Chapter One

Clarissa POV

I looked through the window and listened to make sure no one was coming. 

I quickly gathered a few of my belongings, threw them in the bag, and quickly made a run for them.

The moon goddess knew why he gave me this opportunity to escape this hell hole, and I will use it effectively. I practically ran down the stairs, grateful for my strength and stamina, even though I was only five feet tall.

The building was a four-story building that was painted gold and purple, for reasons best known to Alpha Clay.

Once I got to the last stairs, I paused and waited to hear the movement of the guards. 

My stepfather stationed guards to make sure I didn't go anywhere since he just brought me out of the prison cell where he locked me after I fought with Miranda because she spit in my food.

 It was like riding a rollercoaster living with my family, from starvation to humiliation because I was much smarter than her daughter and more beautiful, like the pack members pointed out.

My name is Calissa, the stepdaughter of Alpha Clay, the alpha of Shadow Pack, and Luna Elizabeth.

Alpha Clay married my mother, who was his mate and was already pregnant with me the day he found her in the woods, wounded and at the point of death. Although he took us both in, I wished he had not done that because I had to endure humiliation like no one else had because of that. And that usually went on without my mother saying a word in my defense.

I sometimes wonder what my real dad must have done to her to warrant the way she treated me, but she has never really spoken a word about him and slapped me the day I asked her about him. Even though Miranda loved to remind me how useless my father was in abandoning me in front of her sometimes.

I have two other stepsiblings, Miranda and Kurt.

Miranda is a spoiled brat who wishes to have everything I have, even though I do not have much. She once wore a lovely gown that was gifted to me by a friend to school, just because she did not want me to wear it to the pack gathering. So I would not be more beautiful than her. As for Kurt, he was not so bad, but he hardly talked to anyone; he was all about minding his business.

I quickly tiptoed out of the door. I stood by the corridor and counted the guards that were guarding the pack house after the Alpha and his wife left with some for some Alpha meetings.

There were not many, and none of them was guarding the pack entrance of the pack house. Clay would probably never think that I would try to run away from home, but after the beating I received the last time, I think I should go rogue.

I took a deep breath and tiptoed past the first post since there was no one there, then diverted to the entrance. I held my back well and made the run for it because it would not be long before they discovered that I was gone. Alpha Clay liked to keep his little maid, who served his family and also received praise for keeping me even though I was not his family.

I dashed into the forest, making sure that no one was following me. 

The border between our pack and the next one is just 5 kilometers away. I was already tired before I could get to it, but I kept running because being found by my family was not an option for me.

As I got closer to the border of Crystal Lake Pack, I could smell a lot of scents here, which was somehow since I was not at the border yet. I slowed down and searched around before I saw the shadow of a kid and followed her to an opening. There were about six rogues there, and none of them were talking; it looked like they were hiding from something.

I was about to turn back when I felt a cold metal on my neck, and the knife reeked of wolfsbane. I sucked in my breath, then turned immediately and knocked the knife out of his hands. But when I turned around, up to ten wolves were advancing towards me. so I raised my hand.

"Look, I do not want trouble; I am just trying to reach Crystal Lake Pack."

"Name?" One of them asked me.

I was about to say Clarissa, but then I remembered that one of them may have beef with his father and may decide to take it out on me.

"Josephine, an Omega from Shadow Pack," I answered.

One of them scoffed, but they lowered the weapons.

"You fight quite well for an Omega. Tell me, Josephine. Why are you running away?"

"Alpha Clay is trying to marry me off to one of the elder's sons, and he is not the kind of person you would want to marry unless you want to commit suicide."

"That is better than being given as a peace treaty." One of the wolves chipped in.

"Silence Anna," the one who has been asking the questions, He must be their leader.

"Well, going to Crystal Lake is not a good idea now; they are collecting people to be used as a treaty with the Supreme Pack."

"Supreme Pack?"

Everyone knew the Supreme Pack; it was one of the biggest packs ever ruled by Alpha Stephan, who is known to be ruthless and cold. Whenever someone offends him, the pack is expected to give them a peace treaty of their choice or be destroyed. Alpha Clay currently has a problem with them.

"Thank you for the information; I wouldn't go near that pack anymore."

The man smiled weirdly before he nodded. "You are welcome to stay with us."

I shook my head and said, "Thank you, but my staying will only mean trouble."

The men cleared from my pack, and while looking at them with my side eye, I left the place and started running east, trying to cross to another border instead of going to Crystal Lake Pack.

It started to rain after a few minutes, and I found a deserted house and hid there, waiting for the right time to move.

I masked my scent so that they could not find me that easily, and once it was night, I couldn't sleep for fear of someone grabbing me once I fell asleep. 

I forced myself to stay awake throughout the night as I listened for footsteps. Eventually,  morning came and sleep came along with it. I was sleeping soundly when I felt a hand on my neck. I tried  to jump and start fighting, but I felt something on my nose, and then a deep voice whispered, "You are wasting your time, love." Before I blacked out,