Awakening the Silver Wolf

Chapter 1

June.

“Rise and shine, little sister.”

I groaned, pulling the thick quilt over my head. The voice was too loud, too cheerful.

“Go away, Finn,” I mumbled into the darkness of my cocoon.

“Not a chance. It’s the big day. Eighteen. You’re officially an adult. Legally allowed to do all the boring things you’ve been doing for years.”

The mattress dipped as he sat on the edge of my bed. I felt him tug at the blankets.

“Five more minutes.”

“Nope. Mom’s making your favorite. Silvercrest pancakes. She’s using the good syrup, not the stuff we give the pack pups.”

That got my attention. I peeked one eye out from under the quilt. My older brother grinned down at me, his brown hair a messy mop. He was already dressed in his training gear.

“Is she really?”

“Cross my heart,” he said, tapping his chest. “Dad’s already pacing downstairs. He’s more nervous than you are.”

My stomach did a nervous flip, and the brief excitement over pancakes vanished. “Don’t say that.”

Finn’s smile softened. “Hey. It’s going to be fine.”

“You don’t know that,” I whispered, sitting up. The quilt fell into my lap. “No one in the history of the Moonstone Pack has ever been wolfless past their eighteenth birthday. Ever.”

“So you’ll be the first. You’ll be a legend.” He tried to keep his tone light, but I saw the worry in his eyes. He was a terrible liar.

“I’ll be a liability,” I corrected him. “The Beta’s daughter. A human burden in a pack of warriors.”

“Stop it. You are not a burden.”

“Finn, the Games are coming up. The pack needs every strong body it can get. What am I going to do? Cheer from the sidelines? Offer everyone water bottles?”

“You’re smarter than half the shifters in this territory, June. Your brain is a weapon.”

“A weapon that can’t heal in seconds or rip a rogue’s throat out.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I hate when you get like this.”

“I hate being like this,” I shot back, my voice cracking.

“It will happen,” he said, his voice firm, full of the conviction I so desperately lacked. “Tonight, at midnight, you’ll shift. And your wolf will be so fierce it’ll scare the crap out of all of us.”

I wanted to believe him. I really did.

Downstairs, the scent of pancakes and melting butter filled the air. Mom and Dad were waiting at the table. Mom rushed over, pulling me into a hug that smelled like cinnamon and home.

“There’s my birthday girl,” she said, kissing my forehead. “Eighteen. I can hardly believe it.”

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Dad said, his deep Beta voice usually a comfort, but today it just added to the pressure. He stood tall and proud, his presence filling the room. “Ready for tonight?”

“I’m nervous, Dad.”

“Nonsense,” he boomed, though his eyes were gentle. “Whatever happens, you are a Calloway. You are Moonstone blood. That means more than any wolf.”

It was what he always said. It was meant to be comforting, but it felt like a consolation prize. You might not be like us, but at least your last name is good.

“Your father is right,” Mom added, setting a heaping plate in front of me. “We love you, wolf or no wolf.”

“But the pack won’t,” I said quietly, poking at my food.

Finn sat down across from me. “The pack loves you. You’re the wolfless wonder. Our good luck charm.”

“I don’t want to be a charm. I want to be a wolf.”

Just then, the front door opened, and a voice that made my heart stumble over itself echoed from the hall.

“Smells like a celebration in here.”

Owen. The Alpha’s son. Finn’s best friend. My everything.

He walked into the kitchen, and the whole room seemed to get brighter. He was golden. Golden hair, tanned skin, and eyes the color of warm honey. He moved with the easy confidence of a future Alpha, a king in waiting.

“Owen, you’re early for patrol,” my dad said, smiling.

“Couldn’t miss wishing the birthday girl a good morning,” he replied, but his eyes were on me. That intense, searing gaze made my skin feel too warm.

“Happy birthday, June.”

“Thanks, Owen,” I managed, my voice barely a squeak.

Finn rolled his eyes. “Don’t mind her. She’s just overwhelmed by her adCallowayd age.”

I kicked him under the table.

Owen chuckled, a low, melodic sound. He leaned against the counter, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “Big night.”

I nodded, unable to speak. All my fears felt amplified under his stare.

“I have a good feeling about it,” he said, his voice dropping a little, making it a private promise just for me. “A really good feeling.”

