Episode 1

A sharp arrow pierced right through the center of the marked tree. Kath smiled happily. Archery was her favorite sport.

“This time I did it again,” Kath murmured with delight. Every time she shot, her arrow always hit the target perfectly.

Kath looked around at the bustling surroundings. The tall building beneath her feet came into view. The High Ranking Training Academy was a school that trained young werewolves in their skills.

It wasn’t much different from a human school. The place was strategically located below the kingdom and still within the pack’s territory. This academy was specially designed for young werewolves who were about to come of age.

Werewolves who hadn’t yet learned to shift into their wolf form would be trained here so that, when the time came, they could transform properly. Some wolves failed to shift at all they became outcasts, banished from their packs. At the High Ranking Training Academy, everyone competed fiercely to become the best, just like true champions.

Class A consisted of werewolves with above average intelligence. Their skills were also exceptional. Meanwhile, Class B held those of average ability, followed by the lower-ranked classes beneath them.

Cheers from behind made Kath turn around. She saw a beautiful girl surrounded by a crowd. In an instant, Kath’s smile faded even if only for a moment.

She could already guess. That was her only older sister, Keona. Keona was extremely popular among both the boys and the students of the High Ranking Training Academy.

Keona was nothing like Kath, who was weak and rather plain-looking. Kath often wondered how she could possibly have such a beautiful sister. Sometimes, she even felt jealous of her.

“Wow, you’re amazing!” Blaire, Keona’s close friend, praised her. Kath admitted that her sister was indeed just as skilled in archery.

“Of course, I’ve been training since I was a child,” Keona replied confidently to her friend.

“I really admire you,” said Alexa, Keona’s other close friend.

“No one even praised me, even though I hit the target too,” Kath lowered her head sadly. The world was often unfair, but it kept moving forward, never siding with the weak.

Kath lifted her head again and tried to smile. She started walking toward the group that was cheering for Keona.

“Sis, you’re really great at archery,” said Kath. Keona, who had been chatting with her friends, immediately turned her head toward her little sister and smiled. Then Keona pulled Kath into a hug.

“Oh, yes, you too. My sister’s shot hit the target perfectly as well,” Keona said, pointing to Kath’s arrow that was lodged right in the center of the tree.

After she said that, everyone fell silent. No one spoke. The usual thing Kath received from them was mocking stares. She knew that no one liked her they believed Kath was a bringer of bad luck.

“But you’re even better, Keona,” Blaire praised again, casting a sharp glance at Kath.

“Come on, you guys are overdoing it,” Keona said softly. She had a kind and innocent heart.

“Let’s all eat together!” Keona exclaimed.

“Long live Keona!” The academy students shouted joyfully as they lifted Keona into the air. Her life looked so bright and perfect like that of a queen.

“Long live—”

Kath let out a heavy sigh and was about to turn away when she slowed her steps, realizing that someone was watching her intently. Frowning, she lifted her gaze toward the palace window.

“Alpha Zach?” she murmured unconsciously. Was he eating a sandwich? His gaze was intense it was strange. Alpha Zach quickly looked away.

“Why does Alpha always look at me?”

***

“Hey, you!” Blaire snapped sharply. Kath, who was walking with her head down, froze immediately.

“I—” Kath stammered nervously and turned toward Blaire.

“Hey, bring me some food, Cat.”

“Cat” was what they called Katherine because her name sounded a bit like it.

“All right.”

“Good. A jinx like you should always obey us,” Alexa said, twirling a lock of her brown hair arrogantly. Even though they were Keona’s close friends, Blaire and Alexa never hesitated to bully Kath.

“The pastries are all gone,” Kath said nervously, telling the truth.

“Are you stupid? Can’t you see that black cat over there?” Blaire shouted angrily, pointing in front of her. She stood up from her seat, moving toward Kath, whose body was trembling in fear. The pastries were indeed still there just at the far end of the table.

“I’ll give you your punishment,” Blaire said, stepping forward while holding a food tray full of leftovers.

Alexa grabbed a glass of water and poured it right over Kath’s head, soaking her hair completely. Blaire smiled proudly at Alexa’s action. The two of them high fived.

“Oops,” they both said mockingly before bursting into laughter.

“Hahaha!”

Everyone around them laughed loudly, watching Kath with scornful eyes. Kath stayed silent with her head down. This wasn’t the first time she had been bullied.

Keona’s friends often bullied her whenever Keona wasn’t around. If Kath ever tried to tell anyone, they threatened to get her expelled from the pack.

“You!!” Suddenly, someone’s shout shattered Blaire and Alexa’s fun. It was a girl who had come to stop their cruelty.

“How dare you, Blaire!” The girl stepped in front of her. Then, shockingly, she splashed a red liquid from a drink bottle right onto Blaire’s face.

“Holy shit!” Blaire screamed. She was shocked as the hot red liquid hit her face.

“My face!” Blaire shrieked in pain as her skin turned red like a boiled crab. Her clothes were drenched as well.

“Ahhhhh!” Blaire screamed in panic and ran off, followed by Alexa.

“You’ll pay for this!” Alexa hissed as she passed by Kath, who was trembling in fear.

“Are you okay, Kath?” the girl asked. She was Anna  Kath’s best friend. Anna helped clean Kath’s stained clothes, pulling tissues from her bag and gently wiping them.

“I’m fine,” Kath replied softly.

“I need to talk to you,” Anna said, and Kath nodded for her to continue.

“Have you heard the news that Alpha Zach is getting engaged?”

“Yes, with my sister,” Kath answered plainly.

“What?!” Anna stood up in shock.

“Your sister’s insane! Haven’t you always told me you love Zach?”

“I tell Keona every day that I love Zach.”

“Kath, you’ve been hiding something from me all this time, haven’t you?”

“Anna, I forbid you from reading my past illegally,” Kath gasped, realizing that Anna was trying to read her memories.

“Kath… Alpha Zach is your mate?”