Jordan POV   Smack. The sharp sting of my father’s hand across my face made my eyes water and my cheek burn.  I flinched, even though I had known it was coming. His breath smelt of alcohol which meant he’d been drinking again and his eyes gleamed with hatred as he stared at me, daring me to move. I stayed still, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. He was angry, swaying on his feet. I could see my sister in the background, a smirk on her face. What lie had she told father now to get me in trouble? The truth was it could have been anything. Father didn’t really need a reason to punish me. He relished in my pain and he took every opportunity he could to hurt me.   It wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, when I was a little girl, my father had adored me and treated me like a little princess. He and my mother doted on me, and I basked in the love they gave me and my sister. As the younger, I received far more attention but Sarah never seemed to mind. She was only two years older than me after all. Life was like a fairy tale but even eventually my life changed for the worse and it was by my doing, even though I had never intended for it to happen. I was only young, but that didn’t deter my father at all. In his mind, I was the one responsible for his life falling apart. The sad thing is, I believe it wholeheartedly too. If it wasn't for me, our family would still be together.   I was pouting. It was nice outside and the sun was shining. I’d been stuck inside with my mother and sister for most of the day and wanted to go and play outside. I was a tomboy sort of child who loved the outdoors and running around on the grass and I had a lot of energy to burn. I was five years old at the time and my sister Sarah would have been six as she was only a year older than me. It was the weekend but my father was working and I was bored as my mother spent the time catching up on all the housework and chores that needed doing.   “Don’t pout Jordan” my mother admonished, coming into the kitchen and putting her hands on her h**s “I’m sorry you’ve had to wait so long, but I’m all finished now. Why don’t we go outside for a while? Take a walk?” I instantly brightened. My mother laughed. She was beautiful my mother, with the face of an angel and brunette hair just like mine. Her eyes twinkled as she watched me fetch my coat, Sarah reluctantly joining us. She hated the outdoors, but my mother would never allow her to stay in the house by herself. She was too young. I made a dash for the door and excitedly opened it, running outside as my mother and sister hastened to keep up, ready to enjoy my freedom.   I spotted a group of children playing, including the future Alpha’s son Grant. I had a crush on Grant and would always try to play with him whenever I could. Grant smiled at me as I approached. “Hey Jordan,” he said casually, “do you want to play hide and seek with us?” Did I ever! “Yes,” I squealed as my mother laughed behind me “Count me in.” “What about you Sarah?” asked Grant, peering at her as she flipped her long hair and eyed him with a bored expression on her face. She made a face. “No thanks,” she sighed “That’s a baby game.” She always thought she was superior to us because she was older, but Grant was the same age. He blinked and then shrugged. Mother put a hand on her shoulder “Let’s go sit under a tree” she suggested. Sarah nodded and they walked a little distance away, sitting down and watching us from the sidelines. My mother looked calm and relaxed. My sister looked bored and like she was suffering. She was such a killjoy. Would it kill her to join in on the fun once in a while?   We all ran off to hide as Grant began to count. I giggled as I pumped my legs, looking for a tree to climb in. I found one and began to shimmy up it, sitting on a branch and looking down with a smirk. There’s no way Grant would find me now. I could hear him finish his counting “98, 99, 100” he shouted in the distance. I waited with anticipation. I was sure I’d be the last to be found. So I was a little disappointed when I saw Grant’s face looking up at me with a wide grin on his face. “Found you,” he said laughing, shaking his head at me.   I scowled. “How?” I demanded. He must have cheated! There was no other way he could have found me so easily! He squirmed. “I um might have” he began when he suddenly stiffened. The smell of something rotten permeated our nostrils. I swallowed, feeling sick. We were taught from a very young age what that smell meant. How had it gotten through patrol? It was getting closer, and I could see my mother coming towards me, concerned. There were shouts of warning from warriors who shifted in response to the smell.   “Come on” Grant shouted, “we have to go.” I climbed down the tree, my foot getting stuck in a small hole. I cried out. Suddenly a swarm of rogues came out of the forest, growling and snarling. There were so many! As they darted towards the pack house, I saw Sarah running away, while my mother shifted into her wolf form and pounded towards us. I got my leg free and stumbled back. The sound of a growl behind us made us turn in fright. Grant went white. It was a rogue and it was eyeing us as though we were a tasty morsel it would like to eat. I screamed, waiting for the rogue to pounce on me, Grant gallantly trying to shield me. My mother’s wolf came flying in front of us and she stared the rogue down. I felt my heart skip a beat. “Mother” I screamed, but Grant tugged my hand and pulled me away “Come on” he insisted, his voice panicked as battle happened all around us “We have to go” he begged, but I didn’t want to budge. This was my mother and I was too young to comprehend that I was a hindrance rather than a help to her. My mother nodded her head and then pounced on the rogue. It gave a ferocious howl and began to fight. We backed away, staring in horror.   At first, it seemed she would be fine, even beat the rogue. My heart skipped a beat as three more rogues joined it, crowding my mother. I tried to let go of Grant’s hand, tried to go to her and he swore as I let go and ran. “Jordan” he screamed. It happened in slow motion. I remember watching terrified as all of the rogues jumped in sync on my mother, ripping and tearing her to pieces. I remember screaming over and over again, my voice hysterical as blood spurted out everywhere. They showed no mercy. Tears streamed down my face. My whole body shook in fear. I was paralyzed.   Somebody, I don’t remember who, picked me up and ran with me back to the safe room in the pack house, getting me and Grant to safety. Tears trailed down my cheeks. Sarah was there, a scared look on her face. “Where’s Mother?” she asked upset. I shook my head, unable to speak. She gasped and began to cry, as other children did the same. The adults were nervous as they awaited the outcome of the fight. “It’s your fault” whispered Sarah as I turned to her in shock “If she hadn’t been trying to save you, she never would have died.” Those words would haunt me for the rest of my life. It was my fault. She’d been trying to save me. I hated myself in that moment. I sobbed, my heart broken as I thought of how I had caused my own mother's death.   