Serena
"Seri! You won't believe what just happened," she exclaimed excitedly.“Woah! Take it easy, Shey,” I replied. My best friend looked at me with concern and noticed the bruises and cuts on my arms and face. “Did Aunt Mathilde beat you up again?”“Well, what’s new? It's been like this ever since,” I uttered bitterly. Shey closed the door behind us and led me to sit at the edge of my bed.I looked at Shey's face, and I almost knew what she would say next. In this pack, I have no friends except her. Even the omegas were afraid of making friends with me, fearing my stepmother. Not only did she make sure she would beat me physically, but she also shattered my confidence and social interactions. Fortunately, Shey was an exception. Being the daughter of the alpha, who also happens to be my dad’s older brother, Mathilde couldn't manipulate her into hating me."Listen up, cousin! This is simply unacceptable. I mean, Uncle Janus doesn't even bother to do anything about your stepmom's cruelty, and my dad couldn’t even protect you, claiming that this is out of his jurisdiction as it's a family matter. You don't have to put up with that, you know? You have the freedom to break away from all of this and start fresh.""Where do you expect her to go, Shey?"Our heads turned to the door, and there stood my half-sister, Tori. She was playing with her smooth wavy hair, looking at us in a mean way.Shey rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, Tori? You're not welcome here.""Well, I heard my mom beats up that... garbage. I wanted to see how messed up her ugly face is."Shey clenched her hands and faced her. "If you don't zip it, I'll do the same to you." Tori’s face turned serious, knowing full well that Shey meant what she said. "I just don’t get why you hang out with that loser. You're an alpha's daughter, yet you're friends with Serena. Really? You could've picked me as your bestie—"“Oh, I am not interested,” Shey interjected. “I’d rather be alone than be besties with a shallow bitch like you.”Tori’s face flushed with embarrassment and left the room without saying anything. Seeing that, I held Shey’s hand. “You shouldn’t have done that. What if she turned on you next?”"I'm not scared of her," she said, shrugging. "Tori is like a leech. She's been all about getting close to me because of my dad's power. So, I'm pretty sure she won't turn on me, even if she wants to. Her ambition is far greater than her pride."Shey and I both laughed, well aware of my half-sister's personality. Then, she got serious again. "I mean what I said earlier."I let out a deep sigh, showing how stuck I felt. "I know.""So? You're not gonna take action?""Well, I can't," I replied, sounding defeated. "Tori's right. I've got nowhere to go. Never heard of my mom's pack, no other family to look after me."The truth of the situation sinks in. My mom died giving birth to me, and nobody knew where she came from. My dad arrived in the pack with her, pregnant with me, after a few years of wandering. But he never talked about her, so her identity still remains a mystery to all of us.Then suddenly, Shey’s face lit up. “I think I’ve got the solution you have been waiting for.” She took out a white envelope in her purse and handed it to me. My brows creased. “What’s this?”“Open it to find out,” she said, winking. I did what I was told “An invitation to Blood Rose Pack’s mating ritual,” I murmured as I read the contents of it. I looked at Shey with confusion and almost immediately, she started explaining to shed light on it. “Yes, Seri. You’ll be going to attend the most anticipated werewolf event of the season!” The Blood Rose Pack reigns as the largest pack on the continent, throwing the most extravagant parties in the entire land. Everyone yearned for an invitation to any of their events, especially the highly anticipated annual mating ritual. Sadly, only unmated wolves and she-wolves of higher rank in our society received such invites. I can attest to this because even my step-sister, Tori, had been very eager to receive one. Our pack, Goldenridge, is small and less known compared to the others. “But, Shey. You’ve been eager to receive an invite for so long. I cannot accept this.”“Take it, Seri. I mean it.” She held my hands and caressed the side of my face to comfort me. “Besides, I would no longer need it.”“But why?” But as soon as I uttered those words, my face quickly lit up. “Don’t tell me…”“Yes, Seri! I found my mate, just this morning. That’s the news I’ve been wanting to tell you earlier.”