Chapter 1 THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

THIRD PERSON'S POV

The wind howled through the trees like a grieving widow, low and sharp as it swept across the borderlands.

Aria Ashborne stood on a jagged outcrop of stone, her cloak snapping around her ankles as she surveyed the distant shimmer of firelight in the valley below.

Another rogue camp. Another reminder that the world she once knew had turned its back on her

She hadn't been Alpha-blood in years-not since the day they dragged her father into the Council pit and branded him a traitor.

Not since the night their home burned and the mark of Ashborne was struck from every stone in their territory. And she was forced to run away with her younger brother, and leave her beloved family to turn to ashes.

Now, she is a shadow. A ghost. A weapon wrapped in skin and silence. A waiting fire to burn down each and everyone who's responsible for her family's downfall.

Behind her, a low growl rumbles, she turns to find David, a massive black wolf with a scar running down his muzzle, stepping out of the trees.

"Trespassers on the northern ridge." He said, shifting mid-stride into his human form. "Scouts. Council has sent."

Aria's jaw clenched and her fists tightened on her sides. "How close are they?"

"Too close." David answered, looking at her leaving.

She moved fast, the conversation already forgotten as she stalked through the woods toward their camp.

The others were there, Cera, always sharp with a blade and sharper with her tongue. Jax, quiet and twitchy, but deadly with traps. And Mira, the healer who spoke more to herbs than to people.

And last but not the least, her three years younger brother, Alexander- Alex Ashborne, dangerously silent and sly like a fox, but a golden retriever for his sister and friends.

This was her pack now. Not by blood, not by name. By survival. Just them.

"We'll move east before sunrise. They're coming again!" Aria informs them, standing in the middle of them. "Pack light. No fire tonight." She instructed.

"Let them come." Cera hiss, scrunching her nose in displeasure. "I'm sick of running."

Aria met her eyes, her gaze hard and firm. "So am I. But we're not ready, not yet." She says, gritting her teeth.

"We understand you, Ash, and we're not complaining about it." Alexander says, smiling at her, while strapping a sharp dagger around his ankles.

She smiles and turns to leave to pack her things. They start to pack important things, some food, herbs, weapons they have and other stuff.

Later, beneath the canopy of stars, twenty three years old Aria sat alone with her dagger. She ran her thumb over the hilt, carved with the Ashborne crest. The only piece she hadn't let go.

The forest whispered her name. Not the one given by the Goddess. The one forged in fire exile. Rogue Traitor's spawn.

She closed her eyes, and for a moment, she remembered what it felt like to belong. The warmth of her mother. Her father's laugh. The certainty that she would one day lead the people.

But the world didn't want a queen forged in ruin.

They wanted a weapon.

And Aria Ashborne was ready to become one. Ready to give back whatever the world gives her when she's not ready.

The memories flow in her mind, how the council members accused her father as a traitor who shielded the rogue wolves, how they humiliated him, and mercilessly executed him because of a false alarm.

How the world waits and sees others attacking her family, killing her mother, elder brother and sister, her uncle, Aunt, and how much her family suffers in front of her eyes.

But still her family tried their best to escort both her and Alex out of their burning house, so they could be saved, lived the life they couldn't.

A sixteen year old Aria was not big enough to handle herself or the sudden burden on her shoulders, along with her little brother, she struggles to move on, trust on someone, and survive.

But eventually she gets along with the rough world, never trusting others except yourself, she survives, her brother survives, and they build their own home.

"I'm coming back, bastards! This time, it will be you and your family burning in fire, dying, crying for mercy but they'll get none." She mutters, her tone filled with venom as she opens her eyes and looks in front of her.

"You have enjoyed your life until now, but not anymore." She grits, getting up and looks around then walks into her brother's tent, and a smile curves on her lips.

Alexander sleeps peacefully, knowing his sister is out there to protect him. Aria covers him with the quilt properly and places a soft kiss on his forehead before going back and sits beside the fireplace.

"It's going to be the Moon Ceremony in a few days." Mira says, stepping out of her tent and goes to sit beside Aria. "What do you think, will you find your soulmate?" She jokes, bumping her shoulders into hers.

"You know, Mira, I'm not at all interested in that shit! My goal is different." Aria replies, and scoffs at the mention of 'mate'.

Mira smiles sadly, looking up at the shining moon and a tear rolls down from the corner of her eyes, which she quickly wipes it off.

But it was useless as Aria has already noticed her tears and fragile attempts to act nonchalantly.

"Maybe...you know you can find your soulmate too. He was not your soulmate, but a chosen one, and I think your true soulmate is out there in this world." Aria says, looking away from her to save her from embarrassment.

Mira chuckles and shakes her head. "Some feelings are hard to let go, Ash! It hurts badly to hold back but it hurts more badly to let go."

"It will only hurt once when you let go, but you will suffer all over your life if you hold it back." Aria retorts back, turning her head to look at her best friend.

"Can you also let go of the feeling of revenge for your family?" Mira snaps, but suddenly she realizes what she's done. "I...I'm sorry, I don't-"

"No, I can't." Aria cut her off, looking up at the sky. "And it's not because of love, but betrayal, when you and your whole family are falsely accused and killed." She says, her eyes brimming with silent anger she's been holding.

"I can't let go because I have lost my everything for the things we never did. And I will not sit back peacefully until I tell the whole world that my dad was innocent,my family were innocent." Aria says in determination and clenches fists.