Chapter 8

Valeria POV

Eight Months later…

I struck a day off the calendar sighing with content – three more days until my eighteenth birthday. Three days until I could finally escape this prison.

I had even planned everything: a small apartment in the city, far from Red Ridge Pack, I’d already gotten a job at a bookstore, and thankfully since I was no longer vying for the affection of my stepbrothers, I’ve been able to save.

Not only that, I was supposed to have gotten my wolf at 14 but I am almost 18, everyone has assumed I am human but for me, it was the best thing ever. No wolf meant no pack bonds to break, no mate to pine for, no ties to sever except the already fragile ones binding me to this family that had never wanted me.

The only problem was my stepfather, Alpha Cassian was growing impatient.

A month ago, I’d overheard him telling my mother, that as soon as I turn 18, I’ll be mated off.

His voice had been calm but it was laced with disdain as if it was my fault that I had no wolf.

“She still hasn’t gotten her wolf,” he’d said. “I’m not waiting any longer. She may be human but she’s still our responsibility. It’s better to secure her future now before she becomes too old for a good match.”

“We can’t just make conclusions like that Cassian!” my mother had protested weakly. “Arranged marriages are out-of-fashion and she’s still young. What if she refuses?”

“Then it’ll be your fault, Evelyn,” Alpha Cassian had retorted. “The human world is different from ours. Here, marriage is one of the easiest ways to form great bonds between packs and at 18 years old, she doesn’t even have a mate. You should be worried.”

“I know that, Cassian,” My mother had sighed. “It’s just that…”

“Enough, Evelyn,” he had brushed her off. “A spring wedding would be lovely and Alpha Reynold’s son from the Grey Moon pack is unmated. I’ll make arrangements for them to be together. The alliance will do us good.”

My fingers had curled into fists, my nails biting into my palms. The thought of being forced into a marriage with someone I didn’t know, never met and may probably treat me just as coldly as my stepbrothers made my stomach churn.

Since they were already planning to marry me off like some commodity to be traded, I knew I had to get out. I have to leave before my eighteenth birthday, before Cassian seals my fate with a contract I had no say in.

But I couldn’t. Not yet. Not until I turned eighteen. Then, I would escape this house and never look back.

My mother who had always taught me about independence and following my heart – I couldn’t believe she had agreed with Alpha Cassian.

“Just a little longer, I whispered to myself. “Just a few more days and I’ll be free.”

In the days before my birthday, I noticed my stepbrothers were suddenly nice to me. Not outrightly nice but they glared at me less, Alerion even responded to my greeting the other day with a huff.

There were no more cruel pranks or icy remarks. No more indifference, just a silence that made my skin crawl, as if they were planning something I didn’t know about.

Although, I’ve caught them severally huddled in a conversation that always ended whenever I walked past.

Then, on the morning of my Eighteenth birthday, as soon as I opened my door, I saw them standing in front of my room with Alerion leaning casually against the doorframe. Zane held a bouquet and a birthday hat.

“Happy birthday little sis!” they said in unison startling me.

Then Zane came forward and wore me the birthday hat, surprising me further. My gaze flitted from one brother to another.

“Wh-What is this?” I asked.

“When did it become a crime to wish our only sister a happy birthday?” Lysander said with a huge grin. There was no smirking or snorting… the smile looked genuine.

“Uh... thank you, I guess,” I stuttered, staring at them strangely.

“Since it’s your eighteenth, we’re throwing you a party this evening. Something small, intimate at most,” Alerion said quietly.

“That won’t be necessary,” I shook my head.

“It is necessary,” Alerion chuckled, leaning away from the door frame. “You can only be eighteen once. So, we insist. By the time you’re back from school, everything will be set. You can invite your friends if you want.”

I nodded, still not knowing what to say.

For months, I’ve been treated like an afterthought in this house, like I was a burden they couldn’t wait to rid themselves of. But now, suddenly, they wanted to celebrate my birthday.

My heart fluttered with hope and with caution at the same time. Hope that maybe, just maybe, after all these months of trying to earn their approval, they were finally going to accept me and maybe this was their way of acknowledging me as part of the family.

That evening I stood before the mirror, smoothing down the blue silk dress my mother had bought for me. It was simple but elegant and matched the colour of my eyes. My dark hair fell in loose waves around me and for once, I felt beautiful. Worthy.

As I went down the stairs, towards the back of the pack house, my heart raced with anticipation, daring to imagine what it would feel like to be accepted by the Windsor brothers at last.

Caius met me at the bottom of the stairs, a smile on his face as he pushed his glasses that had slipped past the bridge of his nose.

“They’re ready for you,” he said gently offering his arm to me. “You look lovely, little sister.”

Little sister?

The words sang through my blood like honey. Had I been wrong about leaving? Had they just needed time to accept me?

