Chapter 5
877words
The sacred ceremony that would bond me with my spirit wolf Fenrir—if I still had one to claim.
Ancient tradition demanded that every Alpha heir undergo Recognition at twenty-two, calling forth their guardian spirit to seal their birthright.
In my previous life, this day had begun my destruction. This time, I was ready. This time, I had allies.
Maya knocked softly before entering with breakfast.
"You need to eat something," she said, worry creasing her brow. "The ceremony is demanding. You'll need your strength."
I smiled at her concern. "I'm not hungry."
How could I explain that my appetite had died with me five years in the future?
"Sienna... After last night, everyone's talking. They're saying—"
"They're saying I'm cruel. Heartless." I squeezed her hand gently. "Let them talk."
Maya's eyes searched mine, confusion written across her features. "This isn't like you. You've changed since those nightmares started."
If only she knew.
I pulled away and walked to the window. Below, wolves from every major Pack gathered around the Recognition Stone—a massive obsidian pillar carved with ancient runes.
Today, I would call Fenrir from the spirit realm.
Today, he would reject me in front of hundreds of witnesses.
And today, I would understand how Cassandra had stolen what was mine.
"Miss Sienna," came a servant's voice. "The Recognition Ceremony is ready."
In my previous life, I'd walked to this ceremony with hope. This time, I walked with ice in my veins and steel in my spine.
The doors of Moonlight Manor opened, releasing me into the crisp morning air.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward me as I made my way down the stone path toward the sacred site.
Some faces showed excitement—Recognition ceremonies were rare and spectacular events.
Others displayed skepticism after last night's confrontation.
Ethan stood among the Shadowfang Pack, resplendent in his black leathers, his arms crossed as he watched my approach.
Beside him, Cassandra trembled like a leaf in her pale yellow dress—the picture of nervous innocence.
And there, standing slightly apart, was Damon.
Even across the crowd, I could feel the mate bond humming between us—warm, steady, reassuring. He wore Shadowfang colors but seemed unwelcome among them, as always.
When his gaze found mine, that connection we'd discovered last night strengthened. A silent promise that I wasn't facing this alone.
The noise faded. There was only that bond—pure, untainted, real.
Cassandra's nervous giggle broke the spell.
Her forehead bore a small bandage from last night's performance.
How thoughtful of her to advertise her "injuries."
The crowd parted as I approached the Recognition Stone, creating a wide circle around the sacred space.
Elder Whitehawk, the oldest and most respected spiritual leader among our Packs, raised his staff for silence.
"We gather today to witness Sienna Sterling, Alpha heir of Moonlight Pack, in her sacred Recognition." His voice carried across the silent crowd. "Let the ancient rites begin."
I stepped forward, placing my palm against the cold obsidian surface.
The stone hummed with otherworldly energy, and the carved runes began to glow with silver light.
This was it.
The moment that would change everything.
I closed my eyes and reached out with my consciousness, calling across the veil between worlds.
"Fenrir," I whispered, my voice barely audible but carrying the full weight of my Alpha heritage. "I summon thee."
The air around the Recognition Stone began to shimmer.
A low growl echoed from somewhere beyond the physical realm, making every wolf present tense with anticipation.
The shimmer intensified, and suddenly—
He appeared.
Fenrir materialized in a blaze of silver light, his massive form dominating the ceremonial circle. Nine feet tall at the shoulder, his golden eyes blazed with ancient wisdom and terrible power.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even those who had witnessed Recognitions before had never seen a spirit wolf of such magnificent size and presence.
This was what I was meant to bond with.
This was the guardian that should have been mine.
Fenrir's gaze found mine across the circle, and for one heart-stopping moment, I felt the familiar pull of recognition—the deep, soul-level connection that should bind us together for eternity.
But then his expression shifted.
The warmth in those golden eyes turned to cold unfamiliarity.
Fenrir's lips pulled back in a snarl, and he let out a howl of rejection that shook the very ground beneath our feet.
The crowd gasped as my magnificent spirit wolf turned away from me, padding across the circle toward the gathered spectators.
Toward Cassandra.
He stopped directly in front of her, lowering his massive head in acknowledgment.
The impossible had happened.
Fenrir—my Fenrir—had chosen someone else.
I remained standing by the Recognition Stone, my hand still pressed to its surface, watching this betrayal unfold exactly as it had in my previous life.
But this time, I didn't collapse in shock and despair.
This time, I was listening.
Listening for the subtle wrongness in Fenrir's movements.
Listening for the tell-tale hitch in his breathing that would reveal the truth.
And there—just beneath his magnificent howl—I heard it.
A discordant note.
A false harmony that didn't belong.
Magic. Dark magic, woven so cleverly that it would fool everyone present.
Everyone except someone who had lived through this before.
I smiled.
