Aria

It's my eighteenth birthday today, and I'm supposed to be joined with my mate.

Cassius Emberwing.

But somehow, I'm watching my mate in the arms of another woman, my best friend, Piper.

Everyone's eyes are on me. They're all looking at me like they can't see me.

"Where's your scent, Aria? We can't sense your wolf."

"A shifter without a scent..."

My heart shatters, and I recall the events that led up to this day, days before my 18th birthday.

"Rogue!"

Someone's startled voice pulls my attention towards the clanking sounds I can hear coming from the gates.

Guards quickly assemble themselves, as if they are preparing for war.

The fear of a rogue in the realm can bring anyone's attention to a standstill.

In the Shifters' realm, it's common knowledge that all rogues are deemed unworthy of anything more than to await their death in the Rogue's camp.

They are stripped of all bearings and forced into the forest to live out the rest of their days in abject loneliness.

I like to think of it as solitude, away from everything and everyone, but I doubt they see it that way.

A life away from everything you love? Could I live with that?

Some things will always remain a mystery to some people, I presume.

As the youngest omega to the Flynn pack, I am further away from relating to any rogue than physically possible, so how would I know what they can live with?

A guard appears beside me, standing as still as a rod.

"Your grandmother requests that I escort you inside until the rogue has been dealt with, Omega."

I don't recognize the guard, but that's no surprise as we have more guards than I remember.

My ears prickled with the sound of marching guards. All ready to attack the intruder, the rogue who dared enter our realm.

"Thank you, can I take Remi with me? She's having a bit of withdrawal symptoms, seeing as I may be leaving her soon." I joke lightly.

The little wolf in my arms makes a small sound, like he can understand what I'm saying, even though I doubt he can.

It's white hair, a stark contrast against the green grass, rolling its mouth in.

The guard nods and begins to escort me away.

I pick up Remi, cuddle him, and walk alongside him.

In a few days, I will no longer be Aria Flynn, but Aria Emberwing.

An honor in all it's sense, for any omega, especially an omega from the Flynn pack.

My appointed mate, Cassius Emberwing, the Alpha of the Shifters' realm, is someone I have known since I was a little girl.

And although we've more or less never attempted being anything more than friends, I doubt it will be too hard to be his mate.

Cassius is kind, strong, and capable.

At least that's what my grandmother likes to say about him.

I think he's smart too, and sometimes when I look at him, I get the feeling he knows so much, but tries to say too little.

But all of these don't matter, because in a few days, I will be turning 18-the prime age for an omega to be joined with her mate.

And at what age will I become the Luna of the Shifter's realm?

I follow the guard silently, too silently for a person being ushered to safety, and it takes me a surprising amount of time to realize that I am not being led to my room.

By the time we made the second wrong turn, the guard beside me suddenly appeared to stand straighter.

His gait was sharper and more purposeful.

I stop abruptly, "Where is my grandmother?"

Even though I try to make my voice appear even, my breath hitches just a tiny bit, and with his wolf hearing, I know he can hear me.

In the dim lightning, his eyes suddenly glowed a funny ember shade.

"My apologies for having to do this, omega, I am simply following instructions-"

What?

Danger.

My wolf whispers to me a little too late, just as the guard pulls out his weapon.

My heart stills immediately, and I respond a second too late.

Not Remi, though, the guard immediately lunges at me, my little wolf launches at him, and scratches his face.

Taken by surprise, he doesn't have the time to react quickly enough, and Remi's attack manages to distract him.

His weapon falls to the ground, and I take a step back, preparing to run immediately. Remi returns to my hold.

"Remi, quick."

Then we're both running in the opposite direction. My gown nearly caught on my feet, almost causing me to slip.

The guard reacts even faster this time.

Quickly, he is upon me in hot pursuit, and I almost feel like he might strike me, until I fall into something...

Or someone.

The man in front of me looks haggard and injured, and his eyes plead for mercy.

"My Luna! Oh, I am so grateful to have found you." His voice is weak, but he manages to bow down towards me.

I find no one there when I turn towards the guard pursuing me.

What? Where did he go?

"What are you doing here?" I ask the man in front of me, but he doesn't answer.

Instead, he pulls me towards him. "My Luna, we have to return to the camp. The prophecy. We need-"

He is cut short when an arrow strikes his shoulders.

I gasp and turn in the direction of the attack, but I see my grandmother and some of our guards.

My sigh of relief is short-lived when I hear the painful sound coming from the man.

"Grandmother, please, he is not a threat. What is happening?"

My mind still can't wrap around the fact that I'd almost been killed mere minutes ago.

Who would want me dead?

"Step away from him, child. He is a rogue."

My eyes widen. A rogue?

But he saved me.

I turn towards the bleeding man. Was he sent to take me away?

I don't understand what is happening. "I'm telling you, grandmother, he can't be. He just saved my life."

"Aria, that man is dangerous. Step away." My grandmother's eyes are bloodshot, and it's like she can't see me.

The rogues are responsible for my parents' deaths, so I know she despises them, but why isn't she listening to me?

I refuse to let this man die, rogue or not, until I at least speak to him.

"The Prophecy, Luna. The-" This time his words don't break, but something as fast as the speed of light appears before him.

One minute, he's stuttering for an answer; the next minute, his head rolls in front of us.

A scream tears from my throat before I can stop it.

He's been killed.

I raise my eyes to meet the perpetrator of this act, and my eyes meet stormy blue ones.

Cassius Emberwing.