My rebellious Mate

I heard shouts of victory and noise from all sides, and I sighed in despair. Here they are, the rogue pack led by my father, Wilson, celebrating the spoils they have captured. Today, victory was theirs. I felt sad that my father was the leader of these rogues.

What kind of parent is this?!

Curiosity drove me out, so I got out of my tent and walked through a crowded pile of trees with quick steps so that no one would notice me. I stood alone behind a huge tree trunk, watching them from afar.

How could I get closer?! I'm Sofia. The most ostracized member of the pack, I have reached sixteen years of age, and I have not transformed, and my wolf has not yet appeared, unlike my sister Lucia, who is loved by everyone, who transformed at the age of fourteen, and her wolf was one of the strongest wolves in the pack, and I do not know what my fault is in this delay!

Is that why everyone treats me so inferiorly?

My heartbeat quickened as I noticed him getting closer, and I felt like it had become loud enough to cover up the sound of the palms striking the tambourine. Instead of coming near me, he confidently moved in the direction of Lucia, who was dancing gracefully around the burning flames of some pieces of firewood, which had been collected for this vulgar celebration. All eyes looked at her in amazement.

I exhaled my breath slowly, trying to calm down the outburst of my strong feelings towards him. I loved him secretly, and I knew that my heart would only experience torment in this forbidden love of mine because Nikolai only sees Lucia as his mate.

After she turns eighteen and proves that she is the one chosen by the Moon Goddess, their marriage will be announced.

Suddenly, I was caught spying when Lucia's eyes fell on me while I was giving him loving looks. A sly smile appeared on Lucia's lips, and she approached him, taking his hand and pulling him with her to the dance floor. She leaned towards him seductively, and her gloating glances cast at me said a lot.

A groan of pain crept into my chest, and I felt as if a poisoned double-edged dagger had its blade expertly turned, penetrating my ribs. Tears gathered in my eyes when I saw my childhood love with someone else.

I have more rights over him than her. He had never been her dream. I made a mistake when I told her what was in my heart for him.

Where was my mind at that time?! I thought I was revealing what was bothering me to my sister and my well of secrets, but I did not know that her eyes were always looking at what I aspired to, and she was not satisfied with the beauty that was given to her by the gods.

She cast her magic on him and courted him until she convinced everyone that she was the expected mate of Nikolai, but my traitorous heart was still in love with him.

My thoughts were interrupted by Lucia's sarcastic voice as she said to me, "Why are you hiding in the dark?! Are you ashamed of your ugliness, or are you hiding how low you are while looking at what is not yours?"

I hope my vocal cords obey me so that I can scream at them and declare to everyone that I loved him before her. And whoever she claims is not mine, she is the one who took it from me. But is anyone listening?!

I swallowed my angry words and decided to pick up the pieces of my disappointment and leave the fawning crowd. I didn't want to seem like a jealous bastard, especially after everyone's gazes turned towards me.

I felt naked in front of them. Some laughed mockingly, others looked at me with disdain, and some of them looked at me with pity.

I ran into the forest, escaping from their curious eyes, with tears streaming down my cheeks. I stumbled several times and almost fell, but all I cared about was getting as far away from the gazes of these bullies as I could.

Finally, I reached the lake, my secret place that no one knows about, and suddenly a severe flash of pain hit me. I closed my eyes and began to suffer in silence. I knew then that I was about to transform and that I had to endure all of this alone, without encouragement or support from members of the pack, without celebration as usually happens.

Although we are a pack of Rogers, we have rituals that we recite in our celebrations, but I do not want anyone to know about my conversion. I do not want to be part of their world, which I detest-the world of pursuers who have no land. We are shedding the blood of our own kind, plundering, and banditing the roads.

Yes, our pack is a traveling mercenary, and we ended up hiding in this remote forest because there are many who demand our annihilation.

I breathed hard as I listened to the sound of my bones crushing, and the pain inside me was unbearable, and every muscle in my body groaned as if it were about to explode. A frightening feeling like taking a soul.

Finally, after several minutes, it seemed like a lifetime that would never end. My suffering came to an end when the pain I felt stopped. I heard a voice saying, "Hello, Sofia."

At first, I was surprised and asked, "Hey, who are you?!"

After a few seconds, I received the reply: "Look at your reflection on the water to know the answer to this ridiculous question of yours. I am your wolf, Alora, you idiot."

