Chapter 1

Faythe

“Mom, we really can't afford the dorms; I can just ride my bike.” I groan as I set the bank statement on the coffee table; my mother seems completely unbothered by my worry. She's sitting in the overworn tan-leather armchair with a glass of gin in one hand and a cigarette in the other. She's been drinking more and more since my father died. He was an enforcer for another Pack and was wrongly killed when Alpha Jacob thought he had betrayed him, now we're in a new Pack and I have to attend the school. The Silver Pack requires everyone over eighteen to live in the Pack House dorms. My mom is no fun to be around lately but the rent on the dorms is more than my little bookshop job brings in. I suggested my mom get a job but she's content drinking away the benefits our new Alpha has provided her with.

“Alpha Hunter said he will cut the f*e in half because I'm a widow.” Her voice hitches with a practised break. I'm not fooled; she doesn't care that my father is gone. For the last two years of his life, she was drinking in the bathroom and sneaking off with every male she set her sights on. They were supposed to be fated mates so I have no idea how she was able to cheat on him. I saw the pain in my father's eyes every time he watched her leave the house; I listened to him train in the basement while she was out in the Pack and I saw how thin he became when he stopped eating. A rogue might have taken my father from me but my mom definitely pushed him towards the grave. Now we're the Silver Pack poverty case and I'm going to be the wolfless Omega accepting the Alpha's charity just to have a roof over my head. I'm supposed to start Silver High in two days and I'm terrified. A few of the students have come into the bookshop over the last week, each wanting to get a look at the newcomer and I've already been subjected to more hurtful words than I can count.

“Mom, please, don't make me do that. I can just work at the bookshop and travel to the school. It's only a few miles away.” I try to plead with my drunk mother but her green eyes are completely glossed over. She's not paying me any attention as she stubs out her finished cigarette; she blows the golden hair out of her face and leans forward in the chair. She moves with a speed I’m not capable of; she draws her hand close to her chest and lashes out at my face. Her knuckles collide with my jaw; thankfully she's not wearing her rings or I would be tasting blood right now. I don't know if she was always this evil or if it was all just targeted at my father when he was alive. I should be jumping for joy that my mother wants me to live at the Pack House but I know that my mother's torment will have nothing on the females at my new school when they discover I'm wolfless. My mother grabs my chin hard in her fingers; I can feel her nails digging into my skin as I try to pull myself out of her death grip. She's practically foaming at the mouth as she lifts the glass of gin up to her mouth and takes a long sip.

“You listen to me, you useless pup.” Her voice has taken on a dark edge that i've rarely heard before. “Beta Connor will be here within the hour to take you to your new room. You will go to the Pack House; you will figure out what Alpha Hunter likes and then you will tell me. I am going to be the next Luna of this Pack and if I'm not, I'll hold you accountable.” I shiver in my moms grip but thankfully she lets me go before her nails break my skin. I don’t want to go to the Pack House; I don’t want to live in the dorms, and I definitely don’t want to spy on our new Alpha. I know I should be thankful I have a roof over my head at all but I’ll never get a moment's peace. My mother and the females I’ll be grouped with will make it so I will have nowhere to hide.

“Yes, mom.” I mutter submissively while rubbing at my jaw; I carefully stand from the battered sofa and start towards the lounge door, my mom doesn’t say anything else but I can feel her eyes burning into my back. I know it's heartless of me but just in this moment, I sort of wish my mother was the one killed by rogues and my father was still here to hold me. He wouldn’t have sent me away; hell, he would have driven me to school each day and warned everyone not to mess with me. My life at the old Pack wasn’t exactly pleasant but at least people didn’t bully me because my father always had my back. In this Pack I have no sway over anyone; the only reason I got the job at the bookshop is because no one else wanted it and the owner seems fascinated with my overinflated chest.

I don’t have long before Beta Connor shows up so I rush up the stairs and away from my mother. I don’t have many things in my bare room so packing takes less than a few minutes. after that I just sit on my small bed and stare into my cracked mirror. I barely see myself anymore; each day I become more of a shadow of myself. I used to be fun. I used to dance around my room in my panties and t-shirt listening to music and singing along. I used to tease and twist my hair into elegant styles and put on a little lip gloss to make me stand out a little. I used to have clothes that made my ass look incredible and my tits look irresistible. I wasn’t the popular girl or even the girl anyone wanted to claim but I also wasn’t the worthless Omega I feel like I am now. My thick white-blonde hair sits in a single braid at the back of my head; my face is bare except for my natural freckles across my nose and cheeks; my eyes are dull and lifeless thanks to all the stress and abuse I now have to deal with. My clothes are thin, lack any kind of fun design and definitely don’t compliment my body. Everything my father once bought me was sold when he died; my mom needed the money and I was no longer worthy of such treasures. I feel like I’m being punished and I just have no idea what I’ve done.

“Just give me a wolf; make me worthy of someone who will save me from this hell.” I whisper at my reflection; tears pool in my eyes but I wipe them before they can fall. I’ve made the same prayer to the Moon Goddess since the day I turned twelve and my wolf failed to show. My father never made me feel bad; he just told me that some are late bloomers, my mom calls me worthless and a disgrace. It's funny how the harsher words hang around longer than the sweet ones.

“He’s here; get your ass down here, pup.” That's my mom shouting up the stairs; she stopped calling me by my name so long ago that I can’t remember the last time I heard her say it. To my old Pack I was ‘slave’, to my mom I’m ‘useless’ or ‘pup’ and at this new Pack I’m ‘Omega’. I constantly have to remind myself that I am Faythe Maxwell, the daughter of enforcer Matthew Maxwell, who died protecting his Pack and Alpha.

I give myself one last look in the mirror; I’m as presentable as I’m going to be in my hand-me-down clothes and unwashed hair so I grab my backpack and throw it over my shoulder. As soon as I open my bedroom door, I can hear my mother asking about our new Alpha. I haven’t met Alpha Hunter yet but my mom has. I’m not twenty-one until next week and that's when Alpha Hunter will meet with me and bring me into the mind link connecting the Pack members together.

“She will be no bother to Alpha Hunter; she’s a hard worker and a good student. I’m sure she will take some extra shifts around the Pack house as well." I roll my eyes as I close my bedroom door; my mom is offering me up for more work, which will be impossible with a school workload and my job at the bookshop. I stand at the top of the stairs just out of sight of the frontdoor but if I lean forward slightly, I can see the huge Beta standing in the doorway and leaning back from my mom. She’s refilled her gin glass and she’s got her breasts on full display; she might be making a play for the Alpha but apparently that doesn’t stop her from flirting with Beta Connor.