Chapter 1:

DARLA

"Bring your ass to the kitchen, Darla."

I hurried to keep the plates on the table before rushing downstairs to the kitchen. My chest heaving up and down from running to and fro since morning. The pack house is in a nutshell today.

Why wouldn't it be? It's the 18th birthday of pack's favorite girl, Ashlyn. Obviously there will be chaos and flares of enjoyment spread around the whole pack.

"Darla, out of your dream land. We have lots of work to do. If we slightly make a mistake, Ashlyn is going to cut our heads instead of a 3 tier cake."

Jennie stated with wide eyes. I chuckled looking at her scared face. No one is so scared of Ashlyn as Jennie.

"Stop laughing and help me. You are her sister. She might spare you. But me! She will surely cut me into small pieces."

On the mention of my sister the smile erased from my face. Yes, me and Nicky are sisters. More specifically, we are step sisters. Yet the treatment we both receive are so different. I carried the tray of dishes to the second floor. Rushing to get everything in order before the party starts. There is no use of remembering the usual stuff.

My leg hit something which made my balance imbalance and the empty tray fell directly on the ground. The glass tray now broke into small pieces while I fell on the ground just beside those broken pieces.

"Watch your step, weakling."

My mouth twisted in anger at the word. I got up from the floor before brushing my hands on my apron.

"Caleb, it will be very helpful if you just stick to any of your chicks. And not meddle in my work."

A luscious smirk adorned his lips which made me feel cringe and disgusted every time.

"Well, I can offer you my all attention in private though. You are a weakling but your beauty should come in handy."

He laughed along with his friends after saying that. I was about to place a nice slap across his tan skin when the very familiar voice resonated behind me.

"Sis, are you having another fight? Please, not at my birthday party."

I turned around to find Ashlyn wearing the most floral and expensive clothes and jewelry. Her one hand hooked around dad's hand as she came down the stairs smiling like an innocent.

"Dad, look she is fighting once again. She is going to ruin my birthday party."

Like any normal spoiled brat of a mighty Alpha, Ashlyn tattered to her dad. Well our dad. Dad looked at me with those same brown eyes holding shame, no love and no warmth.

"Darla, it's your younger sister's birthday. You should be busy with the preparation, not picking up fights with pack members."

"But dad….."

"No buts or if. Go and do your work. The guest will soon start coming."

My futile effort of explaining myself once again went in vain.

"Yes, Alpha."

I didn't look at his face and rushed down to the kitchen. I curled myself up near the kitchen slab. Awfully thankful that Jennie wasn't there. She was called right after I came here to clean the mess they say I created.

I don't want to think about the past but everytime dad dots on Ashlyn it makes me feel envious. I also want that love he showers on her. I'm also his daughter. If only mom was here, she would have never let this happen.

Why did she leave me? Am I so bad? Mom died while giving birth to me. It was a complicated childbirth. Only one of us can be saved. My mom chose me instead of herself. Everyone including dad says mom died of childbirth but I know my mom died of heartbreak.

While I was still a child in the cradle, my dad remarried. He married another woman 2 months after my mom's death. An Alpha can never get over his mate's death unless he has already started loving someone. My dad married a woman named Laura from another pack. Laura was mateless and my dad fell in love with her beauty a year back. They have been having a relationship since then. After they got married, a year after Ashlyn was born. The apple of the eye of dad.

Murmurs were always there in the pack about my mom. I got to know all this from my grandma who died a few years back.

On my 16th birthday, I turned into a beautiful white wolf but my wolf wasn't strong enough. I am slower than everyone else and even my strength is less than others. Dad slowly lost all his interest in me. Why wouldn't he? He has a beautiful wife and an almost perfect daughter.

I used to think the Cinderella story was fake but it's real in my case. Ever since Laura came into the pack house, she made my life a living hell. Making me do all the work of the pack. Her one sentence,

"You are of no work. Least you can do now is help to maintain the pack house."

Laura acted nice in front of dad but behind his back she acted like the stepmother which I read about in Cinderella. Nicky turned out the same as her. If it wasn't for their benefits they would have disposed of me long back.

Ashlyn has had a weak heart since birth. She needs regular blood transfusion. No one blood matches her instead of me. We both share the same father figure and our blood group is also the same AB(neg). For this reason they still kept me in the pack. They don't need me. They need my blood to keep the only heir of Midnight Pack alive.