I bowed my head. “I’m sorry father,” I said meekly, apologizing as he growled at me. “Go and get dinner ready, you useless, pathetic Beach” he snarled and I nodded. He raised his hand again and I cringed but he laughed and put it back down. I put my head down and scurried into the kitchen, beginning to prepare dinner as Sarah strolled into the kitchen, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. I avoided her eyes. I had learned the hard way not to speak back to her. “Make sure you don’t burn it” she mocked with a trill “else father will really lose it. Don’t want to spend another night in the hole do you?” she teased. I shuddered. The hole was simply an empty well on the property. Father would force me to descend a ladder until I reached the bottom and then pull it up, leaving me in there for the night. I was claustrophobic and small spaces were my nightmare. I would cry myself to sleep and pray to be let out the next morning. The well was located undercover, sparing me from rain and the fear of drowning, small comfort as it was. He always let me out, but only because I had to get to school or there would be questions. Sarah gave another laugh and then headed out of the kitchen. I focussed on my task, being doubly careful not to burn anything. God, how I hate her. We might be sisters by blood but there was no way we would ever be proper sisters again. We had become mortal enemies and she delighted in causing me trouble. Mother would have been deeply saddened to see what this family had become. She was the glue that had held us all together.   My name is Jordan Smith, and I am seventeen years old. I live in the Blood Moon Pack and not only am I a servant to my sister and father, but the Alpha and Luna have no idea of the abuse I face on a daily basis. My father is the Gamma of our pack and has never shown his true nature in front of anyone else. Sarah joins in on the torture and even gets her friends to bully me at school. I have no one in this world to rely on and the loneliness is slowly killing me inside. The other kids hate me, and I have no one to turn to. No other family to run to.  My father has told me he’ll kill me if I ever dare approach the Alpha and I believe him. He’s come close a few times. This is my reality and my own personal hll. My father has blamed me for the loss of the love of his life, ever since I was small and he gets meaner and meaner by the day. Every day gets harder and harder to live through, and sometimes the despair is so strong, that I find myself wondering if life is really worth living. How much can one person take before they break? One day, I’ll finally be free, and when that day comes, I hope that I bring revenge crashing down on everyone who’s harmed me. This is my story and my journey.    

Jordan’s POV   I wake up groggy, before my alarm sounds and quickly switch it off, so that the noise doesn’t disturb Sarah or my father Maxwell. I yawn as I stretch, feeling the kinks in my back from the springs of the threadbare mattress that dug into me overnight and left their marks on me. The one blanket that I have I carefully fold and put on the mattress on the floor, before I make my way into the dingy bathroom that is a part of the basement, where I sleep.   I don’t have time to spend daydreaming in the shower and I’m quick, the water freezing cold. I hate cold showers with a passion but my father has cut the hot water off from working down here as part of my continuous punishments. I brush my teeth and hop out of the shower, turning the water off and wrapping a towel around me. It barely fits around my body, due to my larger size. I shiver and head back to my bedroom, if one could call it that, and quickly grab my usual clothes. Jeans, a sweatshirt and an oversize hoody. I knew it wouldn’t matter, that the kids at school would still tease me but I wasn’t comfortable in skin tight clothing and preferred to hide my body whenever I could.   I dress and then walk upstairs, heading into the kitchen. I’m quick to get breakfast on and my father comes walking in with a fierce frown on his face. As the Gamma he gets up early to train and it’s my responsibility to make sure breakfast is cooked every morning. He sniffs the air, the smell of bacon drifting towards him and relaxes slightly, sitting down at the table with a grunt. “Good morning father” I said meekly, greeting him politely. He barely acknowledged me as he stared down at the table. I quickly loaded up his plate with bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast, bringing it to him. I fetched а-'cup of coffee and slid that in front of him too. He began to eat, quickly and quietly as I loaded another plate up with fresh fruit and toast. Sarah would not eat the bacon and other delicious food I had made as she would deem them to be too fatty for her figure. I could feel my mouth watering and my stomach growling as the leftover food sat there.   Sarah came walking in, a smirk on her face. Her face was perfectly made up as usual, and she wore trendy, fashionable clothes. Her skirt was short and her t=shirt was cropped, showing off her taut stomach. It was hard not to feel as big as an elephant in comparison to her and judging by the smile on her face, she knew exactly what kind of effect she was having on me. She raised an eyebrow and sat at the table, just as father finished chewing the last bit of his food. “Hurry up” she snapped at me impatiently, waving her hand and looking annoyed “I have to get to school you know. My friends are waiting for me” she added with a sneer “unlike you who has nobody in school. Pathetic” she said with a shake of her head.   My father remained silent. He got up from the table, pushing his chair back in. He was dressed casually for training and grabbed his jacket. It was cold outside, you could see the fog from the window and the dew on the leaves of the trees if you looked closely enough. Looking at Sarah, I had no clue how she wasn’t freezing to death. “I’ll be home at my usual time” father grunted, before bending down to k**s Sarah on the forehead. Such a simplistic gesture, but one that never failed to bring tears to my eyes. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against him in a show of affection. God, it hurt. Hurt so bad that my chest felt like it was on fire. Why couldn’t he look at me like that? Just once, I would have loved to have had him k**s me the same way he kissed her. Like a loving parent. It was just another ultimate reminder of how much he hated me. I looked away, as he straightened himself back up and headed for the front door.   