𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

2. Different

17 years later

Werewolves shift for the first time at about 13 years old. However, half blooded weres shift late - around 18 years old. Despite the dominance of werewolf gene, not being able to shift is rare and baby Ariana grew up to be rare.

She looked out from the window of her chamber towards outer ward, where wolves of her age were lined up, ready to go for a run. Letting out a sigh, she drew curtains and turned back to find her mother standing with a sympathetic and almost apologetic look on her face. No matter how much she loved and revered her mother, she couldn't stand to be looked upon as a matter of sorrow or even worse pity.

Winding up her musing and mustering courage, she approached her mother and stood in front of her with a blank face. Luna Barbara lifted her hand and slowly caressed her hair making Ariana almost let go of her facade.

"Mother." She addressed cordially with a hint of forced smile on her lips.

"Let's go for a walk to the garden dear, shall we?" Ariana gladly accepted the hand offered by the Luna and started walking with the same pace as her, only to come to a halt in front of a pillar.

"I knew that you were going to be different from the day I had started feeling you inside my womb." Putting a strand of hair behind her daughter's hair gently, she continued. "Different. Something rare."

"Rare? Do you mean something unfortunate?" Ariana let out a bitter scoff.

While she was being consoled otherwise, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer and quickly dismissed the matter by bowing with respect and taking a leave.

"Now that was an insolent behavior by her." huffed Alpha Edward.

Startled by the sudden and unexpected presence, Luna Barbara quickly regained her posture and retorted, "I would say it was quite insolent on your part, listening to an intimate conversation between us mother and daughter."

"Well considering that you are my mate and she is my daughter, I have every right!" Alpha replied with a hint of playfulness in an attempt to lighten up the chat.

"And does a good father rebuke his own daughter for a matter as trivial as such?" Luna folded her arms.

"Had I known that you doubt my paternal responsibilities, I would have asked our daughter Persephone to convince you otherwise." Alpha faked a hurt look on his face, still playful about the whole affair.

"This is exactly what I'm concerned about, Edward. Your partiality between your own children is hurting."

After a pause, Luna continued, "Ever since Ariana was born, you have been distant towards her. No matter how much my poor baby tried to win your favor, you have always chosen Persephone over her, sometimes even over Anwar. You have failed to treat our three pups equal, Edward -

- I sometimes fear that you even have a bit of hatred towards our youngest because of a mindless prophecy."

"You were the one who prophesied about her, Barbara!" Alpha accused, in a darker tone.

"I had said that she is destined to be different. By different, I didn't mean to convey a misfortune or a curse. The fact that she was born precisely on the day when the King and the Queen were massacred is nothing but a pure coincidence. When will this get inside that head of your's?"

It was no secret to Ravernia that the Alpha favored the two older siblings. What Ariana and the people of Ravernia were unknown of, was the prophecy.

Being a seer and predicting the prophecy which distanced Alpha Edward from Ariana, Luna Barbara blamed herself time and again for the misery of her daughter. But even she was unaware of whether the "different" was a good different or a bad different. Nobody knew whether Ariana Saoirse Bennet was a curse or a blessing-in-disguise to the entire werewolf race.

Author's note : I took Saoirse from the actress Saoirse Ronan as I find this name very unique and intriguing and of course Bennet from Elizabeth Bennet .

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