The glass jar slipped from Aeryn's hand and shattered on the wooden floor. Honey spilled everywhere, making a sticky mess around her feet.
"Mom's going to kill me," Aeryn whispered, her heart racing. Today was her coming-of-age celebration, and she was already messing things up. She grabbed a cloth and dropped to her knees, trying to clean the sticky mess before anyone saw.
"Having trouble, little sister?" Lars stood in the doorway, arms crossed, with a big smile on his face. At twenty-two, her brother was already one of the strongest wolves in their small town. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he leaned against the doorframe, watching her battle.
"Don't just stand there!" Aeryn hissed. "Help me clean this up before Mom sees it. The honey was meant to be for the special bread."
Lars laughed but grabbed another cloth. "Always in some kind of trouble, aren't you?" He helped her pick up the glass pieces. "You should be getting ready anyway. Your service starts in two hours."
Aeryn's stomach flipped at the memory. Tonight she would turn eighteen, and her life would change forever. Every wolf had a coming-of-age ritual, but for an omega like her, it meant something different. Alphas like Lars praised their strength. Betas praised their skills. But omegas? They were honored for who might choose them.
"What if no one notices me?" she whispered, saying out loud the fear that had kept her awake all night.
Lars stopped cleaning and put his hand on her shoulder. "Aeryn, you worry too much. You're not just any omega. You're smart and brave, even if you are clumsy." He pointed at the honey with a smile. "Someone will notice you. Maybe even someone special."
Aeryn wasn't so sure. She was ordinary in every way - normal height with simple brown hair and brown eyes. Nothing special like the pretty omegas who got all the attention.
"Come on," Lars said, pulling her to her feet. "Let's finish cleaning this up. Then you need to get ready."
An hour later, Aeryn stood in her small bedroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Her mom had left a special dress on her bed - soft blue fabric that made her eyes look bigger than normal. She had tried to do something nice with her hair, but it still looked plain to her.
"Aeryn! Come help with the flowers!" her mother called from outside.
With a sigh, Aeryn went out to the village square where everyone was setting up for tonight. Tables lined the edges, waiting for food. A big fire pit sat in the middle, ready to be lit when the moon rose. Flowers and lights hung from the trees all around.
As Aeryn helped string up the last of the flowers, she couldn't help but listen to the other omegas chatting nearby. They were all excited, laughing about which handsome wolves might notice them tonight.
"I heard Alpha Thorne might come," whispered a tall girl named Beth.
Aeryn nearly dropped her flowers. "The Alpha? From the big Northern Pack?"
Beth nodded, her eyes wide. "My cousin said he's looking for new pack members. And you know what they say about him..."
Everyone knew about Alpha Thorne. He was strong and rich, his pack controlling the best hunting grounds in three states. He was also known for never living with the same woman twice. Wolves whispered about how beautiful he was, with eyes that could freeze you in place.
"He'd never look at someone from our tiny village," Aeryn said, trying to sound like she didn't care.
"You never know," Beth answered with a mysterious smile. "Tonight is special. The moon will be full, and strange things happen on wedding nights."
A shiver ran down Aeryn's spine, though she wasn't sure why. She looked up at the sky where the moon would soon appear. Something about tonight felt different, charged with energy she couldn't explain.
"Aeryn!" Her mother waved from across the square. "Come eat something before you get ready!"
The afternoon flew by in a blur of preparations. Before Aeryn knew it, the sun was setting and people were gathering in the square. Lanterns glowed softly in the trees. The smell of cooking meat and sweet breads filled the air.
Aeryn's mom worried over her hair one last time. "You look beautiful, sweetheart." She pinned a small silver moon to Aeryn's dress - a family practice for ceremony night.
"I don't feel beautiful," Aeryn revealed. "I feel sick to my stomach."
Her mother laughed softly. "I felt the same way on my wedding night. But then I met your father, and everything changed." Her eyes grew sad for a moment, remembering Aeryn's father who had died three winters ago.
"I miss him," Aeryn whispered.
"He would be so proud of you." Her mother squeezed her hand. "Now go on. The adults are waiting."
Aeryn walked to the center of the square where the other omegas were already lined up. Six girls and four boys, all turning eighteen this month, all looking nervous and excited. The village elder, a kind old woman called Mae, stood before them with a bowl of sacred water.
"Tonight," Elder Mae stated to the crowd, "we celebrate as these young ones take their place among us as adults. May the moon bless them with strength and purpose."
One by one, she called each omega forward. She dipped her fingers in the water and drew a crescent moon on their foreheads. When it was Aeryn's turn, she stepped forward on shaky legs.
"Aeryn, daughter of Sarah and the late James, step into your power," Elder Mae said.
The cool water touched Aeryn's face, and a strange warmth spread through her body. For a moment, everything around her seemed brighter, more vivid. The lights, the faces in the crowd, the moon starting to rise above the trees - everything glowed with new light.
"I..." Aeryn tripped, feeling dizzy.
Elder Mae's eyes widened. "Child, are you-"
A ruckus at the edge of the square cut her off. People were turning, talking. The crowd split as a group of strangers walked into the village center.
They were clearly not from the village. Their clothes were finer, their stance straight and proud. At their head walked a tall man with broad shoulders and dark hair. Even from a distance, Aeryn could feel something coming from him - power, authority, danger.
"Alpha Thorne," someone whispered nearby, and the name spread through the crowd.
Aeryn couldn't breathe. It was him - the Alpha everyone feared and adored. What was he doing here, at their small village ceremony? Her heart pounded so loud she was sure everyone could hear it.
Then, as if he felt her stare, Alpha Thorne turned his head. His eyes, sharp and blue as winter ice, scanned the line of omegas. When his gaze fell on Aeryn, something strange happened. His whole body went stiff. His nostrils flared as if catching a smell on the wind.
Aeryn wanted to look away but couldn't. It was like his eyes had trapped her. The strange warm feeling inside her grew hotter, almost painful.
Around her, the other omegas were shifting uncomfortably. The crowd had gone completely dead. Even Elder Mae seemed frozen in place.
Then Alpha Thorne did something no one expected. He started walking straight toward Aeryn, his eyes never leaving hers. With each step he took, Aeryn's body thrummed with a strange new energy. She had never felt anything like it before.
When he stood just three feet away, he stopped. His eyes, locked on hers, suddenly flashed gold - the sign of a wolf recognizing something important.
"What is your name?" he asked, his voice deep and authoritative.
Before Aeryn could answer, a terrible pain ripped through her body. She gasped and doubled over, clutching at her chest. Something was happening to her, something that shouldn't happen during a gathering.
"She's shifting!" someone shouted in fear. "But it's not time!"
Aeryn looked up at Alpha Thorne through the haze of pain. His face showed shock, then something else - hunger, need, ownership.
"Mine," he growled, so softly only she could hear it.
And then, as the full moon broke free from the clouds above them, Aeryn's world burst into pain and light.