Prologue

Selena POV:

My name is Selena and I was born a crime.

Werewolves speak proudly of how they take care of their pack, but in reality, not all wolves were equals. The pack hunted as a group, the stronger ones leading, while the weaker trailed behind and waited for their turn to feed.

The Alphas and the Betas would gorge on the flesh and the muscles, leaving the organs to the weaker ones.

Not allowed to show my face, I would hide within the thick foliage and wait until the pack retreated to take a look at what was left of the dead animal.

With a pack our size, hardly any muscle was left hanging on the hard-to-reach crevices of the bones. Instead, I would chew into the bones until my jaw would ache and suck out the marrow from the middle.

When my father, Bran, was around, he would hunt small rabbits from the end of our territory and bring it back for us. I, as a half-human, could consume herbs, fruits, and vegetables from the wilderness, but he only survived on the meat. And when he disappeared, I could only chew on the bones for nourishment.

For other orphaned werewolf children, elders would leap to adopt them and feed them, but abominations like me were pushed aside, left to die. They didn’t actively try to kill me, but they intended on slowly starving me.

That was all well and fine.

I planned on leaving the White Claw Pack. I had been going out into the human world and working human jobs to earn a little money. Having saved up a pretty penny, I intended on driving away from the pack and take employment in one of those farms until I had enough money to buy a small plot of my own.

The books on farming and cattle rearing were yellowed and frayed from overuse and I needed a few more months to have enough savings to leave on my own accord.

That night was the first full moon of the year, eighteen-year-old me peered out of my little hut and saw the light from the bonfire towering over the houses, the light beaming into space. I covered myself in a shawl and sat in front of the door and listened to the boisterous laughter and music floating from its direction.

Curiosity curled in my gut and I almost wanted to see what the bonfire would be like. Rumors had it, the wolves danced and drank to the moon and for one night, they were blissful.

Picking up my courage, I stood up and walked timidly to the open grounds. I hid behind one of the central huts and watched the crowd with fascination.

The men towered over the small women, their chests exposed to the moonlight and sparks of wire, while the women wore wrap dresses. Some of the younger females had skin adorned with aromatic and colored herbs and I blinked as they twisted and danced at the center.

They were no more than my age but bigger in size because of their predominant wolf genes.

I wondered what they were so happy about until the men crouched. Their bones cracked, the grotesque sounds following as their human wails turned to wolf-like howls.

My eyes widened as I saw them circle the young girls, herding them towards the darkness of the forest.

I sucked in a gasp and pressed my hand over my mouth when I recognized what was happening. The men were going to hunt these young women down and mate them.

I scrunched my brows in confusion as I thought about it. Women didn’t take sexual partners before their first heat and women who went into heat got partners almost immediately. So, I didn’t understand how so many women could be mated at once.

“Curious?” someone whispered from behind me. A chill went up my spine and I stiffened as I felt a presence looming behind me.

I turned my head stiffly to look at the face of the young but prominent beta of the pack, known for his devious charms and taste for female werewolves. His name? Chad. The worst name any wolf could ever have.

I shook my head meekly and tried to step away from him, only to be grabbed by my forearm.

“It’s good that you have arrived,” he said calmly. “You’ve been irresponsible by not joining into pack activities,” he said.

I remained silent, scared that a single word could enrage him. He tugged on my arm violently and I felt the piercing pain turn into a dull ache that permeated my muscles.

“Where?” I asked, my voice cracking.

He chuckled. “Do you think you are allowed to ask questions?” he growled. He forced me out of the shadows, dragging me to the center of the open field where only the elderly men and women sat, chatting and drinking wine.

Some glanced my way and turned away, their faces twisted with disgust.

“Why have you brought that thing here?” the sturdy-looking male said. I had only seen him during the hunts and could sense that his presence was oppressive.

The alpha of the pack, I recognized him. His name was Archer and he ruled his pack with a tight fist. He rarely allowed those of the pack to venture out into the world and I was only allowed to go out because I was practically an outsider. By being the abomination, I was less restricted.

I was kept away from such celebrations and at that moment, I wondered why I had let curiosity bring me there. Nothing good could come from exposing myself to the eyes of these wolves.

“Alpha, as a female of eighteen and a member of the pack, this girl is duty-bound to participate in the hunt,” Chad claimed.

“Don’t talk rubbish,” the alpha hissed. “The hunt is meant to induce the first heat of those female wolves. Who would claim a half-breed? The very thought of another spawn like her generating is a nightmare and a stain on our reputation,” he responded gruffly.