My heart soared. He had a good feeling. Owen, who was destined for greatness, believed in me.

“You should have seen the training session this morning,” Finn said to him, oblivious to the silent conversation happening across the table. “The trainees for the Games are looking sharp.”

Owen’s attention snapped to my brother. “Sharp isn’t good enough. The Obsidian Pack has been making moves at the borders. Rogues. Scum. We need killers, not athletes.”

The casual brutality in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. That was the Alpha talking. Not the boy I grew up with.

“We’re ready for them,” my father assured him.

Owen’s eyes drifted back to me. His expression softened again, becoming the boy I knew. “We will be. Especially after tonight.”

He winked at me.

“Just imagine it, June,” he said, his voice a low hum that vibrated through the floor. “Your wolf, finally running beside mine. Leading the pack together.”

My breath hitched. Leading the pack. Together. It was the future I painted for myself in my dreams, a fantasy I never dared speak aloud.

“And if… if it doesn’t happen?” I had to ask. I had to know.

The air in the room grew still. Finn stopped eating. My parents looked down at their plates.

Owen’s perfect smile tightened for just a second, a flicker of something hard and cold in his eyes before it was gone.

“It will,” he said, the confidence back, absolute and unyielding. “The Moon Goddess wouldn’t deny her chosen Alpha a worthy pack.”

He didn't say 'a worthy mate'. He didn't even say 'a worthy friend'.

He said 'a worthy pack'.

My place in his future, I realized with a sudden, chilling clarity, was not as a person. It was as an asset.

“I have to get to the patrol,” he announced, clapping Finn on the shoulder. “Don’t be late. And June?”

I looked up at him.

“Don’t disappoint me,” he said, flashing a brilliant smile. It was meant to be a joke, a playful command.

But as he walked out the door, all I could hear was the threat underneath.

Chapter 2

June.

The Great Hall was suffocating. Golden banners bearing the Moonstone Pack crest, a silver wolf howling at a crescent moon, hung from the high-beamed ceiling. The air shimmered with fairy lights and buzzed with the excited chatter of hundreds of pack members. It was a party fit for a future Luna, which only made the knot in my stomach twist tighter.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” my mother said, smoothing a wrinkle on my simple white dress that wasn’t there. Her smile was bright, but her eyes were frantic.

“You’re practically glowing,” my dad added, his voice a little too loud. He stood ramrod straight in his formal Beta attire, a sentinel guarding his defective daughter.

“It’s probably just sweat,” I mumbled, fanning my face with my hand. “It feels like an oven in here.”

Finn appeared at my side, a glass of sparkling cider in each hand. He passed one to me. “That’s not the heat. That’s the pressure of two hundred werewolves staring at you.”

“Finn, don’t,” my mother warned.

“What? It’s true,” he said with a shrug, though he gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “They’re not being malicious. They’re just curious. You’re the main event.”

“I feel more like the main sacrifice,” I whispered, taking a sip of the cider. The bubbles tickled my nose.

I scanned the crowd. Everyone was dressed in their finest. Warriors who I’d seen covered in mud and blood were now in crisp uniforms. She-wolves who could take down a grizzly bear were adorned in silks and jewels. And everywhere I looked, I saw their pity. It was in the soft smiles of the elders and the wide, curious eyes of the pack pups.

Old Martha, the pack’s head cook, shuffled over. “We’re all praying for you, child. The Goddess will bless you tonight. I’m sure of it.”

“Thank you, Martha,” I said, forcing a smile.

As she walked away, I heard a whisper from a nearby table. “Can you imagine? Alpha Owen, mated to a human?”

“She’s not human. She’s just… delayed.”

“It’s the same thing if she can’t defend herself.”

Finn’s jaw tightened. “Want me to go over there and rearrange their teeth?”

“No,” I said, placing a hand on his arm. “It won’t help. Let them talk.”

Suddenly, a hush fell over the hall. The chatter died down to a reverent silence. I followed everyone’s gaze to the grand entrance.

Owen stood there, flanked by his father, Alpha Marcus. He was breathtaking. He wore a tailored black tunic with the Alpha’s crest embroidered in gold thread over his heart. He looked every bit the king he was born to be.

His honey-colored eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on me, a slow, possessive smile spread across his face. He said something to his father, then started making his way through the crowd.