“Gosh, congratulations!” I exclaimed. My happy tears started streaming down my face as I hugged my her to celebrate this milestone. Shey was crying as well. We knew the odds of finding each one's mate were a million to one, especially when you are part of a pack situated far from the others.After that tearful embrace, I couldn't help but inquire for more details. Shey revealed that her mate was a gamma warrior named Pierce from the Blood Rose Pack. He was the one who accompanied the tracker who delivered the invitation for her and Tori to attend the annual mating ritual. Shey recounted their first meeting with excitement in her voice, and I couldn't have been happier for her. Still, deep down, a part of me longed for a fate like hers. But I knew it was impossible to achieve due to my disability.I was born without a wolf, leaving me devoid of a mate as well.It was like Shey could read my thoughts. She quickly placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and gave me a warm smile. "Don't worry if you don't find your mate in this lifetime. Who knows? Maybe, during the mating ritual, you'll come across another werewolf who shares a similar fate. It's the perfect chance to find a suitable partner who can help you escape from your sufferings.."As I stared at the invitation in my hand, Shey's words kept replaying in my head. Maybe she's right. This could be the opportunity I've been waiting for all my life. I mean, there must be someone out there who is wolfless too, right? It’s a perfect opportunity to find the wolf who will help me escape this goddess-forsaken life. And all it takes is for me to attend a party that I hope will change the course of my destiny.DamonA Black Tie EventAnnual Mating RitualMay 17, 2023 | 7 PMThe Blood Rose Pack HallAs I carefully read the details on the black-tie invitation for tonight’s event, I was overcome with both nerves and anticipation. Tonight is my last chance to find a suitable Luna. If I fail, my dad would disinherit me leaving me with nothing but my bruised ego and shattered dreams. I looked at myself in the mirror, admiring the god-like genes I possessed. In the sea of black and white, I chose to wear navy blue. I was born to stand out and that is what I intend to do. After making sure that I looked perfect, I stormed out of the room. Outside, my best friend and future Beta, Ashford, is waiting.“Ready to make some she-wolves fall?” Ash taunted. I smirked at his remarks and rolled my eyes at him.“You know I wasn't looking for some love tonight, right? This is serious.”"I know, Your Excellency," he taunted. "You're Damon Sanford, the alpha heir to the Blood Rose pack. When you were young, t
SerenaThe sound of the mild morning breeze and birds chirping filled my ears. My eyes squinted, beginning to get back to my senses after dreaming about having a wild night with a complete stranger. Except it wasn’t a dream, but a beautiful memory. Remembering that encounter, a smile formed on my lips. I never expected that I am the type of girl who would give herself to a man whom she knew by name. Yet, there was no remorse in me whatsoever. Damon made me feel special and appreciated like nobody else did, not even Shey. Although we knew each other only for a night, I felt instantly connected to him. We talked and talked that night like we were the only werewolves in the world. As the rose-pink light of dawn hovered above, I got up quickly and instantly changed into my uniform. The smile on my face was never-ending, and it seemed as if it had been there since my very birth.I went out of my room and started doing my chores. As I cleaned the hallway of the Beta mansion, I couldn’t he
DamonThe way from Blood Rose to Goldenridge was quite long. As I looked outside the window of the car, my eyes were focused on the magnificent view of the forest. Compared to Blood Rose, the vegetation and trees here were denser. The magnificent view was very pleasing to my eyes. It must have been magical to explore this on foot. I feel jealous of the members of this pack! My eyes went to Ashford when he groaned. When I looked at him, his eyes were closed and it was as if he was uncomfortable with the long ride. I smiled. The playful Beta-to-be was really not in the mood."Damn it, I'm tired of sitting for hours," he muttered under his breath. I chose to stay quiet since I didn't want to make him even more annoyed. I knew he'd rather be running on foot with the other warriors surrounding our car if he had the choice. But his duty as my main security compelled him to sit inside the car with me, which also bothered me.I'm a werewolf, so naturally, I should be using my feet to run.