Despite the pain and hardship I endured, I was so happy as I looked towards the water and saw something I had never seen before.

I wasn't in my human form. The image of Alora's body was dancing on the surface of the water, and I murmured admiringly, "Oh, Alora! You're amazing!"

My eyes turned, and I looked at us in amazement. She was a huge wolf, twice the size of the wolves in our pack, and she had the brightest white fur I had ever seen before, and her legs were covered in thick black fur.

My eyes went to that silvery wavy tail, and a strange marking tattoo caught my attention-a tattoo of a crown with a red crescent above it on the top of my left foot.

Alora shook her tail proudly, saying, "We are lucky. The moon gods have blessed us with a great gift, the value of which you will not know now. Be patient."

I still felt the shock, so I remained silent, not knowing what to say, but I had a wonderful feeling watching our reflection in the water.

I gasped in horror, saying, "We must return before my father finds out I am gone."

I had not finished my sentence until the howling of a pack of wolves shattered the silence surrounding the place, except for the sound of trickling water falling from the top of a waterfall and pouring its water into the lake.

Thanks to the keen sense of hearing that we now enjoy, I heard one of them say, "The pack of Rogers must be found and eliminated before sunrise, for what they did last night will not go unpunished."

A distinct scent attracted us, so Alora and I followed it until we found ourselves in front of a pack led by a huge, terrifying wolf with pitch-black fur and blood-red eyes.

As soon as he noticed our presence, he exchanged vague signals with those who joined him. Some of them picked them up, and others attacked us, but they froze when he shouted at them, and I heard him say, "Be careful not to let any of you harm her. She's my mate, Luna Alpha Alexander."

I stood there for a moment in shock, then said to Alora, "Damn, our mate! He's the alpha of the Red Moon Pack; what bad luck! If he finds out that I am Wilson's daughter, the one who demands his head, he will get rid of us immediately."

She answered me with frustration, "What a curse!! Next doom."

We panicked. Alexander's alpha nickname had a shocking effect. Horror moved to Alora; she unleashed her limbs, racing with the wind and running between the trees, softly and gracefully.

We sensed him behind us, but we didn't look back. We ran through the dark forest, hearing his voice pursuing us.

Our only purpose is to get away from his claws. There is no way to return to the pack camp, even if I rebel against what they are doing. Still, I wouldn't be his way to them, , so I directed Alora to the lake through the link between us.

Meanwhile, I listened to the sound of her claws eating the grass underneath. Alora leaped into the middle of the pool. She knows her way well toward the ditch that nobody else but Alora and I know about, and I informed her about it.

After a long and arduous chase through the woods, Alora carried us to the other side. Alora shook the water off her fur and howled while glimpsing the threads of sunlight in the sky.

My body fell to the ground as I returned to my human form, and the ordeal we had just endured seemed to have debilitated me. Frantically, I looked around for something to cover myself. I spotted some men's clothes strewn carelessly on the ground near the pack camp.

I picked up the shirt, put it on quickly, and looked at myself with some satisfaction as the shirt covered my body up to just above my knees.

I hurried to my tent, but on my way, I met Lucia, who stopped me and said sarcastically, "Oh, Saint Sofia is returning to camp at dawn. Have you been on a romantic date?"

"Who am I talking to? Ugly Sofia? Who would look at your pimple-filled face and this plump body of yours?

She wondered, did not wait for a response, and continued her bullying, saying contemptuously, "You look like a pumpkin-without features, without curves, without femininity. I suggest you control your appetite and follow a specific diet. Maybe the goddess of the moon blesses you with a mate."

My tongue was tied, and I couldn't speak because of the ugliness of the insults I was subjected to. Though tears pricked my eyes, I answered, feigning strength, "I'm not that gluttonous. The pack's wise man told me that It's the effects of growth hormones."

"And once I've passed adolescence, my feminine features will be defined, and that curse will be lifted from my face. Even if you're as ugly as you claim, you don't have the right to call me those ugly names. I hate you. I hate you. And if you believe that the moon goddess cursed me, then what about you? I saw you in the forest yesterday, messing around with Edward. Does Nikolai know about this?!"

Lucia giggled and said, waving her hand in the air, "Tell him if you can. He won't believe you. He adores me and won't listen to whatever you say. He'll surely call you a jealous liar."

