Chapter 1.

Percy was walking down the hall of the pack house, ready to meet the Alphas of the adjoining packs. The smell of testosterone was building up in the pack house as the visiting alphas had brought their eldest daughters with them in the hopes that one of them would be Alpha Percy’s mate.

The thought alone made him cringe. Percy wasn’t about to take a mate, a Luna, simply because so was the way to do things. His father had chosen a strong female warrior as his chosen mate and together they raised three children. They didn’t love each other and that was the point, love has no place in a pack like theirs. The warriors were ruthless, the women had attitudes that could be matched and they were, by all means, beautiful in every single way. The Lycan Pack was known for the fear they caused others, for the blood they shed, and most of all, for their powerful Alpha who leaves nothing to chance.

~PERCY~

I heard their voices from behind the door. One of the voices was from the representative of the Lock Heart Pack, their alpha rarely came out of hiding and his paranoia only grew with each year.

I placed my hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath before walking into the room of misfits, all of whom would beg me for help with whatever problems they were facing this time, and then tell their packs that it was all their doing. I didn't care for acknowledgment, nor did I care for weak leaders who couldn't take care of their packs.

They all stood to their feet as I entered. My Beta, Patrik, was already standing beside my chair.

I nodded my head before walking around the table and taking my seat.

“Gentlemen, ” I greeted and waited for the meeting to begin and hopefully end just as quickly.

“Alpha, there has been a rogue sighting around the pack territories and we begin to think that they’re planning something.” Alpha Sparta said. After he finished he diverted his eyes and looked at the table. A smirk crept up on my face and pride swelled in my chest.

“There haven’t only been sightings but also attacks on some of the packs, ” Alpha Jack said.

“I know, we have had some unwanted visitors, ” Their heads turned to me in a synced motion.

“What  do you suggest?”

I grabbed my glass of water and swirled it around before meeting Alpha Sparta's gaze. I saw him gulp and he badly wanted to divert his eyes again. But he asked a question, now he must meet my requirements.

“Kill them, ” I stated simply.

They all looked at me with composed expressions, but if you could see behind people's facades, you could see the terror they held.

“Alpha, killing rogues comes with more problems than it solves,” I met his stare, I narrowed my eyes, and leaned forward.

“Then kill the problems that follow,”

“Have those meetings gotten more tedious or is it the people who have gotten old?” I asked Patrik as we descended the stairs.

“I think it’s you who have grown angrier, ” he said and looked ahead. Patrik turned his head and smirked.

“Alpha, ” he added with a mock head bow.

I shook my head and we walked out on the fields for some practice. We shifted into our wolves and started fighting.

Make it hurt

‘Always do’

Edon, my wolf, responded.

Patrik's wolf, Lupus, lunged himself at us, and Edon stood still. When he was inches away, his canines aiming for our neck, Edon lowered himself and lunged upwards biting into his stomach.

Lupus fell to the ground, whining as the blood poured out.

He shifted back and scowled at me.

“What the fuck, Percy?”

“Don’t disrespect your Alpha, Patrick, ”

He groaned as he tried standing on his feet. The blood was still pouring and because it was me who bit him, the wound would take longer to heal.

‘Get Selene’

I mind-linked one of the warriors.

‘Yes, Alpha’

I looked down at my friend who was scowling at me while pressing his hand on the wound. I bit down, clenching my jaw, and waited for the girl to come. It didn’t take long before her scent filled my nostrils and she walked up behind us.

“Alpha, ” Selene greeted with a head bow.

“Take the Beta to the infirmary and tend to his wounds, ” I ordered.

“Alpha, I’m not a-”

“It’s an order,” I said as I took a step towards her. Selene bowed her head, her gaze meeting the ground as I towered over her. When she lifted her head, her big, brown eyes looked up through her lashes. I couldn’t help the childish smile that wanted to break out, but I hid it.

~SELENE~

“Did the Alpha do this to you?” I asked the Beta as I cleaned his wound.

