Chapter Two

@RandomThought: "I hate going to the kitchen and finding out I'm the only snack in the house." 

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Once done with all duties, even though she felt exhausted, Ella decided to take a walk and visit her favorite spot. Her stepmother was not home; gone out to visit the spa and this was the only time that Ella could catch a break. Most pack members where either at school or at work, so there were not many around to bother her. Oh how Ella wished that she too could go to school. But her stepmother had blocked all that once Ella started getting better grades than her daughters.

Ella walked deeper into the forest until she finally came upon her favorite clearing, one which had a calm and peaceful little waterfall for her to gaze at.

This was the only good thing she had in her life.

After taking a sit on the grass, she just sat thinking about her miserable life while making sure not to lean too much because of her freshly wounded back.

There were times where Ella just wanted to take her own life and just be done with living. But there was always something stopping her, what if she had a mate out there.

Even though she was abnormal and had no wolf, she still had to have some werewolf genes in her.  After all her father Neo was a werewolf, so she had to be too, even if half, which meant that there was a chance that she had one, a mate. To werewolves a mate was someone meant for you, and Ella had hope that a day would come when she would meet hers. Like Cinderella he would be her prince charming, sweeping her away from this hellhole place.

As she stood up Ella was shocked to see a handsome unknown man standing there and looking as if he had been watching her. He had light golden brown hair, sea green eyes and a well-muscled body.

He looked as if he had just gone for a run, only to stumble upon her.

Ella stared back at him wondering which pack he was from because she had never seen him before. That was one of the disadvantages of not having a wolf; she was never informed about any pack news as they all communicated important things through pack link. That was the worst perks of being an outcast. Even if they were invaded, Ella knew that she would be the last to know and realize what was happening.

“Mate,” he suddenly declared, coming over to her with this predatory look. His eyes seemed to turn black, meaning his wolf had taken over, he was more animal than man and very dangerous as wolves where unpredictable.

But as Ella finally realized what he had called her, she froze in shock.

Could it really be?

She wondered with hope now rising within her. Because of having no wolf, she was unable to recognize the mating bond and would only know upon touch.

So she stood there watching him with doe eyes as he came closer and closer to her.

Once he reached her, he did not waste time and pulled her right into his arms.

For the first time, a genuine smile was on Ella`s face as she felt the sparks, tingling all over her skin just from that single contact.

She soon found herself intertwined in a breath stealing kiss, as his lips quickly met hers. Ella responded, tentively kissing back as this was her first kiss ever.

Right now she was over the moon; finally she had someone who would love her even when it felt like the whole world hated her. Ella could not wait to leave and go with him, to leave her cruel stepmother and stepsisters behind.

“Mate,” Ella breathlessly whispered back as they finally stopped kissing.

“Tell me your name,” he then asked, while staring at her with such intensity as if she was the most beautiful gem in the world.

“Ella and you,” she responded also wanting to know his too.

“Elias, Elias Redwood,” He replied flashing her an alluring smirk.

But as Ella heard his name she froze in panic,

Out of all the people in the world, she just had to end up getting paired up with the Alpha`s only son! He was the one who was sent away for Alpha training at the supreme royal palace, as was done to all future Alphas. He must have been done and arrived back today.

Fate really did hate her.

His father the Alpha already hated and loathed Ella. She could never be accepted as future Luna considering how the whole pack also hated her too. Because of him being the future Alpha, being with him meant having to stay at this dreadful pack forever, having to live with her stepmother nearby forever!

Ella found herself now having trouble breathing and almost having a panic attack.

“What’s wrong,” Elias asked, with worried eyes upon noticing the change in her mood.

“I….I have to go, bye!” Ella replied, moving away from him and running back to the prison she called home.

He stayed back, first stunned that she had run away like that.

“You can run but I will find you, mate,” Elias finally shouted with a smirk before the sound of bones crunching filled the air as he shifted back into his wolf to continue his run.

“Where were YOU???” Ella quickly cast her eyes down as she arrived to find her stepsister Freya waiting for her.

“I…I had to-“

“Save it! I want you to iron my dress for tonight. The Alpha is throwing a welcome back home party for his son. He is so handsome and I hope I end up being his mate,” Freya spoke while throwing an expensive looking dress at Ella.

