The Rise of Aria Thornwyn
Description
In a world where power, beauty, and bloodline define a she-wolf's worth, Aria Thornwyn-curvy, ridiculed, and unwanted-is thrust into a hostile pack and mated to the cold, reluctant future Alpha, Matthew. Though fate binds them through a sacred mark, Matthew rejects her emotionally, using duty as an excuse while Elias, the noble Beta, offers the love and freedom she's never known. Torn between loyalty to a cruel bond and the pull of self-worth, Aria must fight not only for survival, but for identity, dignity, and a future no one believes she deserves.
Chapter 1
Oct 13, 2025
Aria
If the Moon Goddess had any mercy left, she’d strike me down right now.
I clutched the straps of my backpack so tightly my fingers went numb. Every step toward Blue Stone’s border felt like a countdown to public humiliation. My father walked beside me, head held high like he wasn’t about to hand me over like a secondhand offering. His voice, usually stern and unreadable, softened as he glanced at me.
“Maybe you’re his mate. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes.”
I wanted to scream, She made plenty when she made me.
But I just nodded, pretending I believed that fairytale. That fate would somehow make me belong to someone. That I wouldn’t be the one rejected, again.
My thighs rubbed together uncomfortably in the thick jeans I’d squeezed myself into. My hoodie clung to my arms like a wet second skin. I hated every inch of my body right now. Not because it was wrong, but because I knew they would look at me and decide it was.
When we reached the stone border lined with carved wolf heads, two warriors emerged from the woods. They didn’t ask my name. They didn’t offer a hand. Just stared, wide-eyed, judgmental, a mix of pity and something uglier.
My father cleared his throat. “I’m Alpha Thornwyn. This is my daughter, Aria. She’s of age, unmarked, and—”
“She’ll be assessed by Alpha Ryle,” one of the guards cut in coldly. “Follow us.”
That was it. No greeting. No warmth. No ceremony.
Just like I expected.
We walked in silence along a winding trail that led up to the massive Pack House, if you could even call it that. It was more like a fortress, all stone and glass, carved into the mountain with silver spikes lining its balcony rails. Blue flags with the sigil of a howling wolf fluttered in the breeze like mocking applause. I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to turn and run back into the forest.
But I had nowhere else to go. At the top of the marble stairs, two large wooden doors opened slowly, and out stepped Alpha Ryle.
He was tall, at least six-five, with a graying beard, eyes sharp as blades, and a posture that screamed dominance. His presence sucked the air out of the space. He looked down at me like he was examining a disappointing meal.
“So,” he said dryly. “This is what Thornwyn sends.”
My father gave a respectful nod. “She’s ready to find her mate.”
Ryle’s lips tightened like he’d tasted something sour. He didn’t even bother to greet me. Just stepped aside and muttered, “Wait here.”
My heart banged against my ribs like a trapped creature. This was it. This was the moment the Moon Goddess would fix everything. Where my mate would step out, take my hand, and tell me I mattered. That I wasn’t too much or not enough, I was just right.
And then, he appeared.
Matthew.
He didn’t walk, he stalked forward like he owned the world. Tall, broad-shouldered, lean muscle wrapped in a black t-shirt that clung to his chest and arms like sin itself. His hair was dark, windswept and messy, like he’d just run his fingers through it. His jaw was sharp, clean-shaven, with the faintest scar running from just under his right eye to the edge of his cheekbone.
But it was his eyes that paralyzed me.
Golden-brown. Intense. Wild. Like he was half a second from shifting into his wolf and tearing something apart. He radiated power, and rage.
And then our eyes met. It was like a bolt of lightning split the sky and carved itself into my spine. My lungs forgot how to breathe. My skin prickled. My stomach flipped. The bond. The bond. My mate. The very thing I was told might never happen because I wasn’t what the packs wanted.
But it was real. He blinked, his brows slightly furrowing, for the briefest second, I saw shock. And then, his expression twisted.
His gaze raked down my body, slow and venomous, taking in the curve of my stomach, the fullness of my thighs, the roundness of my face. His lips curled. The crowd around us—warriors, pack members, Omegas—grew still. And then he said it. Coldly. Loudly.
“I thought they’d send me a she-wolf…”
His voice was smooth as ice, sharp as steel.
“…not a cow.”
The Rise of Aria Thornwyn
30 Chapters
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