Chapter 1

VERALIN 

I wore a white dress to a grave. Held a red rose for a man who spent 18 years making sure I knew I wasn't his daughter.

Everyone here looked like they were waiting for a sign to draw blood. My blood.

Their eyes didn't hide it. They watched me like a hawk watching its prey and I wasn't welcomed.

From my observation, this wasn't a funeral. It was a coronation party with a corpse in the background.

Champagnes, business talks, wolves jockeying for favors with the next heir.

Drelia mende. The next heir.

Rather than being behind the desk sorting criminals records, I'd only come over to pay my respect, then disappear as always.

"What's she doing here?" A voice murmured from behind me.

I'd ignored it and just dropped the rose on the grave.

Drelia kicked it away before it even landed.

"Part of my nightmares" I thought "part of the scars I couldn't outrun"

"How dare you show your face here! Illegitimate thing!" She spat on me, eyes red like she actually cried.

But the only thing I saw on her was the expensive Valentino dress that cost more than my apartment.

"My dad would definitely turn in his grave if he knows you're here" she hissed, shoving me back. Her breathing was heavy.

"He's my father too" I countered quietly. It didn't sound confident. Not with the memories of me running down that hallway, locking myself in the closet, screaming until my throat bled.

"Oh save the trash, you're his unforgiving sin!" My stepmom announced from across the lawn, walking over like a predator.

"Outcasts aren't welcomed. The late alpha was right to cast you out. Honor that"

My chest tightened as the world narrowed to their voices. Even the wind died like it didn't want to touch me either.

Murmurs spread, Cameras flashed. Of course, an alpha's death was public property.

I lifted a palm to shield my face from the media. They'd make a meme out of this by morning.

"Veralin isn’t even a real Mende. The alpha despised her. He cursed the day she existed.”

"Her mother was a whore"

"Omegas don't cross the gates"

The words hit like they always did. Like a slap I learned to take at ten, when Mom dumped me here and died two days later.

I didn’t argue. Arguing just made them louder.

"I heard she was rejected by her mate. He made the best choice"

I turned to leave. The best option was to drown myself in work and forget this day like others.

"Her sister, the legitimate daughter would be declared the heir today"

Stepmom smoothen the back of her hair, proud. A habit she always had before a win.

My heart was in my throat, I couldn't breath as I paced faster, just wanting to disappear.

Then I bumped into him. Cade.

A cold chill hits me, whiskey from his breath. I spun, grabbing for balance but he didn't catch me.

My shoe caught the edge of the serving table and I fell to it.

Glasses shattered on me, champagne soaked my dress and shreds pricked my skin.

I whimpered, from the pain as tears blurred my vision.

"Don't tell me your obsession over me brought you here?" He mocked in a cold and detached voice.

His eyes made a quick scan of me and his face squeezed in disgust.

Like I hadn't given him four years of my life.

Yet even after six months of being apart, my emotions still flooded me.

"Cade" I whispered beneath my breath as he wiped off his suit like I'd dirtied it.

"Pathetic girl! Did you know this outfit cost more than your life!"

I'd gnashed my teeth, my heart sank.

"Well it's the only thing about you that's worth more than a pocket change" I fired not wanting to be belittled.

Cade scoffed, crouching to my level, his eyes brewed a storm as he grabbed my jaw, so tight that I feared my teeth might knock off.

"Watch it, I am not your mate anymore. I am the alpha now and alphas don't tolerate mutts bitting at their heel"

I pushed his hand away, irritated, hurt. My wolf stirred.

She couldn't look at him, not when he broke us and still looked at us like we were weak in front of a thousand wolves.

"Alpha now huh?" I snapped "Must be nice" using drelia's title to feel like a man. Otherwise, you'd still be the mutt who needed me to write his speeches" I yelled, spat on him as a brief memory of my late nights flashed through me.

Cade's jaw tightened but before he'd move, drelia appeared out of the blue and her palm cracked on my cheek.

"Don't you fucking talk to my fiancee like that!"

My head whipped sideways, stars burst behind my eyes.

Silence for one second and all I could hear was ringing in my ears.

Then her fingers caught my collar, choking me. She was ready to lunge if Cade hadn't hauled her back and embraced her.

He kissed her forehead, and muttered;

"Babe, she's a loser, don't waste your strength on her"

I grunt in pain, struggling to my feet as two bouncers dragged me out.

I didn't even have time to process what was happening as their grip on me only forced the broken pieces harder into my skin causing me to bleed.

Yet I ignored the pain.

"I hate her" drelia muffled into his shirt. "I swear to burn that law firm of hers when I wear the crown"

They made me stand in front of these two and the way he held her, like she was the only thing that mattered, left me cold.

He'd never held me like that, not unless he needed something.

"Any last words before she has you exiled?" Stepmom asked, already signing my committal papers in her head.

Drelia smiled over Cade's shoulder and I knew I was doomed.

"Congratulations on being the heir drelia, too bad I won't be witnessing the declaration"

More lights, more cameras and more people threw shades on me.

"Look at her outfit, people like her are infectious..."

I was already gone before I heard the rest. The crowd parted like I was diseased. Afraid that I might taint them. Afraid I'd stain them.

I'd reached for the first gate when a subtle grip on my forearm made me stop.

"Veralin?"

It was the family lawyer, Urei. Grey suit, grey eyes that dragged over me like a case file.

The only reason I'd come. "He said you had his blood. No matter how much he hates you"

"Staying behind my desk would have saved me from this humiliation"

"Every member has to be..."

"Oh, the Lawyer is here" stepmom's voice cut through the night.

I saw her on the balcony, then she was rushing downstairs calling guests like she'd found a spectacle.

Urei's face grew ashen, as Cade and drelia were out now, the guest followed like they were pulled by a magnet.

The press swarmed me, tossing me aside for a proper coverage, separating me from Urei who was swallowed by the crowd.

"Read the will now" someone shouted "in front of the trash"

I stepped back, fifteen steps away.

Giggles, chuckles and cusses, all for me.

The compound was too large and it made my anxiety worse.

But I could've sworn I heard gasps behind me. Then silence.

Drelia's grunt. Stepmom muttering "read it again"

Something was definitely wrong, I didn't care.

I'd gotten to the third gate, punching in the code. Freedom was ten seconds away.

But two bouncers blocked me, breathing hard, different ones though. They exchanged glances unsure.

One listened to his earpiece, his eyes widened.

What's happening?

I'd rolled my eyes in frustration, annoyed because I knew drelia would rather have me exiled now but I needed to be sure.

"What now?" I mused barely standing because of the bruises I'd sustained. "More wolfsbane or you're escorting me to my exile?"

"No ma'am" They chorused, their bodies vibrated as though afraid of someone?

Ma'am? Is this another joke? They'd never call me that.

"Just let me go!" I said, fighting tears.

But they did something unexpectedly. They were bowing their heads.

My jaw dropped as I turned, half-expecting it was a mistake. But it was just me.

"We can't let the heiress leave"

I scoffed, wiping my face as my delusions must be taking over me.

"I'm not the heiress, you all heard the lawyer and stop fooling me... please just let me go!"

"You are the heiress. Miss Verlain Mende."

I whipped my head.

The lawyer walked towards me, folder in one hand, the other in his pocket.

Unmoved by the chaos he was about to cause.

"What...how?"

His lips curved.

"Because the declaration just changed”