Prologue

I will never forget the day my beautiful life turned to hell and was totally ruined.

My name is Selene, a young girl of 19 who now lives in the royal pack house like a slave to the Alpha.

My life turned into a mess, and the lovely world I was living in became one where everyone was against me, ready to badly humiliate me till I might be forced to kill myself.

For something that wasn't my crime, I was made to pay for it. I wasn't the one who made my mother get pregnant for a vampire to bore me a mix breed of both werewolf and vampire, yet they turned me into their enemy due to their grudges against the vampires.

The day I turned 18 was when everything I thought was happiness and love vanished into thin air and was replaced with nothing but misery. I was that beautiful young girl who dreamed of the best out of her life, growing up in the pack just like every other werewolf and having my parents and friends who loved and cared for me so well like a princess.

My parents weren't so rich, but we had a perfect family life, and as the only daughter of my parents, they were ready to do everything possible to put a smile on my face.

My parents are among the pack hunters, so we were well respected and treated with respect for being part of the safety of the pack. But it all came to an end in a blink.

Just like a nightmare, the perfect life I thought I had was no more. Right before my eyes, I saw how my once happy family was destroyed.

All this happened on the day that was supposed to be the best and happiest day of my life. It was a day my parents, friends, and I all longed for, and we were all wishing the clock would tick very fast just so the day would come.

That 18th birthday was when I would not only make my first shift but possibly also meet my mate. If I had known it would turn out that way, I would have prayed it never came. It was a nightmare that hunted me like a monster in the night.

That day, everyone was gathered for my birthday, including the alpha and the luna, who decided to honor my parent's invitation, when the unexpected happened. An event that shook the entire pack.

I should have transformed into my wolf form normally like other wolves, or maybe I shouldn't have shifted at all so everyone would see me as a late shifter, but the very worst was what happened right in front of their eyes. It should have happened somewhere else, but my fate was a cruel one, and everything had to play out in front of the Alpha and the Luna of this pack.

When they all awaited my first shift into my wolf form, they saw me transform into one of their greatest enemies, the vampire.

This was how it happened....

As the sun began to set, everyone was gathered in the hall. We were drinking and laughing, with happiness and smiles on their faces as they enjoyed both the foods and wines to their fill. My friends and classmates were all around me, cracking jokes and making sure I laughed and enjoyed my day.

But then I felt a sudden strange sensation in my body, as if something deep inside me was stirring to life.

At first, I tried to ignore it. But it turned into a sharp pain that grew more intense until it became too much to bear, forcing me to scream. My little mind thought I was about to shift into my wolf, which is why I didn't run away. 

If I had known what I was about to transform into, I would have sped into the dark forest to prevent anyone from finding out, but I was ignorant.

With force, I stumbled and fell to the ground heavily, writhing in the crushing pain as the snapping of my bones could be heard. 

The entire hall went into jubilation as they watched me and chirped among themselves happily.

"She is about to shift!"

"A new warrior is in the making!!" 

They were all happy that I was about to become a fully mature werewolf, but we were all wrong.

My vision was blurry as I struggled to look at them, and I could see vaguely the huge smiles playing on their faces.

Even my parents didn't come to my rescue, as it is the law to allow anyone having their first shift to be left alone to go through the pain once and for all.

They all thought I was shifting into my wolf, but soon enough they realized I was becoming something entirely different.

I could hear their wild outburst of screams as their eyes all fell on me. The hall went into chaos. 

Everyone watched in horror as my body began to transform before their eyes. My eyes were turning blood red, my fangs grew long and sharp, and my skin became pale and dead, with my veins pulsing and turning black as they ran through my arms and neck region.

I let out a bloodcurdling scream as I completed my transformation. Instead of a wolf scent, I was emitting a potent vampire scent. Everyone backed away in shock and pure rage, and I was hearing the faint scream of my mother calling out my name.

But then, I was lost in a haze of hunger and confusion. I could feel the darkness swirling inside me, urging me to seek out the one thing that could satisfy my craving: blood.

Instinctively and like a mad dog, I lashed out at one of my friends, who was also the daughter of a pack hunter like my parent. I was driven by an uncontrollable thirst as I tackled her to the ground, pinning her beneath me. Her screams echoed through the hall and into my ears, yet I couldn't stop as I sank my fangs into her neck, drawing out her lifeblood.

For a moment, I was lost in the ecstasy of feeding. I could feel her pulse pounding in my veins, and I drank deeply, savoring every drop.

The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth, and I drank more, savoring the rush of power that came with each swallow.

But as the last of her life drained away and she went limp, I came back to myself and recoiled in horror at what I had done. I trembled, petrified at the monster I had become, while staring at my best friend's lifeless body as my body went back to normal like nothing had happened.

Elena was dead. I killed her. My childhood friend right in front of everyone.

"Your daughter is a vampire!!" The words rolled out of everyone's lips, growls of venom and rage from the Alpha tensing the room, and I knew that instant that all that had happened wasn't an illusion, nor was it in my head, but reality.

I rose to my feet, weak and shivering as I shook my head, breathing heavily as tears burned and streamed down my face. I lifted my face to them and saw their once-happy and smiling faces all menacing and hateful.

"You are not the real father, then." The beta blurted at my father, and I saw it vividly as his face went pale and tears dropped for the first time. His lips were trembling as he turned to my mother, who stood there mute and lost, blinking and panting. 

 

"Is it true?" My dad's voice was breaking in and out, more tears prickling his eyes, but my mother won't say anything.

The Beta rushed at her and gave her a sharp slap that snapped her face to the side, followed by a kick by the Alpha, who couldn't hold back his rage, forcing her to stumble and crash heavily on the wooden table packed with lots of cutlery and a ceramic plate still containing leftover foods, which splattered all over her face and body. 

She only let out a groan and whimper as tears poured down her face like rivers.

The family and friends who were here for my birthday became the first to throw things at her and me, clamoring and shouting for us to be put to death for having connections with the vampires.

"Leave my daughter alone! She did no wrong! I am the evil one here. Hit me only and keep her out of this.." My mother yelled in an outburst of wails, crawling over to stop the men from hitting me, but she was kicked to the ground.

My dad was just dumb, terrified, and fuming as he watched his mate in horror. The sharp, overwhelming shock of realizing you aren't the father of your only daughter after a good 18 years and that the real father was a vampire was really enough to shatter you into pieces, adding that you and your mate are hunters that should protect the pack from the wicked vampires.

"Leave my daughter alone!! I am paying with my life!" My mother shouted, and everyone paused for a second to understand what she meant.

My mother rose, bruised and staggering, with a sharp, glistening knife in her hand.

 

"Under the power of the moon goddess, I, Mara, the mother of Selene, sacrifice my life to prevent anyone from killing her daughter. Anyone who takes her life will bring an eternal curse to this pack!" She decreed, her sharp voice cutting through the entire hall, and everyone froze as they watched her in surprise as she stabbed herself continuously while looking straight at me with compassion in her eyes.

Lightning and the roar of thunder cracked in as a sign that her oath was received. A huge smile appeared on her face as she directed it at me as she fell dead with a loud thud, blood gushing out of her chest.

I screeched and rushed to where she lay lifeless as I whimpered uncontrollably, tugging at her to wake up. She can't just die like this and leave me all alone in this world without anyone to call a father or mother. 

Even the man I thought was my dad for 18 years had walked away after my mother killed herself. So I was left all alone to suffer this miserable fate.

I was still there on the floor, mourning my mother, when chains were clutched around my hands and legs, and I was pulled away like a sheep to be slaughtered. That was how my life changed forever with only a single uncertain hope to cling on, my fated mate.