Don’t show how much it hurts you Jordan, I thought to myself as Sarah looked at me knowingly, don’t let her see how much it affects you. She’ll only use it to make you cry. I focussed on my breathing, watching as Sarah daintily ate her yoghurt, savouring every bite in front of me, her eyes glittering with mischief. I knew that look well. It meant she was up to something. I stood in the corner of the kitchen, wishing she would hurry up and leave. Maybe then, I could eat. My stomach gave another loud rumble. It filled the kitchen and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. Sarah had to have heard it. If she did, she gave no sign of it, munching on her fruit and toast as I salivated. I wasn’t allowed to eat until every member of my family, which was Sarah and my father, had eaten first. It has been drilled into me. So while I felt myself becoming impatient, I forced myself not to inhale the smell of the food.   Finally, when I thought that I couldn’t take it anymore, Sarah finished and wiped her l**s with the back of her hand. She dropped her spoon on the plate and stood up, leaving the dirty dishes for me to clean. She gave a small laugh as she saw the food still sitting there, coking her head. “Let me guess, you’re hungry” she said sweetly “I heard your stomach growling earlier, just so you know. You’re such a pig. Didn’t you eat dinner last night?” she commented. “I think that should be enough for you. You don’t need anymore food, what you need is exercise and to diet. It’s embarrassing having a sister who looks like you.”   Every word was like a dagger to the heart. I winced and bit my l*p, hoping she would finish her tirade. She leaned forward, her dark eyes assessing me up and down. “You’ll never be as pretty as I am or find a mate. What mate is going to want someone who looks like you?” she added, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Don’t cry, don’t cry, I told myself, even as my body began to tremble. She had just laid b**e my biggest fear. Shifters have a sacred bond that’s present only with their mate. They are fiercely protective of them, and they love each other from the very second they lay eyes on each other. But they can also choose to reject their mate. The pain from that is excruciating as the bond breaks, and some shifters never really recover from the pain of being rejected from their other half. They either go rogue or go insane, their wolves losing their minds and the pack members are forced to put them down. I wanted with every fibre of my being, to avoid being one of them.   What if that happened to me? I could feel myself panicking as Sarah gave me a twisted grin. I was bigger than other shifters, the rest of them all looking like supermodels. What if my mate took one look at me and decided then and there that I wasn’t good enough? I had dreamed of a mate that came along and swept me off my feet, but there was always this dread inside of me at the prospect that Prince Charming might turn out to be a villain in disguise. The thought of being unloved and unwanted by my mate was enough to crush me. I paled and Sarah stuck the knife in deeper. “No one cares about you, just so you know. Even if you find a mate at eighteen, I guarantee they’ll never want to set eyes on you again. Why don’t you do us all a favour and kill yourself? At least that way you won’t have to suffer the humiliation of a public rejection.”   Breathe Jordan, breathe. In, out, in, out. My hands clenched into fists. My temper was fraying. I was barely holding it together. “You don’t know that” I whispered “my mate will love me no matter what” I told her and she threw back her head and laughed. “Believe what you will” she shrugged “I’m just telling it like it is. Better not to get your hopes up” she said meanly “Your mate will probably be a lowly omega anyway. Wouldn’t that be funny? An omega rejecting another omega.”   “Yeah and I bet your mate rejects you when he finds out just what an evil Beach you are” I hissed, my body shaking in indignation. Her mouth flopped open. I felt a brief moment of satisfaction. I had managed to shock her. I didn’t have time to gloat. Her hand snaked out and grabbed me around the throat, squeezing tightly, shutting off my flow of air to the lungs. I scrabbled at her hands. She narrowed her eyes at me as I kicked and flailed, my face turning blue. Her wolf was close to the surface and was giving her strength to overpower me. I could feel my vision becoming hazy. “Listen you slvt. My mate is going to be a powerful Alpha and I’m going to be Luna of the pack. I’m going to make Grant choose me, and there’s nothing you can do about it” she snarled.   Can’t breathe. I scratched at her arms. She towered over me, and with astonishing strength, maybe not that astonishing considering she was a shifter, she flung me into the cupboards. My body hit them with a thud, before sliding down to the floor in a daze. I could feel the beginnings of a lump on the back of my head. “Don’t you ever try and talk back to me” she said with venom in her voice “you’re just a servant and so beneath me it’s laughable. It’s a shame that father hasn’t killed you yet.” I watched with blurry eyes as she strode over to the leftover food. I was desperately suking in air, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw her grab it. “Don’t” I wheezed, practically begging her and she giggled. “You should be thanking me, you fat piece of shift” she growled and then, as I watched, my eyes beginning to focus, she unceremoniously dumped the food into the bin right in front of me. She spat on it for good measure. It was repulsive. The bin stunk and was ready to be emptied today, so retrieving it wasn’t an option. Why did she have to be so hateful?   My shoulder’s slumped. That was to be my only food for the day until after school. I was going to have to go hungry for the whole day. Sarah slammed the empty plate down, almost breaking it. I flinched and watched as she walked out of the kitchen without another word, the sound of the front door opening and closing as she left for school. I heard her car leaving. I was all alone in the house. I shakily got to my feet. I needed to get the dishes done and leave for school. Unlike Sarah, I had to walk and it was a fair distance away. Time wasn’t on my side, I noticed anxiously. But as I washed the dishes, tears trailed down my cheeks even as I frantically tried to blink them away. I contented myself by daydreaming of a handsome prince who desperately fell in love with me, offering his hand in marriage. But fairy tales are just that, fairy tales, I thought sadly and reality was far, far harsher to cope with. I blinked my tears away, finished up, grabbed my backpack and left the house, beginning the long, hard, trek to school. Maybe Sarah had a point, I thought miserably, maybe I really should end my life. But a tiny part of me, wouldn’t give up on the idea of finally leaving and finding my own pack to call home.  

