Chapter 1~ Prologue I

Two years earlier...

Gianna. 

I’m late for class and someone trips me in the hallway, causing me to almost land on my face. 

I grimace as pain shoots up my elbows that I used to brace my fall and I hear snickers behind me as students laugh at my predicament.  

“Holy shit, did you see that? I didn’t even try and she fell on her face. She’s so weak!” I hear the voice of the culprit who had tripped me and I bite my lip as my eyes sting. 

I hate the academy. Everyone hates and bullies me because I am the only Omega. 

Omegas went extinct a thousand years ago when the moon goddess, Selene decided to abolish that rank since they were being prejudiced by the werewolf society. 

Unfortunately, although I’m an Alpha’s daughter, I discovered I’m an Omega when I turned sixteen and shifted into a small, weak grey wolf. That was when my life turned upside-down.  

My father became disappointed in me. He abandoned me and let my stepmother make me a slave... all those who I called my friends deserted me. Students at school bullied and mocked me. I couldn’t fight back because I was starved, both at the pack and at the academy. 

I wasn’t welcome anywhere... 

Braving my pain since as an Omega I healed slowly, I get up from the floor and pick up the makeshift school bag I made from plastic bags. 

I was an Alpha’s daughter, yet I lacked the most basic needs. 

“Hey, Sophia, isn’t that your sister?” 

Oh just great. What great timing I have to run into the devil herself. I look around and find that students had gathered in the hallway instead of being in class. 

They enjoyed watching me suffer.  

“You mean half-sister. I don’t have a sister like her. We don’t even look alike.” Sophia says with a look of disdain on her face. She’s always hated that we both took our looks from Dad. Dark brown hair and blue eyes. 

“That’s right. Sophia is hot! Don’t compare her to that skin and bones girl.” 

“Yeah... why is she late anyway?” 

“She was probably doing chores and cleaning after her sister.”

Mocking laughter echoes in the hallway and I feel my eyes sting as a painful lump lodges in my throat. They are right. 

I’m always late because I have to clean the packhouse, prepare breakfast for everyone and clean up again before coming to the academy. 

I purse my lips and grab my tattered bag close to my chest before forcing my way out of the crowd. Although I didn’t need to try so hard. They easily part, avoiding me like I have the plague. 

Anyway, who wouldn’t avoid me? I looked pale with dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep and my cheeks were hollow due to insufficient nutrients. I was only allowed a meal a day and that’s from the leftovers after dinner. 

Sometimes, there was nothing left at all and I slept on an empty stomach. 

I feel something hit the back of my head but I don’t even bother to look back despite the pain that shoots through my skull. I quickly rush towards the end of the hallway but I can still feel several eyes drilling holes into my back. 

I furrow my eyebrows. Why are they still here? A sinking feeling settles in my stomach but I push it away. 

I’ll just ignore them like always. 

Reaching the door for the math class, I grab the latch and push the door open, only for a bucket of ice-cold water to pour over my head, drenching my whole body and my poor books.

A cold wave rushes through me and I shiver, my chest tightening. 

I hate my life.  

“I told you she would get hit. Give me my fifty bucks now!” 

Laughter erupts around me as I squint my eyes shut. Goddess, this is not happening. 

I can hear them mocking me... others are collecting the money they had won from their bets while I just stand frozen on the spot. 

My dark brown hair is soaked and water is trickling down my face. The old floral dress I am wearing is stuck to my skin and I am sure my body parts are in the open for all to see. 

I feel embarrassed...

Tears are about to fall from my eyes when a warm jacket is draped around my shoulders. 

My eyes flutter open and I look up, only for my breathing to get caught in my throat when I see who’s next to me. Alpha Mason, a heartthrob and the Alpha of the Southern pack is looking down at me with a deep frown on his handsome face. 

“Go clean up. You will catch a cold when you stay like this.” He says in his deep baritone voice and my heart does a flip. 

No one has ever treated me so kindly before. I give him a small shy nod and wrap the jacket around my chest tightly. I can’t help taking a whiff of his scent as I run to the bathroom. He smells good. 

In the bathroom, I don’t know what to do to dry my dress. A thought occurs to me and I’m about to leave to go and sunbathe outside when the door is kicked open. 

Sophia enters with a terrifying look on her face and I can’t help but take a step back as my heart pounds vigorously.  

What is she going to do to me now?

We are the same age but since she’s an Alpha female, she’s stronger than me. 

“W-what do you want?” I ask, my bottom lip quivering.

Sophia scoffs and looks at me contemptuously. “What was that about with Alpha Mason? Why did he give you his jacket? Did you whore around for protection?” 

My stomach twists at her accusation. Whore around? How when I look like this? Who would want such a weak girl like me?

“I-I don’t know what you mean. H-he just helped-“

She lands a harsh slap on my face and I hear a ringing sound in my ears as stars fill my eyes. I was already feeling dizzy from hunger... the slap almost knocks me out. 

“Never go near him again. Do you hear me? He’s mine.” She snarls before pulling my hair roughly and slamming my head on one of the doors to the cubicles. 

Pain shoots down my spine and I bite my lips to stop myself from crying. I won’t give her that satisfaction. 

She rips the jacket from my body and sneers. “You don’t deserve to have his jacket. Walk around like that because you’re a whore... just like your mother.” 

Her words sting as she leaves me in the bathroom. I don’t even like Alpha Mason. I was even surprised he talked to me today. He just turned twenty-four and was given the Alpha title by his father. 

Maybe he’s become nicer after becoming the Alpha of the Southern pack. Otherwise, he’s always ignored my existence each time he passed through the academy. 

