The pack house buzzed with stress. Every Alpha from the nearby territories sat around the massive oak table, their faces grim. Rowan's silver eyes swept across the room as he spoke about the recent threats on their borders.
Aria stood in the corner, trying to blend into the shadows.
She didn't belong here with these powerful leaders.
Her heart still ached from seeing Rowan's arm wrapped around Lyra's waist earlier.
"The rogues are getting bolder," Rowan said, his voice authoritative.
"We need to—" The lights flickered. Then died. Darkness swallowed the room whole.
A cold laugh echoed through the dark, making everyone's blood freeze. The sound was like broken glass scraping against stone.
"How lovely. A meeting of the most powerful Alphas in one place."
Aria's wolf stirred uncomfortably inside her chest. She knew that sound. It haunted her dreams. Purple flames suddenly burst to life around the room, leaving eerie shadows on the walls.
In the middle of the flames stood a woman with silver hair and violet eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
"Mara Lune," Rowan growled, his wolf pushing forward.
Every Alpha in the room tightened, ready to fight. The witch smiled, her lips twisting like a snake.
"Relax, boys. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to share some wonderful secrets."
Caleb moved closer to Aria, his protective reflexes flaring. She could feel his warmth beside her, but her eyes stayed locked on the witch who had destroyed her life.
"You see," Mara continued, walking slowly around the table, "I've been very busy these past ten years. Creating the most beautiful web of lies and pain."
"Get out of my territory," Rowan snarled, but he didn't move. Something held him back. "Oh, but Rowan," Mara purred, stopping right behind Lyra's chair.
"Don't you want to know why you love this pretty little redhead so much?" Lyra's face went pale. Her hands shook as she gripped the table.
"What are you talking about?" Rowan demanded.
Mara's laughter filled the room again.
"You really don't know, do you? Poor, stupid Alpha. You think your feelings are real." She waved her hand, and purple smoke swirled around Rowan's head. His silver eyes went wide with shock.
"The curse I placed on you makes you crave her," Mara said, pointing at Lyra.
"It blocks your true mate link and replaces it with fake love. Quite smart, don't you think?" The room erupted in gasps and angry yells.
Aria felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Her legs almost gave out.
"You're lying," Rowan whispered, but his voice cracked with confusion.
"Am I?" Mara turned to face Aria directly.
"Tell me, little wolf, how did it feel when he refused you? When he picked her over his own fated mate?" Tears burned Aria's eyes.
She couldn't talk. Couldn't breathe. "That's enough!" Marcus Thorn burst through the door, his face twisted with rage.
"Leave my daughter alone!"
"Oh, but Marcus," Mara said sweetly, "which daughter are you talking about?" The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Aria's heart stopped beating. "What do you mean?" Marcus demanded.
Purple flames danced in Mara's hands. "Elena isn't dead, you fool. She never was." The world turned.
Aria grabbed Caleb's arm to keep from falling. Several Alphas jumped to their feet, screaming questions.
"Impossible," Marcus breathed.
"I buried her myself."
"You buried an illusion," Mara laughed.
"I saved the real Elena. Though I did make some... changes to her memories."
"What kind of improvements?" Aria found her voice at last. It came out as a broken whisper.
"I made her remember how much she hates you," Mara said with cruel pleasure. "I showed her how you pushed her into that lake on purpose. How you wanted her dead because you were jealous of daddy's love."
"No!" Aria screamed. "That's not true! I tried to save her!"
"Elena doesn't remember it that way," Mara grinned.
"She remembers her big sister holding her underwater. She remembers your face as you watched her drown." Aria's knees hit the floor. The pain was terrible. Her sister was living but had been taught to hate her for something she never did.
Rowan stepped forward, his face pale. "Why? Why would you do this?"
"Because I need something from little Aria here," Mara said, her violet eyes glowing brighter.
"You see, she carries a very special gift.
A spirit wolf that can break any spell, heal any wound, or..." She paused dramatically.
"Destroy any enemy." "I don't understand," Aria whispered.
"Your wolf isn't just strong, darling. It's old magic made flesh. The blood of the Moon Goddess herself flows through your veins. And I need that power to finish my spell."
Caleb moved in front of Aria, his body shifting partly into wolf form.
"You won't touch her." "How sweet," Mara cooed.
"The Beta thinks he can protect her. But you can't stop what's already started."
She raised her hands, and the purple flames grew bigger. "You see, every moment of pain Aria has felt, every tear she's shed, every time her heart broke it all feeds my spell. Her sadness is the key ingredient I need."
"What spell?" Rowan commanded, moving toward Mara. "The spell to control every werewolf in existence," Mara said plainly.
"With Aria's spirit wolf power, I can change the very nature of your kind. Make you all my slaves."
The room fell silent except for the crackle of purple flames.
"But first," Mara continued, "I need to break her totally. And what better way than to let her watch her precious sister try to kill her?"
The front door burst open with a crash. Elena stepped inside, her blue eyes burning with hate as they locked onto Aria.
"Hello, sister," Elena said, her words dripping with venom. "Ready to pay for what you did to me?"
Aria's world broke into a million pieces. Her sister was living. But she was also Aria's enemy.
And Mara's laughter echoed through the room as everything Aria had ever thought about her life crumbled to dust.