Prologue

The sun sparkled through the trees like diamonds as Mom’s voice filled the car, barely on key. She was singing along with the radio, one of my favorite songs. While my mother was beautiful and spoke eloquently, she had a terrible singing voice, though she never let that stop her.

Dad looked over at her, his fingers lacing with hers and a smile on his face. Even at eight years old, I could see the enormous amount of love he felt for her. Of course, they were mates and that’s what it meant to be a mate. Even at eight, I dreamed of having that one day. 

However, that changed in a flash. My father suddenly let go of my mother, alarm now filling his expression as he struggled with the car. Mom and dad began yelling and shouting. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I heard Dad say, “the brakes aren’t working.”

Mom looked back at me. “Sheila, honey, put -” 

Suddenly, the car jerked to the side and the car fell off the small cliff to my left. The world became a kaleidoscope of colors as the car rolled and rolled. The sounds of my mother screaming filled my ears as glass and rocks pelted me all over. 

The next thing I knew, it was silent and I was laying on sand and grass. The pain was immense for my eight-year-old self, but I managed to get up to see our car laying upside down about a hundred feet from me. “Mom… Dad…” I called, but silence was my only answer. 

Fear filled me and, despite the pain, I pulled myself towards the car. “Mom… Dad…” I yelled again and again, only silence. “Mom… Dad!!!!”

At that moment I saw a sparkle of flame. It grew until it flickered out from the bottom of the car. I took a breath to shout again when I was suddenly thrown back, heat washed over me as more glass and things hit and cut into me. 

“MOM… DAD!!” I yelled once I sat up and saw the car engulfed in flames. I wanted to stand, get up and run to them. I could save them if I could only get up. My chest  constricted and pain laced through me. I couldn’t breathe. 

The glow of the flames disappeared, replaced by darkness, and a starchy feeling across my face. A dream. It had been a dream. Yet, I still couldn’t breathe. 

The fog of my nightmare faded, and I realized something was pushed over my face. My survival instinct kicked in as I kicked out, hitting someone. 

The pillow fell from my face and I saw another nightmare. My cousin Fiona. Loathing filled her muddy brown eyes as she glared at me, a pillow in her hands. My heart beat hard in my chest as I met her glare. She was trying to kill me… again.

It hadn’t been the first time I woke up with her either attempting to smother me or strangle me. She was literally a psychopath; like she enjoys torturing animals type of psychopath. It took my aunt and uncle three birds, two cats, and a dog to finally realize what was going on. Of course, they refused to take her to a psychologist, as that would impact on their reputation.

A malicious grin slowly spread across Fiona’s face. “Don’t forget what day it is,” she said in a cold, maniacal voice, then turned on her heel and practically skipped out of the closet I called a room.

I let out a breath and fully set up. Don’t forget what day it is? This was a day I would never forget. It was branded into my brain by the fiery explosion that killed my parents. As if it wasn’t enough pain that my birthday would now forever be scared into my brain as the day my parents died, and my life became a living hell, Fiona had to share the same birthday. 

Quickly getting out of bed, I hurried to the door to close it then back to my bed. Reaching under the mattress, I pulled out a framed photograph. My parents stood with seven-year-old me near a large river, our tent in the corner. I ran my fingers over their smiling faces. “Hey, Mom and Dad,” I whisper and make a scratch on the back of the wooden frame.

Nine marks stared back at me. Nine birthdays without them. Nine years of living like a prisoner. Nine years of fearing one day Fiona might just succeed in her attempts to kill me. Nine years of watching my uncle alphaing a pack that doesn’t belong to him. Nine years… I am seventeen now. Nearly an adult, but thanks to my uncle, I had no money, no education, no anything. I was trapped here, probably forever. 

With a glance at the small digital clock on my nightstand, I realized I was almost late. Stuffing the picture away, I quickly dressed and hurried to the kitchen. As I walked down the hallway, I saw a pile of presents piled on the living room floor. Fiona lived like a princess. I bet she’d even counted them.

I allowed myself a little smile and continued to the kitchen. I could hear my aunt and uncle gushing over Fiona’s outfit. “Oh, you look so lovely,” Aunt Mia told her.

“Yes, I could guarantee you are the best looking girl in the whole pack.” Uncle Aaron told her. 

I did my best not to roll my eyes as I walked into the room. Their conversation halted and they each gave me a slow glance once over then sniffed with obvious disapproval. 