People parted for him like the sea. He was their future, their strength, their hope.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the sudden silence of the room. He stopped directly in front of me, ignoring my family completely.

“June,” he said, his voice a low purr that sent shivers down my spine. He took my hand, lifting it to his lips. “You look… perfect.”

“You clean up okay, I guess,” I managed, my voice shaky.

He laughed, a rich sound that made my knees feel weak. “Come with me.”

He didn’t wait for an answer. He just laced his fingers through mine and led me toward the large balcony doors, away from the prying eyes of the pack.

The cool night air was a relief. We stood overlooking the training grounds, bathed in the silver light of the full moon.

“Nervous?” he asked, turning to face me. He didn’t let go of my hand.

“Terrified,” I admitted.

“Don’t be.” He took a step closer, his body heat wrapping around me. “I told you this morning. I have a good feeling.”

“What if your feeling is wrong? What if nothing happens, Owen? I’ll be a disgrace. To my family, to the pack… to you.”

His expression hardened for a fraction of a second. “That won’t happen.”

“But what if it does?” I pressed, needing the reassurance only he could give me.

He sighed, lifting his free hand to cup my cheek. His thumb traced my jawline. “Do you know why the Moonstone Pack is the strongest in this region, June?”

I shook my head, mesmerized by his touch.

“Because we have never tolerated weakness. My father, and his father before him, made sure our bloodline remained pure, powerful. We lead from the front. We are warriors.”

This wasn’t the comfort I was looking for.

“I know that,” I said softly.

“I’m going to be the greatest Alpha this pack has ever seen,” he continued, his eyes glowing with ambition. “I’m going to dominate the Decennial Games. I’m going to expand our territory. And I need a Luna who can stand beside me. Not behind me. Beside me.”

He leaned in, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper. “I need a she-wolf whose power mirrors my own. A queen for the kingdom I’m going to build.”

He was so close I could feel his breath on my lips. My entire world narrowed to the space between us.

“I want that to be you, June,” he breathed. “I’ve always wanted it to be you. But I can’t lead with a human at my side. The other packs would see it as a fatal flaw. They would challenge us. They would smell blood in the water.”

His words were a strange mix of a beautiful promise and a cold, hard threat.

“So you’re saying… if I don’t shift…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his expression deadly serious. “You will shift. The Moon Goddess is not cruel. She would not bring us this close only to tear us apart. She chose me to lead, and she will give me a worthy partner.”

He sounded so certain. His conviction was a tangible thing, a force of nature.

“Just imagine it,” he said, his smile returning, full of charm. “Leading together. Our pups will be the strongest the world has ever seen. A new dynasty, June. Ours.”

My fear began to melt away, replaced by the intoxicating future he painted. He wasn’t just my crush. He was my destiny. We were meant for this. The Goddess would see it. She had to.

“Okay,” I whispered, a real smile finally reaching my face. “Okay.”

“That’s my girl,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss my forehead. His lips were warm, branding me with his confidence. “Now, let’s go get you a wolf.”

He took my hand again and led me back inside. The energy in the room had changed. It was no longer just a celebration. It was a vigil.

Alpha Marcus stood near the great hearth, where a massive grandfather clock was ticking loudly, each second echoing through the silent hall.

Finn caught my eye from across the room and gave me a small, encouraging nod.

Owen led me to the center of the room, placing us directly in the moonlight streaming down from the high windows. He stood beside me, a united front. His presence was my shield.

“Five minutes to midnight,” Alpha Marcus announced, his voice booming with authority.

My heart pounded in my ears. Five minutes until I knew my fate.

Owen squeezed my hand. “Ready to meet your other half?” he whispered, his tone proprietary, certain.

I looked up at him, at his perfect, confident face, and I let his certainty become my own. I was not a liability. I was a queen in waiting.

I nodded. “I’m ready.”

The clock began to chime, counting down the final moments of my old life.

Ten.

Nine.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the power of the moon overhead.

Seven.

Six.

Owen’s grip on my hand was like steel.

Four.

Three.

This was it. My life was about to begin.

Two.

One.

Chapter 3

June.

Midnight. The final chime echoed through the silent hall, a deep, resonant tone that vibrated in my bones. And then it hit me.

