CHAPTER 1

My name is Cassandra White, the Alpha's daughter of the Red Moon Pack. I am 22 years old and still haven't found my mate. But that doesn't make me feel bad or lesser. To us werewolves, finding our mate is very important because it makes us feel whole and complete. But I am different—I am more than terrified to meet my fated partner.

Today is the first day of school after summer break. I grabbed my car keys and left the house, dressed simply for school. Now in my fourth year of college, I have always been the top student.

"Cassy, here!" Joana called, waiting by the entrance.

Joana is James's sister and my brother's mate, while James is my boyfriend.

I waved at her and pointed to the parking lot. She nodded, understanding that I would be there after parking.

"What's up?" I asked as I walked over.

"I have some exciting news!" she squealed in excitement.

Joana immediately grabbed my arms and lowered my head, tiptoeing since I was taller than her.

"A big shot is coming to our school, but he's not gonna study he'll only stay for about a week or two!" she whispered.

I raised my brows at her, and seeing my uninterested expression, she glared at me.

"Oh, come on! Can you at least pretend to be interested? This isn't just any big shot!"

"Yeah, not interested," I said without hesitation and walked past her.

"Look, it's Cassandra White!"

As I walked onto campus, I felt all eyes on me. It was uncomfortable, but I didn’t hate it. At least I was recognized for my hard work and dedication, not just because of my position in the pack.

"She's still as gorgeous as ever," someone murmured.

"And elegant," added a man in a white shirt, looking sexy and confident as he made his way toward me.

I rolled my eyes at him, and he chuckled. Taking long strides, he immediately embraced me, planting kisses on my cheeks.

"How can this lady be so breathtaking? I could die right now!"

"Yeah, I think you'll die if you don't stop!" I said, pinching his cheeks hard, making him wince in pain.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop!" He raised his hands in surrender.

"How could you be so harsh on your boyfriend?" he added, rubbing his reddened cheeks.

I chuckled, watching his adorable reaction. He was like a puppy. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Joana making a face like she was about to puke.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Oh please, Joana! You, of all people, shouldn’t be acting like that. You know very well how you act around your mate."

Her face instantly turned red, and she rushed toward me. "Shut up, Cassy!" She covered my mouth with her hands while glaring daggers at me.

James and I laughed at her until my nose caught a unique scent for the first time in my life. My eyes widened, and I started to sweat, making James's smile fade. The scent was intoxicating, mesmerizing. My head felt light, as if I were dreaming. Then, I heard the word I had never wished to hear ringing in my head, bringing me back to reality.

'Mate!'

'Mate!' My wolf screamed the word over and over in my head.

My heart pounded so loudly that I clenched my fists tightly. I sensed his presence behind me—not too close, but close enough to feel him. Slowly and cautiously, I turned around, but just as I was about to see who it was, James grabbed my shoulder, staring straight into my soul, preventing me from looking back. My stomach churned—it felt like I had been caught cheating.

"Hey, are you okay? You're sweating a lot," James said, wiping my forehead.

"Oh gosh! Did I accidentally hurt you?" Joana asked in a panic.

I tried to speak, but it felt like something was stuck in my throat. I couldn't utter a word. After a few moments, silence filled the air, and the only sounds I could hear were my pounding heartbeat and approaching footsteps.

His scent grew stronger as he got closer. My mind went crazy—I wanted to run. But then,

"We greet you, Your Highness. Welcome to our school!" said the head of our school.

I gasped, making James furrow his brows.

The Royal family had only one heir, which meant the person behind me was the Crown Prince.

"Lenox Blade..." I muttered.

I didn’t hear him speak, but I could feel his eyes piercing into me. I refused to turn around. But when I sensed him moving toward us, my legs wobbled.

'Don't come any closer, please!' I pleaded internally. But contrary to my wishes, he kept advancing, driving me nuts with each step.

"Hey, Cassy..." Joana tugged at my dress. I saw her lowering her head, and so was James.

"You should turn around. The prince is heading this way. We should pay our respects, or we might get in trouble..." she whispered.

I felt my body trembling, though I wasn’t sure if it was from anxiety or excitement.

'Damn it! I hate this feeling! It’s disgusting.'

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes like I was awaiting a death sentence. When I felt him stretch out his hand toward mine, I nearly lost it.

'Oh, f*** it!' I screamed internally.