DamonI looked at the girl in front of me, a sense of unease creeping up my spine. It was strange, almost like a distant memory clawing at the edge of my thoughts. My lips twitched, itching to tell them that I felt nothing for this girl in front of me, but I held back. I couldn't forget the way the woman's presence had felt that night, even though her face had been hidden by a mask. This wasn't her – I could feel it in my bones. And yet, I wasn’t sure 100% and I need to be certain. “Something wrong, your grace?” Matilde's voice cut through the silence, her question hanging in the air. I didn't answer right away. Instead, I reached out to trace the contours of the woman they presented as my Serena. I closed my eyes, hoping to recapture that same inexplicable connection I had felt when I touched her that night. But it wasn't there. For some reason, the spark I felt that night had faded away.Ashford, as perceptive as always, stepped forward. His words were directed at the servants su
Serena I strained my ears, trying to catch the faint voices outside, and a sense of dread tugged at my chest. My arms and feet were firmly bound to the cold floor, while a piece of cloth was used to cover my mouth. Is there any choice for me other than being confined to this secretive room? What's even more distressing is that the ones behind this are the very people I called my family.My life sucks and this is the evidence of it. I wished to shout, to grab Damon's attention, but a harsh gag kept my voice imprisoned. My struggles against the unyielding shackles were like a fly buzzing against a closed window…useless and frustrating. I was stuck in this nightmare, feeling like a mouse trapped in a corner while a predator circled around. It was surreal, the way Damon had been taken in so easily. Defeated, I slumped to the cold floor as Damon's car rumbled away, taking my last chance to alter my fate with it. The realization was gut-wrenching. It’s over, and I lose. Then, the door
Serena“Wake up, you lazy whore,” Mathilde hissed, snapping me from my fragile dreams.I fought to rise and demonstrate that I was alert and awake, but my efforts were in vain. Before I could respond, she dumped a bucket of ice-cold water onto my face, causing me to gasp and jolt upright.Anger flashed inside me. I wanted to grab the empty bucket from her hands and smash it over her head. But that was just wishful thinking. As much as I wanted to defend myself then, how could I? I was wolfless and deemed to be the weakest because of it.“It’s about time, you useless pig,” she uttered. “Get up and finish your chores. You will not eat unless you’re done!” I got up from bed, still shivering from the coldness of the water. I began fixing my bed before heading downstairs to do what I was asked. Like autopilot, I silently took the broom and mop, started to clean the floor as if on autopilot.Just then, Tori's voice boomed through the hallway."Mom! Dad! Where are you? I don't want to be la
Serena“Run, little wolf, run! We're catching up to you, so you better be ready to have some fun!”I bit my lower lip upon hearing his chilling remark. I had been running for a while, trying to escape those rogues, but they showed no signs of giving up. My legs were starting to feel heavy, yet I knew that stopping wasn't an option.“That's right, little wolf! Keep running until there's nowhere left to go. When we catch you, we'll make sure you'll whimper in both pain and pleasure!”The statement sent shivers down my spine. Judging by their howls as they chased me, it was all too clear what they had in mind. The repulsive idea of being violated by those monsters was a strong enough driving force for me to keep pushing forward. I was determined to never let them get their hands on me. I would rather die!Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent. The presence of the rogues chasing me seemed to fade away. I kept running for a few more seconds before gradually slowing down and eventually com
Mathilde“What? The bitch has escaped? How did that happen?”My nose flared upon hearing the news the following morning. I was surprised to see that all of the servants were still in bed, even though the sun was already up.One of the maids, I believe her name is Jane, stepped forward. Her lips were quivering in fear, which strangely had a calming effect on me. It's odd, but I felt invigorated by the sight of feeble and timid wolves trembling in my presence."Madam," Jane stammered, "we suspect that Serena added something to the food when she prepared dinner last night. It caused us to sleep heavily and be numb to our surroundings. That's why no one noticed her escape.""You imbecile!" I shouted, slapping her cheeks. The poor maid tumbled to the floor, and the other servants rushed to help her up."Mom, what's happening?" Tori asked, appearing in the doorway. The maids lowered their heads in respect, while I held my head, trying to process what had occurred."Mom, answer me!" Tori dem