Chapter 1

CATHERINE.

"No."

The word is cold and unyielding.

Standing before Vance, the Alpha of the Sylight pack, I have never felt more alone.

"The goddess must be joking," he mutters as he stares at me.

"Al... Alpha," I stutter, shaking in my bones.

"Very well then, let's get this over with. I, Vance Sky, reject you, Catherine Thames, as my mate."

The gasps and shock of the members surround me, covering me in shame and embarrassment.

And while my heart breaks at his words, I am not surprised.

Vance has never once spoken up about my abuse in the pack. Everyone, including him, sees me as a waste of space.

The daughter of traitors, an omega wolf, a servant. I have no backing and no friends.

Why would he accept me as his mate?

As these questions run through my mind, I am startled by the snide and cruel laugh of Tammy Fay.

The number one she-wolf of the pack.

"What is this?" she demands with a cruel smirk. "The little omega has a mate. Our Alpha, nonetheless. You bitch," she snarls as she grabs me by my hair and flings me to the ground. "Don't you know your place?"

I hear my rib crack at the force at which I hit the ground.

Just another day.

Who cares if it's my birthday? Who even knows it's my birthday?

"You are a weak and pathetic wolf. Do you even think Vance would ever accept you?" Tammy continues as she walks over to Vance and rests on his arm.

I look at him, hoping against hope that he will prove her wrong. That he would see me in a new light.

He doesn't.

Instead, he turns away from me as he takes her hand.

"Come this weekend, the Skylight pack will have the mating ceremony. Tammy Fay will become the new Luna of this pack," he announces.

Everyone cheers and shouts in celebration. All the pack members hurry over to congratulate them.

With some even stepping on me in the process.

And once again, I am forgotten.

I pick up my bruised body and sneak out of the mansion. Tears poured down my face.

I had woken up this morning to a soothing and enticing scent. Following it, I had come face to face with Vance.

He was my mate.

I can still remember the look that had come over his face.

Shock and then disgust.

He must have been so excited to find his mate, only to see that it was me.

Wolves can only find their mates when they are eighteen or past it.

If one has yet to reach the age, the other would have to wait until they do.

Tammy must be so excited.

She finally has her dream come true.

I drag myself to the small cupboard that they call a room. When the previous Alpha had shoved me into it, he told me to be grateful for it.

Because I am the child of traitors.

My parents were executed on the previous Alpha's order when he accused them of trying to assassinate him.

It didn't make sense.

Why would they want to kill the Alpha? They were not that kind of people? They were planning on leaving the pack, so why?

Why would they want to assassinate the Alpha?

But no one thought like that. No, no one wanted to feel like that. No one would ever think of going against the Alpha's words.

Shortly after their deaths, he attacked another pack but did not survive. Only his headless corpse was brought back, and his head was kept as a war prize.

Vance succeeded him.

Vance.

His name brings another onslaught of pain and anguish to my heart.

"It's all right, Cat. You will get better." My wolf whispers.

"Why aren't you bothered by the rejection?" I demand. "You don't even seem fazed."

"Why should I? Can you imagine being Luna to those people? They abused us for years. How would you be able to lead them without resentment? It is better this way," she says.

"It still hurts," I whimper.

"I know. But we will get better."

"How? We are stuck in this pack forever; how will it improve?"

How would I be able to face Vance and Tammy every day after this?

Tammy, who is my chief tormentor.

How would I be able to survive her?

"Let's go for a run," my wolf says.

"Now?"

"It would help us heal faster."

That's true.

I quickly leave the room and head over to an abandoned trail in the woods.

I have yet to come here, which is perfect for me. It's the only place I can be sure to be safe.

People in the pack think that I am a wolf-less omega.

An added strain to my already wretched existence.

In actuality, my wolf is the one thing that I am grateful for. I am glad people don't know about her; who knows what they would do?

My wolf is a beauty.

Huge, with beautiful silver fur.

Even though I know that that is weird.

The closest color I have seen is a bright white coat.

Not silver.

My wolf warned me never to reveal my form to others. She still wouldn't tell me why.

I hear a snap from the woods as I am about to strip off my clothes.

Whirling around, I see one, two, and seven men emerge from the trees.

They move closer to me, surrounding me.

"Please," I beg. "I didn't do anything."

"Ah, well, that is true. You didn't do something."

The voice comes from the woods, and as I try to angle myself to see who it is, Tammy steps out.

She walks over to me, grinning maliciously at me.

"Tammy," I deadpan, only to receive a hard blow across my face, pushing me to the ground.

"That is Luna to you traitor."

I look down at my hands and see the blood begin to well out. I reach for my face, and it stings to touch.

"Luna," I grit out. "What did I do?" I ask

She reaches my level and pulls my hair back, revealing my face.

Evil is apparent in hers.

"You did not accept the rejection," she snarls.