Jordan POV   I was sweating profusely by the time I made it to the school’s front gates. My face was beet red and I was panting, completely out of breath. My backpack felt heavier than when I’d first initially set off. A group of popular girls sitting on the steps giggled as I went to move past them, my head down, the hoodie over my head. My disguise, as usual, hadn’t worked. “Look at that fat cow. She looks so unfit” I heard one of them whisper. “She’s so big that her bottom jiggles as she walks” laughed another one, causing the group to giggle. I tightened my jaw. Snooty popular girls, they had no idea what my life was like, I thought sadly, if they had to live what I lived through on a daily basis, I doubt they would be laughing. I avoided their eyes and made my way inside, heading straight towards my locker.   Slam. I felt someone shove me hard into the lockers. I gave a small cry and heard more laughter. There was a group of jocks standing there, Mitchell, a burly brown haired one, grinning widely. I knew instinctively that he had been the one to shove me. bаst3rd. Even though he towered over me, menacingly, it didn’t stop me from getting angry and annoyed with him. My temper flared. “That hurt” I seethed “what is your problem?” I shot out. He gave a cocky grin. “Sorry I thought there was a rhino loose in the school” he joked as the other jocks smirked. The other students in the hall, all stopped to watch, amusement on their faces. I took a deep breath. My eyes wandered over the group of Jocks. Grant, the future Alpha of my pack, guiltily met my eyes and then slid them away. I wanted to shout at him. We used to be friends, I wanted to scream, how can you do this to me? How can you be like them? I’ve done nothing to you and yet you’ve turned your back on me, all to be popular. It hurt so much. Grant was the only one I had as a friend while I was a child and now he was just as mean and cruel as the other students. I felt betrayed by him. I hated him. He was dead to me now. “f'k- you” I told them angrily, flipping them the finger. I stormed off amidst a howl of laughter.   I reached my locker and opened it, grabbing the few books I needed for class. The bell rang and I dashed through the hall, reaching English class and sitting at my desk. Mrs James, the English teacher wandered in, her spectacles glinting as she eyed all of us severely. “How many of you did your homework?” she enquired and the majority of the students slumped at their desk or looked away. I fished my homework out of my bag and placed it on my desk. The one thing I had going for me was my good grades. No matter what happened I always completed my homework, even if I had to do it before class or in homeroom. I used whatever advantage I could get. I wanted to go to college, even if part of me wondered if that was a futile dream.   Mrs James gave a long suffering sigh. “Those that did the homework, put your hand up” she instructed, moving between the rows of seats. I put my hand up and looked around disconcerted. Few of us had bothered. Mrs James was not pleased. “Those who didn’t hand in the homework will automatically get an F” she snapped “I’m sick of you slacking off. The only person who’s been consistent in this class with homework and keeping their grade up is Jordan” she declared. Oh great. Geez. I sank down in my seat. I really didn’t need the attention she was drawing to me. The other students glowered at me. I felt a spit ball hit me on the back of my head and fished it out as someone snickered in the back. “You can’t give us an F that’s not fair” one student protested and then fell silent as Mrs James turned her eyes on him with contempt. Her eyes were blazing daring anybody else to protest. The rest of the class was silent. She proceeded to give us an essay assignment as our next homework, titled “The Challenges I’ve had to Overcome” and told us to interpret that any way we liked. The class was annoyed. I could feel them staring at me and I sank further in my chair, praying for the bell to ring. More spit balls landed in my hair and I winced as I pulled them out, repulsed by the stickiness of them.   Ring. The students all made a mad dash for the door as Mrs James scowled. I slowly put my things away as the classroom cleared out. Then I headed to my next class. By the time lunchtime arrived, I was exhausted and my stomach was growling loudly. I forced myself to go to the cafeteria, looking for an empty table. I could see Sarah and her group of girlfriends chatting in the distance and sought a table on the other side of the room. I didn’t have money for lunch and I settled myself in the chair and began to work on my homework instead, ignoring what was going on around me. The sounds of students chattering and laughing faded into the background. It felt like I was the only one in the cafeteria.   I should have paid better attention. I should have known better than to let down my guard. But I wanted to believe that everyone was more interested in their lunch than myself. So when there was a hush in the crowd, I didn’t hear it, my head bowed down as I scribbled away. I wanted to get as much done as possible in the amount of time I had. It would make things easier for me when I got home.   