Dawn Runner Pack

The distant howls of werewolves, accompanied by the cheerful chirping of birds, marked the beginning of a new day at Dawn Runner pack.

“Make it stop.” I grumbled, snuggling deeper into my woolen fur.

A few minutes later, the commotion outside finally died down, leaving only the murmurs of gossiping pack mates and heavy footsteps moving past my tent.

It was strictly forbidden by the pack rules for any werewolf to remain in their tents during the morning work hours.

_But who cares? The rules were meant for others, not me._

My name is Samantha Emberwood. I was born half-werewolf, half-nymph, under a special lineage of wolf known as Purebred.

Unlike others of my kind who have the ability to transform and communicate directly with their wolves, Purebreds possess the ability to separate from their inner wolf, creating a special bond that grants us control and mastery over their abilities.

In the entire Dawn Runner pack, I'm the only one born with the Purebred Bloodline. Rumor has it that I inherited my abilities from my birth mother. But the truth is, I've never had the chance to meet her, so that's something I'll never know for sure.

My father, Mason Emberwood, was the previous Alpha of our pack and, more importantly, the only one who had been there for me since my childhood, up until I became old enough to look after myself.

Life as the Alpha's daughter was mostly perfect. Everyone wanted a piece of my attention, my friendship, and my influence.

But I never cared about any of those things.

I wasn't so naive that I couldn't understand that they only wanted to curry favor from the Pack's ruling family.

Sadly, it was only after my father passed away that I finally understood that even those closest to us can sometimes make choices that end up leading to our downfall.

The members of the council didn't waste any time, officially assembling to proclaim Derrick Nightshade as the next Alpha of Dawn Runner Pack, fulfilling my father's last wish.

But little did I know that my worst days had only just begun. The same people who once clamored for my attention began to treat me with so much hate and scorn, making me become an outcast in a pack I called home.

Life became a never-ending nightmare as everyone seemed to take great pleasure in my misery.

And to make matters worse, Derick, the same arrogant and self-centered guy who had not only stolen my position as the pack's Alpha but also made it his personal mission to destroy everything I cherished… Just so happened to be my fated mate.

_What a cruel joke_

“Samantha, Samantha!” I was startled by Mrs. Kelly's voice, calling loudly outside my tent.

Mrs. Kelly runs the food shed at the pack's main square, where I was forced to work as a food distributor for the elderly and young pack members who are unable to provide for themselves.

“Leave me alone.” I muttered, rolling onto my side.

“You had better get out here right now, or I'll have the pack enforcers drag you out and force you to work.

“Go ahead and try; I dare you.” I said, knowing full well that she wouldn't dare to lay a hand on me.

In reality, she was just like the rest of the other pack members, who hated me to the bone but never had the guts to face me head-on.

I wasn't just a weak omega that anyone could treat as they deemed fit. I was born a high-ranking purebred, and normal wolves knew better than to get into physical fights with me.

“Just… just hurry and get to work already. The food isn't going to serve itself”. She snapped, hurrying off before I could reply.

I mumbled a few words before finally forcing myself to stand up. Today was the last day I had to spend in that terrible place, and I wasn't going to let anyone ruin it for me.

After a quick morning routine, I slipped into a loose-fitting gown that reached my ankles, paired with oversized shoes. I didn't bother styling my hair, letting my curly brown locks cascade down my face, hiding some freckles on my skin.

I strapped a woolen pouch around my waist and tucked a few coins inside before quickly making my way to the food shed.

As I passed by the busy forest road, I could hear gossip and whispers coming from all directions.

“_Look, the freak is out again.”_

“_What's wrong with her?”_

_“Weirdo”_

I walked past them, with my chin up… leaving their voices to the dust where they belonged.

They could think what they wanted. I was done caring about their petty opinions.

I finally arrived at the food shed, where a line of people had already formed, waiting for me to serve them.

_”It was obvious that they all hated my guts, but nobody wanted to hate on an empty stomach—how ironic._

I got to work, serving the steaming bowl of wild boar stew and freshly baked flatbread to the waiting crowd.

