The rude shock.

Allison's POV

"Happy birthday to you!"

The crowd chorused, waving their flashlights up in the air. It was the most beautiful thing I had seen.

It also left a bitter taste in my mouth.

My sister stood right in the middle of the ballroom, the center of attraction. She had a naive little smile on her face as everyone sent hugs, kisses, and gifts her way.

"It's your day, Arya!" Mom squealed behind her. "My little girl is now grown up."

"I could never have asked for a more perfect daughter." Dad added, pulling Arya for a hug.

Another twinge of pain hit my chest and I pulled at my dress trying to stop the tears that welled up my eyes.

I was not weak. I was not going to dissolve into tears in a room filled with werewolves who would love nothing else. They all wanted to see me crack.

"Happy birthday, Arya," I murmured, holding up my gift. The ballroom went dead quiet. My parents whipped around, their eyes widening as if they just remembered that I existed too.

"Oh, you're still here.” Mom said, a displeased look on her face as she took in my appearance. She leaned forward to Dad to whisper. "When are we making her move out? We can't have her shadowing Arya all the time."

Whispers filled the air, low at first but then gained momentum. My jaw clenched but I slipped on a blank face. They could not know they affected me. It would only make it worse.

"What's the witch doing here?"

"OMG, she's a total bad luck. How dare she show up to Arya's birthday party?"

"I know, right? Who would believe they're sisters? They're total opposites."

They were vicious. But they weren't wrong.

"Thanks, Ally," Arya mumbled, flicking a strand of her caramel brown hair. I tried not to think about how she had simply subbed my gift, a necklace I had picked, and shoved it into the pocket of my dress. "Can I go open the gifts now, Mom?"

"Of course, my princess." Nom gushed, leading my sister to the tower of presents some meters away.

Two years ago, on my eighteenth birthday, all I had received was a hastily wrapped chocolate bar - from my grandmother. She died not long after.

"Dad-"

My father growled, his eyes blazing down at me. "What have I told you about calling me that?!"

I pressed my lip in a flat line, the bitter taste filling up my entire mouth. "I'm sorry, Alpha."

He scoffed, following Arya and my mother. The pack members moved along with him. Some evaded my presence like I was death itself.

Others were a bit more terrible with their approach.

"Move aside, Witch!" Someone spat, pushing me down.

My wolf snarled in anger. I knew exactly who had pushed me down. I could track their scent in the crowd and make them pay.

They had no right to treat me like this. I was the Alpha's daughter. His first daughter, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Arya was like the sun, bright and beautiful with her pooping blue eyes and those soft smiles. I, on the other hand, was the mirage of doom and death to my pack members.

Black hair, dark as night and just as twisted. My eyes terrified me sometimes. They were dark, looking like bottomless pits that one could lose themselves in. Looking like a witch; a species all werewolves hated; was hard enough, but being neglected by my parents made things much worse.

I was the outcast. The daughter they never wanted. A good thing because I didn't want them either.

I got another shove to the side, that woke me out of my thoughts. I glared at the girl who had shoved me. She jumped in fear and scampered off, joining the crowd as they oohed and aahed when Arya opened a present.

My phone vibrated with a text. I retrieved the device from my purse and grinned when I read it.

My delivery was here.

Despite the gloom and all, I had one good thing to hold on to.

My relationship with Merlin.

Merlin was the strongest warrior in our pack and the only one who didn't flinch at the sight of me or hate my appearance. We had been dating for a year and a half now and I wanted to surprise him with a proposal tonight.

We would get married, move away from my parents, and raise happy kids in the countryside. It sounded perfect.

My parents did not need to worry about me moving out, I already planned to.

I walked out of the party to pick up the ring I had ordered and spent a while outside to calm my nerves and think of the best way to propose to Merlin.

When I walked back to the ballroom, Arya wasn't in the center of the hallway anymore. My parents were off discussing with dignitaries they had invited. Everyone seemed excited, laughing and cheering with the music on.

