Chapter 1

KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

Oh moon goddess, I can’t help but feel so attached to him, yet it’s heartbreaking that he’s never once looked my way with those dangerously attractive blue eyes. No, instead, his thoughts and affections are glued to that annoying girl, Betty Nord. Ugh, it’s infuriating!

But honestly, why am I even bothering? My parents, loyal betas to Alpha King Don Bentley, made the ultimate sacrifice two years ago during the deadly battle against the North pack to save his son, Jason.

In acknowledgment of their bravery, the Alpha King boldly declared, “The daughter of the Thompsons will marry my first son, the Alpha heir Jason Bentley, on her eighteenth birthday, once she’s awakened her wolf.”

I have to admit, I loved every bit of that speech at my parents’ funeral for one big reason: I had a secret crush on Jason, but I never had the guts to tell him.

Of course, Jason was already smitten with that girl Betty. He’s like a lovesick puppy chasing after her just because she looks just like his late mother, Jane Bentley, who died giving birth to him. Ever since, the Alpha King has been alone.

Jane was this tall, slender blonde who was also a Luna Queen. Her light green eyes sparkled like emeralds, making her look like a goddess among humans.

Now, me? I don’t resemble her at all. I’m eighteen, standing at 1.65 meters and weighing 85 kilograms. With my black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin marked by generous curves, I guess it's safe to say I’m a proud, chubby werewolf gal.

The big issue? I still haven’t gained my wolf, and that’s beyond frustrating. Even that unbearable Betty has already gotten hers and left our pack to train as a nurse in the East pack school, our ally.

So, this morning, I found my way to the pack’s temple. I lit some incense sticks and prayed to the goddess for my wolf.

Not sure if she heard me, but when I got back to my room, I got the shocking news that I’m supposed to marry Jason.

I found out that the Alpha King had gone straight to his nineteen-year-old son and told him it was time to marry.

Unsurprisingly, Jason wasn’t thrilled about it and even had an argument with his father. But the Alpha King, using his royal authority, got Jason to agree to the plan.

Jason even asked the ruler of the South pack to pick a date for the wedding.

“Tonight at midnight,” the Alpha King declared, his voice booming.

********

11 PM (ONE HOUR UNTIL THE FULL MOON)

Jason is waiting for me, looking bored, while I can hear the other young werewolf girls behind him gossiping about me, the bride they’ve dubbed “the luckiest ugly girl in the whole world.”

Suddenly, the choir strikes up a beautiful melody to signal my arrival. I catch Jason glancing at his watch; it’s 11:30 PM. A faint smile creeps onto his face, probably because he thinks this nightmare is finally coming to an end.

As I step in, I feel my face going paler; I have no clue what to expect from my groom.

“Hi, yes, you’re not dreaming, it’s the chubby Kelly,” I think to myself as I see Jason’s disappointed expression.

The guests are laughing, tossing around names for us. "The prince charming and the pancake lover, Kelly" is one that sticks with me.

I stand next to Jason, and he doesn’t even look at me. I can feel his embarrassment as we both turn to the priest, Dan Tommy.

The Alpha King locks eyes with me and asks how I’m feeling.

“Great,” I say, forcing a smile.

“Are you ready for what you know?” he asks.

I’m confused.

Just then, the clock strikes 11:59 PM, and a small light in the star-filled sky starts to grow. With each second, it becomes brighter until, at midnight, a full moon hangs above. I can feel my body starting to quiver. This is it—my first shift.

My fancy wedding dress rips apart as my bones shift and snap, fur sprouting all over. My face elongates and morphs into a terrifying snout, completing my transformation into a massive wolf. Guests scream in panic and start fleeing.

The Alpha King remains disturbingly calm and tries to restrain me, but I accidentally crash into a curtain, getting hopelessly tangled up. I fight against the fabric, but soon weariness takes over, and I collapse. The guests breathe a sigh of relief as I shift back into my human form.

“Hello, Kelly,” another voice echoes in my mind.

There she is! I finally have my wolf, Sherry.

But my excitement fades quickly during the hurried wedding ceremony as I notice Jason’s indifference. He doesn’t even recall our wedding night. To drown his sorrows about this forced marriage, he drank heavily from the mini-bar and passed out. It’s been an awkward silence ever since.

Before I know it, I realize I’m pregnant with his pup.

“I promise we’ll take great care of him; he’s ours,” Sherry says enthusiastically.

Yes, our baby pup.

For the first time, a sense of hope for the future washes over me.