POV: Asher Thorne
The sky above Silverstone shimmered with hues of crimson and gold, the last light of the sun giving way to the rise of the Blood Moon.
A sacred night.
A powerful night.
And tonight, Asher Thorne would be crowned Alpha of the Silverstone Pack.
He stood before the full-length mirror in his suite, pulling on the ceremonial attire with steady hands, though something inside him—a quiet, twitching part—felt anything but calm.
He wore the traditional wolf garb of ancient alphas—a fitted black tunic etched with silver threads, shaped like runes across his chest. A wolf fang pendant hung at his collarbone, passed down for generations. Around his forearms, leather cuffs branded with the pack's Sigel. And across his waist, a crimson sash, signifying the Blood Moon ceremony.
His friends—Jack, Alex, Micha, and Zane—were already outside, wearing their roles with pride. Jack wore the Beta's gold sash. Alex and Micha, future Gamma and Teta, had green and blue. Zane, the Delta, bore a deep Gray.
They were the future.
Asher was their leader.
And tonight… he would wear the crown.
The pack had gathered in the ceremonial square, an open expanse surrounded by ancient oaks and glowing torches. At the centre stood a raised stone platform, carved with the names of alphas long gone.
Elders lined the front rows.
Children sat on shoulders.
Warriors stood proud.
And at the top of the platform waited Alpha Elijha Thorne, Asher's father, regal in his own dark robes, the Alpha's Crown in hand.
The music stopped.
A hush fell across the crowd.
Then came the call of the wolves.
A single howl.
Then another.
And then the pack lifted their voices in a song older than time, howling into the rising Blood Moon.
Asher ascended the stone steps, each one echoing beneath his boots.
His heart beat like thunder.
And in his head, his wolf Orbit stirred.
"She's near."
"She's coming."
"Finally."
Asher didn't respond. His chest tightened.
He reached the summit.
His father turned to him, eyes stern but proud.
"Asher Thorne," he began, voice deep and clear, "do you vow to protect the Silverstone Pack with your life?"
"I do."
"To lead with strength, honour, and wisdom?"
"I do."
"To put the pack before yourself, even in matters of the heart?"
"I do."
Elijha nodded, then raised the silver crown—etched with obsidian and the mark of the Moon Goddess.
"With the blessing of Selene and the approval of your people," Elijha said, "I crown you Alpha."
He placed the crown on Asher's head.
A roar of approval rose from the crowd.
Asher stood tall—crowned Alpha, his father stepping back in symbolic surrender.
The power surged through him, crackling beneath his skin.
And then… he smelled it.
A soft, intoxicating scent.
Sweet like moonflowers and rain-kissed earth.
He turned, heart suddenly racing.
And then he saw her.
Aira.
Dressed in soft blues and white, walking slowly through the crowd like a vision summoned from a dream. Her silver-blonde hair glowed in the torchlight, and her eyes…
Her eyes locked with his.
Mate.
The word slammed into him like a tidal wave.
Mate.
His wolf Orbit howled, pacing inside his chest, tail high, ears forward, growling with joy.
"It's her. It's her. We found her. Ours."
Across the field, Aira froze. Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened.
"Mate."
She felt it too.
The pull.
The spark.
The invisible string snapping tight between them.
And the entire pack turned to watch.
Aira took a hesitant step forward, a flicker of hope shining in her face.
But Asher's world tilted.
An omega.
His mate… was an omega.
A weak, broken girl who couldn't even defend herself without drawing pity.
Could the Silverstone Pack accept her as their Luna?
Would they respect him?
Would they follow?
Asher's jaw clenched.
Orbit growled in protest.
"Don't you dare."
"She's ours."
But Asher's eyes narrowed.
His pride.
His image.
His ego.
They wrapped around him like chains.
Aira stood before him now, her lips parted, chest rising with every shallow breath.
The hope in her eyes killed him.
So he killed it first.
He stepped forward.
The crowd hushed.
Their fathers were watching. Jack, Alex, Micha—everyone.
And Asher opened his mouth.
"I, Alpha Asher Thorne of the Silverstone Pack… reject Aira Moonstone as my mate."