Chapter 1

"Hair?"

"Checked."

"Lipstick?"

"Checked."

"Perfection?"

"Checked." A tiny feminine voice replied, letting out chortled giggles.

Bella rolled her eyes as her stepmother and daughter went on checking on every silly they found pathetically important. She stood still, tapping her foot impatiently. She just wanted to get this over with.

"Bella." She took her eyes to her stepmother when she called her.

"It's your sister's day." She spoke slowly, walking to her. "Be happy for her." She placed her hands on her collar, arranging it. "Or, at least, fake it." She whispered with a frown on her face.

Bella heaved out a deep breath, looking everywhere in the room, except her face. "Yes." She answered and looked down at her feet.

"Good." Arielle, her stepmom replied with a sly smile on her face. "Scent?"

"I did not forget," Bella replied, clearly uncomfortable, or rather, doesn't want to be this close to her.

"Mm?" Arielle raised her brows at her expectantly.

"Checked," Bella replied, heaving out a deep sigh.

"Lady-like behavior?"

"Checked." She replied quickly, she could not wait to be away from her.

"No embarrassment?" Arielle smirked before letting a deadly look spread on her face.

"Checked," Bella replied, trying so hard not to roll her eyes.

"Good." Arielle smiled and removed her hands from her shoulders and moved a few feets away from her. "Now go, and be kind to everyone you come across." She paused before adding, with a stern look on her face. "But don't forget to stay away from the crowd, you know what kind of problem you are. Stay away and avoid bringing chaos into innocent people's homes."

Bella swallowed the heavy lump in her throat, breathing heavily. She nodded and turned around, walking out of the house, trying to contain the anger running in her veins and the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

As she walked down the pathway leading to the pack house, where the festival was going on. She glanced at her phone multiple times, expecting to see a call or message from her best friend. But that was a very high expectation.

She would definitely be with her mate, probably making love or out on a romantic date.

She wrapped her arms around as the cool night breeze blew around her. She didn't need to be there. She wasn't the one who turned eighteen. She wasn't the one expecting her wolf today. Besides, they never liked her.

With a frustrated sigh, she pushed her hair from her face and began walking faster. Damn that family. They went to the pack house on a ride, while she? She walked the distance on foot.

Great, just great.

*

Just like she was instructed, she stood far away from the crowds and watched as the festival went on. The dance to the main ritual. They reminded her of what happened five years ago.

That day, she went to the festival very happy. Well, who wouldn't be? She turned eighteen the previous week and was expecting her wolf.

She even practiced her dance steps for the moonlight ritual. The ritual that would bring her wolf.

Seeing other grown-ups of the pack turn to their wolf form always excited her. Most times she would sneak out of the house and beg them to give her a ride on their wolf to the woods.

The joy she felt each time they agreed was the same she felt that day.

Dancing to the music that day, her body tingling in excitement. They danced for hours tirelessly, until she felt it.

Bella shut her eyes at the memory.

That small tingling in her head, she had mistaken for a sign of her turning. But that was where her misery began.

*Flashback*

She swayed her hips to the music, a wide smile plastered on her face. The entire pack was watching, waiting to see them transform into their wolf form for the first time.

Then that tiny tingling in her head came. She ignored it, dancing endlessly.

Then the next second, a sharp pain that made her drop to her knees, tore in her head. Her hands flew to her head, holding it tightly.

Was this what it feels like turning into a wolf?

But the older people at the pack never told her it comes with an excruciating pain in her head.

She involuntarily let out a scream as the pain increased, making her feel like her head could explode anytime soon.

Then she felt the hands, those terrifying hands that make her cringe every time she thinks about them.

There were a lot of hands on her body and they were that of the males.

"Get off her! She's mine!"

"Mate, she's mine!"

"Hey! Fuck off!"

Fear enveloped her as most of the unmated men at the festival rushed to her, their manly hands all over her small petite body.

"Get off me." She cried, still holding her head. "Get them off me." She screamed in pain, tears also falling from her eyes.

Thankfully, a hand drew her from them, shielding her. It was the Alpha's son.

She was shocked when she saw different looks on the faces of all the pack members, there were looks of shock, and disgust on their faces. She could not understand what was going on.

