Chapter 1

The smell was the first thing that led me towards the scene of my worst betrayal.

I was tracing the smell, It was intoxicating like the forest, cedar and mountain air.

It sliced through the hallway of the Pack building, It was the kind of smell that made your soul sit up and take notice, and my wolf did exactly that, Nala, who had only been awake for twenty-four hours went absolutely feral in my mind.

MATE! she screamed, her voice was a joyful roar that vibrated in it ferocity, she was excited.

'OURS! Our mate is somewhere there Jasmine!'

I followed that scent frantically like a starving person follows the smell of fresh baked bread.

I didn't care that I was in the restricted private rooms for high werewolves in the pack. I didn't care that my stepmother, Vivienne, would skin me alive if she found me here. All I cared about was the string pulling me toward the private chambers.

But as I got closer, the intoxicating smell was drowned out by something else a salty, smell of sweat cloying with musk of sex.

I faltered a bit and sniffed into the air twice to be sure. And then, the sound came faintly, a slapping sound of thrust, of skin against skin and a moan that I recognized instantly.

"Oh, yes... right there!

Don't stop, please!"

It was my stepsister, Cecily.

That's her voice, but what was she doing in a room where my supposed mate's smell was coming from?

I pushed the door open without hesitation, and the world stopped moving.

The sight before me burned into my retinas.

Cecily My Step-sister was arched on all fours on a cushion, her back showing off her delicious curve in the bright light.

Her designer dress was hiked up to her waist, the front zipper strained open, and her big breasts were spilling out as she gripped the edges of the cushion tightly.

And behind her was Malakai. The Beta’s son.

The golden boy of the Crested Mountains Pack.

His trousers were bunched around his knees, held up only by the loose tangling of his belt, one of his hands was clamped onto Cecily’s waist holding her in place not minding if he was bruising her skin, while the other was buried in her long blonde hair, pulling her head back.

And he was shamelessly fucking my step-sister on the day he was supposed to look for me and claim me as his mate.

"Malakai?" My voice, I hated how it came out like a helpless whisper, barely audible over the sound of their moans and groans but I was sure they heard me quite well.

Malakai froze a bit but didn't pull away immediately. He just slowly turned his head, his eyes glowed a fierce gold, the sign that his wolf was at the surface.

He looked at me once his nostrils flared taking in my scent.

He knew then, and for a split second I saw the shock, then saw the recognition, that moment he understood why I was there.

He knew we were fated mates!

Cecily looked over her shoulder, a slow, cat-like smirk spreading across her face. She looked so content without any atom of shame in her eyes. Rather, I sensed she's pissed though that I had intruded on their pleasure time.

She adjusted herself, leaning back against Malakai’s sweaty chest, making sure I saw every inch of the skin she had just been touching.

"Jasmine," Malakai called out, his voice came out husky and rough from their sexual exertion, he had finally pulled back, and was slowly adjusting his clothes as if I were nothing more than an annoying fly that had interrupted his delicious meal, there was no guilt in his eyes.

"You’re... you’re my mate," I said, the words almost choking in my throat as I forced my voice to be bold and loud. Tears had somehow began to blur my vision.

"Silly girl" Malakai snorted, a dry laugh that raked out his throat. He stepped toward me, buttoning his pants, the scent of him now tainted by the smell of my sister.

He stopped just inches from my face, towering over me.

"Do you really think the Moon Goddess would give a future Beta a mate as weak and pathetic as you?" "You shifted a year late, Jasmine. You’re a fluke. A mistake." he hissed, his voice was cold and mean, not what i was expecting at all, i was expecting maybe an apology? remorse?

"But the bond—"

"The bond means nothing to me Jasmine. I don't want to be mated to you," he interrupted, his lip curled in disgust. He turned his gaze back to Cecily looking at her softly, my step-sister was now casually zipping her dress, watching us with a bored expression.

Besides, " he continued, "I always had someone in mind, I’ve already made my choice. I don't want a shadow, weak and weird wolf female like you Jasmine. I want a worthy female wolf.

"I, Malakai Wulfred of the Crested Mountains Pack, reject you, Jasmine Ashford, as my mate and my Beta-female." With that they both left, not giving a single glance back at me.

No no ! I screamed, shaking my head.

The pain I felt was too agonising, it was like a hot spear driven directly through my wolf-heart. I had put so much hope on finding my mate.

Now only twenty-four hours after my first shift, i was bonded with Malakai just to have that bond being brutally ripped out by the roots.

Nala my wolf gave an agonising whimper then went terrifyingly silent, retreating into the deepest, darkest corner of my mind.

The world went silent.

I didn't realize it at first. I was too busy gasping for air, clutching my chest as I stumbled back unto the hallway.

My knees gave out, and I hit the floor hard, the cold floor bite into my skin, i didn't know how long I was down there until I heard Freya's voice.

"Jasmine?

“Oh my god, Jas!"

My best friend scrambled toward me, her face twisted in pure panic. She knelt beside me, her hands hovered over my shaking shoulders.

Usually, Freya smelled like a comforting mix of sweet jasmine and honey, a scent that could always ground me.

I hugged her tightly, my lungs were burning and I couldn't breathe well, I inhaled the air around her neck waiting for that familiar smell that always seemed to settle my nerves.

But there was nothing.

I leaned in more, still nothing, I reached out, grabbing Freya’s sleeves

"Freya... I can’t smell you."

She froze, her eyes widened.

"What do you mean? I'm right here..."