Chapter 1 Moon of Mockery

The moon hung low, fat, and silver—mocking him.

Aiden Vale stood at the edge of the training ground, the cold dirt biting his bare feet. Around him, the pack’s laughter cut like knives. Omegas like him were supposed to keep their heads down, but he had made the mistake of speaking aloud—of admitting he believed in fated mates.

“Fated mates?” snorted Gregor, the Beta-in-training. “Tell me, pup, who would the Moon Goddess ever choose for a runt like you?”

The others roared. Even the younger wolves joined in, their voices echoing in the hollow clearing. Aiden’s chest tightened, but he didn’t drop his gaze. He had learned that looking away only made them worse. Still, his hands trembled as he forced himself to speak.

“I don’t care what you think. The Moon Goddess has a plan for everyone. Even an Omega.”

“Everyone?” Gregor’s smile curled, sharp as a claw. “Then pray she gives you someone who likes weak men and empty dreams.”

He shoved Aiden backward. Aiden stumbled, catching himself before he fell. The moonlight caught the faint mark on his wrist—a tiny crescent birthmark glowing faintly silver. He’d had it since birth. His grandmother used to whisper it meant he was “Moon-Touched.” Special.

But under the laughter of the pack, it just looked like a joke.

Gregor’s shadow loomed closer. “Say it again. Tell us you believe in fate.”

Aiden clenched his jaw. His heart pounded. “I do.”

The blow came fast. Gregor’s fist slammed into his ribs, knocking the air from his lungs. The others laughed louder as he doubled over, wheezing.

“Look at our dreamer,” another jeered. “Maybe his mate will come flying from the moon to save him!”

Aiden’s vision blurred. The silver of the moon split into two, and for a second, he thought he saw another face in the light—soft eyes, a whisper of warmth. A woman. A heartbeat not his own pulsed in his head.

The laughter faded into silence.

Then the image vanished.

He shook his head, gasping. The others didn’t notice. They had already lost interest, heading toward the feast hall where the stronger wolves celebrated their training victories.

Aiden straightened slowly, pain rippling through his side. His breath came in sharp pulls. He didn’t cry—not anymore. He had learned tears only brought more scorn.

He looked up at the moon again. “If you’re real,” he whispered, “send me a sign. Anything.”

Only the wind answered, carrying the distant howls of wolves who mattered.

Later, in the servant’s quarters, Aiden pressed a wet cloth to his ribs. The bruises were already forming. He could hear the sounds of laughter drifting from the Great Hall—the Alphas feasting, their voices echoing like thunder.

He had once imagined being one of them. Running beside them. Being proud.

Now he was a shadow in their world, born to serve.

Still, every full moon, he dreamt of her. A voice—gentle but commanding. Eyes silver as moonlight, filled with longing. He couldn’t remember her face clearly, but every time she whispered his name, he woke with his chest aching as if his heart was reaching through time to find her.

Was that foolish? Probably. But it was the only thing that kept him from giving up.

The door creaked open. Aiden stiffened. A figure slipped inside—tall, graceful, wrapped in a dark cloak that shimmered faintly.

“Still tending wounds, little Omega?” The voice was low, smooth, and dangerous.

Aiden froze. He knew that tone.

Damian Voss. The Alpha heir.

Aiden turned, heart hammering. Damian leaned casually against the doorway, his black hair falling over eyes that gleamed a deep crimson under the lamplight. His smile didn’t reach them.

“I saw the little show at the grounds,” Damian said. “Believing in fated mates? You never fail to amuse.”

Aiden bit the inside of his cheek. “Mock me if you want, but at least I still believe in something.”

Damian’s smirk deepened. “Belief won’t save you in this world, Omega. Power will.”

He crossed the small space in two strides, stopping so close Aiden could feel the heat radiating from his body. “Tell me,” Damian murmured, “do you really think someone out there would be bound to you? Someone who could love you for what you are?”

“I know she’s real.” The words slipped out before Aiden could stop them.

Damian chuckled. “Then pray she never finds you. The moment she does, she’ll regret every blessing the Moon Goddess gave her.”

He turned to leave, but paused at the doorway. “One day, Aiden Vale, you’ll learn what happens to those who dream too much.”

And then he was gone, leaving only the scent of iron and smoke.

That night, sleep refused to come. Aiden sat by the window, watching clouds drift across the moon. The forest stretched endless and black beyond the walls of the packhouse. He wondered what lay beyond the borders—the world he had never seen.

Maybe somewhere out there, under the same sky, she was looking up too.

He closed his eyes. The hum of crickets and the whisper of leaves filled the silence.

Then—a sound.

A low growl.

Aiden’s head snapped up. The window glass trembled. The growl came again, closer this time—rough, primal, alive. His pulse quickened. He stood, peering through the window.

Between the trees, a pair of glowing silver eyes stared back at him.

A massive wolf stood in the moonlight—its fur glimmering white, its stance regal, unearthly. It wasn’t from their pack. He could feel it in the air. The presence pulsed with power, enough to make his bones ache.

The wolf tilted its head. For a moment, it looked almost… curious.

Then, in a blink, it was gone.

Aiden’s breath caught. He stepped back, his heart thudding. “What was that?” he whispered.

The door burst open.

Gregor stood there again—pale, panting. “Aiden! You need to come outside!”

“Why—”

“No time!” Gregor grabbed his arm and dragged him into the corridor. Other wolves were gathering near the main hall, their voices sharp with fear. Aiden followed, confused, until he saw what had silenced them.

The moonlight had turned red.

Blood-red.

The elders were kneeling in the courtyard, their eyes wide as they stared up at the sky. The crimson moon shimmered like liquid fire. Every wolf could feel the energy shift—the air heavy, thick with warning.

“The Crimson Moon…” someone whispered. “It hasn’t risen in a century.”

Aiden’s skin prickled. He felt it too—a surge of power deep in his chest, the mark on his wrist burning faintly. The pain made him gasp. The others didn’t notice. Their fear was focused elsewhere.

Because standing at the edge of the forest was her.

A woman cloaked in silver, her hair flowing in waves that caught the red light. Her eyes glowed faintly—silver and gold at once. She looked like something pulled out of his dreams, carved by the Goddess herself.

Aiden couldn’t move.

Their eyes met.

And for the first time in his life, his heart stopped. The air between them pulsed, alive. He could feel her heartbeat echo inside his chest as if it were his own.

The woman’s lips parted. A whisper brushed his mind.

“I’ve found you.”

Then everything went black.