I felt something cold poured over my head. I spluttered, the shock of the icy cold liquid making me look up in shock. Sarah stood there, with her group of girlfriends a huge smile on her face. “Oh did I get you?” she asked, feigning concern “I didn’t mean to. It was a complete accident” she sneered. It wasn’t. She’d deliberately poured her coke over me! I was soaked from head to toe. I gritted my teeth. She was holding her tray of food, presumably to take it to the rubbish bin. Her girlfriends were openly laughing at me. They all consisted of cheerleaders, dressed in their scanty outfits, maliciousness in their eyes. I flipped my wet hair back from my face and tried to wipe my face with the sleeves of my hoodie. The liquid had burnt as it hit my eyes. Not that Sarah would give a Dam. I gritted my teeth and looked down at the table. My work, luckily was unblemished. The coke had miraculously missed it. Either that or Sarah had been deliberately aiming just for me. Something told me it was a miracle.   Please go away, I thought, as the cafeteria all stared, please let that be it. Sarah stood there, coking her head. Her eyes were gleaming. She looked irritated with me, because I wasn’t reacting. It was pissing her off. “Aren’t you going to say something?” she said loudly. I shook my head. The Jocks high fived each other over at their table. Sarah’s l**s curled up into a small smile. She looked down at the empty table. “Poor thing” she mocked “you must be so hungry. You don’t have any food” she said as her friends tittered “let’s change that shall we” she suggested sweetly.   Before I could move, she dumped her tray’s contents all over me. Sauce dripped on my pants and hoodie from a sloppy joe, yoghurt splattered everywhere. A rotten apple core, landed on my l*p. Rubbish scattered to the ground. “There you go. You look like a human garbage dump” giggled Sarah, flipping her hair over her shoulders “which is what you are” she joked, causing everyone to laugh at me. I stood up and put my stuff away, blinking back tears. I fled the cafeteria and rushed into the nearest bathroom, which was thankfully empty. I grimaced at my reflection. Not only did I look a complete mess, but I reeked as well. I frantically grabbed paper towel and began to wipe off what I could. No matter what I did though, the stains remained on my clothes and the smell lingered. I was humiliated but that was nothing new. This was just another hiccup in my day, I told myself, as I wrung out my hair, you can do this. You just have to finish up two more classes. You need your schoolwork. Don’t let them run you out of school. One day, you’ll be their boss I whispered but my heart didn’t really believe it.   The bell rang and I headed to my next class, trying to ignore the smirks and the pointing from other students. My teachers made no comment on my appearance, but then they tended to ignore what was happening to me. It wasn’t their problem so far as they were concerned. The only one they showed any respect and deference to was the future Alpha. He could do whatever he wanted and they would never say a word. hll, he would automatically go to college on his football status. Life was unfair in that way. I would have to apply for scholarships and get a job in order to be able to go to college. But I would do anything, if it meant getting the hll away from here.   “There goes the fat pig” hissed Sarah as I walked out of the school gates, leaning against her car, “should I chase her with my car and make her run?” she mused out loud. Her girlfriends cackled. “You might give her a heart attack”.   “What happens if you hit her?” “The fat pig would probably just roll. She’s got that much fat on her.” “You think? She reminds me of the state puff marshmallow man” joked another. More laughter. I walked past them, my eyes on the gates. Sarah revved her car engine and I jumped. “Run piggy run” she told me, getting into her car “let’s see how fast she can go” she shouted to her girlfriends who began to cheer and holler.   I felt a sickening feeling in my gut as I ran towards the gate. I pushed through the crowd and began to run towards the forest. Sarah was just behind me with her car, a s******c smirk on her face as I glanced over my shoulder. I hadn’t thought she meant it when she said she would chase me with her car. My heart was in my throat. Terror seized me. My legs pumped harder. My breathing was shallow. Was I going to make it? I screamed and jumped off the road as Sarah honked the horn and sped past, laughing wildly. Whew. That had been close. Sweat dripped off my forehead. My jeans were plastered to me. I slowed to a walk and began the long miserable trek home. I’d survived another day, but barely. Who knew what was in store for me when my father got home, or what Sarah had planned for the afternoon? I fervently hoped she was going out with her girlfriends and hoisted my backpack higher. What I wouldn’t give for a car, I sighed, or a portal to another world. Even vampire packs were seeming enticing right about now.    

