Chapter one

Aella's Pov

I hummed softly as I watched the sun rise. Its orange hue of the sun hit the sea, giving every ripple a spark of gold, one of my favourite scenes.

“Happy birthday to me” I whispered, making a silent wish.

The air smelt like sandalwood, the kind that made one think of home, my nostrils flared at the sweet scent, it called out to me.

A twig snapped in the distance, my ears perked, I turned to notice a silhouette morph into a man.

“Mate.” I blurted out, overwhelmed by the sensation.

The air froze as I looked at my supposed mate. Of all people it had to be him, I almost held my heart in my chest as recognition shone in his eyes.

Crux Bane, A cruel boy turned Alpha, one of the starring characters to my nightmares. Alpha's were meant to protect all, but not him, subconsciously I took a step back.

Would he love me now that I was his mate? Hope rose in my heart at the thought that the pack might accept me now that I am about to be their luna.

Papa would finally look at me with approval, maybe the half the way he looks at my half sister Lilith, with tenderness and affection.

“No. This can't be happening” he growled out as he got closer.

“What?” I said, I could feel my heart cracking at his words.

“I said No, I refuse to be mated to some wolfless beta” he turned his head away with a scowl on his face.

“No!” My voice trembled. “Mate” I croaked, reaching out.

He stepped back, avoiding my reach. “I Crux bane, Son of Rand Bane, Alpha of Moonlight Pack, Reject you Aella Crane as my mate and Luna of Moonlight Pack.”

“Please.” Tears streaked down my face as my knees crashed on the stony path.

His face hardened, “Accept it” he growled, his Alpha aura pressed me down.

My lungs ached, I couldn't breathe. Hot tears spilled from my eyes, I could hear my heart pounding.

“I…” I began, the words felt too heavy for my mouth, I searched his face for any emotion, anything but he only stared blankly, his jaw ticked as he waited.

“Hurry it up, I have better things to do” he ordered.

Accepting my fate, my lips parted as I said the very words I dreaded most. “I, Aella Crane, Beta and daughter to Beta Andrew Crane of Moonlight park accept your rejection.”

My body convulsed as I felt the invisible line that connected us to one another snap before we could start anything real, the pain forced me to my knees.

I clenched my teeth as I forced myself to stand, my knees trembled, trying to give way but I held on.

I met his eyes for just a second and instantly wished I hadn't nothing was there. No warmth. No hesitation. He just stared the same way they always did, eyes filled with hatred and disgust.

I laughed mockingly at myself, who was I kidding, what made me think an Alpha would settle for a fat, wolfless and illegitimate daughter of a beta.

I turned away from him, and tried to head back to where I sat by the river side.

He grabbed my arm “If you know what's good for you, then you'll keep your mouth shut about what just happened”

I scoffed inwardly at his ridiculous words, even if I wanted to, I had no one to tell. They made sure of that, if anything I would be punished for trying to climb into the Alpha's bed and lying against their precious Alpha.

I shoved him and tried to walk past. He gripped my arm again, this time tighter than the last. I winced at the pain

“Don't think you can be my Luna by whining your mouth to those old fools. I will ruin you” he growled, his eyes darkened as they peered into mine.

“Why” I whimpered, my heart cracked, shattering at the words. Why did the moon goddess curse me so harshly, what have I ever done to deserve this?

“I know your type, Aella. If you so much as breathe a word of this to a soul, I will make your life a living hell” his eyes flickered between orange, his wolf's and its natural grey shade. I could tell he was fighting his wolf for dominance.

His grip tightened even more with each word, I pulled back, trying to release myself from his grip but his iron claw strength locked me in place.

“Am I clear?” He barked, drawing me away from my thoughts.

“Crystal.” I said, my lips clamping against each other.

He flung me aside, wiped his hand with a handkerchief, tossed it aside and with one last look at my trembling figure he left.

My knees crashed hard against the stony path way, blood trickled down my knees but I barely felt it, my eyes were stuck on the streak of angry red lines on my arm, left by my now ex-mate.

The day blurred by as I lay there, lost to the world and to myself, by the time I gathered my shattered self together, it was already evening.

I scrambled to my feet like a woman struck by lightning, I began rushing back home, ignoring my now numbed heart, pebbles dug into my heels as I ran, the thorny leaves that bit into my skin as I navigated the bushy path.

I was already late, I could hear Andrea’s high pitched shrill at the back of my mind, I could feel her long manicured digging into my thighs over and over again, her favourite routine.

The mansion came into view, I thanked my stars that, the light were off, I still had time to make dinner before they would be back.

Sneaking into the mansion, I froze in my tracks as the lights came on, my pulse

“You whore!” I heard the voice I dreaded more than anything.