My vision blurred. I felt out of breath, my heart hammering in my chest. Looking around, I suddenly realized I was in the restroom, staring at myself in the mirror.

I remembered how I ran here as if my life depended on it. The gasps from the crowd, including James and Joana, echoed in my mind. But they couldn’t follow me—it would have been disrespectful to the prince.

"Oh my god! Is she crazy?"

"What the heck is she doing?"

"She didn’t even bow or greet the prince."

"Not just that, she didn’t even face him and just left like that!"

I heard the whispers as I ran, but I didn’t care.

"D*mn it!" I cursed under my breath.

Of course, they wouldn’t understand. What I did was disrespectful, but I couldn’t help it. My mind was in chaos.

I looked at myself in the mirror, shaking, pale. Hugging myself, I let my tears fall.

Anyone else would be thrilled to find their mate, especially if they were from the Royal family. But not me. I love James. We promised each other we would choose each other, even after finding our mates. That was our promise.

But why am I so happy? Why do I feel like I’ve waited for this moment my whole life? I can't explain the joy I felt when his scent hit my nose or when I sensed his presence near me.

I’m scared. I feel like I don’t know my own heart anymore. What if I give in to these desires growing inside me? What will happen to James?

TOK! TOK! TOK!

"Cassy, are you there?" James’s worried voice called out.

I bit my lip, and took a deep breath,

"What a mess..."

I lowered my face to the sink to wash it, and after drying myself, I took a deep breath before going out. When I opened the door, I was instantly met with a pair of large hands.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? Why do you look so pale?" James asked, hugging me and cupping my face to check me out.

"No... I'm... I'm just... I had a stomach ache, so I had to run here. But I'm fine now..." I replied with the first thing that came to my mind, trying my best to look like I meant what I said.

James knows me too well, considering we have been together for five years. He stared into my soul, but I didn't look away and even raised my brows as if asking what he was doing.

I have this habit of avoiding his eyes whenever I lie or looking uncomfortable whenever I meet his gaze. So I made sure not to show any of those signs this time. I can't let him or anyone find out that I found my mate.

"Sigh, you can't even find a more reasonable excuse for your actions..." James let go of my face.

"What do you mean?" I asked as my heart skipped a beat.

He looked at me with an expression that screamed, "Are you serious?"

Then he placed his hands on my shoulders and said, "Cassandra, have you forgotten that you've never once fallen sick and that your Alpha blood is stronger than our Alpha?"

After saying that, I unknowingly held my breath, realizing how lame my excuse was.

"Tell me, what exactly is going on, Cassy?" He gripped my shoulders.

I knew he was feeling uneasy as well. I could see the suspicion in his eyes. This was the first time in five years that I had acted out of character. I racked my brain, trying to find a way out of this situation, but I never imagined it worsening.

"You, there!" A stern and authoritative voice made my skin crawl.

I felt James flinch, his grip on my shoulders tightening, and I could feel his anger rising through his body.

"Don't tell me," James glared at Lenox and me.

"I need to talk to her. Leave," Lenox said calmly.

"I won't leave my girlfriend to you!" James replied, putting his arms around my waist.

Lenox's face darkened at the sight. He was a Prince and would rule over all the shifters in the future; he couldn't bear the disrespect.

"J-James, don't worry. I'll follow you right away. I promise it will be quick, so—"

"NO!" James yelled, losing his cool.

Though we still hadn't spoken about the mate bond, the situation already confirmed James's suspicions.

James took my hand and glared at Lenox, trying to take me away. But then, Lenox took long strides, and in an instant, James was slammed against the wall, his back facing Lenox, with Lenox's hand on his neck.

"How dare you disobey me? Leave, or I'll make you!" Lenox growled through gritted teeth, his voice filled with rage.

"ENOUGH!" I shouted in panic. He could easily snap James's neck, and the thought made me tremble.

"P-please, let him go..." I added.

Lenox gave me a deadly stare before retracting his hands from James's neck. I ran toward James as he fell to the ground and helped him stand.

I looked Lenox in the eye as I supported James.

"I refuse to be your mate," I uttered, my voice resolute while holding James's arm.

Lenox's eyes instantly turned from sapphire to crimson, and without warning, he threw James aside. He dragged me back to the restroom and trapped both of my hands, and what he did next made me scream my lungs out in horror.

"Argh! NO!"