3

April

Six hours ago

I look up to the stage with sparkling eyes as the elder of our pack greets the pack members who came to the succession ceremony of our new Alpha. Scott is standing next to our current Alpha Kelvin who looks the happiest as his eyes move over the expectant crowd.

“Welcome, dearest members of our pack,” he announces with a loud voice while Alpha Kelvin finds us in the crowd and winks at us. “We are here to celebrate the shift and coronation of our new Alpha.”

My breath hitches in my throat as the son of our current Alpha Kelvin steps up to stand next to the wise man, who now looks like a feeble small man next to the muscular and tall new leaders of our pack.

Scott Walker was everything a girl could dream of. He was intelligent, funny, ambitious, had a killer smile and his toned body looked fabulous when glistering under the hot sun during training sessions.

We had been childhood friends and I think that nobody could be so blind not to see how massive my crush was for this guy.

And I have waited for years to be his mate.

I had trained hard to be able to match his Alpha status and Alpha blood power. It was stupid and overconfident for a beta’s child to want to be on the same level as that of an Alpha, especially for a female.

But I fought with all my might nonetheless. 

In school, I was the one with the best grades, and on the training field I was always the first to be on the court, and the last one to leave after an intense training with the strongest warriors of the pack. I did everything to not make people think I got the role because of my father and trained even harder to earn the respect of my pack members. My mother and Alpha Kelvin often told me how my father would have been proud of me, which made me happy and motivated me even more.

“I declare my son, Scott, as my successor and new Alpha of the Blue Amber Pack. Scott, are you ready to take over this responsibility, and protect the pack and its members with your heart and soul, against any threat?” Alpha Kelvin's words boom over our heads as he slips off his signet ring, passing it to his son who takes it with a smile.

“I accept,” Scott answers pridefully, his strong and deep voice sending shivers through my body.

Turning to the crowd, he spreads his arms with one of his breathtaking smiles which reveals his dimples. “I solemnly swear that I will protect and lead this pack with all my might and do everything in my power to assure the members of this pack a safe and comfortable life.”

If he has shifted and is about to take his position as the new Alpha, it means that he would have been able to find his mate.

I was a bit nervous by the fact that he didn’t call me last night after he had shifted or didn’t pass my house to tell me and find out if I was his mate right away.

I think that he probably chose to claim his mate in front of the entire pack to make it even more official.

Finishing his long speech about his duties, the elder turns towards the crowd with spread arms, “Members of the Blue Amber Pack, please bow down to your new Alpha.”

The crowd gasps in unison as the bond snaps into place, Scott clenching his jaw before he flashes the crowd another one of his gorgeous smiles. We all bow deeply, baring our necks in respect.

“Are you ready to tell us who your Luna is?” the elder asks, turning towards Scott and making my heart still in my chest.

Scott nods, his gaze meeting mine. I feel everyone's gaze on me, my heart racing in my chest as my nervousness expands in my chest.

Is it really me?

He holds our eye contact for a long moment before he lifts it, holding out his hand to someone in the back of the crowd.

No!

“Hailey,” his deep baritone voice rumbles through the air, shattering my heart in a million pieces as I turn around to look at Hailey smiling back happily at him.

In just a millisecond my world crumbles down around me. Every training hour, every tear and drop of sweat I shed, every second I spent studying instead of partying with my friends…

All for nothing.

My thoughts spiral as the crowd cheers in joy, and she lifts her long skirt to join her mate on the stage while my eyes well up with tears.

How could that even be?

Hailey just joined our pack about three months ago. She was a beauty who never trained because she claimed it would ruin her hair or her nails, and studied as little as possible because she always found a nerd who would do everything for her.

And still, she got everything I worked for.

I force the urge to throw a tantrum in front of everyone, breathing slowly to calm my racing heart. Through the cheers, I can hear a few shocked murmurs. Kind hands reach out to me, wanting to console me.

And it kills me.

I act as if nothing happened, forcing up a smile and clapping my hands as Hailey bumps into me.

“Oh, April. Sorry, I’m being so nervous that I get clumsy,” Hailey giggles in her high-pitched voice.

“Don’t worry,” I smile sadly, taking another step out of her way.

She tilts her head at me and I feel the soil tremble as Scott must have jumped down the stage to reach us.

“Don’t you want to congratulate me? I just got proclaimed your Luna!” She smiles mockingly, my heart twisting at the desperation I am feeling at this outrageous situation and his scent enveloping me.

“April, don’t act like this!” Scott reprimands me in an annoyed tone. “Don’t ruin this special day for everyone.”

“Of course not,” I say, hating how my eyes well up with tears. “Congratulations, Hailey.”

“Oh, please call me Luna!” she giggles again, making me feel even more humiliated.

“Congratulations, my Luna,” I say through gritted teeth, my voice shaking because of the sobs fighting their way up my throat.

Hailey smiles happily and passes me without even sparing me another glance.

Feeling paralyzed with shock, I watch Hailey reach Scott and greet him with a kiss. He takes her hand, and together they get back up onto the stage.

Under the pitiful looks of the people around me, I excuse myself and walk away.

I know exactly that this is highly disrespectful behavior and that I would have probably been punished for it by the new Alpha and Luna, but at this moment I couldn’t care less.

As soon as I’m far enough from the crowd, I start running, holding up the skirt of my long gown to prevent me from stumbling over it. I feel stupid as I made my mother buy it for this occasion, only to look good for him.

And it doesn’t even fit my usual style.

Reaching a small cage, I don’t care about how I would ruin the dress as I crawl into the narrow space.

I sit at the end of the cave, burying my head into my arms as I pull my legs closer and cry my heart out.

My heart hurts so much and I feel so incredibly stupid. I don’t even notice how the hours go by as my tears finally stop falling.

Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I take a deep breath and decide to rot in this small cave forever as I hear a giggle outside.

“Hailey?” I whisper to myself, and groan, really not wanting to find my crush making out with that stupid girl.

It is quite a secluded place out here, and I don’t know many people, besides my pathetic ass, who would come out here.

As soon as I’ve crawled out of the cave, I spot Hailey right away.

But she is alone.

I lift a brow and scurry after her, just to see her walking towards the pack’s borders.

“Hailey!” I shout, wanting to stop her. “Wait, it’s dangerous over there.”

Lifting my gown slightly, I run in her direction, looking around constantly to find someone from the border patrol.

‘Where are they?’ I ask myself as I pick up my speed to reach her.

“Hailey!” I call again, but she doesn’t seem to be able to hear me. “Hailey, the pack’s territory ends there. Do not cross the border!”

Just as I’m getting closer to her, I hear a rustling in the trees and I stop to lift my gaze, turning around to spot who it might be.

A scream resounds from the direction in which Hailey went and I turn my head panicky just to see a shadow in the corner of my eyes.

I don’t even get to react in time as I get tackled out of nowhere and hit my head as I fall onto the ground. With a groan, I try to get up, but my body gives out, and I get enveloped in darkness.