I PICKED UP A FAKE MATE, BUT HE'S THE ENEMY ALPHA

ELARA

His fingers slammed against my cheek. “How dare you say that!? Every pack attends the banquet, you can't skip it either.” Father's eyes glowed feral. “For once, do something good for the Sylvester name. Don't be a useless daughter.”

My cheek was still burning…But I held back my tears with every ounce of my strength.

In three weeks, I would turn twenty. But it wasn't a blessing. It was a death sentence….Because I was born wolfless, and my family or the pack didn't know.

A wolfless was considered a bad omen, a destruction. Either the wolfless were killed or torn into pieces. For years, I've been hiding the secret, living like a shadow in my own house.

"Do not disappoint me, Elara. Trust me, I'll forget you're my blood."

Silas Sylvester, my father, and the Alpha King, ruled over five packs in Malvern Hills, a place surrounded by trees, mountains, followed strict laws, and worshiped true mates. MoonCedar, our pack, was located in the center. The other four packs were our neighbours, each had an Alpha, yet they bowed to my father, the Alpha King, superior to everyone.

People said I had his light brown eyes. Mine were filled with anxiety, and his were cold. “The birthday banquet will happen as planned on 6th December," he crossed his arms behind his waist. “You need to look good. You'll find your true mate on your birthday."

Wrong. I wouldn't.

Every wolf finds their true mate on their twentieth birthday. This has been the unwavering law of Malvern Hills, a prophecy made by the Moon Goddess herself. But wolfless were born without true mates.

I was scared because I know if I don't appear with my true mate at the banquet…My father, the elders, and even the council will get suspicious, interrogate me in a way that would expose my wolfless truth.

Inhaling a soft breath, I cleared my throat and mumbled…"I-If the Moon Goddess is slow to grant the bond?"

His face hardened instantly. The warmth vanished. "You're a Sylvester. The Goddess doesn't skip us. You will find him. You're the Alpha King's daughter, my blood.”

"I-I understand," Fear crawled over my skin.

“One more thing…Do not go out at night. We got information that a few members of the BloodFang were seen near the borders.”

The BloodFang Pack, located outside the Malvern Hills, was the sworn and only enemy of all the united five packs. For years, we've been fighting together against the psychopath Alpha, Kael Damen. Though he always hid his face behind a dark mask, the five packs were on a hunt for his head.

He knew no bounds. No rules. He only had one mission, capture the five packs, and become the new Alpha King. A brutal monster who was rumored to be taking a shower in blood.

“Don't worry, Father. I'll be careful.”

Stepping out of the office, I ran towards my room, my lungs burning, when I accidentally bumped into my two sisters.

“Elara, watch where you're going!” Lyra growled, almost revealing her claws. Then, her sharp gaze switched to curiosity. "It seems our useless sister has seen a ghost."

“Sorry, I-I was in a hurry.”

“Right. Your birthday is coming,” Mira smiled.

Mira and Lyra were three years older than me, and had high-ranking mates they had found on their twentieth birthdays. Their beauty was sharp. All thorns and no rose. Both of them were blonde, a mirror image of my father. Even my brother, Izek. I was the only one with brown hair. My mother had brown hair.

"Father is spending a fortune on your banquet." Lyra sneered, stepping closer. She twirled a lock of her blonde hair. “He is giving you more than what you deserve.”

They despised the sight of me. Since I stayed isolated in my room, they naturally believed I was weak. In their eyes, I didn't deserve to carry the name Sylvester. For years, I've been looked down upon, devoid of love and warmth.

My sisters never hesitated to hit me. They never said a nice word to me.

Mira stepped closer, her eyes flashing amber. "Sister, I hope you won't disappoint Father with an omega true mate. He might strip you off your title.” She let out a devilish chuckle.

“Well…That would be wonderful,” Lyra said. “She should know her place. If our mother hadn't given birth to this bitch, she would've been alive. She snatched our mother!”

“Calm down, sis,” Mira whispered, wrapping her arms around Lyra's shoulders. “She's the curse of our family. After our mother, she even swallowed Nanny Ava who raised her. I'm sure her mate will never love her.”

My chest tightened, a sharp pain sliced directly through my heart.

I scrambled to my room. Locked the door. I needed to breathe. Tears finally rolled down my eyes. Then, I grabbed my phone and dialed the only person who cared about me.

[Elara? Is everything okay?]

The voice on the other end was Chloe, my only friend. She was the daughter of a Gamma and a brilliant doctor herself. We bonded years ago over our shared love for old books and our mutual hatred for pack politics.

She knew I was wolfless.

[I have only three weeks left.] I sobbed into the phone. [It has never happened that a member of the Alpha King's family showed up without a true mate on their birthday. If I'm exposed, they'll kill me, Chloe.]

[Calm down, Elara. Listen to me…] She said, her voice turning firm. [You aren't going to die. If you can prove you have a true mate, no one will investigate anything.]

[How is it possible?]

She took a long pause before answering the question. [We'll hire someone to pretend to be your true mate. Maybe a rogue?]

I stopped pacing. [W-What?]

[There are plenty of rogues who would do anything for a handful of gold. We find a rogue, we dress him up, we give him a backstory. You introduce him as your true mate.]

[If Father finds out he'll kill us both. And how am I supposed to pass the bond test?]

There was a bond test taken by the council to verify the bond is really bestowed by the Moon Goddess. A test that was dangerous.

[Elara, if you do nothing, you're dead anyway. You'll cheat the test. Don't worry.]

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My skin was pale, my eyes wide, with terror. I looked like a lamb heading to the slaughter.

[How do we find a perfect rogue?] I asked, my voice shaking.

[Come to my apartment now.] She said, [I know a place where we can find a rogue.]

It was snowing hard but I did not care. I was like a princess trapped in a cage. My world was about to fall. Rushing out of the Packhouse at midnight, I climbed into my black SUV and drove to Chloe's apartment.

The woods seemed closer, casting shadows on the slim road.

Driving alone on the empty road, reaching closer to my destination, I pushed the brake so hard, a force jerked through my body.

A man was standing before me, shirtless. I couldn't see his face in the dark, yet his striking blue eyes pinned on me through the windshield of my car, glistering under the moonlight.

My heart dropped as he slowly started taking steps towards me…

As he came closer, he looked like he had been through a war. He was covered in blood, his chest breathing furiously. I could see the deep cuts on his shoulders and arms. They were scratched by claws.

Panicked. I quickly grabbed my phone to call for help, my fingers trembling.

The line connected the call to the emergency helpline. [How may I help you?] The woman on the line spoke politely.

I was about to scream when he fell down hitting my windshield really hard. He slid down the glass. Collapsed to the ground.

[Hello, ma’am?] The woman's voice was the only thing echoing in the silence around me. I cut the call…And stepped out of the car.