Grant POV   “Did you see the way she ran” howled Mitchell, slapping me on the back as we watched Sarah race towards Jordan with her car “How hilarious” he howled as the other football Jocks we were standing with, in a group laughed with him. I shrugged. To be honest I wasn’t fazed about what was happening to Jordan. We might have been friends when we were younger, but as I grew up and drifted into the popular crowd, I began to see her with new eyes. She was pathetic. A weakling. When she got her wolf, there was no doubt she would be just as feeble. She might be a Gamma’s daughter, but evidently, she hadn’t gotten the warrior genes from her father. Sarah on the other hand I mused, was completely the opposite. She was like a supermodel, funny, and popular. What wasn’t to like? But for some insane reason, my wolf didn’t like her. No matter how much I tried to convince Hades that she was perfect for us and future Luna material, he steadfastly refused to even contemplate the thought.   “If she lost some weight, she wouldn’t be picked on so much,” I said easily with a nonchalant shrug, even as my wolf growled at me in my head “She’s only got herself to blame,” I told them all. “Isn’t the Gamma of your pack embarrassed to have a daughter like that?” “Probably,” I said “but that’s his problem. As long as he does his job, then what does it matter?” I gave a sigh and wandered to my car. Hades was pissed at me.   Why do you speak about her like that? What have you got against her? She is kind, compassionate, loving and all you see is her body. Hades why do you care so much about her? She’s just a lowly member of our pack. If anything, you should be agreeing with me. She’s hardly an asset to the Blood Moon Pack. Sarah is much prettier. We should make her our chosen mate I argued. You’re so stubid he snarled as I opened the driver’s side of the car and slid in and it’s going to cost us everything. What do you mean? You’ll find out. I’m not speaking to you right now he huffed.   I frowned and shook my head. Did the Dam wolf have to be so secretive? He was keeping something from me. I started the car and began to drive back to the pack, thoughts whirling in my head. I was close to graduating and Sarah was as well. It would be expected of me to choose a Luna if I didn’t find my mate. But Hades wanted his real mate. Why did he have to be so stubborn, I fumed. Couldn’t he see that I had no desire to find my mate. They weren’t in my pack, otherwise, I would have smelt them. I slammed my hand down on the steering wheel in frustration.   I reached the pack and parked my car right in front of the pack house. I never failed to be impressed by the house, which was more like a giant cabin with several floors. It was homey and very reminiscent of the forest which surrounded the pack. I loved all the little touches my parents, Alpha John and Luna Mary had put into the house, wanting their pack members to be comfortable and well looked after. Nobody went without, and all the unmated males lived in the house, except for the omegas who served and kept the house maintained. Jordan was also an omega, but because her father was the gamma, she wasn’t forced to serve in the pack house, like some of the others were.   I opened the door and headed inside. “Grant is that you son?” yelled my father, from further back in the house. “Yeah, I’m home” I shouted back “Is there something you need?” “Your mother and I want to talk to you” he yelled, his voice booming throughout the house. Huh. I wonder what that was about. I put my backpack down and sauntered down the hallway toward the study. My father, mother, Maxwell the Gamma, and Sandy the Beta sat there, obviously in the midst of a discussion. Whatever this was, it was serious, I thought to myself. My mother was standing with her hand on my father’s shoulder, her long blonde hair draped over her shoulders, her big blue eyes sparkling. My father grunted and motioned for me to sit down, gesturing toward the empty armchair in the room. I sat, feeling like I was under scrutiny as everyone eyed me. “What is it?” I burst out “What’s going on?” It was infuriating sitting there as the silence grew. The Gamma and Beta avoided my eyes.   Eventually, my father cleared his throat and looked at me with a grave expression on his face. “Your mother and I have been talking,” he said gruffly “and both of us would like to step down and let you run the pack, however” he emphasized “we don’t feel comfortable with you doing it without a Luna by your side. A Luna makes your wolf stronger and even a chosen mate will increase your wolf’s power.” I already knew all that. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I had been taught this since I was a young boy after all. “We know that you’ve only just turned eighteen,” my mother said anxiously “and if you want to wait we’ll respect that choice. But I married your father when I was eighteen and under our guidance the pack has become one of the strongest packs in the country. We feel that you can only make it stronger and more powerful. Besides, once school ends, it will give you more time to spend with your pack.” They were being deadly serious. I gaped. Was I really ready to choose a Luna? Sarah flashed through my mind. Hades snarled. I put a block up between us so that he couldn’t continue to object. I ran a hand through my hair as I thought about it. It wasn’t that unusual for an Alpha to choose a mate so young. In fact, in most packs, it was encouraged. It wasn’t like they were asking for something impossible. I just thought I had a bit more time. “We thought that it would be beneficial to hold a ball with all the unmated females in your age group who are in the closest packs. Maybe your mate might be from one of them” my mother said sweetly.   A ball. What did she think this was? A fairy tale like Cinderella? Both the Gamma and the Beta nodded their agreement. “You’ll also be picking our replacements,” Maxwell said with a glint in his eyes “so it’s imperative that you give this some serious thought. I and Sandy have loved serving Alpha John and Luna Mary but it’s time for the younger generation to take over. I will continue to train the pack members, if that is your wish” he offered, and I gave a small nod. I would prefer he continue doing that, he was one of the strongest warriors in the pack. It was going to be difficult to choose a Gamma and Beta that lived up to their predecessors. Maxwell and Sandy were extremely gifted and hardworking, not to mention completely loyal to my father.   