Chapter 1

At the Spirit Bonding Rite,

my sister Seraphina Whitlock saw the griffin choose me and burst into tears.

"Please, Ava, you're the Alpha's eldest daughter.

You've had everything your whole life. Can't you let me have this one thing?"

And just like that, the whole pack turned on me.

They told me to be generous.

I didn't argue.

I walked past the griffin, crouched beside the creature nobody wanted.

A scrawny little black pup — nobody could even tell what species he was.

I picked him up and held him against my chest.

Behind me, I heard the whispers.

She lost her mind.

She gave up a griffin out of spite.

But they didn't know that pup was no mutt.

He was an ancient Thunder Wolf .

A beast born to command storms and lightning.

…

"Ava, please. You grew up spoiled by this pack.

The best things have always belonged to you.

I had to fight for every scrap just to catch up to you.

Can't you pity me for once?"

Seraphina clutched the griffin she'd just taken — ripped straight out of my hands.

Eyes wide. Glassy. Working the crowd without saying a word.

If you didn't know the truth, you'd think I was the villain.

And pretty girls crying? That works on people. Every time.

Around us, pack members started glaring at me.

"Seraphina's right. It's just a spirit beast.

With your bloodline, Ava, you'll attract something even stronger.

Seraphina's not like you. She's weak. She's suffered. Grow up, Ava."

"Exactly, you've always been selfish. You never let your sister have anything."

I looked at all of them taking her side, and something complicated churned in my chest.

I was the Alpha's daughter. Born to lead.

Raised at the center of everything this pack had to offer.

I was stronger than the others.

The whole younger generation grew up revolving around me.

I thought that would never change.

Until Liam — our pack's Beta — brought a stranger back from patrol.

He found her in a human village.

Rogues had slaughtered almost everyone there.

She was the only one left alive.

Later, my parents revealed the truth.

She was the daughter they had lost years ago.

My little sister.