My Sister's Alpha

NAIDIRA POV

"Cheers!" Someone hollered, the sound of clinking wine glasses echoing through the bustling night air as people made merry and danced.

I stood off to the side, fiddling with the hem of my silk gown, my throat feeling dry.

"Stop looking so dead before your parents start to give you a lecture again," Malia muttered under her breath, stopping when she got to me and handed me a wine glass. "Here you go, you look so pale."

I shot her a glare, wrapping my slender fingers around the cold glass. "Tell me about it. I would rather be studying in my dorm right now," I muttered bitterly under my breath as I took a sip of the liquid and almost spat it out.

Malia barely reacted to that. "Didn't you hate studying?"

My brows crinkled as I looked into the glass. "What is this? Is this..." I shot her a disgusted look. "I said I didn't want ale, Malia. This thing is disgusting. And for the recordㅡ I'd take college over this. It never changes."

It never did.

Every single year, I came home to the same thing. My parents barely paying any attention to me. My twin sister being attended to every second of the day while I trailed behind as though I wasn't a part of the family.

If I had my way, I wouldn't be here. I would be in college, wallowing in self pity as always. But mum had made it clearㅡ I was to be present at the bonfire ceremony. It would be inappropriate for the Alpha's daughter to skip the most important night of the pack.

Right, I had that title only when it was convenient.

"Seriously," she deadpanned, turning to me with a small smile on her face. "You're clearly nervous. We should be dancing with the rest of the packs. You can't just stand here and expect your mate to find you."

"Oh yeah?" I took another sip of the disgusting liquid, wincing when it burned its way down my throat. "Watch me."

Of course I was nervous.

The bonfire night wasn't just a celebrationㅡ it was fate made public. It was the night when the Moon goddess decided who belonged to whom. Some wolves had waited years for this. Some never found their mate.

And then, there was me.

Born into royalty, trained as an Alpha, expected to marry well, form alliances and never ㅡ everㅡ cause trouble.

I'd done everything right.

Which meant tonight terrified me.

The idea of not finding a good mate. Or one at all. Disappointing my parents and proving that I was nothing compared to my sisterㅡ Calanthe.

She could shift. She had her Alpha powers manifested already. And me? I couldn't do a thing.

Bile rushed up my throat and my vision swam. "I need to go meet my dad at the high table. I'll be back soon."

Before Malia could protest, I was moving away, pushing through the throng of people as