My father coked his head. “What are your thoughts son?” he prompted, his hand stroking his beard. I sighed. I wasn’t exactly against the idea, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled about it either. Could you blame me though? “What if I don’t find my mate? What if I decide I want a chosen mate instead? Would you accept my choice?” I asked, eyeing them warily. “If you don’t find your mate, we will, of course, approve of any decision you make. May I ask if you have someone in mind?” my mother pushed. I gave her a cocky grin. “Now, now Mother, that would be telling you my secret. Besides, you’ll spill the gossip to all your friends if I give you a name” I teased and my father gave a hearty laugh. I knew my mother far too well. She couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. My father knew that as well. His eyes were twinkling with good humor as he winked at my mother. She gave me a sheepish smile.   Maxwell stood up abruptly. “If that’s all, I’m going to finish off some paperwork at home,” he told my father who dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Sandy also stood up and quietly dismissed himself. “When is this ball?” I asked, “I’m assuming it’s after graduation?” “We’d like to hold it during the mid-year break between semesters. It will give you a chance to introduce your mate, whoever that is to the pack, and if they are new, acclimatize themselves to the pack.” “Not to get married though?” I checked and they shook their heads. Whew. What a relief. “We’re not complete аs holes” my father huffed “The wedding can be scheduled once you have had time to establish a bond and a relationship with your mate. We won’t rush that. After all, you both have to be in sync with each other when it comes to leading the pack,” he warned “It’s common to have disagreements but I’m sure you’ll be able to lead in harmony with time and effort. Relationships aren’t easy you know” he told me.   The mid-year break was only a few weeks away. They weren’t wasting any time. How long had they been planning this? “Hold the ball,” I said firmly as my mother beamed at me “but don’t expect me to help with the decorations” I joked. My mother giggled. “As if I would let you. I’m so excited” she declared coming over and kissing me on the cheek “You have no idea how happy you have made me” she breathed. “Your father and I want to take a vacation as soon as we’re comfortable leaving you in charge. He never took me on a honeymoon you know” she complained. “Well I promise to take you on the one of your dreams soon,” my father said awkwardly “I know how much you’ve sacrificed to be Luna and the pack wouldn’t be the same without you.” My mother melted. “Oh John” she breathed. Yeah, that was my cue to leave. I stood up as my mother approached my father. He stood up and swept her into his arms. They were extremely comfortable with public displays of affection. But they were fated mates and the love of each other’s life. I crinkled my nose. “Get a room” I told them, shaking my head in disgust as they began to k**s. My father’s hand crept to my mums b**t and squeezed it. I felt like gagging. “I think the boy is right” he murmured as I started to walk out of the room “What do you say, honey.” I heard my mother giggle as I headed out, shutting the door behind me. I rolled my eyes, even though it was kind of sweet how much they adored each other. I headed to the kitchen, a cocky spring in my step. Who knows, maybe I’ll at least ge't lаid by some of the girls at the ball. Especially those desperate to be a Luna. I grinned. I had no qualms about sleeping with a girl if she offered herself to me. Maybe this ball wouldn’t be so bad after all.    

Sarah POV   God Jordan is so pathetic. I’ve never seen such a fat-bottom werewolf in all my life. It’s embarrassing to be seen as her sister. Why can’t she lose weight? Heaven knows I’ve forced her to miss meals enough times. But no, she just stays the same. I sigh. I was so close to hitting her with my car too. She runs fast considering. I park at our house and go inside, putting my bag away. My father is sitting at the table, paperwork spread in front of him. I give him a k**s on the cheek. “Hmmm,” he mutters “how was school today princess?” he asked, giving me his full attention. I smirked. My dad never shows this much attention to Jordan. It was exhilarating being the favorite daughter. I deliberately left out what I did to Jordan “It was good” I said briefly “Pretty much the usual” I said with a shrug.   He gave a small nod. I went to the refrigerator and peered inside. I grabbed a carrot and began to munch on it, as Father wrinkled his nose at me, making me laugh. “I have to watch my figure,” I said giggling. “Wish your sister felt the same way” he grunted “What are you going to do with your afternoon?” I thought about it. I really wanted to see Grant. He trained most afternoons, so I would no doubt see him in the training ring if I wandered out there. I gave my father a smile. “I might go train,” I said breezily “Get some fresh air.” He looked at me with approval. Thank God he didn’t realize I was only going there to perve on Grant. Otherwise, he might not look at me like that. I heard the front door open and close. Jordan came into the room, sweating profusely, her face bright red, her backpack loose on her shoulders. I grimaced. She looked so disgusting. I shook my head at her as she rushed to the tap and grabbed a glass of water, drinking it greedily down. “You really should work out more often,” I said cruelly “Nobody should look like that walking home from school.”   My father gave a grunt. “Jordan has a training session tomorrow,” he said as Jordan went pale, a hard feat considering her bright red face “with myself and her peers. You’re welcome to join us, but you don’t have to. You train hard enough as it is,” he said with a raised brow. “Thanks, Daddy. You know what I think I might go” I grinned, envisioning the torture that Jordan was going to be put through tomorrow. She looked like she was going to be sick. Father never took it easy on her on the training grounds and relished embarrassing her every chance he got. Tomorrow morning was going to be very interesting. It would be worth it to go just to see her humiliate herself. My father beamed. “I’m proud of you. You are definitely worthy of being a Gamma’s daughter” he said with affection. I saw Jordan wince. She began to quietly clean the kitchen, as I turned around humming and headed upstairs to shower and change. I put on my skimpiest training clothes, tight-fitting yoga pants that were slung low under my h**s and barely covered my b**t, and a crop sports bra, showing off my stomach which was taut and muscly. I carefully applied my makeup, I had to look beautiful for Grant after all, and then put my hair up in a sleek ponytail. I bounded downstairs.  