I searched the faces of the people for Merlin. He had promised he would show up. I sniffed the air, picked up his scent, and followed it down a hallway.

A giggle reached my ears and I froze.

Just at the end of the hallway was my sister. In the arms of the man I loved.

Kissing him!

"What the hell is this?" I snarled, storming over to them and yanked them apart.

Merlin shot me a fierce look with those baby-blue eyes and pushed me aside. "What does it look like, Allison?"

I gaped, shocked at his words. What on earth was happening? And why was Merlin looking at me like that?!

"Oh I'm sorry, Allison," Arya said in her sing-song voice that made my skin crawl. "It seems the moon goddess thinks I'm a better match for Merlin than you are."

My brows rose in disbelief. Something struck my chest. Pain. "You're mates?"

"Yes!" Arya squealed, kissing the man who had spent the past eighteen months doing the same thing to me. "I am so happy, Merlin."

"So am I," Merlin echoed, stroking her face lovingly.

No! My wolf pushed, threatening to surface.

"No," I hissed, trying to blink back the tears, as well as the rage and anger that followed. "No, this cannot be happening!"

"Would you relax, Allison?"

"You're my boyfriend!" I snapped at him, irritated by his nonchalance. "How can you readily just abandon me for her?!"

Kill them both! Tear them to pieces.

Arya giggled. "Have you looked in the mirror lately, sister? It'll be a shame if Merlin has to wake up to that scary face for the rest of his life."

"There won't be a rest of your life, you bitch!" I bellowed, shifting in an instant, and lunged for them both.

How could they do this to me? How could he?! I'll kill them…

"Stop!" My father's roar slammed right into my wolf, restraining me just in time for Merlin and Arya to step out of the way.

"Shift!"

I tried to break free from his order. But he was my Alpha and I was way younger than he was.

I snarled, rubbed my snout, and bared my fangs at him but eventually shifted. Dad kicked me to the ground and I groaned in pain. The cold wind nipped at my naked body. The sound of rushing footsteps told me the crowd had noticed the uproar and were rushing to the scene.

"How dare you attack Arya?!" Dad bellowed. "Have you lost your mind?"

Ignoring the shame that coursed through my veins, I rose on my feet. "But Merlin's mine. Everyone knows he's mine."

"Don't be silly." Mom hissed. "The moon goddess blessed Arya with Merlin."

"I don't care!" I shouted, barely holding back the tears.

The jackass that I had dedicated eighteen months to, stood behind my father with an unsympathetic look on his face.

"Get dressed." Dad seethed. "The living room, now!"

I stormed to my room, shoved on a dress, and met my parents in the living room of the pack house. Merlin sat with Arya, a smug stupid look on his face.

"You will give your blessing, Allison." Dad ordered.

Mom backed him up. "It's the only right thing to do,"

"And since when have any of you cared so much about doing the right thing?!" I spat, earning a glare from my father.

"You will bless their union!" He yelled. "I don't care what had happened between you and Merlin in the past. He's Arya's mate now. Arya is worthy of him."

I wiped the lone tear that slid down my cheeks swiftly. "I am your daughter too."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" I sniffed. “That because I'm not your precious little Arya, I do not get to be happy? That I don't deserve Merlin?"

"Oh, don't be dramatic." Mom said, a look of disdain on her face.

"I won't bless their union. Over my dead body!" I spat, turning on my heels to walk out of the living room.

I didn't need them anyway. I would leave. Anywhere was better than here. I had thought I had Merlin, but it turned out I had only fooled myself into thinking so. The bastard ditched me the minute he got the chance to.

"Get back here." Dad snapped. "I am not finished with you."

Grudgingly, I halted in my steps. What else could he possibly say?

"Your mother and I have been discussing your future."

I turned to face them, eyes flashing. "I know you want me to move out.”

"Good. Since you already know, I won't be beating around the bush. You will be participating in the Wolf King's bride selection."

My jaw slacked in horror and for a minute, I had a flash vision of giving in to the rage within and tearing every single one of them apart.

The wolf King's bride selection?

"Over my dead body!"