Chapter 1

C1: Low Growls in the Woods

Silver Pack

Silver Pack was one of the rare packs that existed among others. Each Silver Pack werewolf had a fiery glint in their eyes from birth and a wolf head tattoo on their back from the moment they first shapeshifted.

But Raine's case was different. There was no fiery glint in her beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes from birth, which made her different from the others.

There were loud rumors that she might not have a wolf, which was abnormal.

Her parents disliked her because of it. Despite being their only child, it only made them angrier.

At the age of fifteen, she prayed softly to the Moon Goddess, wishing that she would receive her wolf, but fate was not hers to decide.

That full moon night, she stood with other young pups who were about to transform on the sacred ground. She could see her mother's glaring eyes and her father's stern gaze from where they sat.

It was as if she had been given a final chance to prove herself worthy before the pack.

As the moon shone brightly, others began to transform. Raine held her chest tightly as she prayed, hoping and wishing.

Beads of sweat slowly formed on her forehead as she continued praying.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours, yet nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes, which had become glassy with tears.

Her father, Alpha Elmore, looked away in disappointment while her mother, Luna Indira, clenched her fists. They both left the sacred ground.

Raine bit her lip.

“What's that? An Alpha's daughter?” one of the pups who had just transformed said with laughter.

“You could have at least been an Omega, you know. Having a weak wolf is better than having none. So what are we going to call you?” another said mockingly.

“What a waste of preparing a spot for you at the sacred ground.”

Raine felt her ears ringing as their mockery grew louder.

She stared at the place where her parents had been sitting. They didn't bother to take her home. She had been left behind to be mocked by the others.

It became too much for her, and she ran away from the sacred ground. She sat in the woods and eventually fell asleep there.

Next Day…

It was nearly afternoon when she returned home. Her parents had not bothered to search for her. To them, it would have been better if she never appeared before them again.

Raine lowered her face as she walked along the path to her home while people mocked her along the way.

When she got home, she saw her parents sitting with an unfamiliar girl around her age. She noticed how her mother spoke to the girl fondly while her father smiled at her.

Something she had never received from them.

She stepped further into the sitting room, her eyes lowered as she greeted her parents.

“What are you doing here?” Luna Indira asked with a frown on her beautiful face.

“I'm back home. I didn't mean to stay out last night,” Raine said softly.

“You did well staying away because I might have killed you last night,” Luna Indira replied, glaring at her.

“Enough, Indi. Raine, this is Alice, our lost daughter, your twin sister,” Alpha Elmore said firmly as he introduced the stranger to her.

“You are expected to treat her nicely and not do anything foolish,” he added sternly.

Raine nodded but did not say a word as she glanced at Alice, who smiled sweetly.

From that day on, her life changed from bad to worse. Alice framed her at every opportunity, and her parents punished her for it.

Four Years Later…

Raine, who would soon turn nineteen, was sent to pick scented flowers for her sister, whose birthday was fast approaching.

Since Alice was said to be her twin sister, they shared the same birthday, but Raine's birthday was never celebrated. Her parents and the pack only recognized her sister, leaving her in the shadows.

Ironically, they had maids and Omegas, but Raine was treated even worse than them, so she had to run errands as well.

Leaving the Alpha's mansion, she took the path toward the woods. She always used that route because it was less crowded, allowing her to avoid the pack's mocking stares.

Stopping near a bed of lilies deep in the woods, she sighed in relief as she picked the delicate flowers and placed them into her basket.

Suddenly, she heard a low grunt, weak and strained.

She paused and scanned her surroundings carefully. She had once been ambushed by a group of bullies from her pack, and since then she had learned to be cautious, even though she had no abilities.

The weak growl sounded again.

She stood up, her heart racing as she slowly followed the direction of the sound.

Her mind told her to run, but she couldn't, even though she desperately wanted to turn around and flee.

Unknown to her, there was a hidden hole in the ground. She stepped forward and suddenly tripped, falling into the dark pit that had been covered with grass.

She heard the growl again. It was still weak but more audible.

She stiffened and turned around.

“Who is there?” she asked loudly as she tried to see through the darkness.

Suddenly, she felt something strong and large grip her neck, choking her.