Dad's misbehavior didn't hurt me as much as his selfishness did. He kept me in the pack for Ashlyn, so that my blood could save her.

"Darla, what are you doing here?"

I stood up hurriedly hearing Jennie's voice.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She pried my hands off her and held them in a tight grip before pulling me upstairs.

"You need to see this. The biggest commotion of the year."

I was still confused until I saw my sister's face which was red in anger or embarrassment I don't know. She was huffing loudly while dad and Laura tried to calm her down.

When her eyes fell on me, she yelled out loudly pointing her painted nails at me.

"You! Because of you this happened. You took into this rogue and now this rogue is my mate. It's all your doing. You did it deliberately."

I frowned and followed her finger which turned towards the tall man in the crowd.

He!!  

I remember him. He is the rogue I helped a few days back. He was alone and weak just like me. I had to beg dad to let him stay in the pack. I haven't seen him since then. He is Nicky's mate. Moon Goddess gives him strength.

The rogue wasn't looking hurtful rather he was frowning. Maybe at my sister's act.

"Why are you still standing there? Are you happy after ruining my life?"

I was about to say something in my defense when dad showed me his palm. A gesture solely for me to stop talking.

"The party ends here. I'm thankful you all came here."

As everyone was leaving I saw the rogue stealing a glance at me. His green eyes bored into mine and his chiseled jaw made a roll. I averted my eyes away from him.  

Everyone left the party. Dad and Laura also left while Dad gave me a displeased look, Laura had blazing anger in her eyes.

At the very end, Ashlyn left while giving me a sore eye and hateful gaze.

"Today was worth it."

Jennie chirped out. I tried to give her a smile but failed. Only I know what tomorrow morning will bring me.

Next morning-

"Good morning, beautiful."

A smile blossomed on my lips hearing the voice.

"Dean!!"

I turned around and hooked my hands around his neck pulling him down for a sweet kiss.

"How was your patrolling?"

He pressed his forehead against mine and sighed.

"Tiring. I missed you."

He muttered and I couldn't help but smile again. Among all bad things, the only good thing that happened to me is Dean.

Dean is my mate. The one Moon Goddess chose for me. I found Dean on my 18th birthday. Unlike my expectations, he accepted me which gave me hope. Hope that I'll lead a good life. Dean is one of the best warriors of our pack. He is soon going to be the Head warrior and after that he will mark me. Most of the wolves mark each other when they find each other but as Dean is going to be the head warrior, dad and Laura forbade us to mark each other. Because in their words, it might distract him from training.

Next month, Dean will be declared as the head warrior and we can finally mark each other.

"Darla, sorry to disturb you but Alpha called for you in his office."

I separated myself from Dean and frowned.

"You go and see. I'll be here for sometime."

I kissed him on the cheek before hurrying upstairs to the Alpha's office.

I knocked twice on the door before I heard a distinct sound.

"You called for me, da..I mean Alpha."

In the office, no one is related to dad except his family from where I'm excluded. So it's a rule to call him Alpha here.

"You saw yesterday's chaos."

"Which happened because of you."

I noticed Laura and Ashlyn in the room after hearing Ashlyn's high pitched voice.

"I just gave him a place. He was made your mate by the Moon Goddess."

I tried to reason out but she scoffed at me.

"Whatever it is, Darla. Laura and I have decided something."

“Something isn't good. Something is wrong. Very wrong.” I thought within myself.

"You and Ashlyn are going to exchange your mates." The Alpha said with narrow eyes squinting them at me with no pity.

The ceiling fell on me. It felt exactly like that. Did he just tell me to change my mate with my step sister's mate? Never.

"Dad, what are you saying? Dean is my mate." I didn't even realize when I called him 'dad'

I was far than that with what they were trying to explain to me.

He shook his head.

"You are not understanding, Darla. Dean is the next head warrior. And Ashlyn is the future Luna. It only makes sense if they are together. You and Dean together won't benefit the pack. You should think for your pack, Darla."

No! I can't give away my Dean. He is my mate. I won't exchange him with anyone.

"Dad, please don't do this. Dean is my mate. I'll do anything you say but not this. Dean and I love each other. Don't push us away from each other, dad. Please."

I heard a humorous laugh from Ashlyn.

"You don't think Dean really loves you, do you?"

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"