AT THE SAME TIME
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
I was still recovering from the whirlwind of attention from the Alphas when the familiar cold chime of the system rang in my mind.
"Second event unlocked. Moon shift. Congratulations, Player! You have unlocked the second major event of 'Alpha's Chosen One'. The Moon shift ceremony is an exclusive gathering where only the strongest packs participate. It is a sacred night where high ranking wolves shift under the full moon, proving their strength and status. Legendary Lunas have been revealed in this event before…"System said.
My stomach dropped. Oh no. This was the event. The one where the game's default female lead some perfectly elegant, breathtakingly beautiful she wolf would make her grand entrance and capture everyone's attention. This was where the true Luna of the game was supposed to be revealed, forcing all the Alphas, including Xavier, to notice her. And now… I had to attend?
"Attendance mandatory."System said.
My heart pounded.
"You've gotta be kidding me." I muttered under my breath.
Mira, who had been walking beside me, raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
I shook my head.
"Nothing. Just… thinking."I said.
Mira gave me a sceptical look but didn't push. Meanwhile, my mind was racing. I had never shifted before not since entering this world. I had been so focused on survival, helping the rogues, and avoiding Xavier that I hadn't even thought about it. But now? Now I had to shift in front of an entire audience of Alphas and their packs?! What if my wolf was weak? What if she was ugly, just like Isabella had been described in the game? I took a deep breath. No. Stop it. I've come this far. I can handle this. Still, I couldn't shake the anxiety. The Moon Shift Ceremony was a big deal. Even if I didn't want the attention, I knew this event had the power to change everything My heart pounded.
"You've gotta be kidding me." I muttered under my breath.
Mira, who had been walking beside me, raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?"Mira said.
I shook my head.
"Nothing. Just… thinking."I said.
I only hoped that everything was going to end up right in the end.
The night of the Moon Shift Ceremony arrived far too quickly. A massive clearing stretched before me, bathed in the soft glow of the full moon. Tall trees surrounded the sacred space, their leaves whispering as the night breeze wove through them. Wolves from various packs had already gathered, their excited murmurs filling the air. This was an event for the strongest, the most elite.
And yet, I an omega rogue was here.
Mira nudged me.
"You okay?"Mira asked.
I let out a slow breath.
"As okay as I can be when I'm about to shift for the first time in front of hundreds of people."I said.
"Well, if anyone underestimates you, they're in for a surprise."She smirked.
I wished I had her confidence. As more packs arrived, the atmosphere shifted, growing heavier. Alphas stood tall and proud, their powerful auras filling the space. Some were already shifting into their massive wolves, displaying their strength. Among them was him. Xavier. I could feel his golden eyes on me even before I turned to look. He stood near the front, his posture rigid, arms crossed as he observed the ceremony. His pack flanked him, blending seamlessly into the shadows. He wasn't shifting yet, he was waiting. Watching. Waiting for her. This was supposed to be the moment the game's real Luna appeared, after all. Some stunning, ethereal she wolf that all the Alphas would admire, that Xavier would inevitably be drawn to. But instead…
"Player is required to shift." System said.
My stomach clenched. The moment had come. A deep voice rang through the clearing.
"Let the Moon Shift begin!"A voice said.
One by one, wolves transformed beneath the full moon, their forms glowing with energy as they embraced their true nature. The crowd erupted into cheers as powerful Alphas and high ranking wolves revealed their wolf appearance. Whispers rippled through the audience. Some packs murmured in confusion, others in mockery.
"A rogue omega? What is she doing here?"One of them asked.
"She doesn't even have a pack."Another said.
"Is she really going to shift? If she even can."Third one grinned.
My heart pounded. Every part of me screamed to run, to hide, to escape this moment.
"Show them, Isabella."Mira's voice cut through my fear.
I swallowed hard, inhaled deeply… and let go. I gritted my teeth, suppressing a cry as power surged through my body, raw and uncontainable. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The pull to shift was overwhelming, a burning sensation beneath my skin. I was in the woods, hidden behind thick trees, away from prying eyes. Nobody could see me like this nobody. I am no one to anyone here. My claws grew long, and fur sprouted from my skin, dark as midnight. The transformation felt strange but powerful, the weight of my new form is both heavy and freeing. My eyes became sharp, my senses alive in ways I never thought possible. I was no longer just Isabella, the omega. I was the wolf.
I looked down at my paws large, black as coal, gleaming under the moonlight. A sharp growl escaped my throat, and I couldn't help but feel... stronger. Bigger. But not enough. The shadows surrounding me felt comforting, like a cloak that shielded me from what I was who I was.
Suddenly, there was a rustling. My ears perked up, and I froze. A soft light flickered through the trees, and I caught the unmistakable scent of another wolf. A wolf whose scent was pure and ethereal, the kind that made me instinctively back away, hidden in the shadows. No. Not now. Not yet.
I watched, unseen, as the figure approached. Her coat shimmered like moonlight itself, silver, ethereal, and radiant, every step graceful and calculated. The female wolf... she was beautiful beyond words, an aura of strength and grace around her. It was her the female lead.
And here I was, hiding in the shadows, my black coal fur almost blending with the darkness.
"You're... beautiful." I whispered to myself, a growl slipping through my lips.
It was an involuntary reaction. She was everything I wasn't. She was everything they wanted. She circled the area, her movements fluid and powerful, as if she knew her worth, as if the world would bend to her will. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Every step she took seemed to command the land beneath her paws. But I stayed silent, not daring to move. There was no way I could let her see me, let anyone see me like this.
She paused for a moment, turning her head towards my direction. Did she feel me? Did she sense me? I held my breath, hoping she wouldn't notice me. But then, just as suddenly as the tension rose, she turned back toward the open space, as if she had already forgotten I was there. My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn't help but feel a strange pang of envy.
"She's going to change everything. She already is."I muttered.
The realization hit me like a weight crashing down on me. As much as I tried to hide and as much as I wanted to keep my place in this world her world things were changing. And I couldn't stop it. With a heavy heart, I turned away, retreating deeper into the shadows, knowing that the game had only just begun.
"The female lead has appeared!" The system's voice echoed in my mind, as if confirming what I already knew.
The rogues around me had fallen silent in awe, their gazes locked onto her. There she was, standing like a beacon in the moonlight, and they were all staring at her, mesmerized. I could feel my heart sink.
"This is the one they've all been waiting for." I whispered to myself.
They were all looking at her, whispering her name in reverence. The female lead. She would be the one to lead them, the one who would take the spotlight. And there I was, hidden in the shadows, feeling like a mere afterthought.
"Isabella, are you going to make your appearance?" The system asked, that annoyingly cheerful tone invading my mind.
I didn't want to make an appearance. I didn't want any part in this. Not after seeing her. The one everyone had been waiting for, the one who had all the attention, all the admiration. The system had always pointed me in the direction of leadership, but I wasn't ready. I wasn't her. I wasn't the female lead. I turned, moving quietly away from the gathering. The whispers and the glances that were once aimed at me now moved to her. My hands clenched at my sides as frustration built up inside me.
"Isabella, are you sure you want to leave?" The system asked again, but I ignored it.
I needed to get away, to breathe, to think. The expectations, the pressure it was all too much. The system was telling me I had to rise to the occasion, but I didn't want it. I didn't want any part of the spotlight, especially not with her around. I kept walking, away from the Female Lead, away from everything. For once, I just wanted to be myself. To get away from it all. The world could have its female lead. But I was done. I wasn't ready to be her. I wanted to be alone.