novelraw Among the Pack:
Among the Pack:
[POV: Aria]
The dining hall was full of noise. Laughter bounced off the high timbered walls, silverware clinked against plates, and the scent of roast meat and garlic bread hung thick in the air. I sat wedged between Emmett and Noelle, the hum of voices all around me.
This time, though, I wasn’t on the outside looking in. I was part of the circle. A real one.
Our table overflowed with energy. Emmett leaned back in his chair, practically glowing with excitement, tossing a grape up and catching it in his mouth like a showoff. Russell thumped the table with his palm every time someone made a dramatic prediction about the tournament, and Noelle was halfway through a hilarious impression of Piper’s training voice—low, gruff, and dripping with sarcasm.
I smiled quietly, watching them. The edges of my heart softened. I’d never had this before. Not even close.
Back in Midnight Crest, dinner had been silent, cold, or filled with sneers if I dared speak. Even as a child, I’d learned to eat quickly, quietly, and disappear.
But here, I was just… sitting. Laughing, listening. A part of something.
Is this what people mean by friendship? Why had they chosen me—to talk to, to let in?
I didn’t understand it, but I didn’t want to question it either.
Then Emmett turned, eyes bright. “Aria,” he said, his grin mischievous, “that sparring match with Hayden—what the hell was that?”
Russell leaned forward, nodding. “Yeah, come on. Where the hell were you hiding those moves?”
Even Noelle raised her brows, laughing. “You’ve been playing it safe during training, huh? What else are you hiding?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I blinked, suddenly overwhelmed by their attention, their excitement. I hadn’t expected this. Not praise. Not curiosity. Not like this.
“I… um…” I cleared my throat, struggling for words. “I just trained a lot. In my old pack. For survival, mostly.”
It wasn’t a lie. But it wasn’t the whole truth either. They didn’t press. Just nodded, impressed.
“That spin was insane,” Russell added. “You dodged like he was moving in slow motion.”
Noelle lifted her cup toward me in a mock toast. “To the little rogue who clocked our Alpha.”
They all laughed, including me. But even as I smiled, tears prickled behind my eyes. I quickly covered my face with my hands, pretending to laugh harder than I was—hiding the flush and the tears.
They see me. They like me. I couldn’t remember the last time that had been true.
After dinner, the older wolves took over the space, and Noelle nudged me with her elbow. “Come on. Let’s take a walk before Emmett tries to recount his ‘glorious victories’ over Theo again.”
We slipped out into the night, the air cool against our flushed cheeks. The moonlight painted the trees in silver and shadow as we strolled along the dirt path.
I glanced sideways at her. “You were great out there today.”
She snorted. “Please. I nearly ate dirt three times.”
“Yeah,” I smirked. “But you did it with flair.”
We both laughed.
The conversation drifted, easy and casual—until she suddenly grinned wide, her eyes lighting up with mischief.
“You good?” Noelle asked after a few minutes, her voice lighter than usual.
I nodded. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”
She gave a little hum of acknowledgement but didn’t push. Instead, she walked beside me in silence, hands tucked into her jacket pockets, boots crunching softly against the dirt path.
“Okay, but real talk—I’ve never seen that look on Alpha Hayden’s face before.”
I blinked. “What look?”
“The one he gave you after you hit him. Like he was two seconds away from grinning like a lunatic and proposing on the spot.”
I choked on a laugh. “Please.”
“No, seriously! Everyone noticed. You should’ve seen the crowd when he took off his shirt. Half the girls stopped breathing.”
“Don’t remind me,” I muttered. “That was clearly planned.”
“Of course it was planned,” she said. “Everything Hayden does is planned.”
Noelle doubled over dramatically, gasping. “‘Oh no,’” she mimicked in a breathless voice, “‘the Alpha is shirtless and covered in sweat, whatever shall we do?!’”
I giggled until my ribs hurt. Then the moment slowed, and we fell into a quiet rhythm again. The air between us is more reflective now, thoughtful.
I glanced sideways at her, then spoke without really planning it. “Why doesn’t he have a Luna?”
Noelle’s smile faded instantly. She blinked, surprised by the question. “Alpha Hayden?”
I nodded. “He’s still young. Strong. Respected. Would’ve thought someone like him would’ve already… you know. Chosen someone.”
She looked away, her expression tightening. The wind rustled the leaves around us. I thought maybe she wouldn’t answer.
Then, softer, she said, “Our pack used to have a Luna. He used to have a mate.”
My breath caught.
“Annabeth,” Noelle continued, voice low. “She was… everything. Beautiful, brave, kind. A fierce fighter, and the only person who could get under Alpha Hayden’s skin in the best way. They were completely in sync. Everyone thought they were unstoppable.”
A beat of silence passed.
“...But she was killed.”