsome features.
“Back away,” he commanded coldly.
He immediately knelt in the dirt beside me, ignoring the mud staining his expensive trousers. "It is a dark night for our pack when we allow a sister to be bruised while she is already grieving."
He reached out, lifting my chin so I had to look into his eyes. His thumb wiped away a tear that had escaped. "Don't cry. It is a tragedy, truly. But the Goddess works in mysterious ways. Perhaps she finds you special."
He offered me his hand.
Joana paled, and I could feel her resentment doubling in the silence.
But before my fingers could brush Conor’s, a shadow fell over us.
“The comfort you offer is nothing but a lie, Conor.”
The voice was ice-cold, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the wind.
“L-Lord Xander?” Joana squeaked, her eyes wide as she looked at the man she claimed would fall in love with her.
Xander Mortain stood there, arms crossed over his broad chest. He didn't look like a savior. He looked bored. Irritated.
“Xander,” Conor said, his smile tight but fixed. “I was only offering the girl some comfort. Surely even the 'Cold-Blooded Heir' understands that kind words help in this situation."
"Kind words?" Xander stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "You’re using her as a prop for your audience, Conor. You waited until she was on her knees, until the crowd was watching, to play the role of the merciful brother. Like you always do.”
Conor’s jaw tightened. "I am trying to uphold the dignity of the pack—"
He stood up, facing his younger brother. “And what is your way? To stand there and stare at her with the same disgust you show the rest of the world?"
Xander ignored him. For the first time, he turned his gaze to me.
Those grey eyes were empty. He didn’t offer me a hand. He didn’t offer me pity.
"Go home," Xander grunted. "Conor's pity isn't going to give you a future."
He didn't wait for a thank you. He just turned and walked away, disappearing into the night.
Conor turned back to me, his smile widening into something that didn't quite reach his eyes.
“Pardon his manners. My brother has always been... difficult.”
I scrambled to my feet on my own, wrapping my arms around myself to ward off the chill. “Thank you, Lord Conor. I’ll leave now.”
I didn't wait for a dismissal. I stumbled away, taking unsteady steps toward home.
As I walked past Joana, I deliberately looked the other way, ignoring the fire in her eyes that was now blazing even hotter at being cast aside for a Null.