Chapter 1

Zira-

A dark and ominous cloud grew thicker in the sky as if it were following me down the vacant street toward the home I had lived in for nearly ten years. Earlier in the day the sky had been shining brightly, but now the weather seemed to match my mood. With each step, the harsh rain pelted against my body, like I was being hit with endless needles.

It didn’t help that I had just had surgery a few hours ago and if I wasn’t careful I could die, but right now, I didn’t care. For ten years I have lived a life worse than death, and every bit of hope that I had clung to, to keep me from falling into a deep despair, had shattered. Not only did I sacrifice my chance at being able to shift into my wolf on my eighteenth birthday, but I learned I have been living a lie.

Ten years ago, my parents and older brother had been killed. I almost died, but I had been saved. I couldn’t remember much of that night, but I remember waking up in a bed with a kid only two years older than me, sitting beside me. I had asked him if he had been the one to save me, which he had claimed he had. An hour ago I discovered that he hadn’t saved me.

During these last ten years, I had believed he had and allowed him and others to walk all over me because I believed I owed him. I was the biggest fool to ever walk this earth. The thought brought on another sob, but at least my tears were washed away by the pouring rain.

My thoughts circled back to what happened this morning, and I felt even worse than I already did. Trenton Heath was the man I believed saved me and this morning, he had been the one I have loved for ten years, despite how poorly he treated me. Every so often he gave me a glimmer of hope and this morning I was willing to do anything for him.

“Please Zira, you are the only one who can save me.” Trenton had said over the phone that morning, as I was preparing to go to one of my many part-time jobs.

“You know I will do anything for you, but I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what is wrong.” I could hear the fear in his voice, so I quickly sent my boss a text, telling him I needed the day off.

All three of my bosses cared for me and knew how hard I worked so they helped me whenever I asked. Now, I wish my boss hadn’t allowed me to take the morning off. Perhaps I could have learned the truth before I helped Trenton.

“As you know, I haven’t been feeling good lately. Last night I went to the hospital, and I found out I need a new kidney. My blood type is rare, and yours is even more rare. I didn’t think we would be a match, but we are. The doctor told me if I don’t get a new kidney within the next few days, I will die.”

Trenton was correct, his blood was rare with less than fifty confirmed people having the blood type. Mine, was even more rare, as I was the only one who had this blood, and no one could understand it. Years ago, I was almost made into a lab rat so they could study my blood, but someone had stopped it before it began. I don’t know who, but I was grateful, nonetheless.

I knew that it was dangerous for me to use my blood or organs for another person because if something ever happened to me, I wouldn’t be able to find a match. That was the first thing that went through my head when I heard Trenton’s condition. I had wanted to say no, and I would help him find someone else, but my hesitation made Trenton panic.

“I don’t want to die!” Trenton sobbed and I immediately caved.

“Okay.” I sighed

Although I have more than paid for him saving my life when I was younger, I still felt as if I owed him a life debt. I took a deep breath and decided this would be the last thing I would sacrifice. His words afterward helped me.

“If you do this for me, I promise I will make you my mate on your eighteenth birthday. That will also be the day I will officially have you accepted into the pack.”

“Don’t worry, I will do it.”

“Also…” Trenton’s voice had trailed off and I didn’t think his request could get much worse.

“As you know, all my funds are tied into the pack and company. The surgery will cost over five hundred thousand.”

My jaw dropped at his words. I have never heard of a kidney transplant costing that much. I intended to investigate it because the amount was insane. When I heard Trenton call my name a few times, I quickly agreed and promised I would come to the hospital as soon as I collected the funds.

After I got off the phone with Trenton, I called the hospital, and they confirmed that the cost of surgery was what Trenton said. The exact amount was a little strange. Last year, Trenton’s uncle gave me four hundred thousand, but I haven’t touched it. I would need to take out a hundred-thousand-dollar loan, but the rest was the exact amount I had in my savings account.

At the time, I didn’t put too much thought into it, because after I went to get a loan, I was called by the doctor, and they told me that Trenton went into shock. With the money in hand and a hefty repayment percentage, I hurried to the hospital.

It had been afternoon by the time I arrived and was rolled into surgery with Trenton so I could give him a kidney. Before surgery, I had tried to find a different donor, because I was told if I went through with the surgery, I might not be able to receive my wolf on my eighteenth birthday. Due to how weak my body would be, my wolf wouldn’t be able to come out and I may never receive my wolf.

While I was hesitating, Trenton kept urging me, and then went into shock. The doctors then told me if I didn’t make a decision now, Trenton would die. As much as I hated to give up my chance of meeting my wolf for the first time, I felt as if I owed Trenton.

So, I went into surgery and let the doctors cut me open. When I woke up after surgery, I was told I would need to leave the hospital unless I could pay to stay at the hospital. Apparently, the funds I had paid were only for Trenton and his hospital stay. Now I also had a hospital bill on top of everything else.

When I left the hospital, I felt as if everything was falling apart, and I didn’t understand what was going on. Despite just having surgery, I called all three of my jobs and they refused to let me come in until I healed. On the plus side, they agreed to give me paid time off, equivalent to full-time hours.

It wouldn’t put a dent in my debt, but at least I would be able to recuperate at home and get supplies from the store. After leaving the hospital, I went to get a chicken and vegetable soup for Trenton. I was told he wasn’t awake from his surgery, but I wanted to get it for him for when he was hungry.

After returning to the hospital, my world shattered when I overheard the conversation coming from inside his hospital room.

“I don’t know if you are a genius or just plain cruel Trent.” Bryce Miller, Trenton’s second best friend, laughed.

“He is a genius.” Glenn Beck, Trenton’s best friend, commented with a hearty chuckle. “I am curious what Zira will do when she learns that her kidney ended up in the trash.”

At first, I wasn’t sure if I was hearing their conversation properly until I leaned against the door and continued listening. No matter how hard I tried to talk myself out of what I was hearing was my head playing tricks on me, reality slowly sank in. The soup I was holding dropped to the ground and a numbing chill fell over me.

“She would probably thank me.” Trenton responded with a firm voice, that definitely wasn’t someone who just woke up from surgery. “Zira is the biggest idiot I know. Regardless of how mean I am to her, she follows me like a lost puppy. If I tell her to go west, she wouldn’t dare go east.”

“Yeah, but you made it so she won’t be able to shift. Plus, you stole all her money. It was one thing to get her to give you the money your uncle gave her, but I heard she also got a loan and emptied her bank account.” Bryce snickered. “Don’t get me wrong, I think this is hilarious, but I do think you might have taken this a little too far.”

“I don’t care. I have no intention of allowing her to become a member of my pack. After ten years, she still can’t figure out that she is nothing but a joke to me.” Trenton scoffed. “If anyone is to blame, she should blame herself for being stupid. She even thinks I was the one who saved her.”

My breath stalled in my chest at his words. If he wasn’t the one who saved me, who was? Also, if he hadn’t saved me, did that mean I have been blindly wasting my life away for someone who didn’t deserve it? He was right about one thing, at this point, I could only blame myself.