I blink back my tears before picking up my wet books and leave the bathroom, heading outside. 

The academy is located in the center of the werewolf packs in our world. Shifters from the Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern and Central packs all attend this academy which was built by the Alpha King. Smaller packs have their own academy since it would be far for them but outstanding students get scholarships to come to the Alpha King’s academy. 

I look around and can’t find a perfect hiding place, so I walk into the woods and find a tall tree that’s not too leafy and has sun rays illuminating through the spaces of its branches. 

I let out a sigh, sitting beneath the tree and laying my head against the tree bark. How I wish my life was as calm as the forest on a warm sunny day. 

…

My eyes fly open at the ugly sound of something growling. My ears perk up as I look out for danger but then a low rumble from my stomach tells me the growl was from me. 

I yawn, rubbing my stomach as if that will sate me. I am so hungry...

Not having any choice, I leave the woods and walk to the back of the cafeteria. The students must have had their lunch break by now. I'm sure there were some leftovers in the paper packs which are still clean. 

I do this everyday... looking through the trash for some clean leftovers to eat. 

Not minding the smell of the mixed thrown-out food, I scour through the black plastics for something edible. 

My heart squeezes painfully and my eyes turn glassy but I swallow back the pain. I have no other choice but to eat from the trash or else I’ll starve to death. 

Luckily, someone threw a whole burger without eating it. A small smile crosses my lips at this despite the circumstances. 

Picking it up, I dust it a little before taking a bite. 

I wrinkle my nose as I partake and my stomach churns in disgust but I continue to eat it like it’s the most delicious food in the world. I’m so hungry. 

“Eww... you were right. She eats from the trash.” 

My stomach knots as the voices of students reach my ears. 

Soon, several students surround me. They laugh their lungs out while pointing at me, making mocking remarks as they begin to hail eggs at me. 

I flinch as the eggs crack on my head and trickle down my face. But I don’t cry... they will never see me cry. 

“Gia the trash eater!” 

“Yes... that’s a nice name! Or trashy Gia!”

The knot in my stomach tightens as I wait for them to get tired and leave me alone. I’ve already thrown the burger away and my throat feels heavy, it’s suffocating. I wouldn’t choose to eat from the trash if I’m allowed to eat from the cafeteria. 

“I have a better name. Dirty Gia!” 

They all erupt in laughter and I lower my head as the egg slips into my eyes and mouth. 

Just when I feel like it will not stop, a deep domineering voice resonates in the air, stopping the crowd’s jeers. 

“Enough!”

I look up through my blurred eyes and watch the crowd part as a tall figure oozing power and dominance walks over. 

He’s huge... almost at six foot eight and he looks sturdy. Donned in an all-black outfit; black jeans, black boots, a black fitted tee and a black leather jacket, he looked as hot as can be. 

His raven medium hair was combed into a quiff and he has dark shades over his eyes. With lips that are beckoning to be kissed and tanned skin that looks like it had been kissed by the sun several times.  

My heart pounds as he strides towards me with one hand in his pocket. The other holding a cigarette. 

The crowd is as quiet as still waters. You can hear a needle drop to the ground from how silent it has become. 

The ridiculously tall man stands in front of me and lowers his head to my eye level. His scent invades my nostrils. 

He smells like sandalwood and another scent that I can’t place.

His aura weighs down on me and I avert his gaze even if he’s in shades. 

I can’t offend him by looking into his eyes... his aura is too powerful. More powerful than my father. He must be a very powerful man. 

He throws his cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out with his foot, then stares at the crowd. “I hate it the most when the strong prey on the weak.” His voice is deep and threatening. Everyone who was taunting me earlier bows their heads while shaking like leaves and my brows furrow in curiosity. 

Whoever this man is, he knows how to command an audience. 

“Get lost.” 

Two words and the whole crowd scampers off like their tails are on fire. Goddess, I’m doomed. He even wants to remain alone with me... what will he do to me?

I stare at my feet on the ground. The canvas sneakers I wore are worn out and my big toe is poking through a hole in the shoe. 

For some reason, my cheeks heat up in shame at the thought of this Greek god seeing my torn shoes. 

My heart is pounding so hard and before I can tell what’s happening, I feel a wet wipe on my face.  

My eyes fly open and I find the god crouched over as he wipes the eggs off my face. 

I feel my cheeks flame up as he cleans my face with deep concentration, grateful that he’s still in shades. Otherwise, his eyes would have been looking directly at me and I would pray for the ground to open up and swallow me. 

His breath is fanning my face and I feel goosebumps growing on my skin. 

He’s so handsome. 

The Greek god throws the dirty wipe away and hands me a small packet of pocket-size wipes. 

“Here, use this.” 

I glance up at him gingerly and grab the packet from his hands before lowering my head again. 

He suddenly pinches my chin and tilts my head up and my heart leaps out of my chest from fear. 

“Don’t you ever walk with your head bowed again. Do you hear me, little fox?”

I nod my head too many times as fear creeps into me at his terrifying voice.

“Use words, little fox. Speak confidently.” 

“Y-yes sir.” I stammer, looking into his eyes... uh... shades. 

The side of his mouth curls into a smirk and he releases my chin. 

“Good girl. Don’t go through the trash for food again. When you’re hungry, speak to Myles from the cafeteria. He will give you food.” He says and walks away majestically.  

My heart is filled with warmth at being helped by a stranger and I realise I didn’t even ask for the stranger’s name. 

We might not meet again but I’m grateful for what he did today... May the goddess bless his soul. Whoever he might be.