As I and Caius made our way to the pack of the packhouse, I noticed that the garden had been transformed. Crystal chandeliers cast rainbow light across elegant decorations.

There was a table that had a lot of gifts in one corner and in the centre a magnificent cake in white and gold tiers.

I saw the rest of my step-brothers along with their closest friends and a handful of the packhouse domestic staff. The nerves in my heart were already fluttering as Caius steered me to where his brothers stood, all dressed impeccably, with unreadable expressions.

For a moment, I hesitated, but then, Alerion smiled. “You look beautiful,” he murmured.

“Thank you!” I whispered returning the smile.

Caius tapped on his glass with a spoon calling the attention of everyone present. When they came together, he started.

“Before we sing a Happy Birthday song to Valeria, our dear sister. I’d like to wish my dear sister all the best in life. Her presence in our lives has filled it with so much fun and I’m grateful to her.”

Tears gathered in my eyes, maybe leaving was a bad idea. After that, I stood still while everyone sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song to me. When they were done, Zane pushed – felt more like a shove – me towards the cake.

“Make a wish,” he urged.

I closed my eyes and clasped my hands together, a serene smile on my face.

I wish to belong, I thought, and blew.

As the flames went out, so did the lights.

Too stunned to move, I heard movement and then an overhead light came on as a familiar face loomed in front of me. It was Lysander.

“So, Valeria,” he said, a mocking tone in his voice. “What does it feel like to turn eighteen? Still waiting on that wolf to show up, huh?”

My stomach dropped but I tried to smile. Maybe he was just being genuinely concerned and the lights had gone off by mistake. I looked to my other stepbrothers for help, but they were all grinning – both them and the other guests.

Before I could even process what was happening. Zane was behind me, his large hands lifting me with ease.

“Let’s see if a dip in the pool will wake up that wolf of yours,” he said.

“No! Wait –” I managed to get the words out before Zane tossed me into the icy water of the swimming pool. I gasped at the cold shock that hit me, sinking beneath the surface for a moment, I fought my way back up, sputtering and shivering.

Everyone was laughing at me.

Lysander came forward kneeling at the edge of the pool. “Did you think we’d throw you a real party?” he smirked “Look around you, do you see a friendly face? You’re nothing but a human charity case!”

He scooped water with his hands and splashed it on my face, drawing another episode of laughter from the crowd. “Just a few more days and you’ll be someone else’s problem,” Lysander continued. “I heard the Reynolds pack keeps their humans in separate quarters!”

My dress clung to my body, soaked and heavy as I tried to stand. My heart was pounding with a mix of rage, shame and despair. I looked up at my stepbrothers. How could they do this to me? After everything?

Tears gathered at the corner of my eyes, but I refused to cry. Not in front of them. Lysander was still smirking, watching me struggle to get out of the pool. Alerion stood beside him, his arms crossed staring at me with a bored expression while Caius and Zane’s eyes were flickering with amusement. They were enjoying the spectacle.

It had all been a lie. Every ounce of hope I had built up, every moment I had thought things might change – it had all been for this. This prank was a reminder that I didn’t belong and would never.

I walked past them, drenched, towards the other parts of the garden that wasn’t in use. As soon as I had put enough distance between them and myself, I crumbled to the ground and started crying.

Just as I heard the chime of the midnight clock in the distance, something inside me shifted. A sharp, fierce pain shot through my chest. It was so sudden and overwhelming that I doubled over, gasping. My vision blurred and my body shook as a strange sensation swept through my veins – I felt hot and cold at the same time.

The distant voices and laughter from the poolside faded and the world around me seemed to stop.

I could feel my heart pounding, louder and more distinct as the pain within me became unbearable until suddenly, it stopped. And then, I heard a voice – strong, powerful and unmistakably coming from within me.

“I’m here, Valeria. It’s me – your wolf.”

A guttural sound escaped from my throat as my eyes flew open. The world no longer felt the same. I felt like I could see things clearly hear things more distinctly and then this scent – it was so pleasant, four different scents at the same time… and they seemed to be coming to me.

I close my eyes, savouring the scent, feeling every part of my body thrumming with excitement.

“My name is Hazel,” My wolf spoke within me again.

Just as I was about to answer, I felt movement and looked up. It was my stepbrothers, they all stood and were looking at me, shock written boldly on their faces. That sweet scent from earlier was coming from them.

“No!” Alerion breathed, shaking his head. “It’s not possible.”

“All this time…” Caius started coming forward.

“She’s our…” Zane stuttered,

Lysander just stared, his usually cold eyes and smirk on his lips had given way to fear…

That was when it occurred to me… the scent, the excited way my heart was beating, the magnetic pull I was feeling right now…

“Mates!” I heard Hazel scream within me. “Our mates!”