CHAPTER 1

Derek Pov

"Just ten weeks left until the ceremony, and then everything will be yours, brother," Adrian said as we ran through the mountains.

 From the right spot, the entire pack's land unfolds before your eyes like a vast, living map. I smirked, glancing over the expansive land below.

Our pack held one of the largest territories, a testament to its strength. This was what I had been trained for all my life, shaped to lead. My parents were unmatched, the strongest Alpha pair in our history. 

For years, my parents had ruled with an iron fist, their strength unchallenged and their leadership unquestioned. No one dared to defy them, and any threat that dared approach was swiftly eliminated. They were untouchable, legends in their own right.

But now, everything is changing. My power had grown, and the pack couldn’t help but notice. Whispers spread like wildfire. 

When a new strength rises, the pack naturally gravitates toward it. It wasn’t about disrespecting my father or forgetting all he had done for us—it was about survival. The pack needed a protector, and they were looking to the future.

I didn’t fear what was to come. I wasn’t uncertain. This was my time, the moment I had been waiting for my entire life. I was ready. 

“Yeah, it’s about time,” I said, my voice steady. Mum and Dad are putting plans in place to make the transition smoother.

“They’ve made their decisions,” I said, my eyes resting on the distant place where they would settle. 

Dad planned to take a step back, joining the pack council as an advisor. It was far enough from the main house to ensure they weren’t in my way, allowing me to take the lead without feeling like he was looming over me.

He understood the struggle, having lived through it himself. My grandfather had fought tooth and nail to keep his position, unwilling to step down. 

In the end, he and Grandma had left the pack lands entirely, only returning once Dad had proven himself Alpha and that took twelve years .

 Pride ran deep in our family—my dad's pride, especially—but even he knew when it was time for a change. I could tell he and Mum were ready for a break, craving peace. 

They’d spend a year traveling, letting the pack settle in without them, before returning refreshed and ready to see how far the pack has gone . 

Adrian raised an eyebrow, his voice cutting through my thoughts. "And what about the situation on your end? ”The question struck me, instantly erasing any trace of humor from my face. That one detail was impossible to ignore. 

By the time my father and forefathers had taken on their roles, they all had their mates by their sides, ready to lead together.

 But as my strength grew, my mate remained nowhere to be found, leaving everyone baffled. Taking the Alpha position without a mate? It raised a lot of questions.

In search of my mate, my father had arranged for me to visit other packs searching for the missing piece. 

I’d traveled, hoping to meet the one destined for me. Instead, I was met with endless lines of eager women, all praying they’d be chosen.

 The news spread fast, and soon female wolves were showing up at my door, all seeking to be the prize—an Alpha mate for this pack.

Alphas from different packs sent their daughters, hoping for a chance to become my mate, but still, there was no connection. 

I found myself mostly hiding, leaving my mother to entertain the female wolves who came seeking me, hoping to be chosen as my mate.

 My mother, ever the dutiful Alpha mate, took it all in stride. She welcomed our guests with hospitality and even comforted a few tearful ones who couldn’t hide their disappointment.

"I’ll find her. More will come. One of them has to be the one," I said, trying to reassure myself.

"You will, brother," Adrian agreed, his voice full of confidence.

Adrian had been my closest friend since he dared to challenge me when we were just twelve. No one else had the courage to spar with the Alpha’s son—they all kept their distance, afraid of being chosen to spar with me .

"In just ten weeks, I’ll assume the title of Alpha. There’s a reason I brought you up here with me," I said, my tone heavy with the weight of what was to come.

I stood there, looking out over the vast expanse of pack land, the wind brushing through the trees. I glanced at Adrian beside me. "I brought you up here for a reason.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. "Oh, let me guess—you're finally going to admit I'm the only one who can tolerate your insufferable face?" he teased, breaking the tension and making me chuckle.

Rolling my eyes, I smirked at him. "You’re a real piece of work, Adrian.”

But the smile faded from my face as I turned serious, stepping closer to him. "In all seriousness, I brought you here to let you know something important. I’ve chosen you, Adrian. You’ll be my beta.”