“You’re late. Get breakfast ready now. We’re leaving soon,” my uncle demanded. 

“Yes, and Fiona’s going to need her strength if she’s going to enjoy her special day,” Aunt Mia added. 

More insult to injury. Since I’d become their ‘adopted daughter’ they’ve insisted on taking Fiona to the same amusement park my parents were taking me to. Perhaps Fiona wasn’t the only psychopath in the family? 

I bowed my head, keeping my eyes on the floor. “Yes, Alpha,” I said, keeping my tone submissive just like they wanted, and started getting breakfast ready.

 

They ate voraciously, leaving nothing for me, and we promptly left. As we drove, I kept my eyes on my hands which I clasped together, so I wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse that I was only ever in one was during my birthday.

Everything became a blur as we entered the amusement parks. That was a blessing. I’d come to loath amusement parks. The entertainment was lame and never changing, yet people laughed and clapped like it was the best thing they’d seen. The food was disgusting and probably took five years off your life just from eating it. 

I sat on a bench while Fiona ate popcorn, chewing like a cow. She was about to toss another handful into her mouth when someone bumped into a serve, which caused the girl to pour soda over the side of Fiona’s ghastly pink dress. 

Now, you might think Fiona would be furious, scream ‘how dare you?’ or something equally dramatic, but she didn’t. My cousin was obviously angry, but was I saw most in her eyes were delight. Her lip curled as she turned to the girl and without so much as a warning, kicked out like a mule hitting the other girl right in the stomach. 

The whoosh of breath that burst out of her was audible to even me. The girl, an omega by the looks of it, fell to the ground, holding her stomach in obvious pain. Fiona, like my uncle, was a very strong werewolf. 

My uncle looked at Fiona’s dress, then snarled at the girl before he too kicked her in the back. I flinched as the girl cried out. My instincts demanded I protect her, but even though I had alpha blood, I had no wolf making me no better than her. 

“It seems this one needs a little more training,” Uncle Aaron said, shoving her with his foot. “Back to the pack house with you. Perhaps you can launder better than serving.” 

My uncle readied another kick when a boy suddenly darted in front of him. “Alpha,” he said with a bright, toothy smile. “Everything okay?” he didn’t want for an answer. “Oh, that’ll stain if we don’t do something. How about I take you to custodial, and we can get that cleaned up? Yeah?” 

Uncle Aaron continued to glare at the omega, but nodded. “Come on Fiona. Let’s get you taken care of. Don’t worry. That omega will pay,” he said as Fiona, my aunt, and him followed the boy. 

I sat there, watching them leave when I heard the omega stand and say. “What a bunch of assholes. Looks like it’s not our lucky day.” 

I wasn’t sure why I’d said it, but I did. “I haven’t had a lucky day in the past nine years.”

The omega stopped trying to dust off her clothes. “Oh, well that sucks,” she said then smiled. “How about we change that. Want to watch the sunset on the roof deck?”

That sounded great but… “I don’t want to bother you.”

The omega made a snort. “Bother? I’ve already been bothered. Besides, it’s not like I have anything to do since I’m now out of a job. Come on, let’s go.”

She offered me a hand up. My ‘family’ probably wouldn’t notice I’m gone, so I took it and stood. 

With a bright, almost wicked grin, she said, “I’m Nancy.”

We sat on the roof of the deck, sharing what was left of the soda. I couldn’t take my eyes off the sunset. It was beautiful, but didn’t chase away the horridness that was my life. 

“So,” Nancy said, looking at the empty cup. “Have you met Kevin before?”

“Kevin?” 

“The boy that stopped the alpha from kicking me again.”

I shook my head, not taking my eyes off the sunset. 

“Ah, well. He’s great. He’s a gamma, but doesn’t treat us omegas like trash,” she explained then sighed. “Have you ever thought what your mate would be like?”

A mate? What was the point in thinking about a mate? I was no better than omega. No, worse than an omega. I had no wolf and never shifted; not once. “No, I haven’t.”

“Really? Well, I hope mine will be like Kevin. He’d have to be right? Cause of true love and all that?”

I laughed, but stopped because I was sure she’d be offended, but Nancy grinned and laughed with me. She put an arm on my shoulders. “So Omega. What’s your name?”

Feeling for the first time I wasn’t alone, I smiled and answered, “Sheila.”