Chapter 0002

Miranda's POV

Fierce kisses and quick hands slid the man’s shirt off his body. I cling to him, refusing to let him go despite his meager attempts to keep me at bay. I pulled, and he pushed, eventually giving in, holding me as a willing captive on the bed.

Sunlight from the open window warms my face, waking me up. My eyes flutter open, and my gaze lands on a bare body that lies next to me.

I slowly sit up. Unfamiliarity courses through my body as the room comes into view.

With the help of the sunlight, I can make out my uniform on the floor next to a pile of dark clothes, which I can only assume is from the sleeping man. There are scattered belongings on the bedside table: a wallet, keys, the hotel key card, and a knocked-over, half-filled water bottle.

What happened last night? Did I… I couldn’t have, right?

I slide out of bed, my legs weak, so I crumble to the floor. I stare at my legs, the inside of my thighs littered with dark hickeys. My fingers reach out to graze them, but my muscles ache at the slightest movement. I stifle a groan and bite the inside of my cheek.

I crawl toward my crumpled uniform. I grab it with weak hands and manage to pull myself off the ground. The hideous uniform is hard to put on. I hide my grunts while putting on the tight uniform.

The man in the bed stirs. I turn my head to look at him, watching as he rearranges himself in bed, his face obscured behind the white sheets. I sigh, grateful that he didn’t wake up.

He wouldn’t want anything to do with me anyway. Because of him, I am tainted goods, a half-breed not worth anyone’s time or energy. To him, I was just another woman who threw herself at him, a trophy to be earned, another notch he could add to his bedpost.

No wolf will accept a half-breed, especially one like me that has had such a reckless one-night stand with someone who didn’t even know her name, nor do I know his.

Without wasting another second, I push through the soreness and stand up, rushing out of the room.

I rush toward the elevator, mashing the button as the realization of what I’ve done hits me. The elevator doors open, and I step inside, mashing the button to close the doors so I can leave with a shred of dignity.

I can breathe easy once I step foot through the front door of my house, I’m intercepted by none other than Lily, who wears a smug smirk on her face. I don’t know if I can handle whatever it is she has planned today. My body hurts, and there’s a tightness in my chest that makes me want to crawl out of my skin and cry.

“Not today,” I breathe out, shaking my head, “Please. Not today.”

“I would, but your smell is making my nostrils burn. And would it kill you to wear something, oh I don’t know, that doesn’t make me want to vomit?” Lily snickers.

I bite the inside of my cheek and nod, taking a deep breath to try and calm my nerves as my feet carry me past her and in the direction of my bedroom. I hope she’ll let me pass, but life seems to be against me, and my body is jerked back. Lily grabs my jacket collar, her fingers curling in the fabric as she pulls me back to her.

“What’s this, hm?” Lily laughs. She rips the jacket off of my body, her finger pointing at my neck. “Oh my god! You spent the entire night partying, didn’t you?” Lily’s cackle travels throughout the house, and I can’t help but grab the bottom of the jacket, pulling it back towards me. Lily stumbles towards me, gasping.

“You drugged me last night! It’s because of you that this happened to me!” I accuse her, anger pulsating throughout my entire body.

“I did not! You are such a bitch, Miranda! How could you accuse me of something like that?!” Lily screeches back, her hand raised and ready to slap me.

“Stop!” A loud, dominating voice that only an Alpha can have calls from behind us. Lily’s hand falls. She drops the jacket and moves to my father’s side.

“She stayed out late last night. She was flirting with Alphas at the party!” Lily points at me, the smirk returning to her face. “She’s bringing shame to our pack! And to you!”

I shake my head. My hands shake at the thought of my father not believing me. He has to believe me! I’m his daughter!

“She drugged me last night! She wanted me to stain our pack’s—” I’m cut off by him slapping me. Tears well in my eyes, and I hold my cheek, looking up at him.

“Tell me who you slept with last night.” My father demands. I shake my head. He slaps me again, harder this time. “Tell me now!”

“I don’t know!” I cry out, shielding myself from any other attack he may inflict.

“You’re a bastard with human blood. Don’t you know wolves value loyalty with their fate mates? That bond is sacred! I should brand you with the shame I feel!”

“Lily’s a bastard! You had her with Harper while my mom was alive! You cheated on her, threw her aside like she was nothing!” I scream back. Tears stream down my face, and I’m unable to control it.

Harper, who has appeared from behind my father, clutches the necklace around her neck. I can see the crocodile tears that form in her eyes.

“Oh, Miranda,” Harper sighs, shaking her head, “you’re going to have to settle for one of the leftovers now.”

The leftovers are wolves that have no prospects. They were often deemed unattractive, some of them disabled. I couldn’t help but feel that this was always Harper and Lily’s plan for me; they wanted to throw me to the wolves that had no mates.

I look at my father, who can barely even glance my way. I shake my head, wiping some of my tears away.

“You…you can’t do this to me. Father, please,” I beg. He holds a hand up, and I go quiet. He looks at Harper, and with a solemn nod, he sighs.

“Set something up for her.” He turns to me, eyes narrowed. “You will not do anything to disobey me. If you do anything, and I mean anything, I will kick you out, and you will become one of the leftovers yourself. Understood?”

Seconds pass, and I can’t bring myself to accept this fate that is laid before me.

My pack does not want me. My father’s love has turned to hate and disdain. I will be better off as a lone wolf, someone who travels alone with no reliance upon any wolf for help.

“I would rather be alone than live a life that is filled with hatred and sadness. One that I would have to live with you.” I glance at Harper and Lily, but my gaze fixates on my father.

He nods, no emotion on his face. With a wave of his hand, I can feel a tingling sensation between my shoulder blades. The tingling dissipates, and the weight I once felt in my chest clears.

“Don’t come crawling back to us when you regret your choice.” My father’s voice is cold. He turns on his heel and exits the room, Harper and Lily following, and I am left alone, a void etching itself into my heart.

My feet carry me up the stairs and towards my bedroom. I push inside and look around, the memories of my old life staring back at me. I grab a bag and start filling it with clothes and other items, not paying too much attention to what I grab.

My fingers curl around a photograph. It’s of my mother and I. We both share the same curls and purple eyes, maybe even the same smile. We stand in the lab she worked in, and a sense of warmth fills my body.

My mother was a healer. She always looked out for people who couldn’t look after themselves. I wish she was still alive. I would have left to go live with her, and I’d be happy.

Once my bags are full, I rush down the stairs. Nobody’s there to say goodbye, but I’m not sad or surprised. I accept it with open arms. I push the front door open and step out, eyes closed, and I take a deep breath of my newfound freedom.

I open my eyes, the sun warm on my skin, with a smile on my face. I turn to look at the house one last time. I notice a black luxury car parked in the driveway.

A man steps out of the car. The figure who steps out is blurry.

There’s something…familiar about them. The back of my mind tingles but ultimately.