For a moment, Adrian was silent, his usual grin replaced by a rare seriousness that threw me off. I raised an eyebrow. "Is everything alright, man?”

Then, Adrian broke into laughter, his grin returning as the tension lifted. "Who else would be your beta, Derek? Who else is crazy enough to put up with your sorry ass?" His laughter echoed, making me shake my head in disbelief.

I couldn’t resist. With a grin, I lunged at him. "I’ll show you just how much you put up with!" . I shifted to my wolf , Adrian doing the same , I charged after him, and Adrian, with a mock scream of terror, took off running. I chased him through the land until, finally, he surrendered, laughing all the way .

The truth was that I had already scented my mate.That’s one of the perks of being a future Alpha—our ability to scent our mates from a distance. I met her face-to-face seven months ago. The moment our eyes locked, I knew. She was my mate. And she knew it too, without a doubt. 

The moment I caught her scent, I knew. But there was no way I was accepting her as my mate. Not now, not ever.

So, I kept searching. Telling myself there had to be someone better out there, someone who could stand beside me as the Alpha I was meant to be. I ignored the pull, pushed aside the deep instinct that told me to claim her. I wasn’t ready. She wasn’t the one.

The more I trained, the stronger I became, and people started to notice. The whispers were inevitable. "How is he getting stronger without a mate?" they’d ask. 

They probably thought I was some sort of freak of nature, a god among men, without realizing the truth—that my alpha strength came from the fact that I had scented her. That was why I kept growing.

But I wasn’t going to accept her. Not now. Not ever. She couldn’t be my mate. I refused to let her be.

Ava, the “cripple” of the pack. That’s what they called her—"the weakling," the one born with a twisted spine. 

It was a shame, really. In a pack where strength is everything, where every wolf is expected to be fierce, powerful, and without defect, Ava was an anomaly.

Defective pups weren’t a thing in our world. Wolf babies, born of strong bloodlines, never came with flaws. If they were born with a defect, they didn’t survive long enough to even take their first breath

Nature had its way of culling them before they became a burden. Yet, somehow, Ava had been born, not only premature by four months, but with a spine that couldn’t align properly.

A deformity that no wolf, no matter how strong their lineage, should ever possess.

Her mother’s strength was questioned by the pack. It was hard to ignore the whispers that followed Ava’s birth. A mother who gave birth to a defective child was thought to be weak—impossible, really.

Yet, Ava’s mother had given birth to three healthy, perfect sons. No one questioned her after that. No one doubted her strength anymore, but Ava was the exception. It was clear to everyone that Ava was the problem, not her mother.

I often wondered what would’ve happened if Ava’s mother had borne more children like Ava. Would she have taken her own life in despair? Would she have become a rogue, abandoning the pack entirely?

 Weakness wasn’t tolerated in our world. There was no room for pity or second chances.

But Ava had survived. She was still here, living on in the shadow of her mother’s legacy, despised for something she couldn’t control.

Ava’s existence was a burden to her mother. If it weren’t for the honor of her bloodline, I’m sure she would have abandoned her the moment she was born.

Weakness had no place in our pack, and Ava, with her twisted spine, was a constant reminder of that. Her two brothers? They loathed her.The resentment was obvious in every glance, every word they spoke about her behind closed doors.

The only ones who acknowledged Ava were her father and one of her brothers, Blake, a rare kind of acceptance in a family like theirs.

Before seven months ago, I only knew her name, and even that was nothing more than a whisper in the wind.

But then, I scented her. The moment my wolf’s nose caught her scent, everything changed. My curiosity was piqued, and I started paying attention.

The more I learned, the more unsettled I became. Ava was a disgrace to the pack, and yet, her blood ran deep. Her father was a respected ranking wolf, a man of power and influence. 

If I moved against her without cause, the repercussions could be disastrous for me.

I needed a reason—a justifiable cause to banish her. Anything less would be seen as a personal vendetta, and that was something I couldn’t afford, not with her father’s reach. 

So, I bided my time, watching, waiting, and calculating my next move.

But as I lost myself in these thoughts, my mind replayed that night—her first shift. The night everything changed for both of us .