Ella grabbed the dress before it could hit the ground, knowing she would end up in huge trouble if it did.

Her stepsister Freya was just as cruel as her mother.

“Hey Ella,” Ella nodded back in greeting towards the only member of her family who was at least nicer to her.

It was her second and youngest stepsister Gina. She was the only one who at least treated Ella as if she was a person.

Freya rolled her eyes, before turning and leaving to go start her makeup. Today she planned on looking perfect.

“Where you informed that you are attending the party too?” Gina asked, while placing her high school bag down.

“No I was not told,” Ella lowly answered,

“I knew it, but you should know that the Alpha stated that everyone has to be in attendance, it’s the Alpha`s orders. So you have to be there okay,” Gina continued while taking a bowl to make some food for herself.

Unlike the rest, Gina never ordered Ella around and usually did her own things on her own.

“Okay,” Ella whispered, while inwardly thinking of how she did not want to go. Why go only to be surrounded by more people who hated her. But a part of her also wanted to see her mate Elias again.

She could not stop thinking about that kiss they had shared and the way he had looked at her.

“I will sneak one of my dresses to you, because I know you don’t have anything suitable to wear,” Gina offered, a sad look on her face as she thought of how Ella was treated. She would have helped but she too was afraid of defending Ella, not wanting to risk the wrath of her mother. But whenever her mother was not around, Gina treated Ella with such kindness and tried her best to help.

“Thank you,” Ella whispered in a grateful tone. She had at least one person who sympathized with her situation.

After that Ella went and got started with ironing Freya`s dress.

“Hey you Brat, Come and massage my feet,” Ella went to where she was being called by her stepmother who had just arrived back.

“I talked with the Alpha, even though you are coming to the party, you will be one of the servants instead.” As she was told this while kneeling on the floor and handling her stepmother`s dirty feet, Ella nodded having expected this.

Only in her dreams, would she get invited to a party as a guest. Guess she did not need Gina`s party dress after all.

“I am hoping to have Freya end up with the Alpha`s son and be the next Luna. So you better behave, one wrong move or if you embarrass me, I will make you pay. Do you understand ME?” Her stepmother threatened, glaring at Ella with hatred.

“Yes I understand,” Ella replied submissively before continuing with what she was doing. 

Ella sat silently in the car as they drove to the Alpha`s house where the party was being held.

Dread filled Ella as she thought of all the times she had been called there, humiliated each time for being wolf less.

“You know where you should go,” Her step mother instructed with a disgusted look aimed at Ella as they got out of the car.

All three of them where dressed in gorgeous dresses and looked like models. While Ella wore a torn old t-shirt once owned by her father Neo and almost faded black jeans. She looked like a homeless person. Exactly how her stepmother wanted her to look.

Ella nodded and left them to head for the kitchen.

Upon entering she was quickly handed the waitress uniform to change into. The Alpha was hosting a lavish party. He wanted only the best for his only son.

Soon her hectic day started, serving food and drinks in a mansion full of pack members and the Alpha`s guests.

Suddenly the Alpha finally arrived changing the atmosphere as all eyes were now on him as he entered alone. His mate, supposed to be the Luna was killed by human hunters. Another reason why he loathed and hated Ella for not having a wolf and appearing human.

“My son is finally back home. Your future Alpha has finished with his training.” The Alpha first said in a speech to everyone with the look of a proud father. Ella could finally see the similarities between him and Elias. They had the same green eyes too.

As he finished his speech, Elias entered into the room, with pack members cheering and clapping for him, their soon to be Alpha.

Ella could feel herself swoon just as the rest of the unmated female pack members were all doing while gazing at her handsome mate.

“I also have an important announcement too.” The Alpha continued once Elias had reached and now stood next to him.

“My son has found his mate, and your future Luna,” As the Alpha spoke those words, his eyes moved through the crowd until they found Ella`s.

She stared back in panic, realizing that Elias must have told his father about her being his mate.

But by the glare of hatred in his eyes as he stared at her, she knew that he was very displeased.

“His mate is none other than Freya, our late Gamma, Neo`s daughter. They will mate tonight with me also transferring the Alpha position to my son and his new Luna.”

Ella froze wondering if she had heard right?