As they collected their food, they couldn't resist the urge to sing all manner of thanks and praises to their beloved Alpha Derick.

_It was obvious that they were doing it just so they could get under my skin, and, so far, they were doing a pretty good job at it_

“Next please,” I said my part, and set the bowl down.

However, the person standing in front of the line didn't respond or touch the bowl, making me wonder if they had even heard what I had said or were just trying to play dumb.

“You have got to be kidding me.” I muttered as soon as I looked up, only to see my worst nightmare standing in front of me.

Cindy Perez, the wannabe daughter of the pack Condottiere, was here again with her usual flashy attire and heavy make-up that seemed to scream, “Notice me.”

It was no secret that the only thing she was good at was causing trouble and gossiping all day long.

“Hey there, Sammy.” She greeted, flashing a smile.

“Next, please.” I ignored her greetings, turning my attention to the person behind her.

“I'm standing right here, Samantha; you can't just ignore me like this.” Cindy frowned.

“I know… but the thing is, I just don't care,” I said, my voice cold and uninterested.

“How dare you!” Cindy snapped, raising a hand close to my face, but when I didn't react, she hesitated. “You're lucky I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let this one slide for now.”

“If you're not here for the food, then please leave,” I said dryly.

She tossed her hair back and leaned on the counter, obviously trying to provoke me.

“You're just bitter because, in two days, our handsome Alpha Derrick will finally be choosing his mate and future Luna of this beloved pack.” Cindy smirked. “And when that happens, oh, poor Samantha, you'll be cast aside like yesterday's trash.”

I shook my head in pity as I watched Cindy laugh hysterically, completely detached from reality.

_She had deluded herself into thinking that

Derrick's fake act of kindness was a way of expressing his feelings towards her. And even with the Luna selection underway, she still held onto that hope._

_I guess anyone who was crazy enough to fall for that self-centered fraud would believe anything._

“Look here… Cindy, I really don't have time for this,” I said through gritted teeth. “So why don't you just leave me alone and find someone else to bother?”

“You can deny it all you want, but that won't change reality,” Cindy smirked. “And if we are being completely honest here, you'll never find anyone who would ever want you as their mate in this lifetime. I mean, just take a look at yourself. Who even puts together an outfit like that? It's like you got dressed in the dark.”

I could feel the pack members' eyes on me, their laughter and gossiping growing louder as Cindy continued to attack me with her words, giving her usual hundred reasons why I didn't deserve to be a member of the pack and making sure to include all my shortcomings.

Just as she was about to deliver the final blow, the sound of the ceremonial drums echoed through the air, signaling the arrival of the Alpha's messenger.

Alex Moongrave, the pack Beta, was always the one who delivered the message. Everyone in the pack feared him… but who wouldn't, though? He belonged to the NightWalker Bloodline, the strongest and most merciless wolves in the entire pack.

And to make matters worse, he was a quiet and mysterious person whose thoughts and intentions were impossible to read.

“This can't be good,” I muttered, as Alex confidently made his way through the crowd, which parted like a sea to let him through.

“The Alpha summons you to his tent immediately,” Alex stated plainly.

“Why on earth would the Alpha want to see her? I mean, what could he possibly want from this freak?” Cindy fumed, her hands on her hip.

I gave Cindy a side glare before turning back to Alex. “Could you maybe give me a few hours to finish up first? I still have a lot to do here.”

“That's right.” Cindy interrupted again: “Look at all these people waiting for the Alpha's generosity. If she abandons her post, who's going to feed them?"

“You, of course,” Alex stated.

The moment Cindy's face turned sour, I pressed my lips together, struggling to control my laughter. Instead, I ended up tossing the apron and serving ladle at her.

“No, no, no! That's impossible.” Cindy protested, quickly backing away. “How can someone of my status be reduced to doing something so… so pathetic?”

“You'll do as you're told, or face the consequences,” he said with a calm but threatening voice.

“Y-yes, sir,” Cindy stammered, nodding quickly.

He turned to me, gesturing slightly. “Time to go.”

“Okay.” I muttered, trailing behind him like a sheep being led to slaughter…but at least, I won't be the only one having a bad day.