Chapter 1 The Wolfless and Worthless

*Selena*

A soft light came down from the sky, glowing gently as it touched the earth. I saw a beautiful woman walking into it. Just before she disappeared, she turned around one last time. Her eyes were full of tears, but she gave me a sad little smile.

"Goodbye, my daughter," she said.

My heart had dropped. I had been scared-terrified, really-of losing her. I had wanted to cry out, to beg her not to leave.

"Please don't go!"

But nothing had come out. I couldn't breathe. Everything had gone cold, and then... darkness.

I had woken up suddenly, breathing hard, my sheets tangled around me. That dream again. The same one.

My mother's dream.

People said she died when I was really young. I didn't remember her at all-not even a little. Though the face wasn't clear, the woman in my dreams felt so real. She felt like she was my mom. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. Or maybe... it was something more.

Life in the Rock Claws Pack hadn't given me much time to think about dreams, though. I was the Alpha's daughter, but I had been treated like I was barely above an omega.

However, it hadn't always been like that. My father had hope in me and had been training me to become a female Alpha, but his attitude had changed toward me when I couldn't shift on my 16th birthday, which had been two years ago.

I could vividly remember the look of disappointment on his face as he stared at me with a deep frown.

I stood in the middle of the hall, with his friends and elders watching, waiting to see my wolf. But I couldn't do anything. I had no idea what was wrong, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment-I felt no wolf inside me.

This was supposed to be the best day of my life, a day to prove I was Alpha Albert Ardolf's true daughter. Instead, it was a disaster, a day I wished never happened.

I cried, feeling ashamed and worthless. That night, my father tried to comfort me, saying I might shift late. But I could see the frustration in his eyes, and soon he started acting cold and hostile toward me.

I had trained harder to impress him, but I guessed he had already lost interest in me and tossed me aside as a useless daughter. He was now happy with his other children-my half-sister Anne and half-brother Oliver. Now Oliver was being trained to become the next Alpha of our pack. As his elder sister, I was happy for him-truly happy.

My stepmother, Amelia, didn't like me-not even a little. And she made sure I never forgot it. Every single day, she'd throw some jab or look my way like I was dirt under her shoes. I put up with it all for my father. I kept hoping that one day, he'd finally see me as his daughter-someone worthy-and maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

It was just before dawn. I had barely shut my eyes when a loud bang rattled my door. Not a knock-a full-on slam like someone wanted to break it down.

I jumped up, heart racing, and stormed to the door. "Who is-"

The door burst open. Before I could finish, a sharp slap hit my cheek.

I stood frozen, stunned. My face burned.

"Where the hell is my green tea?" Amelia snapped. She glared at me like I was nothing.

I held my cheek, blinking in shock as I reasoned, "But you never wake up so early?!"

Before I could step back, another slap hit the other side of my face-harder. My head whipped sideways. A ringing filled my ear.

"Don't talk back at me," she said coldly. "I'm your Luna. You better learn your place."

Before I could reply, my father's deep voice growled from the hallway.

"What's going on here?"

Just then, Amelia burst into fake sobs. She held her cheek as if I'd hit her.

"She hit me," Amelia cried, running into my father's arms. "I only asked her about the tea, and she slapped me. She hates me."

My father's eyes locked on me, his face turning red with fury. "Did you just hit her?"

"What? No! She slapped me-twice! I didn't touch her!"

"You deserve it. And the punishment will be worse if you ever defy your Luna again," he said, his voice sharp, his Alpha tone heavy with warning.

Tears stung my eyes. "How can you say that? Father, I'm your daughter."

He scoffed. "You? My daughter?" He took a step closer, disgust in his eyes. "You're eighteen and still wolfless. Do you know how embarrassing that is? No one will ever want you. You're a disgrace to this pack."

My breath caught. His words cut deeper than any slap.

"I've always wondered why she's still wolfless," Amelia added, pretending to be thoughtful. "Maybe she's cursed."

"You may be right." My father accepted without any doubt in his voice. "I wished there was something I could do..." He hissed.

"I have a suggestion. How about inviting the sorcerers to perform the ritual of cleansing on her?" She proposed, and my heart skipped a beat, a cold chill running down my spine.

"You can't do that to me! I could possibly die from the pain! It is meant for demonic wolves!" I moaned out in fear, turning my eyes to my father in plea, hoping he would still have a bit of pity for me, his daughter, but what he said tore my heart into pieces.

"And how am I sure you aren't one of the demonic wolves?"

I couldn't believe my ears.

Before I could say anything, the pack messenger came running towards us with a letter in his hand.

He bowed to my father, stretching out the letter to him. "Your Highness, this is a letter from Alpha King Zander Blake."

My heart paused in my chest, a gasp slipping from my mouth at the mention of that name.

Alpha King Zander Blake was known as the most ruthless werewolf alive-a bloodthirsty Alpha with a reputation that made even the bravest wolves tremble. He was nothing short of a monster, with no mercy in his cold, heartless chest.

I could also see the worry in my father's eyes as he took the letter, opening it with hesitation.

His eyes glanced through the letter, and I saw his mouth falling open in panic.

"The cruel Alpha King is visiting us." He announced with a shaky breath, looking up.

The cruel Alpha King never visited a pack without the intention of destroying it. Was it our turn now?