“Yes, but he’s done worse.” his eyes were cold, an unpenetrable mask hid his emotions well and his voice sent shivers down my spine, turning my blood to ice. His distaste for me, however, he didn't care to hide.

The Beta, Patrik, was as much of a dominant asshole as the Alpha. It didn’t matter how kind I was nor how much I did for the pack, I would never be more than a slave to them.

I cleaned Patrik's wounds and sterilized them before covering them with gas so they wouldn’t get infected. I wasn’t a nurse nor a part of the hospital staff, but I had spent much of my time here cleaning the facilities. I had seen how they operated and attended to the injured a few times, so I had picked up a few things.

Most of the people working here were healers, it was their calling.

I was told when I was younger that everyone had a task, a calling in life and I guess mine was being the pack's punchbag and dirty worker.

I shook my head trying to rid myself of the pitying thoughts before I started crying.

I went over and patched him up before telling him it was all done.

Patrik stood, he towered over me as most males did.

I’m 1.60 and that didn’t get you very far amongst werewolves.

Patrik looked down on me, taking in my small stature before focusing on my eyes, disgust written all over his face.

No ‘thank you’, no smile, he simply pushed past me and stomped out.

Ever since I can remember, this pack has been my home. When I grew up, I stayed with my aunt Hilda and I never knew who my parents were.

I was never treated like the other pack members, I was never allowed to practice because of my height, and I wasn’t allowed to eat with them or socialize with them. I was the outcast, the one they called for when there was something to clean or take care of.

I always just accepted that this was the way things were. I’m seventeen today and the only thing I have to look forward to is turning eighteen and gaining my wolf. And hopefully, I will find my mate.

That’s what all female wolves hope for, isn't it? Finding their mate, their other half, the one person who will always love them no matter what. They will love you for you, regardless of who you are.

I still couldn’t mind-link the pack since I didn’t have my wolf, therefore an omega would always come running when my services were needed.

“Selene!” Charity shouted as she walked quickly towards me.

I sighed and turned around, smiling as she came up to me with a frown on her face.

“The Alpha of Shadowlands is Coming and Percy needs you to clean,” she stopped for a beat and looked around, with a smirk on her face, and her eyes landed back on mine. “-Everything.” Charity turned her heels, laughing as she skipped away.

I released a breath and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

Three more months. I kept telling myself.

In three months  I would gain my wolf and at least then, I would have a friend, someone who treated me like an equal and not filth.

I had cleaned the entire packhouse, except for one room, the Alpha's study.

Normally I would go in there when he was out but he would be there with the Beta, planning for the winter jule.

I picked up the bucket with dirty water and went to the storage room, rinsing it out. I grabbed a few new rags and a dust whip before walking up the three flights of stairs to his study.

It was a spiral staircase, and as soon as someone else wanted to pass, I nearly got pushed down.

I knocked on his door three times but didn’t get an answer. He was there, I knew that much. Perhaps there was someone else in there with him, the alpha didn’t care much for acknowledging me in the presence of others.

I turned the knob and stepped inside. The Alpha and Beta were there, as was a she-wolf, standing close to the Alpha with her boobs nearly pressed up against his face. I smothered a scoff that was building and cleared my throat.

He raised his head from the stack of papers on his desk and glared at me. He gave me a stiff nod and I started cleaning.

After another two hours of meticulous cleaning, I was done. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand and let out a ragged breath.

A shower.

That was all that was on my mind, a shower and some rest.

I made my way to the door, keeping my head down and my shoulders hunched forward.

Normally if I showed submission, there would be no further talk. However today, I wasn’t so lucky.

“Selene,” my hand, which had reached for the knob, slowly lowered and I turned to face the alpha.

“Yes, Alpha?” I said whilst keeping my eyes glued to the ground.

“Stay, I need to have a word, In private,” He said and looked around at the others. The disdain and disgust in the she-wolf's eyes were hard to miss.

Nevertheless, they obeyed their Alpha's order and left the room.

I heard the door click shut behind me, the sound of which made my body shiver, it meant that I was alone in the presence of the Alpha, a feeling of unease started creeping up my spine but I was determined not to let it show.