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Alina's POV

"Alina, Alina!" The room was suddenly filled with a masculine voice calling out my name as the intruder barged into my room. I lay sprawled on the bunk bed, my thighs partly exposed to the morning ray from my window. In a hurried panic, I reached for the blanket to conceal myself. It was one of the guards, and a sardonic chuckle escaped me as Lexi, my wolf, called him a 'pervert' in my mind. It seemed like just another morning to be treated like garbage. 

"Get up, orphan!" He snarled. "Luna wants you to clear the dining table. They have finished eating."

I rolled my eyes dramatically, although he couldn't see it. I had no clear role within Alpha Lorgan's packhouse since my arrival. I wasn't a slave, nor was I a special wolf. I was merely an orphan who had watched her parents burn alive just hours before my 18th birthday. The pain of that memory, coupled with the jarring experience of shifting into my wolf, weighed heavily on me. I had one friend, Caroline, but I hadn't seen her in a year, not since that terrible night. 

'Hurry up, you don't want to get Luna upset,' Lexi, my wolf urged.

'I know. Allow me to dress up,' I replied as I blocked her. 

Since my 18th birthday, I had only shifted once, and I was forbidden from attending any gatherings within the packhouse, let alone finding a mate. Alpha Lorgan claimed my parents had served him loyally, and that's why he kept me around, treating me like a daughter. However, his mate, Luna Leah, despised my very presence. She believed my parents had deserved their fate, leaving me to wonder what secrets they had held. Luna referred to me as a 'forbidden wolf,' insisting that I didn't deserve to have a wolf. I couldn't fathom the true meaning behind her words, but the love and protection I received from Alpha Lorgan somewhat shielded me from the pervasive hatred of the guards and other pack members. 

Approaching the dining table, Luna Leah was dressed in a navy blue cotton dress adorned with embroidered flowers, her black hair crowned by a silver tiara richly decorated with precious emerald stone arranged in symmetrical patterns. "You!" She growled. "What took you so long?" Her voice dripped with anger and I felt a shiver run down my spine, fearing a physical altercation that Alpha Lorgan's protection prevented. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to bear the marks of her cruelty on my tan skin. 

Her voice sent shockwaves through me, causing me to tremble in fear as I kept my gaze fixed on the floor. "I…I am sorry, Luna Leah. I had to dress up," I stammered, my voice shaking.

She growled and cursed. "Pack up then. You will get your breakfast after the cleanup," she said, her tone filled with disgust. It was clear she had no intention of allowing me to eat throughout the day, leaving me to ponder why Alpha Lorgan had a cruel werewolf as a mate. She was the one who didn't deserve to have a wolf or the position of Luna. "There will be a gathering in one of the abandoned buildings tomorrow and Alpha Lorgan will require your presence," she added. 

I couldn't tell her facial expression since I kept my face down, but I was sure she was less than pleased. "Okay…ma," I stuttered. The news of the gathering filled me with happiness. It was my first chance to attend such an event, and the anticipation was exhilarating. Even Lexi shared in my excitement. It was an opportunity to finally find my mate, someone who could rescue me from this mysterious packhouse, my uncomfortable bunk bed, and allow me to breathe the crisp air once again. Of course, that was only if my potential mate would be present on that day. Midnight Lake Pack was renowned for its strength, boasting a substantial territory with 400 werewolves, and having Alpha Lorgan Woods as our Alpha was a blessing. With pack members from all over the world expected to attend, the night promised bliss, with a variety of activities and the chance to finally meet others, rather than just overhearing their joyful moments from behind the walls of my room. 

"Hurry up with the cleaning. My son will be arriving in an hour, and I want everything to be spotless," Luna Leah remarked, with a self-satisfied smirk. 

'Her son? So he has a son? Everyone believed she couldn't have pups,' Lexi teased. 

'Lexi!' I called out. 

"Yes…ma," I replied, bowing my head respectfully as she passed by. 

'Finally,' Lexi hissed. 'She is so intimidating.'

'I needed that. It felt like I was holding my breath,' I replied to her. 

'Well, she has a son. He might just be our mate,' Lexi suggested. 

'You can't be serious. He's the Alpha's son. That's just not going to happen, and besides, I might meet my mate soon at the gathering.'

'Well, it's been a year. Let the Moon goddess decide.'

'Stay away Lexi. I have to work,' I snapped as I blocked her again. 

I began cleaning the dishes, reminiscing about the freedom I once had with my parents, even though they rarely let me out. if they never let me out. Caroline, my best friend, was the only one allowed to see me. I never understood why my parents kept me hidden away. She was a year older than me, and whenever she shifted she would carry me on her back into the woods, where we would enjoy the cold night air, my ginger hair flowed in the breeze, all without my parents noticing my absence. Her wolf was beautiful, a blend of silver gray and midnight black with honey-colored eyes that had golden orbs. But that night, those eyes turned blazing red, filled with discomfort, pain, and anger. I knew something terrible was happening. She told me two mysterious men and a light brown female wolf were in my parent's house, causing her to run out of the woods as fast as she could. I crawled into a secret passage my mother had created, one just my size. She said it was an escape route in case of an attack, but I suspect she had planned for this. It was nearly invisible, hidden behind a curtain of ivy plants grown on it, making it appear as a wall decoration. There, I saw my parents tied to a wooden chair, blood oozing from their wounds. The men tortured them with silver knives and injected wolfbane into their skin, causing them to howl in agony. I could only watch in silent despair, tears streamed down my face. 

'Who were they?' I asked myself.

"Just give up, Monica. You are too weak, stop struggling," one of the men said, emitting an annoying chuckle. His voice was entirely unfamiliar to my ears. 

"Dave…Hallow, you…can't hurt us more than this," my mother managed to speak, growling in defiance, as did my father. 

He let out an evil and infuriating laugh as he slapped my mother, prompting a fierce growl from my father. "Where is your daughter? Where is she?"

"You can… never find her!" My mother snarled defiantly, and those were the last words I heard from her. 

"Very well then," he replied as he began to pour gasoline on my parents and lit it. I watched in horror as my parents screamed in pain, fleeing into the woods with Caroline. 

The honk of the car parked outside snapped me out of my trance, and I realized I had teary eyes. I saw a maid carrying a travel bag. Her son had arrived earlier than an hour and I was still cleaning. Gosh! I am about to be sentenced to death. 

I quickly wiped away my tears as an intoxicating scent filled the air, a combination of mint and sage. I wondered where it was coming from. Luna Leah's son walked into the packhouse and something compelled me to turn in his direction. He stood tall, about 6 '1, and his wavy chestnut hair framed his face in a way that seemed effortlessly stylish, with a chiseled jawline. His eyes were a captivating shade of hazel. The vintage shirt he wore clung to his muscled arms, enhancing his overall appeal. Any girl would easily swoon at the sight of him, and I couldn't deny the attraction, but this feeling was unlike any other. By this point, Lexi, my inner wolf, was going haywire, confirming the undeniable connection between us.

'Mate! Mate! Mate!' Lexi screamed in excitement. 

My breathing hitched, eyes dilated in disbelief. 

No way!

The Alpha's son?