Chapter 1

"No, no, no," Lola, my best friend, barged into the room as I lay on my bed. "What are you wearing?" she asked.

"My pajamas," I replied, my voice muffled by the pillow.

"Come on, Becca, it's your 18th birthday. You can't mope around all day doing nothing." Lola wasn't taking no for an answer, and today, of all days, I was not in the mood for a celebration.

I wasn't a fan of birthdays; they felt more like ticking time bombs. It wasn't like anything special would happen. As my birthday approached, it drew nearer to the day I met my fate. Dread lingered, but I wasn't scared. I had trained all my life for this moment, and I couldn't wait to stab Sebastian straight in the heart.

Lola, undeterred by my gloomy disposition, held up two different dresses. "This or this?"

I sighed, reluctantly lifting my head. "Lola, you know I hate parties."

"Yeah, but you're going to love this one. Unlike your other birthdays, you should go out sometimes and have fun. So, no excuse you are going out."

"She's right, honey," my mum chimed in as she entered my room.

"Thank you, Mrs. Morgan. Now get up," Lola insisted, pulling me up from the bed.

"Oh, I like the red gown," my mum remarked, settling on my bed.

"I was thinking the same...here, go try it out," Lola said, tossing the gown to me.

Knowing it was two against one, I walked into my bathroom in defeat. The red gown hung on the back of the door, a silent reminder of a celebration I wasn't eager to embrace.

Coming out, I did a reluctant little turn. "Happy?"

"You look amazing, baby," my mum replied, a smile playing on her lips.

"Red looks good on you... You can thank me later," Lola said, wearing a triumphant smirk.

"Allow me to present the stunning lady in red," Lola announced as I descended the stairs, accompanied by eye rolls as my parents erupted in cheers.

"Oh, honey, you look amazing," my mom exclaimed with a bright smile. Despite their perpetual smiles, I could sense their underlying apprehension, knowing that this day held more significance than anyone could fathom.

"I've got a little surprise for the birthday girl," my dad revealed, guiding me gently towards the garage.

"Oh my goodness! Thank you, Dad," I exclaimed, my eyes widening at the sight of the sizable Jeep.

"Anything for you, baby. Now go and have fun, but not too much fun," he teased.

"Promise, no promises," Lola chimed in as we hastily made our way to my new ride.

The premises resonated with booming music as we pulled up to Carter's party. Spotting our friend Ravi as we parked, his expression shifted to one of disbelief upon seeing my new ride.

"OMG!" he exclaimed.

"I know, cool, right?" Lola chimed in as we stepped out of the car.

"This is so aw..." Ravi began, his words tapering off as his eyes widened upon seeing me.

"Cat caught your tongue?" Lola teased, wiggling playfully at Ravi. I'd always known ravi had feelings for me; in fact, everyone knew about it. He was really bad at hiding it. He was a great guy, and any girl would be lucky to have him. If I was being honest there was a time I also felt the same way, but I couldn't bring myself to hurt him. Pursuing my heart felt futile when I knew I had been forcibly claimed by a monster.

"You... look good," he managed, clearing his throat and averting his gaze, attempting to conceal his flushed cheeks.

"You clean up well, Mr. Ravi," I replied with a smile, looping our arms together as we made our way into the house.

If the music outside was already loud, the interior was deafening. The room was filled with teenagers dancing amidst the subtle scent of alcohol.

"You made it," Carter exclaimed as he embraced Lola.

"Yeah, we did," Lola replied, raising her voice to be heard over the din.

"C'mon, let me show you around," Carter suggested, guiding Lola through the crowded room. Lola's crush on Carter was obvious, and from the way he held her close, it seemed he felt the same. You couldn't blame him; Lola was the epitome of beauty. Her flowing blonde hair cascaded down her back, her big blue eyes were captivating, and her slender yet perfect body commanded admiration. As a baby she was offered many modelling gig that just showed how attractive she was.

Not wanting to intrude on their time together, Ravi and I veered off in a different direction.

"You okay?" Ravi inquired.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind," I replied.

"Why don't we go out?" Ravi suggested. I nodded in agreement as we headed towards the door.

"Finally," Ravi sighed as we stepped away from the crowded room and blaring music.

"I thought my eardrums were going to fall off," I joked.

"Happy birthday, Becks. I know you don't like celebrating your birthday, but I just thought... it would be nice if I got you this," he said shyly, holding up the necklace.

"It's totally fine if you don't want it. I co—" he began.

"I love it," I interrupted, turning around for him to place it on my neck.

"It's beautiful. Thank you, Ravi," I said with a smile as he smiled back.

"I'm glad you love it," he said sheepishly.

"Your dad visited my place yesterday," Ravi disclosed, breaking the stifling silence.

"Oh, any news?" I inquired with anticipation.

Ravi met my gaze with sorrow, gently shaking his head. Disappointment weighed down my shoulders. Since my father discovered the mark, he had covertly trained me on survival. Seeking a solution, he had approached Ravi's mom, the city's foremost scientist. In her kindness, she decided to aid in finding a way to eradicate the werewolves. A risky task, for which I was forever indebted to her and Ravi.

"Don't worry, Becks. My mom will surely find a way. There's always a loophole."

I offered a grateful smile at his words. "You're right. There is always a loophole."

"Oh my goddess, guess who is coming over," a girl exclaimed.

"Who?" another girl asked.

"Freaking Bas," she replied.

A sudden shiver ran through me at the mention of his name. "Shut up," the other lady interjected.

"I'm serious. Apparently, Carter's dad helped the Alpha, and in return, he decided to grant Carter's dad whatever he asked for."

Why were they so excited to welcome that monster? When did werewolves become celebrities? How could we humans so easily forget the pain and heartbreak they caused? A surge of hurt and anger pulsed through my body. If he showed up, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a bullet straight into his heart. Sensing my anger, Ravi stepped up to the ladies.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," Ravi declared.

"What the hell do you mean?" the girl asked, clearly confused.

"Fantasizing over a monster who has brought nothing but pain."

"Look, pip-squeaks, if you have a problem with that, go talk it out with him, not us," the other girl retorted.

Soon, I found myself standing in front of them, anger etched across my face. "Talk it out," I said through gritted teeth.

"Do you know how many innocent lives they've taken, how many homes they've broken, and you have no sympathy for them?"

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I want to survive, and if it means having him between my legs, I'm willing to do that," she shamelessly replied.

I was furious. Unaware that our disagreement had drawn attention and formed a circle, Ravi navigated through the crowd to separate us, guiding me in a different direction.

"Coward," I scoffed.

"What did you call me?" she demanded.

"Coward," I stated audibly. If she was angry before, she was now truly incensed, and I couldn't care less.

"Hey, Becks, that's enough, let's just leave," Ravi suggested, attempting to grab my hands, but I vehemently refused. I was sick and tired of everything.

As Ravi worked to diffuse the tension, her friend appeared out of nowhere, tossing a cup of drink in my direction.

"Hey!! What the hell?" Ravi barked, wiping off the drink from my body.

I gently pushed Ravi aside as I stormed towards her, and without thinking, I slapped her. The surroundings fell into silence, everyone shocked by my sudden outburst. Just then, Carter arrived. "What the hell is going on?" he exclaimed, looking confused, and right behind him was Lola. From the way she looked at me, I could tell she was furious. I didn't understand why I had reacted like that. Was it the fact that the happiest day of my life had turned into the most dreadful? Or was it the hope that Ravi's mom would find a solution? Perhaps it was the infuriating praise bestowed upon the monster who ruined my life. Wanting to escape this situation, I briskly walked away, ignoring the calls of my name.

I had to get out of there.