CHAPTER ONE

Mildred stood at the edge of her grand bedroom, her fingers trembling as they gripped the delicate fabric of her gown. Tears streamed down her cheeks, streaking through her glittery makeup. Staring at the mirror, the reflection staring back at her was not the composed future alpha of the Blue Crest pack, but a young woman creaking beneath the weight of her failures.

Centuries ago, the werewolf clans had thrived, their powers a testament to the Moon Goddess's favor. But their hunger for dominance led to a devastating curse: stripped of their abilities, they were forced to live as mere mortals. They could no longer shift, their sharp sense of smell dulled, including their eyesight, hearing. Their superhuman strength vanished, their rapid healing slowed down like that of a normal human being, their telepathic link to their pack vanished, they could no longer talk to their loved ones through telepathy, and to make matters worse, their sacred mating bond was severed, cutting them off from their destined partners.

The once mighty packs, the Blue Crest, Black Crest, and Red Crest, merged their territories, each alpha ruling their domain under the watchful eye of Supreme Alpha Phanuel of the Black Crest pack, since the Black Crest was the strongest among all the packs.

As a result of merging the three packs, the future alphas were trained together. To ensure unity among them. Which makes them friends and they became inseparable.

Mildred, Gray, and Kaden had been inseparable throughout their lives; all these years of hardship had made them strong together. Their bond was forged through their shared training and challenges. As future alphas, they faced so many challenges together. Yet, three years ago, something changed among them. Gray and Kaden withdrew, their friendship replaced by secrecy within them. They secluded themselves, leaving Mildred isolated and puzzled.

0n gray’s eighteenth birthday, after all the parties and the celebration, usually on such occasions, they will all retire to his room and continue their celebration as they always did, laughing, playing, and staying awake still morning.

But that day was different. Mildred walked toward Gray’s room; she walked with determined steps. Just as she reached for the handle of the door, a firm hand grasped her wrists. She looks up to see Kaden obstructing her path, his expression unreadable.

“You can’t come in here, Mildred,” Kaiden said, his voice calm but unyielding.

She frowned. “Why not?’

He sighed, “Because you’re a woman now, and women don’t enter men’s rooms, especially when you are not invited. It's not good for your reputation.”

Mildred scoffed and yanked her hand free.

“Since when did you see me as a woman? I thought we were all friends.”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “We grew up, sweet pie. Things change.”

Mildred huffed, crossing her arms, as if anyone cared.

“Just tell me you don’t want me here.”

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked away.

As Gray and Kaden approached their eighteenth year, plans were set for them to attend a human university far from the province, a long-standing tradition meant to help young werewolves blend into human society. They will be gone for three years, and the thought of a three-year absence weighed heavily on Mildred's heart.

Determined not to drown in loneliness, Mildred found comfort in a new friendship with Tessy, the cheerful daughter of her father's beta and her own future beta. Tessy's bright laughter and unwavering support became a small beacon during those difficult years.

During those lonely years, Mildred, who had never gone shopping with anyone other than Gray and Kaiden, began spending her days with Tessy.

One memorable day, they set a day for their girls’ hangout. They spent their time wandering through their bustling pack market, sampling food from local stalls, and admiring handcrafted jewelry. And soaked in the color and peace of their town, a place where visitors always paused in awe at how beautiful the town is.

After the curse, the moon goddess lifted the barrier that once separated, granting humans full access to their lands, and also the werewolves couldn’t access the other clans, but they could come to them.

At noon, Mildred and Tessy decided to venture into the human world, eager for something new. As they walked in, their hands linked together in anticipation of what was to come, they crossed the boundary between the werewolves and the humans, and they found themselves in a very vibrant human town full of new things that they had never seen before.

Just then, a delicious aroma drifted through the air, stopping Mildred in her tracks.

“Oh my goodness… what is that smell?” she murmured.

“It’s amazing” Tessy agreed.

They followed the scent into a cozy coffee shop and took a seat. A waitress approaches them with a warm smile.

“Hello, what can I get for you?”