With the males still longing for her and crowds staring disgustedly at her, he drew her away from there into the garden.

Later, she found out she was what they called a stealer, a taboo to her family and the whole pack.

*End of flashback*

Now being at this festival, brought those painful memories of being scorned by the entire pack. Since then, she hasn't been allowed to go out. She spent most of her life for the past few years in her room.

Bella heaved out a deep breath and turned around, heading to the garden. At least she could have some peace and quietness to herself.

Bella spent most of the night in the garden. When she heard noises of celebration she knew they must've probably found their wolves, and mates maybe.

No one cares if she wasn't there. Hell, they must probably be wishing she was dead.

They did not notice if she was there or not, or rather they chose to ignore. They don't care, they never did. She has gotten so used to the fact that she was invisible to the pack.

Sometimes, she wishes she finds her mate, who'll love her like no other and take her away from this hellhound she calls pack. Somewhere peaceful and-

Her senses heightened when she felt a presence, a strange one. She wasn't alone anymore.

Someone unknown, strange, a non-member of the pack was here with her.

She rolled her hands into a fist, ready to throw a punch if she was attacked, then turned around to come face to face with a-- an unfamiliar handsome, well-sculpted face. She couldn't see his face well since it was dark but- he was dressed in a two-piece black suit, his white shirt had three buttons undone.

Then she felt a strange force, trying to push her toward him. She was almost driven insane by a strange urge to grab him by his collar and kiss him and probably-

"Mate." When his sexy deep voice spoke, Bella understood the feeling in her, the foreign feelings in her. The sudden hundreds of butterflies dancing in her stomach and the urge to have....you know? The urge to kiss and mate with him, was because he is her mate.

But when he moved closer to her, she gasped in shock and fear.

Oh dear, Selena! It seems you made a mistake!

How on earth could she be mated to Alpha Death?!!

He stood a few inches from her, obviously checking her out with a giant scowl plastered on his face.

Heavens! He was just like they said, the fading scar on his left cheek. Nice kissable lips and sexy green eyes. Oh heavens! No! Selena! You definitely gave her the good bad man.

But why was he frowning? Her eyes widened in shock and fear when she remembered one thing about him.

Holy goddess! This motherfucker murdered his first mate. No way! This is wrong! "Don't kill me." She immediately pleaded. Hell! Opportunity comes but once. She wasn't going to wait till he killed her before begging.

Oops! She almost flinched when he raised his hands, touching her hair. She almost thought he wanted to strangle her. "Is this the real color?" For a moment she was confused. Oh! He was asking her about her hair, her red hair.

"Yes." She replied shortly, swallowing the heavy lump already forming in her throat.

Without saying another word, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along him as he headed out of the garden.

He worked straight into the crowd, pushing everyone that stood in his way, heading to the podium.

What... What the hell was he doing?

Bella kept her head down as he climbed up to the podium still holding her.

Heavens! All eyes were on them.

"I'm taking her." Was the first words he said once he stood beside the alpha who was currently giving a speech.

"Huh?" The alpha looked equally shocked just like the rest of the people, watching. "Erm, why?" He asked, glancing at her. Yeah, no one would definitely want her.

"She. Is. My. Mate." Alpha Damien replies, laying strong emphasis on each word. Geez, his voice alone sent shivers down her spine.

"Mate?" Alpha Hezekiah had a look of surprise on his face, but before he could speak a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Bella darling.". She turned to see her stepmother walking up the podium with a smile on her face. Fake smile!

She walked closer to her and placed her hands on her shoulders, trying to look affectionate in the eyes of everyone watching. "Did you renew your scent? It must've watched off."

What does she mean? The fake scent lasts 24 hours. It couldn't have washed off.

When she didn't reply, Arielle turned to alpha Damien trying to look pathetic before speaking. "Sorry to say Alpha Damien but you must be mistaken, Bella here isn't your mate."

The look on his face would definitely make anyone crawl back into the shell they came from. "What do you mean?" He asked in a deep authoritative voice.

"You see," Arielle glanced at her, placing her hands on her shoulders with a sad look on her face, definitely fake! before sniffing. "My daughter here is unfortunately a stealer."

No, no, no, please.