Chapter 1

Mia’s POV

It’s been 5 years and 2 months since I left this horrible place. Memories start to accost me, but I just shake them away. I am not that girl anymore; I am a strong woman. I can do this.

It’s just a meeting, and then I can go back home. The pack comes first, always. I can definitely handle these assholes.

“Alpha, are you okay?” my Beta and second in command Julian asks as we pull up to the pack house. “I’m okay Julian, this place just brings back memories I would rather forget. Let’s just get this over with, so I can get home.” I said with a small smile.

Julian is my best friend and knows what I have been through at the hands of this pack. He is the one that found me that day I thought my life was over.

“I can turn the car around right now if you like. I’m sure your dad will understand.” He says with a concerned look. “No, I need to show these assholes that I am not that weak she-wolf they thought me to be. I always hide my strength, but it's time I showed them who the real alpha is.” I said with a defiant look.

“Ha, there’s my girl. You got this. Let’s go flaunt that sexy ass of yours in their faces. They are going to flip when they see you. Can’t wait to rub it in their noses. They could’ve had a strong Luna of alpha blood, but now they sit with a barren slut. I heard that she can’t conceive because of her ‘past activities’,” he says, quoting the last two words.

By past activities he means that she was basically a w***e. No need to sugar coat it. She was very good at hiding her bullshit though. She somehow got all the guys to keep their mouths shut about her activities and the many abortions she had.

She even slept with mated men. That is so disgusting and a smack in the face of our moon goddess. Mates are supposed to be the most blessed gift from our Goddess, but in this pack, they aren’t cherished at all.

“Let’s not gossip about unimportant people. Let’s go, I want to get this over and done with.” I said as I tried to exit the vehicle. Julian jumps out and runs to my side to open my door.

“My lady” he said, with a wink and a bow. I rolled my eyes at him and got out of the car. I straighten my baby blue knee-length shift dress, straighten my auburn hair, and grab my purse from the car.

When I turned around again and looked up, my eyes locked with Hunter.

Hunter Rein, the current Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. He does not deserve the title. He looks at me with a shocked expression, but that is to be expected. He thought, or rather hoped, I was dead.

I feel my hatred for him bubble to the surface, but I try to suppress it. Julian stiffens next to me and I know he can feel the anger rolling off me.

I school my face to seem unaffected and proceed to the front step where Hunter stands next to Sandra.

Julian also moves forward and holds out his hand to Hunter in greeting. Hunter ignores him and looks at me. “Mia? How? How are you alive?” Hunter asks with wide eyes, stepping towards me. I saw the annoyed look Sandra gave him.

“Alpha Rein, I am Julian Peters, the current Beta of the Howling Moon Pack and this is my Alpha Mia Black.” Julian says in a formal tone, ignoring' Hunters' questions to me.

Hunter just stands there with his mouth agape, looking like a comic book character. I inwardly laughed. “Alpha, ha what bullshit. w***e yourself out enough, and you can get people to call you whatever you want.” Sandra, his Luna says with a vicious smirk.

I am still just looking at Hunter with a passive expression. “Oh, is that how you introduced yourself, Luna?” I said in a mocking tone. “One should not speak of oneself in that way”, I said with one raised eyebrow.

“You f*****g b***h, who do you think you are!” Sandra screams while trying to lunge at me. Hunter pulls her back, but I don’t even flinch.

“If your truth is that upsetting to you, my dear, you should try and do better. I don’t waste my time with people that are not on my level. May I remind you that you are attempting to attack an Alpha? That is punishable by death, it doesn’t matter who you think you are.

And in my pack, I deal out all punishment myself. A leader should live by example, should they not, Alpha Hunter? I suggest you keep a leash on your Luna, and let’s get this meeting started. I believe the other Alphas have already arrived, let’s not keep them waiting.” I said as I walked forward with Julian on my right and Patrick my Gamma on my left.

Julian tries to stifle his laugh while Patrick just keeps his stoney expression. He is a very serious guy, but he is an amazing Gamma.

We have 6 pack warriors flanking us. Patrick wanted me to bring more, but I could handle myself against these assholes. We leave behind a fuming and pissed off Sandra and a speechless Hunter.

I really couldn’t give a f**k; I just want to get this meeting over with. I led the way to the meeting room, as I am familiar with the pack house.

Nothing in this godforsaken place has changed. When I enter the room, there are already many people seated. They all stand when I enter and nod my way.

We exchange greetings as I know all the alphas present. They were all invited to my alpha ceremony and most are very good allies of my pack.

Hunter is the only one that was not invited. That’s why he didn’t know who the new alpha was. He would only have heard the name of the new alpha but would never have thought it was me.

Back when this pack was my home, I was known as an Omega named Mia Jacobs. I was taken in by this pack as an orphan when I was 3 years old.

A warrior found me wandering around in the woods near their territory's border. I could not remember where I came from or who I was.

The Luna at the time was the only one who wanted to care for me. She defied the Alpha and raised me herself, and protected me from his wrath.

I had a gold necklace with the name Mia engraved on it when I was found, so she gave me her maiden name as my new surname. She died in a rogue attack when I was 5, and the alpha blamed me for her death. He thought me a bad omen, and for years I was treated like a slave and an outcast.

They never even initiated me into the pack, because they thought I was not worthy of it. After Luna Carly died, I was moved to a room in the basement of the pack house.

It was more of a storage room, but I made it home. I only had a cot and a shabby old wardrobe with a broken mirror that someone threw out. I also had a tiny desk with a plastic chair to do my homework at.

I had to clean the pack house and help in the kitchen. I was treated worse than a dog, and endured many beatings at the hands of the alpha. He even made his son hate me and bully me too.

The only thing that kept me going all those years was the thought that one day I could get away. I had planned to leave after my 18th birthday if my mate was not in this pack.

Little did I know that I would find my mate in my oppressor. I try to shake my wayward thoughts. I need to keep my mind in the present and focus on the task at hand, so I can get out of here.