Chapter 0001

Nex’s POV

"Why? Just because my wolf is white and weak? Just because I was born with different colored eyes-one yellow and the other green? Then you ignored our mate bond and rejected me? Finally chose this bitch?" I pointed at Casey who wrapped her arms around my ex mate Chase's neck as the stabbing in my heart continued with tears blurring my vision.

"Watch your mouth." Casey sneered as a heavy slap dropped on my face and the hurt made my head turn to aside.

Chase came closer to me, I thought he would protect me like before but I was totally wrong when I reached out to the hand only to be smacked away.

“My mate is with you? With someone who has such a weak, accursed wolf?! Werewolves are supposed to be stronger once their wolves awaken, but you? No alpha would chose a low mutt like you.” He wrapped an arm around Casey shoulder and gently pulled her closer to him. "If anyone is more fitting to be my mate, it’s her. You can just go rot in the middle of the woods."

Those words hurt me more than anything else I was told. Since those words were told by the one person I trusted in this place, it most especially hurt. It was as though everything we had together never existed. It did not help that the person he chose as his new mate was my stepsister.

Then, something inside me crushed and exploded. My heart pounded in my ears as I gnashed my teeth and clenched my fist. Red covered my vision as I watched their leaving back.

If one day you crawl my legs to ask forgiveness, I, your mate, will never give it to you.

***

SPLASH!

“Kyah!” 

“Rise and shine, Nex. Just how much longer were you planning on sleeping~?”

Wiping the cold water away from my face, I looked up and saw Casey- my stepsister- looking down on me in mockery.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten what today is,” she continued. “Chase is going to come over today, and I want everything perfect. Now get up, get breakfast ready, and clean my room. Oh, and cover up those eyes, would you?” Without another word, she left my room, which is really an attic.

A sigh escaped my lips as I hastily changed out of my wet garbs and into a set of servant’s attires. I really did not want to see my ex-mate today. He who is now Casey’s mate.

I still couldn’t believe Chase chose Casey to be his new mate. After everything we had together, after he knew of the life I lived in this pack- especially at home- he dumped me for my stepsister. The worst part of this is that everyone thought they were the best couple of the whole pack, for Casey was the strongest female werewolf here, and Chase was next-in-line for Alpha.

One month has passed since that day, and that painful betrayal still lingers in my heart. I shook my head, not wanting to remember any more of the past, and hurried to the kitchen to make breakfast for the whole family.

“Well, someone’s finally decided to show up,” my dad, Dominic, said in a gruff tone.

“Sorry, Dad…” I uttered out.

“Child. You are a young adult now. You should know better than to sleepin at this age,” my stepmom, Beth, lightly scolded. Though I could sense she was holding back her true rage in front of Dad, as well as disgust at the sight of me.

Dad fell in love with her around a year after Mom’s death. At first, I thought Beth was like all other moms I saw around the pack. Kind, caring, loving… In fact, she was the only other werewolf who did not mind my eyes. Even Casey seemed like a good werewolf at the time.

How wrong and naïve I was, for all that time being nice was nothing but an act in front of Dad, who liked my eyes, despite his hatred towards me, as they reminded him of Mom, and would not forgive anyone who speak poorly of her in any way.

In truth, Casey and Karen were terrible werewolves… Not only did they treat me like some lowlife servant, they insulted me for my eyes. Being the child that I was, I told dad the truth about them, but he didn’t believe me… Most likely because it was me- his mate’s killer- who was telling him such things about his new wife and daughter. Even if he did believe me, he didn’t seem to care about it, as it was mostly ‘me’ they were insulting.

I didn’t bother to say anything to them. The sooner I get breakfast ready, the sooner I can eat and leave without seeing Chase.

***

After I got breakfast ready for the family- excluding me, who only had but a simple slice of bread- I went to clean Casey’s room. I didn’t want her to cause any sort of scene that will make Dad hate me even more than he already does. Just as I was about to walk up the stairs, however, a knock was heard at the door.

“Nex, answer the door,” Dad called, without even sparing me a glance.

I felt uneasy right then. Not from the command he gave me, but more about who was on the other side of the door. Unable to defy the command, I walked over to the front door. As I walked, I caught whiff of a certain pine scent on the other side. One that used to make me feel warm on the inside.

‘He’s here…’ I solemnly thought, reluctantly reaching for the doorknob.

I opened the door. Lo and behold, standing on the other side was none other than…

“Chase.” 

My ex-mate. Standing there with a smile on his face.

“Oh, Nex. Good morning,” he cheerily greeted with a light wave.

As soon as he spoke, Dad and the others emerged from the dining hall and rushed over to him, with Casey pulling me away from him.

“Ah, Young Master Chase! What brings you to my humble abode?” Dad asked proudly.

“Why else? I’m a grown man, and will soon be Alpha of the pack,” Chase answered, unfazed by how I was pushed away. “That said… I want to make sure of some things. Like if you’ll be able to help me like you do for dad. Even if I am being taught how to run a pack, learning it and actually doing it are two different things.”

“Say no more. I am the pack’s Beta. Until the day comes when this role is passed down to someone else, it’s a given that I am to help our Alpha in some way. Be it our current Alpha, or our future Alpha.”

“You have no idea how much hearing that means to me.”

“I would guess now. Though I must ask. When is the wedding with Casey? I know you’re busy with your Alpha lessons, but this is my daughter you will be marrying. Even if it is you, for her sake, I want to make sure if the wedding plans are even moving.”

I wanted to gag right then, especially with how ‘innocent’ Casey was acting at those words. Blushing, and twirling her hair like so. I didn’t want to see or hear any more of this, and rushed up to my room, in no mood to clean Casey’s. I just wanted to escape. To not think back to the day my own mate rejected me. To not even remember how things used to be before my wolf awakened.

Just as I flopped on my still-wet bed, I was puzzled to hear footsteps coming up the stairs to the attic. I turned to the source, and grew baffled to see who walked up. 

“Chase…”

“Nex…”

Many emotions flowed through me, being alone with my ex. The feelings practically skyrocketed as he rushed over to me. Before I could get a word out, Chase slammed his lips onto mine, filling me with shock as he pushed me back down on the bed. I was about to push him off me, when he grabbed my hands and raised them over my head with one hand, leaving me defenseless.

Words cannot describe how shocked I was by this. What was he doing? I tried to move my lips away from his to get out of the kiss, but he held my chin with his free hand, keeping me in place.

After a while of the forceful kiss, he finally broke the contact, and whispered in my ear, “You have no idea how much I missed you. How much I wanted to hold you, to have you and your beautiful form. To keep you with me. Casey is nothing compared to you.”

My eyes widened at those words. The words may be sweet, but behind them? They sounded anything but, as I felt more chills crawl down my every being.

It did not take long for me to realize why I felt this way, as Chase kissed my neck and whispered, “We can never be mates, but we can still be together. How about it? We can be friends with ‘benefits’ if it pleases you so.”

I was instantly disgusted by the ‘offer’. Chase… He doesn’t miss ‘me’. He missed my body. Thinking about it now, back when we were in a relationship, he often made comments about how beautiful my body was compared to other female. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but… Hearing them now?!

The sound of footsteps walking up the stairs reached our ears. In an instant, Chase broke away from me… and slapped me across the face.

“What the hell?!” came Casey’s voice.

Holding my cheek, I turned to see her at the stairs, eyes wide in shock.

“Casey, this-”

“How shameless are you!” Chase shouted, much to my shock. “I believe I already made it clear, witch. My mate is not with you, and it will never be with you! How dare you try to seduce me!”