It was not a sound. It was a feeling. A brilliant, blinding cord of pure gold slamming into my chest, connecting me to him. Every nerve ending in my body caught fire. It was lightning. It was honey. It was the missing piece of my soul snapping into place with a force that stole my breath.

Completion. Home. Mate.

My eyes flew open, locking with Owen’s. I saw a flicker of shock in their honey depths. He felt it too. He had to.

A joyous, uncontrollable laugh bubbled out of my chest. It was real. It was all real.

“Mate,” I breathed, the word a reverent prayer. Then louder, for the whole world to hear, my voice ringing with triumph. “It’s you. You’re my mate!”

A collective gasp went through the crowd. A wave of relieved, excited murmurs rippled through the Great Hall. The Beta’s daughter and the future Alpha. A perfect match. A blessing from the Goddess.

Owen’s lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile. It was the smile of a king who had just been handed his crown. He squeezed my hand, a possessive, triumphant gesture.

“I knew it,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate despite the dozens of ears listening. “I told you.”

The pack waited. The golden feeling inside me was a constant, steady hum, a beautiful song. But it was the only song. There was no second harmony, no feral growl from a beast waking within.

I waited. One second. Two. Ten.

The murmurs in the hall began to change. The excitement curdled into confusion. I could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes on me, waiting for the crack of bone, for the silver fur, for the wolf that was supposed to claim me.

Nothing happened. I was just me. June. Human.

The golden bond was still there, warm and real, but a cold dread began to seep into its edges. I looked at Owen, my smile faltering. “I… I don’t feel her. My wolf.”

His perfect smile vanished. The warmth in his eyes was instantly extinguished, replaced by a chilling stillness. “What?”

“I can feel the bond,” I said, my voice starting to tremble. “It’s so strong. But my wolf… she’s not there.”

He stared at me, his face a mask of disbelief. The silence in the hall was now absolute, heavy, and suffocating.

“Shift,” he commanded. It was not a suggestion. It was an order from his future Alpha.

“I can’t,” I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. “I don’t know how. Nothing is happening.”

Owen’s expression shifted from disbelief to horror. He looked down at our joined hands as if he were holding a venomous snake.

Then he recoiled. He didn’t just let go of my hand, he ripped it away, stumbling back a step as if I had burned him. The gesture was so violent, so full of disgust, that the pack gasped again. This time, it was a sound of shock.

My hand felt icy cold where his had been. The pain of his physical rejection shot through the golden bond, turning it from a comfort to an agony.

“No,” he said, his voice shaking with a rage I had never heard before. “No. This is not possible.”

“Owen, please,” I begged, taking a step toward him. “Don’t. I can feel you. We’re mates.”

“You are wolfless,” he snarled, his voice rising, echoing in the dead silence. “The bond is a mistake. A curse.”

“Son,” Alpha Marcus said, his voice a low warning from the side of the room.

Owen ignored him, his eyes wild with panic. “A curse! The Moon Goddess has shackled me to a human. A defect!”

The word ‘defect’ struck me harder than a physical blow. It was the word I had called myself in the darkest hours of the night, but hearing it from him, from my mate, was an execution.

My father and Finn started moving toward me, their faces thunderous.

“Owen, that is enough!” Finn shouted, his protective brotherly rage flaring. “She is your mate!”

“My mate would be my equal!” Owen roared back, pointing a trembling finger at me. “My mate would be a warrior! My bloodline, the Alpha bloodline, cannot be tainted by this… this weakness!”

Each word was a fresh tear in the fabric of the bond. I could feel it fraying, the beautiful connection now a source of excruciating pain.

“It will come,” I cried, my voice breaking. “My wolf will come. Just give me a minute. Please.”

“A minute?” he laughed, a horrifying, bitter sound. “We have given you eighteen years, June! There is nothing inside you. You are empty.”

He looked around the hall, at the faces of our pack members, his expression hardening into cold, calculated resolution. He was no longer the boy I loved. He was an Alpha making a political decision.

He turned his gaze back to me, and there was no warmth, no history, no friendship in his eyes. There was only the cold ambition I had seen a flicker of before. The king was casting aside a useless pawn.

“A wolfless mate,” he said, his voice now dangerously calm and clear, carrying to every corner of the hall. “Is no mate at all.”