Chapter 1

Three years had passed since my mother had left me alone in the quite town of Silverwood. Every year I had secretly prayed to the moon goddess for her return. But this year I was turning eighteen, I was much wiser now to understand she wasn’t coming back for me.

Running through the forest has always had an effect on my body I couldn’t just explain how it made me feel. Free! was the closest words I can think of. 

I can feel it in the air, the fresh smell of forest had a way of relaxing every muscles in her body, memories of I and my mother running through the woods laughing and playing were still in my head. I stopped running and my claws start to abruptly dig into the soil beneath, I was drawing the strange pattern I can’t seem to remember where I had seen it again. 

I looked at the strange pattern again, maybe it has some connection with my mom or even dad, I closed my eyes for a minute to relax, I will be turning 18 tomorrow. I really wish my mom was here. I miss my parents.

Being the daughter of a rouge wolf, has made life harder for Avery, everyone and everything despises her in Silverwood. She didn’t know who her father was, but everyone made sure to let her know she was the daughter of a ruthless rouge. They had always reminded her she was an abomination and that’s why her mother had abandoned her. 

Girls her age avoided her like a plague, wherever she went to, the pack members made her feel miserable and isolated her. She has had several thoughts of running away but she was scared of leaving and her mother coming back and not finding her. 

Avery heard a low noise which pulled her out of her deep thoughts. She decided to follow the sound. As my eyes landed on the figure in front me, I turned my back and started to run.

I found myself running and running, not knowing exactly where I was heading to but I was running. "Stop right there." A voice thundered behind me, which only made me run even more. 

I just saw those men brutally ripping out the throat of a girl and I secretly feared I will be next. What if something happened to me? I haven't lived my life yet. 

I suddenly tripped and fell on my face and I heard the men stop as they chuckled darkly. "Looks like we've got something to play with tonight." One of them said and I curled up in a ball.

"She looks so fragile and weak." The other said and I only hugged my knees even more tightly as his cold fingers touched my bare skin. 

"What do you think you're doing?" A voice came from the other side and the cold hand I was feeling disappeared. "So this is what you do to vulnerable ladies in my father's pack?"

"No, not at all. Don't get us wrong prince Lucien, we are only trying to help her." One of the men chuckled as I felt someone lift me effortlessly in the air. 

"Get rid of them." He said and a few seconds after, I could hear distant scream and I slowly opened my eyes to see prince Lucien staring right at me with a disgusted look. 

"You can't even protect yourself, how do you want to protect the whole pack? Seems like the moon goddess gave me the wrong choice of mate." He shook his head in pity as he looked down at me. "I reject you, Avery."

As he said those words, I felt like someone stabbed me across the heart. I felt a sharp pain that refused to leave and the air surrounding me became really cold. 

I had just got my wolf today and I realized prince Lucien was my mate. He realized that too this morning but didn't say a word about it. 

"Wait…" I tried to stop him but he already dashed off and he left me there, on the cold floor after being rejected. 

I broke down into tears and I remained there for a few minutes before I felt a warm hand on my head. I looked up to see beta Donovan looking down at me with a warm smile. 

"You'll be fine." He said as he ran his fingers through my hair. 

"He rejected me, uncle. Everyone hates me. They all do." I sobbed as I threw myself in his arms and he patted my back gently. 

"But I don't. They don't see the beauty in you like I do Avery. You're a bright, red and precious gemstone and not everyone will appreciate you until they lose you." He said and I could not help but cry more and more. 

I had expected out of everyone who hated me, my mate would be different but he didn't even give it a second thought before rejecting me. I couldn't blame him though. He had Stella. 

Stella was all I could never be and he had her so I see no reason why he should actually come to me, a weak good-for-nothing wolf. 

I knew part of the reason Donovan was here to comfort me was because his daughter was the reason my last hope just slipped from my hands. 

"I'll be fine." I said to myself but I knew that was a total lie. I have always been neglected right since I could remember and everyone spoke to my face about being a rogue and I could never fit in. 

Right since I was a child, I yearned for love and acceptance from the society but I only got hatred and maltreatment in return. Only Beta Donovan was good enough to have a heart. 

Just as I was about to say another word to Beta Donovan, a couple of guards marched towards us and grabbed my arms roughly. "Beta Donovan, you will excuse us. Prince Lucien asked us to return her to the pack house this instant." One of the guards and Beta Donovan stood up, taking a step back. 

No one could defy the alpha or his son's orders and realizing he was my mate this morning made me feel a bit special and important that he would finally recognize me and so would everyone else. 

I was dragged into the pack house but not to my room in the basement, I was dragged to the one hallway I only peeped into when everyone in the pack house was out, and that was Lucien's quarters. 

"What am I doing here?" I asked them but they didn't answer my question and just shoved me into one of the doors, closing the door behind me. 

"Wait, let me out of here. What's going on?" I pounded my fists against the door but no one answered. Panic began to set in. 

What if this was a set up and I will end up being killed because I was found in the alpha's son's room. Although I was hated, I didn't want to die so very young. 

"Ahh, you're here." I heard Lucien 's voice, which made me look back, gluing my body to the door. 

"I am very sorry my lord." I fell on my knees pleadingly with tears forming in my eyes. "I was brought in here by the guards, please do not punish me." 

"Of course I will not punish you, little one. The moon goddess might have made the wrong choice in making us mates but since she has, I might as well enjoy you since no other man will take you." He said, looking at me hungrily. 

No matter what, I know my worth but I wasn't allowed to say a thing before he grabbed me. I forcefully tried to snatch myself from his grip but he hit me, pushing me to the bed. 

"You will listen to me." He said and I let out an ear piercing scream which resounded through the whole room.