Regelo

Ariel.

The air around the pack house was filled with a festive energy that made my stomach twist.

Today wasn’t just any celebration; it was the engagement of my stepsister Lyra and alpha Daniel. And it happened to be Lyra's birthday, an occasion that should have been filled with joy, laughter, and love.

The entire pack had gathered, their excited chatter filling the rooms as they decorated, laughed, and prepared to celebrate. But for me, it was just another day of enduring taunts and sneers.

As the guests arrived, I could feel their eyes on me, sizing me up, sneering, and whispering.

Some comments cut through the noise, sharp and cruel. They didn’t hold back: mocking my weight, jeering at the fact that my younger stepsister was getting engaged while I remained single after been rejected by my mate.

The sharp sting of their words echoed in my mind. To them, I was the failed daughter, the flawed sister, the one who didn’t fit in.

My gaze drifted to Lyra as she made her grand entrance, and I couldn’t deny how radiant she looked. She was the golden child, the perfect Luna-to-be, with every glance cast her way filled with admiration.

Daniel, too, looked every bit the alpha-in-waiting—charming, strong, the ideal leader everyone adored.

Watching him lavish attention on Lyra was a painful reminder of the dreams I had once dared to hold.

my mind drifted to the day he walked into my room to invite me to the ball, our connection had felt undeniable, but he’d rejected me, deeming me unworthy and choosing Lyra instead.

I watched as my father and stepmother beamed with pride at Lyra and Daniel.

Their faces shone with love and admiration, an expression I’d never seen directed toward me.

To them, I was simply Ariel, the “unworthy” daughter, an inconvenience they couldn’t wait to hide away.

They flaunted Lyra and ignored me as if my very presence was an embarrassment. It hurt, more deeply than I could admit.

When the alpha, Daniel’s father, raised his glass and announced the engagement, cheers erupted around me.

He declared Lyra as the future Luna, a perfect match for his son and the pack’s beloved leader. I forced myself to clap, though my heart pounded painfully, and a forced smile tugged at my lips.

Just as I thought I could slip away unnoticed, Daniel approached me. I tensed, hoping he had something civil to say. Instead, he leaned close, his voice dripping with malice.

“When I become alpha, Ariel,” he murmured, his voice laced with cruelty, “I’m going to make you my slave. I may not want you as my mate, but I’ll find a use for you.” His eyes swept over me with disdain, a hint of twisted desire lurking there. “Consider it an honor. I can’t bear the thought of mating with you, but you’ll make a decent toy.”

My blood ran cold.

Anger surged within me, fierce and hot, mixing with the hurt and humiliation I’d held in for so long.

“Over my dead body, Daniel,” I whispered, defiance burning in my voice. I felt Adira, my wolf, stirring within me, giving me strength to stand my ground.

Daniel smirked, as if amused by my defiance.

“Be careful what you wish for, Ariel,” he sneered before walking away, leaving me stunned and seething.

Tears threatened to spill, but I held them back, feeling the weight of isolation press down on me. All my life, I had endured their ridicule, their scorn, but this, this was beyond anything I could bear.

Why had Adira refused to leave this place, to allow me the freedom of a rogue life elsewhere? I felt trapped in a world that despised me.

As the evening wore on, I watched as Daniel and Lyra celebrated, surrounded by well-wishers.

The clinking of glasses, the music, the laughter—it was all too much. And then, in the midst of it all, a piercing scream tore through the air.

“Rogues!” The word echoed through the hall, sending a shockwave of fear and panic.

Chaos erupted around me as everyone scrambled for safety. Pack warriors shifted into their wolf forms, preparing to defend the pack house.

My heart raced as I watched the people around me transform, a frantic mix of bravery and terror in their eyes. In the frenzy, I saw Daniel shift and join the other warriors, his powerful wolf charging forward into the fight.

“Ariel, help them,” Adira’s voice whispered within me.

“Why should I?” I shot back, bitterness flooding my thoughts. “They’ve done nothing but torment me. Why should I risk my life for them?”

“You are better than they are, Ariel,” Adira’s voice was gentle yet firm. “This isn’t about them. This is about you and what you stand for.”

I hesitated, but something in me shifted, a surge of courage rising within.

Taking a deep breath, I slipped out of the chaotic hall and into the night, finding a secluded spot where I could safely transform.

Slowly, I shifted into my wolf form, a magnificent white wolf with a presence that felt both mysterious and powerful.

“What now?” I asked Adira, bracing myself for whatever lay ahead.

“Now, we howl,” Adira replied.

Together, we let out a sorrowful, powerful howl, one that reverberated through the night, carrying a strange and ancient magic.

The sound stilled everything around us, freezing time and space in an instant. Friend and foe alike were frozen, suspended in mid-motion, caught in the eerie stillness.

In that silence, I shifted back to my human form.

“Save them,” Adira instructed, and I obeyed, feeling a strange sense of purpose take over.

I moved through the battleground, weaving between warriors and rogues alike.

I disarmed the rogues, securing my pack warriors, and strategically removed weapons. I even broke the legs of a few rogues, ensuring they couldn’t fight. Each move felt precise and natural, a dance of power and grace I hadn’t known I possessed.

Once I was sure my pack had the advantage, I retreated back to my secluded spot. I was about to shift again when Adira stopped me.

“Say ‘Regelo,’” she instructed.

I spoke the word softly, and in an instant, time resumed. The sounds of battle filled the air once more, but this time, my pack soldiers held the upper hand.

Within minutes, the rogues, disoriented and disadvantaged, began to retreat. Some scattered into the woods, their snarls fading into the distance as our pack celebrated their victory.

From the shadows, I watched Daniel pride and arrogance soar, his face smug, as he took the glory for the pack’s triumph.

The soldiers cheered, celebrating their win, oblivious to the real reason behind their survival.

A part of me wanted to reveal myself, to step forward and show them what I had done, but I knew it would make little difference. They would never see me as anything more than a burden.

But standing there in the shadows, I felt a certain peace settle over me. I had discovered a strength within myself, one that didn’t need their validation.

They could continue to mock me, to overlook my worth, but I knew now that I was more powerful than any of them could imagine. I was my own protector, my own savior.

As the celebration continued without me, I slipped away into the night, my heart lighter than it had been in years.

I finally knew who I was, and I was done letting anyone define my worth. The night was mine, and I embraced it with newfound strength, ready to carve my own path forward.

But little did I know that fate would play yet another cruel joke on me.