Gwen

I stared out the window and took a deep breath. It was just what I needed at the moment.

moment.

The light wind swayed the branches of the shiny, green, and healthy olive tree. I looked down at

the beautiful garden; it cheered me up. It belonged to my mother.

The liar! She never came back.

It was a very peaceful morning in Dycan and also a day of celebration.

It was the first full moon.

It was a thing to be happy about, and all the wolves in Dycan looked forward to the transformation.

ceremony, when teenage wolves were wolfed out. They had to determine alpha wolves and outcasts.

like me. I belonged to the Omegas; we were the lowest and most pathetic in Dycan.

Transition festivals were much anticipated among the teenage wolves and their eager guardians. There were lots of fun activities to look forward to.

But this delightful day would always remind me of my own failure.

I could still remember the jeering and

spiteful face of the crowd two years ago when I didn't transform like the other wolves on the

first full moon. I could still remember the look of disappointment on my father's face as he

stood beside the king. The king's validation meant a lot to my father; he was the general of the

Dycan army. He had told me he didn't mind; he wasn't disappointed at all. I was his daughter.

matter what.

But deep down, I knew he was.

Ava, my stepsister, had a wide grin plastered on her face all through the rest of the

festival. I could swear that was the happiest day of her life.

With a deep sigh, I walked back to my bed and threw myself on it. There was going to

There will be a lot of howling tonight. It was going to be embarrassing for me and my family if I attended.

almost as good as a human. Other normal wolves picked on me a lot, with Ava as their

ringleader. I despised her a lot. We only had one thing in common: we both lost our mothers early.

Ava was a year older than me; her mom had passed away while giving birth to her.

I stared at my ceiling, wondering if he would be at the festival. I wondered if he would ever

notice someone as pathetic as I was. He was one of the strongest wolves in the pack. He moved among his pack; they were the strongest wolves in Dycan. I had a premonition that he was my mate, probably wishful thinking. If I'm being honest with myself, I didn't have that right. I was yet to transition; I was probably thinking from my heart, not my head. Derrick was no ordinary wolf; he needed a real mate, not a mutt. Never in the history of Dycan has any mutt become the alpha's mate or the Luna of Dycan. I was being delusional. It'd be a disaster-the most horrible match in history.

I was just an 18-year-old wolf who was yet to bloom. The moon goddess would never make that kind of mistake, would she?

It had been exactly sixteen years, three months, and six days since she

promised to come back for me. I never lost count.

She took me on a walk and abandoned me.

Hours had rolled into days, and days had walked into weeks.

Weeks sped into months, and months ran into years. The pain never really went away.

away. I waited like a fool in the cold, dark alley, drenched, scared, and hungry. The

Merciless rain pattered heavily on my skin.

Will I ever forgive her? I asked myself, staring at the life-size painting hung on

the walls of the castle. She seemed to be staring back at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

It looked like they were full of apology; I hoped they were.

It was tough living with scars no one apologized for. You just had to learn to live with it.

it.

"Miss Gwen, your father summons you." The housekeeper, Madam Devon, interrupted.

"Oh, I'll be there shortly." I replied. She took her leave.

I held up the hem of my tight corset dress and made my way

to my father's study. Father rarely summoned me unless it was important.

I was about to knock when the door flew open.

"And she just keeps growing." Aunt Maya said it with a bright smile. She looked at me, swelling with pride.

"Aunt Maya!." I let the name out of my mouth in a surprised whisper. It's been ages. I had not set eyes on

Aunt Maya since I was sixteen. She was my favorite person after my dad and my only solace.

I had been gone ever since my mom died.

Aunt Maya and I had a lot in common; we both loved reading, we also loved literature, and

astrology.

Things I could only love in secret in Dycan Not everyone

liked women who loved such

I went into the study; Aunt Maya shut the door behind me. I gave her

a warm hug. "She kept insisting she would surprise you." Dad said, smiling at me.

"How have you been, dearest?" "I'm good, aunt Maya."

"That's good to know."

"You came to see me, Aunt Maya?"

Yes, I did, but...

She stole side glances at Dad and looked back at me.

"Nevermind Gwen."

I nodded in understanding. I became worried. Something was wrong; I could feel it.

I was deep in thought, wondering why Aunt Maya was

really here. But it became clear tonight.

I had eavesdropped on her and her dad.

"Gwen may not be a werewolf; the girl may be human, just like her mother.

"But I don't want to believe that."

"Artemis was a wolf, Dylan!" Aunt Maya cautioned her brother.

"She was not; I bit her." "She was never born a wolf."

"Gwen will be going to wolf camp; they'll train her." He said.

"I forbid such a thing for Gwen." Aunt Maya had said in her defense.

Wolf camp was torture; it was a place even Ava wouldn't wish for me.

Weak wolves were trained with the most cruel

methods possible.

I took a deep breath and flipped to the other side of the bed.

There was a ball tonight at the palace to celebrate the moon goddess.

a successful full moon transition festival.

There was a gentle knock on my door. "May I come in?"

"Come in." I said absent-minded.

Aunt Maya came in and shut the door gently behind her. She sat

by my bedside. She was all dressed up for the ball.

"The king sent a special invitation to your father and his household." Are you not

coming dearest?."

"I'm not coming, Aunt Maya."

"Your sister Ava is going to become a Luna, the head of her late mom's pack."

"She abandoned the family; she abandoned dad." "She's ashamed of being an omega like dad and I." I said.

"I know you don't.

like her, but the transition ball is fun."

"You should come watch; you've been turning down the king's invitation." "He invites the family, not just your father." "Spare your dad the trouble of making excuses for

you."

"I overheard you and your father."

I broke the ice. "He wants to take me to wolf camp." I sobbed.

She was silent, and we sat still for minutes.

"He won't take you anywhere, Gwen, not on my watch."

She reassured me.

I hugged her, and she hugged me as well.

"Get ready, Gwen; I'll see you at the ball." She said after she disengaged herself:

from my embrace.

"I'm not coming, aunt."

Well, we'll see about that." She smirked.