CHAPTER 1

My heart hammered in my chest as I ran through the night, throngs of feet chasing after me. It wasn't my first rodeo and it has been happening way before I got my wolf.

With her now, I stood a chance, one that before never existed.

My wolf's paws landed on a nail that I'm sure was intentionally placed on my path but despite the pain, I urged us on, pushing through it.

Just over the edge of that clearing, that's where our freedom lay.

They loved to pretend they were respecting the Alpha but it's all just part of the game.

The second I crossed that line, my father would be waiting for me, irritation in his gaze.

But his punishment was better than that of Saul and his minions chasing behind me, anger rising in their aura.

It's been months since they last got the chance to beat the shit out of me.

Months since I learned to run faster, push through every discomfort and pain, and jump past that line.

It was heartbreaking that I couldn't even celebrate this win because of what usually lay at the end of the finish like but hey, a win is a win, as Father's Beta would always say.

I think he hates his position but don't tell him I said that.

“Run faster you imbeciles!” I heard the irate voice of Saul in the Pack link, pushing the boys to a faster pace.

But I was already close to the end, there's no way they could catch me.

Without my pushing, Sofie increased our pace and boom!

With a strong jump that pushed that nail deeper into her paw, we exited the bushes, expecting the big bad Alpha to be at his usual position, screaming at me.

But he wasn't, which I found odd.

A win is definitely a win, I grinned as I slowed down, relief filling my body.

I began heading to the Pack house when I suddenly heard a snarl behind me and I turned only to see Saul pounce on me.

A howl escaped my lungs and I struggled to fight back but I was too weak compared to him.

Sofie barely had time to turn before Saul's full weight crashed into us.

We went down hard, dirt filling my mouth.

He was bigger, heavier, and he knew it, used it, pinning us with his body while his teeth found the back of our neck in a grip that wasn't a kill hold but wasn't gentle either.

I thrashed. Sofie thrashed. Neither of us could shift the bastard.

His teeth pressed deeper and I felt Sofie whimper beneath my will; I hated him for that most of all. For making her make that sound.

"Saul."

He stopped immediately, slowly extracting his fangs from my throat and pushing back on his hind legs, while I simmered in pain.

“The Beast of the West is coming to the Pack tomorrow. Go join your father in preparation. And that goes for all of you!”

“Yes Alpha,” multiple voices responded before different paws hit the ground and ran off in the opposite direction.

“And you,” he growled, coming towards me.

Before I could do anything, move away, run, things that never seemed to work by the way, I felt his foot kick my ribs.

My wolf howled, echoing our pain to the sky.

“Go to your room and stay there until the day after tomorrow! I don't want to see or smell your rotten scent down here!”

He didn't even need to use his Alpha command. Normally it won't work for me, I'm his daughter and equally alpha blood but with how much I've been beaten down all my life, an omega is nearly stronger than I am.

Sofie's paws carried us out of the presence of the man who let out all of his frustration on us every chance he got, watched by the Pack that enjoyed watching him humiliate me.

If only my mother survived…

I shook the thought away, no point in going that route now anyway.

My wolf had a dilemma as we headed up to our room, if you can call it that; it was a storage room that was cleared out for me after I turned 8.

He was tired of seeing or smelling my scent.

The nail hurt more now that nobody was beating the crap out of me and it was terrible, not allowing us to heal.

If I shift with it still in her legs, the pain will be so excruciating that I might pass out.

“Turn your leg around and press the nail to the ground until it comes out on the other end,” I told her, tremors causing my voice to shake.

Wordlessly, she did as I said and a pang rang through me as she growled in pain, the nail slowly pushing through tissue and skin, back out the way it came.

Then she sighed and sagged on the ground so I took over.

In human form, the hole was bigger, gaping and blood was dripping from it so I found the first aid kit that was permanently in my room because no one else needed it and I patched myself.

One good thing about this strange visit from the strongest Alpha in the West and Midlands combined was that for the next three days, I could rest.

No chores, no school or running from the bullies that my father encouraged to make my life a living hell.

His hatred for me ran so deep that despite his reasons for it, it made no sense.

I found the bag of chips I'd been saving for a special occasion and laid it next to my small cot.

Pain guided my movements until I carefully lay still on the bed and fell asleep.

Loud knocking shook me up from the blackout sleep I was in and it took me a few seconds in disorientated staring before I realised the pounding was coming from my door.

And that scent…

Sofie reacted inside of me, pushing me to get up, to go see my… mate?

In this Pack?

There's never been anyone in this Pack to have shown me an ounce of kindness.

How come…

“Open this door right now, Maya!”

My heart leapt out of my chest.

“Saul?”

“I'm going to break this door down in three seconds if you don't fucking open it!”

My body moved faster and I unbolted the door quickly.

And there he stood.

Taller than before, his hair falling in his face, his eyes flickering between red and blue.

The telling of an internal war with his wolf.

My world came crumbling down as I came to the horrifying realisation;

Saul Wilde is my mate.