1

April

When someone you have loved for years is not your mate and claims another wolf as his mate, it is not the most terrible thing in the world. The worst thing is when you wake up from an attack, and you are suspected of killing the one he loves.

The more you love him, the more he will hate you.

***

My eyes hurt as I fight to open them to the blinding lights.

Flinching at the pain streaming through me, I touch the bump on my head.

That must have happened as I was attacked.

I blink confused as the dazzling white slowly fades, and my childhood friend and crush Scott appears standing in front of my bed.

And he doesn’t look happy at all.

Oh, no!

I sit up panicky, scooting back as if it would save me from his anger rolling from him in waves.

“S-scott…” I stutter. “Wa- Wa…”

I don’t even get to finish the sentence as he interrupts me, the corner of his lips twitching. “It’s Alpha Scott for you, April!”

In a ceremony not long ago, he inherited the title of Alpha and found his mate, but... it wasn't me

His words get another wave of sadness to hit me full force, breaking my heart even further. Not only did I lose the possibility of being his mate, but now I have to address him formally too?

That’s something I could do, but not today! Not after he crushed my heart like this.

“Scott, plea-” I gulp, and start another attempt, just to be interrupted again.

“Where is Hailey?” he growls, making my stomach turn.

“What?” I ask confused, gulping painfully.

Scott groans, making me feel like the most useless creature in the world. “You heard me right the first time, April. Where the fuck is Hailey?”

Hailey is his mate, the girl joined our pack three months ago and in the blink of an eye got everything I worked hard for.

“I- I don’t know. She was at the pack borders, and I wanted to tell her to keep away as it is dangerous but she couldn’t hear me and suddenly I was attacked and tackled to the ground,” I explain, making him grimace even more.

I can see how hurt he is by my words, even if he tries to cover it with his flaring anger.

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” he shouts at me.

“Scott,” Alpha Kelvin, Scott’s father, says in a warning tone. “Please calm down. It isn’t clear what happened yet.”

Propping myself up on my hands, I wince as my side stings painfully at my sudden movement.

My mother is at my side immediately, helping me into a sitting position. “Careful, sweetie.”

But I ignore the pain, my eyes set on the love of my life who is looking at me incredulously.

And with crazy eyes, filled with rage.

“I didn’t see where she went because I fainted right away. I swear! You have to believe me,” I say pleadingly, feeling my mother grabbing my hands soothingly to comfort me.

Scott sighs, passing his hand over his face. “Why are you lying to me, April?” he asks, making panic expand further in my chest.

“I am not lying,” I swear to him, putting my hand on my chest. “Why should I?”

He shrugs, tilting his head as he looks at me with a destructive look. “I don’t know. Maybe because you are obsessed with me and she is my mate.”

Well, ouch.

I always thought I would be the one for him.

Since my father, the former beta of our pack, died to save his father, Alpha Kelvin, our two families become much closer. We grew up together and I am almost part of his family. Alpha Kelvin even set up a room for me in his house.

I remember that not soon after my father’s death, people started to gossip behind our backs about how Alpha Kelvin overdid his care towards me and my mom. They did respect my father, but talking about his family is on another level. When I think of how many times, as a little pup, I had to fight with the young wolves to make them shut up…

But Scott was always on my side and helped me teach them a lesson. We two trained together and talked about everything. I miss those days so much. When we grew older, my feelings for him became stronger and I developed a huge crush on him. And even if he just saw me as his little sister and hung out more with his future entourage, it didn’t change my sight which was always set on chasing him.

But I would never do something like this to him. He is my everything, and even if I’m not his anymore, I would do everything to support him.

“You are mean. I have to admit that this situation has hurt me. But I would never hurt Hailey because of this!” I shake my head, clasping my hospital gown.

“I don’t believe you,” he simply answers, making my heart sink to my stomach.

Taking a deep breath, I reposition myself in the small bed. “Scott, please. I would never lie to you, and even less am I able to hurt anyone. Also, how could I ever have attacked her without having a wolf? You should know me!”

Putting his hands in his pockets, he scoffs, and my heart breaks as his face distorts in rage, showing me that he doesn’t trust me anymore.

“Looks like you thought this through,” he sneers, stopping my panicky rambling. “And what’s this?”

My eyes widen as I see him unlocking my phone and turning the screen towards me to read the text message.