The others whole-heartedly agreed with him.

For this, I was glad. Prejudice might have saved me from a wretched fate. But my relief was short-lasting. It suddenly dawned on me that those women were being used as broodmare to strengthen and grow the White Claw Pack.

I didn’t know if I should be disgusted or terrified.

Chad clucked his tongue. “The Pack doctor created a strong concoction that keeps female bitches who birthed recently from getting pregnant,” he said slowly, the insinuation clear in his voice. The little hope I had ceased. “It works well for the women and the men are satisfied.”

He chuckled salaciously and I felt the hair at the back of my neck rise.

The alpha glared. “It works on wolves, it might not work on… it.” He raised his cup in my direction.

There was a cough from one of the male elders. The alpha turned to him curiously and the dilapidated man finally spoke up. “There has been an increase in the number of young unmated men in the pack. Add in the widowed wolves, we have fewer bitches to serve them. You could use her.”

A silence fell over the crowd.

I struggled in Chad’s grasp, willing what little strength I had to break away from him. I knew from the uncomfortable silence that I would be thrown into the darkness to fend for myself, hunted down like prey, and used until I broke or died.

And I refused to let that happen.

Alpha Archer looked at me from head to toe, the wheels in his brain turning.

“Satiated men are better hunters and live a happier life,” he thought out loud.

“Unsatisfied wolves are more aggressive and kill bigger prey. They protect their lands more fiercely because resources are scarce,” I panicked and made something up to protect myself.

Chad’s grip on my arm tightened. “Shut up, girl.” His voice warned me of death.

“Is that so?” Alpha Archer questioned, arching his eyebrow.

“Yes,” I stated. They couldn’t have me. I was supposed to leave this place, not become a glorified female the men visited to take out their frustrations. If that happened, I would never be able to leave this place.

I would never be free.

I chanced a glance to my right and caught the sight of a dejected widow. She gave me the look that warned me not to cause a scene and yet, I couldn’t help but protect myself.

I knew what happened to women who lost their mates. They met the same fate as they were punishing me to. This woman knew the life I had ahead of me, but still, she would doom me to it?

“I can’t send you in there and do as I wish?” he questioned once again and waited for my answer.

I knew how this would end for me. Alphas despised their authority being challenged. Actually, most men would be furious at being spoken to like this, to begin with, but for some reason, Alpha Archer seemed to find this amusing.

“I don’t want to be… that. Please allow me to leave.” I chose a softer tone so that he wouldn’t fly into a fury.

“Well, then.” He slapped his hand on his thigh. “Chad, bring her into the forest and set her free.” He smiled when he turned to me. I could see his intentions clearly in his eyes.

He wasn’t allowing me to leave. It was just the illusion of it. The moment I ran into the wilderness, the wolves would hunt me down, the scent of a female would be just as enticing and they wouldn’t care who my parents were or what I was.

I struggled against Chad. He crouched down so that he was eye-level with me and spoke lowly so that only the two of us could hear. “Most women in the pack would kill to be in your position. Do you realize the pleasure you would have? The power you could wield on those people?” He chuckled. “I have watched you. You are different from them, which is exactly why the moon goddess requires me to take you.”

Take me. What an eloquent way of saying that he wanted to break my will and feel triumphant when he was done.

“I don’t believe in the moon goddess and I certainly don’t believe your honeyed words,” I muttered.

“Nonetheless,” Chas said, stretching his hand towards the forest. “The alpha asked me to free you… so, I must follow.” When he smiled, his lips curled over his teeth. He looked feral at that moment.

I shook my head. This couldn’t be happening. I didn’t want to stay here. I had my life all planned out and this wasn’t part of it. I jumped to my feet and ran past him before he could grab me. I raced into the forest and two Sentinels moved to block my way, but Chad ordered them to move out of the way.

Chad let me go.

He let me run.

And then, in the distance, I heard the wretched howling of the wolf.

I had joined the hunt and I had no other choice but to hide until morning light colored the sky.

The other females in the pack could transform into their wolves. Despite my father’s attempts at teaching me, I could never go past the excruciating contortion and breaking of my bones. I never transformed into a wolf, my human genes preventing me from using any kind of wolf qualities that I might have had.

The only redeeming quality I possessed was that I could run fast… fast enough to keep pace with the pack.

So, I ran.