Jordan was still cleaning. “Oh Jordan,” I said in front of Father “don’t forget to clean my bathroom today. It really needs it” I said with a smile. She scowled at me. I shot her a look and she bowed her head. “Yes Sarah,” she said meekly. Much better. My father was engrossed in his paperwork again. I headed out of the house and began to make the short walk to the training grounds. Grant better be there, I mused, otherwise, I had dressed like this for nothing. I wasn’t intending on doing any training myself unless he could be persuaded to partner with me.   I reached the training ring and found a small crowd of teenagers gathered around the training ring. I saw Grant inside, his body drenched in sweat, as he fought off another shifter, his b**e chest making my mouth go dry. He was so Dam gorgeous. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Strong too. He easily overcame his opponent and sent them flying across the ring. The other shifter, cursed and then stood up, shaking Grant’s hand. “Go Grant” I cheered, and he whipped his head around to grin at me, giving me a wink. My heart gave a flutter. He wandered over and stepped out of the ring, stopping for a minute as other pack members gave him a high five or slap on the back. He grabbed a towel and began to wipe the sweat off of his face. Someone handed him a bottle of water and he guzzled it down, sprinkling some of it over his head. “Sarah” he said, his eyes sweeping over me “looking good” he complimented. I glowed. Some of the other girls shot me jealous looks. I ignored them. I fiddled with my hair and blinked my big doe-like eyes at him. “I was hoping that you could show me a couple of moves, you know to defend myself” I breathed and his eyes widened before narrowing and he gave a dry chuckle. “I can think of a few moves I’d love to show you,” he said, his eyes darkening. I put a hand on his b**e chest. “I’m open to suggestions” I drawled, l*****g my l**s “You’re the master after all.”   The crowd began to disperse, evidently uncomfortable with the way Grant and I were flirting with each other. I was almost gloating. This was going better than I’d imagined. His arm snaked around my w***t. “You know, it would be far easier to show you these moves in the bedroom” he growled. I inhaled sharply. He wasn’t wasting any time. His thumb slowly slid along my l**s. Tingles shot through me. I was becoming аr0used. My wolf argued with me, telling me to wait for my mate. But Grant was going to be my mate, no matter what it took. I coked my head at him “I’m always up for a challenge” I whispered “by all means, let’s go see what you’ve got” I added.   His eyes glinted. He reached out and took my hand, leading me straight to the pack house and up to his bedroom, shutting the door and locking it. He ran a hand through his hair and eyed me longingly. “I just need a quick shower” he growled, and I nodded, sitting on the bed. I sure as hll wasn’t going to go anywhere. He headed into the bathroom and I began to get undressed, posing on the bed. I wasn’t a Dam virgin. I was eager to experience what Grant had to offer. The sounds of the water shut off and then I heard the bathroom door slowly creak open, Grant coming out clad in a towel which he’d wrapped around his w***t.   Oh my god. My mouth gaped open. He was gorgeous. Everything I’d pictured in a man. My heart raced in my chest. His hair was slicked back from washing it and he was running a hand through it as his eyes swept up and down, taking all of me in. “f'k- you’re gorgeous” he hissed, dropping the towel. My heart skipped a beat as I saw his member. It was huge. I salivated, thinking about him being inside of me. He came over and I reached for him, pulling him onto the bed. “Patience” he chided, pressing his l**s against me as I wriggled and writhed beneath him “We have all the time in the world” he added. scr'w patience I thought. I ran my hands up and down his back, scratching him with my nails as he g*****d out loud. “I want you” I begged, unashamedly “I want you inside me, Grant, now,” I said with desperation. My core was throbbing with need. He cupped my chest and my body bucked in pleasure. “Eager, aren’t you” he grunted and I nodded, looking up at him as he chuckled. “Very well” he growled, positioning himself at my entrance “I’ll give you what you want” he promised. Thank god. I was already soaking wet below, making the initial p*********n easier. He pushed inside and I panted. He was so big, he was stretching me already. God, it was good. My hands gripped his b******s and pulled, drawing even more of him inside me. “Christ” he m****d “you’re tight.” He thrvst all the way inside and I gasped, raising my h**s to meet him. He stayed on top of me, his strong arms keeping him up as he began to thrvst in and out, causing me to m**n. “Oh Grant” I cried, tightening my legs around him “More, god, more” I pleaded. He began to thrvst even harder, causing pleasure to pulsate through me. I frantically moved my h**s up and down, as the pleasure began to intensify. I mewled, holding onto his back, as my body began to tense. Oh god, I thought dazedly, he was going to make me cvm. He would be the first person to do so. I felt my walls clenching around him and he grunted, moving even faster as I whimpered from the sensation of his huge /cok inside of me. “Grant” I screamed out loud, my or'gаsm washing over me. “f'k-” he panted “you’re making me. . . he trailed off. He pulled out to my disappointment and began to pump his /cok with his hand, a look of concentration on his face. I suppose he didn’t want to get me pregnant but he could have just used a protection, I thought with a sigh. He came, shuddering, and then looked at me. I knew what to do. I leaned forward and began to clean him with my tongue, as he held my hair with his fist. He wiped his cvm on my chest, smearing it. I raised an eyebrow. “I guess you need a shower,” he said easily “I need one too” he growled. Wow. I couldn’t believe my luck. This had been so easy. He got to his feet and pulled me up, a satisfied grin on his face. “Don’t tell anybody about this” he whispered in my ear “don’t want the other girls to get jealous now do we?” I shook my head. A slow smile spread across my face as he pulled me into the bathroom with him. The gullible fool thought I would let him mate with other girls. He had no idea what he had just done. As far as I was concerned, there was nobody else that could take him away from me. We were chosen mates, and this proved it. Now all I had to do was make him see that, and well, if that didn’t work, then spilling the beans to my father might just do the trick. If I had to force him to be my mate, then I would. I would do anything to get the title of Luna. But for now, I would keep this secret and see what happened. Something told me if I were to offer myself again, he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to resist me. suk shift, I thought triumphantly, thinking about all the girls who’d tried and failed to get his attention, he’s mine now bimbos.