Aria Throne was never meant to survive the night of her eighteenth birthday-rejected by her mate and betrayed by her own pack, she was left to die in the forest. But fate had other plans. When the forbidden Moonfire marks her, awakening a power no wolf has ever possessed, Aria becomes the most hunted being in the realm. Caught between vengeance and destiny, she must navigate a world of ruthless Alphas, dark secrets, and a prophecy that could shatter everything. But when the Alpha King himself takes an interest in her, claiming she is his true mate, Aria must decide: surrender to the fire or rise from the ashes and claim her throne. Power. Passion. Revenge. The Moonfire chooses only one.
The night air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, a chill that clung to Aria's skin despite the warmth of the bonfire crackling in the center of the pack's clearing. She had been waiting for this moment her entire life-waiting for the one who was meant to be her mate, the man whose scent would fill her lungs and whose touch would ignite something deep inside her. Tonight, under the full moon, everything was supposed to fall into place. But as she stood among the other wolves, her heart was already beginning to splinter into pieces.
The pack gathered around, their eyes glinting with excitement, murmuring amongst themselves. The moonlight cast long shadows, creating an almost eerie ambiance as if the night itself was holding its breath.
Then, there he was.
Ethan. The alpha heir, the one who had been fated to be with her since the day she was born. His tall figure emerged from the shadows, his powerful presence immediately commanding attention. His dark hair fell in waves, framing his sharp, chiseled face. Aria's heart raced, and she instinctively stepped forward, her breath catching in her throat as their eyes met across the clearing.
The bond should have been instant-an unbreakable connection that would draw them together in an overwhelming rush. But instead, there was only a cold emptiness.
Ethan's eyes, once full of warmth when they were children, now looked at her with something almost foreign-disinterest, perhaps? Or was it... disgust? Aria's heart stuttered in her chest, her wolf stirring uneasily within her. This was not how it was supposed to be.
"Aria," Ethan said, his voice colder than she'd ever heard it before. The words felt like a slap in the face, though they were so calm, so controlled. "I need to speak with you."
She nodded, the weight of his gaze pressing down on her. As she walked towards him, each step felt like an eternity. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but she brushed it off, telling herself that this was just the anxiety of the moment. It was normal, right?
"Ethan, what's wrong?" she asked softly, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay composed.
He ran a hand through his dark hair, and for a brief moment, his eyes softened, but it was only for a second-long enough to give her a flicker of hope. Hope that quickly died when he opened his mouth again.
"I'm sorry, Aria," he began, his words coming out like a blade cutting through her chest. "I can't do this."
Her heart skipped a beat, her breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it felt like the world had gone silent.
"You're not my mate," he said, his words cold and final. "I've felt it for a while now. The bond is just... not there."
The world around her seemed to slow as his words echoed in her mind, louder and louder until it felt like her brain couldn't process them. Her mouth went dry, and her vision blurred as she struggled to breathe. The ground beneath her feet seemed to tilt and sway as though the earth itself was rejecting her, and for a moment, she felt like she might collapse.
"Ethan, please..." She reached for him, her fingers trembling. "This can't be real. We're-"
"I'm sorry," he cut her off, his voice firm. "I can't force something that isn't there. I've already chosen someone else."
The words hit her like a tidal wave, crashing over her and pulling her under. A suffocating numbness spread through her chest, making it hard to think, hard to move. She could feel her wolf inside her, howling in agony, in disbelief. But it didn't matter. The bond was broken, severed by his cold rejection.
"I-" she began, but the words died in her throat. What could she possibly say? What could she do when the one person she had trusted her entire life had just told her that she was nothing? That she didn't matter?
Ethan stepped back, not looking at her anymore. "I'm sorry, Aria. I truly am. But this is for the best. You'll understand one day."
The world around her seemed to warp and distort, the sounds of the pack's murmurs fading into nothingness. She was numb, her heart shattered into jagged pieces. The mate bond-the one that was supposed to be perfect, the one that was supposed to make everything right-was gone, leaving only a void in its place.
Aria turned away, her breath shallow and erratic as she stumbled through the crowd of pack members who watched her, some with pity, others with indifference. Their gazes pierced through her like sharp arrows. She couldn't bear to look at any of them. The ground felt unsteady beneath her as she pushed her way through the crowd, her legs weak, her mind reeling.
She had to get out.
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!