Chapter 1

Inside the Norfield pack, Charlotte Mateo, a 22-year-old brown-skinned woman wearing a pink nightdress, waited for her husband, the Alpha of the pack, to return home, but she hadn't seen him.

She knew he had been avoiding her of late, but being the Luna of the pack, she didn't want to leave him or end their loveless marriage.

Charlotte was Teddy's wife for four years, and his father and hers were friends, as her father was the Beta of the pack. To seal their friendship, they had Teddy marry her.

Charlotte had just turned 18 when she betrothed to Teddy Hudson.

Teddy was the second son of the Hudson family, and as his elder brother, Jack, had been abroad for years, not showing any interest in the ruling power of the Norfield Pack.

Alpha Lucas Hudson handed over the affairs of the pack to Teddy, hoping he would look after the pack and help in protecting them from the ongoing rogues' attacks.

Alpha Lucas Hudson was still alive, though aged. He had two sons and a daughter. His two sons were Jack and Teddy. His daughter was named Susan.

Jack was the rightful heir to rule the Norfield pack, but ever since he left the pack house when he turned 18 a decade ago, Alpha Lucas felt it better to hand over the pack affairs to his second son, Teddy, who had been around.

To take over the pack affairs, Alpha Lucas gave Charlotte to Teddy as his Luna, to assist him in ruling the pack house, but Teddy didn't like Charlotte.

Since four years ago, when Teddy and Charlotte tied the knot, Teddy hadn't touched her, nor mated with her, to seal their marriage.

"Oh! For a week now, Teddy has not yet been home. Should I call his father and report him? What kind of husband is he?" Charlotte pondered. She had been enduring Teddy's ruthless nature. He beat her at home, refused to eat her food, and avoided their master bedroom.

Charlotte had been enduring it all because her father told her not to leave Teddy.

She had suffered facial scars that would later heal, but Teddy didn't like her.

Teddy mostly pretended in front of others that he was a sweet, doting husband, most especially during any of their pack functions. But once he comes home, his beastly and animalistic nature takes control of him.

----

Charlotte was wearing a pink nightgown. It was their fourth marriage anniversary, and she thought to look sweet for Teddy. Maybe, just maybe, he would finally touch her and consummate their marriage.

Charlotte knew she was not Teddy's real mate. Most female werewolves in the Norfield pack find their mates when they turn 18 years of age, but Charlotte was now 22 years old, and she hadn't found her mate yet.

She wasn't wolfless, and on the night she turned 18; it was the same night her father gave her to Teddy as his wife.

"Alpha Lucas, here is my daughter, Charlotte Mateo. I give her to your son, Teddy Hudson, as his wife, mate, and chosen Luna of the Norfield pack," her father said in front of the Alpha and his family.

Charlotte loved Teddy. He was handsome, masculine, strong, and a skilled warrior of the Norfield pack.

Teddy had single-handedly defeated battalions of rouges that had attacked their packs four years ago, and to date, he was a tough man.

Teddy was only 22 years of age then, when his father gave Charlotte to him.

"Charlotte, do you accept Teddy Hudson as your husband and chosen mate? To love and cherish until death separates you both?" Charlotte remembered the night of her being given to Teddy.

Teddy had an aloof expression. He wasn't pleased with Charlotte. She was dark in complexion, and that was something Teddy didn't like, but kept silent about because he wanted to take over the pack.

Teddy did everything his father wanted him to do, so that he could take over the Norfield pack, and he had to suppress his irritation and accept Charlotte as his wife.

Though she was young and stared at him with admiration.

Teddy could see that Charlotte wanted to marry him, but he already had a real mate, and he had to let his mate go, for Charlotte's sake and to secure the Alpha's position of the Norfield pack.

"Yes, Alpha Lucas. I accept Teddy Hudson as my husband and chosen mate. To love and to cherish, until death do us apart," Charlotte replied to Alpha Lucas, who sat on the throne, and the whole family clapped happily for her, while Alpha Lucas turned to face Teddy.

"Teddy, do you accept Charlotte Mateo as your chosen mate, Luna, and to enable you to rule over the Norfield pack in your elder brother's absence until he returns?" Alpha Lucas has asked, but Teddy replied,

"Dad, I will only accept Charlotte as my Luna on the condition that even when Jack returns, I will still be the Alpha of this pack?"

Alpha Lucas nodded and replied bitterly, "Yes, Teddy. You have my word, so long as you accept Charlotte and treat her right. You shall remain the ruling Alpha of the Norfield pack from today henceforth. So do you accept marrying Charlotte?"

With glowing green eyes, Teddy had replied, "Yes, I do."

Charlotte wiped the sob away from her eyes after she remembered the night she was given to Teddy Hudson.

Teddy was 26 years old now, and Charlotte knew little about him. He kept her in the dark about his business, hangouts, and friends.

She was only his wife and current Luna of the Norfield pack by name.

It worried her so much if she would continue to leave a loveless marriage?

To brace herself, as Charlotte remembered Teddy had warned her not to contact him on the phone but to await his arrival.

Charlotte contacted Teddy's Beta, Caleb Brown, to find out Teddy's whereabouts.

It was Friday night, and Charlotte was worried as the time in the living room was past 11 pm. "Hello, Caleb," Charlotte said in a nervous tone.

"Good evening, Luna Charlotte. Why are you calling me at this late, ungodly hour? Do you want to implicate me and have me banished from our pack? You know how possessive Alpha Teddy is regarding you? Please refrain from calling me on the phone at this hour, unless you want me to reject your calls and place them on voicemail," Caleb said.

Charlotte apologized to him. "Please, I'm sorry, Beta. Only that Teddy hadn't returned home since last Monday, that he left the house. Do you know his whereabouts?"

The phone call went silent for a while, and Caleb said, "Alpha Teddy will be home today. He went for a business meeting with the next pack, but he will be home tonight. Do take care, Luna."

Charlotte sighed as the phone call ended. Just then, she heard the doorbell sound, and it escaped her mind that she heard a car arrive before.

When Charlotte rushed to unlock the door, Teddy was back with another woman in his arms.