Chapter 1

~~~~Layla~~~

The morning sunlight spilled through my bedroom window, disturbing the peaceful sleep I had been enjoying. With an irritated groan, I grabbed the clothes lying beside me and threw them over my face, hoping to block out the annoying rays.

I hated waking up early.

But apparently, the stupid maids had deliberately left my window open just to wake me up. They probably thought they were doing me a favour because of the grand birthday celebration that would take place at midnight. After all, I would be turning twenty tonight, and according to everyone, that was something worth celebrating.

Me? I wasn't particularly excited.

I was turning twenty without a wolf.

I was supposed to have received my wolf at eighteen, just like everyone else. However, mine was different. I had been afraid of shifting ever since I was young, and that fear had kept me from discovering the other half of myself.

And honestly, I didn't regret it.

Having a wolf meant having a fated mate. The moment your wolf awakened, there was always the possibility of discovering that one person fate had chosen for you. And what if that person turned out to be some stupid man who had nothing to offer you except rejection?

No, thank you.

I had absolutely no interest in being rejected by a man I had never met. Neither did I want to get married. Marriage sounded like a terrible way to spend the rest of my life tied to one person when there were so many handsome men in the world waiting to be explored.

Why should I chain myself to one man when I could enjoy my freedom instead?

I was Layla Draven, daughter of the Alpha of the Obsidian Pack, a girl without a wolf who would be turning twenty tonight.

And if anyone thought I was going to start behaving differently just because of my birthday, they had another thing coming.

I was still enjoying my sleep, the clothes covering my face, when someone suddenly snatched them away.

My eyes flew open.

Whoever had the audacity to disturb my sleep was about to receive the worst nightmare of their life. I turned, already preparing to unleash my anger on the unfortunate person standing beside my bed.

Unfortunately, it was my mother.

She stood before me with her arms crossed beneath her breasts, her expression making it painfully obvious that she wasn't in the mood for my nonsense.

"Layla! At this hour, you're still sleeping? And tonight is your birthday!" she exclaimed. "Do you know how many Alphas will be attending the celebration? Alphas from different packs will be here, and you might find your mate. So get up and start preparing. Go and choose your outfit!"

I sighed inwardly.

My mother had been like this ever since I turned eighteen. She seemed to believe that my reluctance to shift meant I was deliberately trying to ruin my own future.

Perhaps she wasn't entirely wrong, but that didn't mean I was going to admit it.

"Mom, why don't you calm down?" I muttered, raising my hands to shield my face from the sunlight. "It's not even time for the party yet. Besides, who said I wouldn't reject my mate the moment I saw him?"

My mother stared at me as though I had just announced that I intended to burn down the entire pack.

"I dare you to try that, Layla!" she snapped. "You aren't a child anymore. Thank goodness you're finally getting your wolf tonight. You have no idea how difficult it is to reject your mate or be rejected by one. That's why you need to look attractive!"

She turned towards one of the maids and signalled for her to bring a bowl of water.

A bowl of water?

Was she planning to pour it over my head?

The thought alone was enough to make me sit up.

"Mom, I'm awake already," I assured her quickly. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Stand up!" she ordered.

She gestured towards two maids, instructing them to help me bathe.

Before leaving, she turned back to face me, her expression becoming serious.

"And don't you dare reject your mate. You know what your father would do if you tried to pull any tricks."

With that warning, she walked out of my room.

I released a long breath and fell back against my pillows.

My father.

Just thinking about him made me remember what he had done to my elder sister when he discovered that her fated mate was a Beta. My sister had been forced to marry him, even though she had never loved him.

My father hadn't cared about her feelings. Once he had made his decision, that was the end of the discussion.

And now, it seemed I was heading towards the same fate.

The only difference was that I would finally have my wolf, someone who would always be with me. At least, I hoped so.

I began thinking about the names I could give her. There were so many beautiful names to choose from, and I wondered which one would suit her best.

Of course, that was assuming she would even listen to me after keeping her trapped inside me for so long.

I pushed the thought aside.

Whatever happened tonight, I would deal with it when the time came.

---

By midnight, the guests had gathered in the ballroom, waiting for the birthday celebration to begin.

I remained in my bedroom, waiting for the moment the clock would strike twelve. That was when I would finally receive my wolf.

I couldn't deny that I was nervous.

I had spent two years avoiding this moment, and now there was no escaping it.

When the time finally came, the transformation began.

Pain tore through my body as my bones started shifting. I clenched my teeth, struggling to endure the unbearable sensation spreading through me. Sweat gathered on my forehead, and my breathing grew uneven as the pain intensified.

I felt as though I were drying up from the inside.

Every part of me seemed to be changing at once, and for a moment, I feared I might lose consciousness. I hated feeling weak, but there was nothing I could do except endure it.

After what felt like an eternity, the transformation was finally complete.