Tessy pointed towards the barista, “What is he making?”

“Coffee,” the waitress replied.

“Then we’ll have that,” Tessy said without hesitation.

When they finished their coffee and pastries. They continue exploring deeper into the human world, and later at sunsets, they finally go back home, exhausted but content. Since Gray and Kaden left, there is this hole in her heart that no matter how Tessy tried to fill, it never filled up.

One evening, as Mildred was engrossed in her studies, her father's voice echoed down the corridor.

"Mildred!"

She looked up as he stepped into the study, his blue hair catching the lantern light, and a broad smile stretched across his face.

"Yes, Dad?"

"I have wonderful news for you," he announced, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Her brows lifted with curiosity. "What is it?" she asked,

"Gray and Kaden are returning this week, for your birthday."

Mildred's heart stuttered. Memories of lonely birthdays, years without a single message from them, flooded into her mind.

"They're coming back? For my birthday?" she asked

Her father smiled at her lack of enthusiasm. "Aren't you excited?" he asked.

She forced a smile she didn’t feel, uncertainties troubling her. "I... I don't know how to face them after all this time." She shuttered.

He rests his hands gently on her shoulders, his gaze as soft as cotton. "Everything will be alright."

She nodded and smiled back at him

The next day, after completing a school test, Mildred's mother picked her up so they could choose a gown for her birthday. Several dresses had already been made for her; she simply needed to select one. Mildred sat quietly at the passenger’s side distress clouding her mind.

Her mother glanced at her, almost as if reading her thoughts.

“I heard your friends came back this morning”, she said gently.

“They are not my friends”, she muttered.

“When did that change?” Her mother asked.

“The day they shot the door on me.”

Her mom chuckled softly. “What?” Mildred asked.

“Nothing,” her mother replied, smiling. “I just think you look cute when you throw tantrums”.

They soon arrived at the clothing shop and walked inside.

“Good afternoon, Luna Miriam,” the designer greeted warmly.

“Afternoon, dear. How is your day doing? Mildred’s mother replied with a bright smile.

Luna Miriam of the Blue crest pack is one of a kind, she is kind, graceful, intelligent, and she is the most respected Luna among the allied pack.

Mildred left her mom chatting with the designer and drifted towards the display of gowns, her mother joined her, and together they sorted through the collection.

They finally chose a sapphire silk masterpiece that complemented Mildred’s blue hair, the delicate straps resting gracefully on her shoulders. As she admired her reflection in the mirror, a small spark of anticipation warmed her chest.

On the evening of her birthday, the palace buzzed with celebration. Mildred moves through the crowd of well-wishers, her practiced smiles hiding the storm of emotions churning inside her. Needed a moment to breathe, she slipped into a quiet corridor, only to collide with a firm chest.

She looked up and met Gray's eyes. Time had carved maturity into his once boyish features, sharpening his jaw and deepening the intensity of his gaze. Something magnetic pulls at her, the world around them falling away.

Before she could stop herself, she grasped his tie and pulled him down into a kiss. The kiss crashed over them like a thunderstorm, rough, desperate, filled with everything they had never said.

Reality struck her a heartbeat later. She tore herself away, tears flooding her eyes, and fled before Gray could speak.

Blinded by panic, Mildred rushed into the nearest doorway, only to realize too late she’d entered the men’s restroom. Her breath caught as she froze, staring directly into Kaiden's eyes.

The same fierce pull surged between them, raw and undeniable.

Kaiden stepped towards her with slow, deliberate movements, before she formed a single word, he cupped her face and kissed her. The world spun, confusion, desire, and shock tangled inside her until she could no longer breathe.

Torn between guilt and longing, Mildred fled to her chambers, her heart a battlefield of emotions. She had crossed boundaries she never imagined, caught between Gray, Kaden, and feeling she could no longer deny or control. As tears flowed down her face, she questioned who she was becoming and whether she had betrayed more than just her own heart.

In the quiet sanctuary of her room, she finally allowed herself to break down; the future felt terrifyingly uncertain, and her heart suspended between duty and desire.