I stared at my unfamiliar body, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. I could barely tell how large I had become, but when I raised my paw, my eyes widened.

My paw was enormous.

I hurried towards the mirror, eager to see what I looked like.

The pain had finally disappeared, allowing me to examine my reflection properly.

I gasped.

A huge wolf with shiny white fur stared back at me.

I was enormous!

Even my mother's wolf wasn't this big. I stood there, completely amazed by my appearance, unable to believe that this was what had been hiding inside me all along.

Happiness washed over me, followed almost immediately by a pang of regret.

If I hadn't allowed my fear to control me when I was eighteen, I could have met her much earlier.

Still, I was grateful that I had finally shifted.

Mother had already taught me how to return to my human form, so I concentrated and shifted back.

A moment later, I was standing in my familiar body again.

But something felt different.

There was another presence inside me, a consciousness that hadn't been there before. It felt like another soul sharing my body, and I knew immediately that it was my wolf.

She seemed to be giggling.

"Hi," I greeted cautiously, wondering whether she would answer me.

For a few moments, she remained silent.

I swallowed before speaking again.

"I know you're furious with me for keeping you inside for so long because of my fear. I just want to say I'm sorry."

I waited, hoping she would accept my apology.

Instead, her voice finally sounded inside my head.

"You mean you're sorry? After keeping me locked inside you for so long, all because you were afraid of getting married?"

I rolled my eyes.

"I don't care what you think about it, but you should be grateful that I apologised. I don't say sorry to just anyone."

Admitting I was wrong had never been one of my favourite things to do. Still, she was my wolf, and whether I liked it or not, we were going to have to live together.

"You're so arrogant," she retorted. "You're different from everyone else. You should be happy that I'm finally here with you."

"Happy, my foot!" I scoffed. "Anyway, your name will be Leah."

"No! I don't want that name. What about Celine? Chloe? Lyra? Mi—"

"No!" I interrupted her. "You don't deserve any of those beautiful names. Your name is Leah, and that's final."

I wasn't about to let my own wolf start making demands before we had even properly met.

"And I have some rules you need to follow," I continued firmly. "Whether you like it or not."

There was a brief silence before I continued.

"First, when you see your so-called mate, you must let me control the situation. I'll handle things because I know what's right and wrong. I'll do the talking, and you will stay out of my way."

I paused, making sure she understood how serious I was.

"Second, when you're in heat, you must tell me. Don't make me feel what you're feeling. I'll call ten handsome men to keep you company instead."

I smirked at the thought.

"And there are plenty of other rules, but those are the most important ones for now."

"What do you mean? You're joking, right—"

A loud bang interrupted her.

The bedroom door flew open, and one of the maids rushed inside.

Thank goodness I was already dressed.

I turned towards her, my irritation returning instantly.

"What is your problem? Do you wish to die at such a young age?"

The maid immediately dropped to her knees.

"Ma, I'm sorry! Your mother sent me to fetch you. They're celebrating your birthday, and it's time for you to greet the guests."

I stared at her in disbelief.

Greet the guests?

Was I some kind of professional greeter? Had I invited every Alpha and Luna in the room personally?

Of course not.

But I knew better than to argue. If I failed to appear at my own birthday celebration, my father would definitely make me regret it.

With an annoyed sigh, I put on my shoes and draped an extra robe over my clothes. The weather was terribly cold, and the last thing I needed was to freeze while pretending to be the perfect Alpha's daughter.

Once I was ready, I left my bedroom and headed towards the ballroom.

---

The moment I reached the ballroom, I paused at the entrance and peeked inside.

The room was filled with people.

There were so many guests that I couldn't help wondering why my birthday required such a gathering. Some occupied the higher-ranking seats, while others sat farther away, according to their positions within the packs.

I was still taking everything in when Leah suddenly began giggling inside me.

I frowned.

What was so funny?

I had no idea, but apparently, she was enjoying herself.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped fully into the ballroom.

Immediately, all eyes turned towards me.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It wasn't as though they had never seen an Alpha's daughter before.

Nevertheless, I lifted my chin and greeted the guests as I was expected to. I forced myself to remain polite, even though the entire performance was already exhausting me.

Once I had finished greeting everyone, I turned towards the seat reserved for me.

I was just about to move closer when Leah suddenly screamed inside my head.

"MATE!"

My heart began pounding violently.

Oh, no.

No, no, no!

I knew this wasn't going to end well.

Slowly, I lifted my head and looked towards the man staring back at me.

He was handsome, undeniably so, but there was something frightening about him. His face was hard as rock, his expression cold and unwelcoming.

His eyes remained fixed on mine, and he looked at me as though I had tormented him in a past life.

I stood frozen, my heart racing as the realization settled over me.

This was my mate.

And judging by the look on his face, I had a terrible feeling that my birthday was about to become the worst day of my life.