She said those words as she walked away, before I warned her of the danger to come.

I continued to the tent with a drained spirit, and I don't know why she treated me like that. To complete the misfortune, I found my father in the middle of the tent, in a state of great anger.

As soon as his eyes fell on me, he raised his hand to the highest level of his shoulder, and with all his strength, he fell with his broad palm on my cheeks. I felt hot blood coming from my nose and mouth.

He yelled at me angrily, "Where have you been all this time? Where did you go without permission?"

I covered my nose with my hand and said, in an agonized tone, "Dad, I was in the woods near the lake, fell asleep, and woke up to the sound of a pack of wolves. I heard their Alfa telling them to disperse and search for us. When they noticed me, I ran away, and I came to warn you."

A similar slap on the other side of my face, landing like a knockout, caused my body to fall to the ground.

My dad said with double anger, "Liar, you make excuses to get away with it."

I interrupted him, defending myself. "Believe me... Believe me... I swear that's what happened, and we have to run away from here; the danger is coming."

My father said angrily, "I believed Lucia when she said you were going to make up a lie. But it seems that your imagination is vast, not only in weaving lies but also in the fact that you thought I would believe them. If there had been an attack, the guards deployed on the border of the forest would have told me."

We heard a loud voice shouting from the outside, "Commander Wilson, we are under attack; support; it's the pack, Red Moon."

My dad quickly ran outside to check what had happened, and I followed him.

I saw Edward, panic evident on his face. "There's an attack."

My dad turned to me, his eyes sparking with intensity. "Damn it! You always bring ruin."

Then he faced Edward and declared, "We must evacuate the camp immediately."

Edward murmured nervously, "Sir, we won't be able to leave. I saw Lucia near the focus of the attack. She must have fallen into their hands now. We have to hurry to save her."

As if a thunderbolt from heaven had struck my father on the head, he exclaimed emotionally, "Yes, she told me she was going fishing. How could I forget something like that?!"

"Come on, Edward, let's gather the pack and go save her."

Then he turned around and said to me disdainfully, "And you, take the little ones to our hiding place inside the mountain."

I stood confused for a moment. He looked at me sharply and commanded, "Do what I said immediately."

I ran and gathered the little ones, and chaos swept the camp. Everyone is preparing to break through the forest; everyone is working in full swing; and their hearts are on one man. The mission to save Lucia is their only concern, on the orders of the pack leader.

I hurried to the mountain to guide the little ones to our safe hideout, and once I brought them to the cave, I climbed the mountain very quickly. My abilities seem to have doubled after my transformation.

I stood on top of the mountain, and my instincts urged me to join them. But despite my strength, I lack the self-confidence and courage to save my sister.

The war is still raging below. I watch them from afar, thanks to the great powers I now have. Some members of our pack have fallen, and I hear my father shouting through the bond that unites our pack, ordering everyone, "We must withdraw now. They are stronger and more numerous than us. We've lost enough already."

I heard a voice full of suffering, saying in a painful tone, "We have lost Lucia. I've lost her."

Nikolai said this while kneeling on his knees, howling with a sad heart.

I felt a grip squeeze my heart, and sadness hung over the atmosphere. And here we are, gathered at funeral ceremonies to bury the rest of Lucia's body.

For the first time, I see tears in my father's eyes, as if his age had doubled, and his weakness indicates how painful it is for him to lose them.

Blaming glances are directed at me like accusing fingers. I was thrown into the arms of my mother, who was old after this tragedy; her embrace is my safe refuge.

But why am I cold now?!

Do you also blame me for Lucia's death?!

She didn't say that in words, but her gaze at me said a lot.

I looked at Nikolai, afraid to see the same look of blame in his eyes, but he seemed detached from his surroundings, sad about the loss of his love.

The crowd dispersed after my father set fire to the coffin floating on the water's surface, which contained my sister's remains.

My feet led me to where Nikolai was standing, and I spread out my hand apprehensively, patting him on the shoulder to get his attention.

I felt jealous when I saw tears streaming down his cheeks. I wanted to tell him the truth about her; she didn't deserve these tears. However, I backed away at the last minute. It's not permissible to delve into the biography of the dead. She left and buried her secret with her.

I murmured consolingly, "Take it easy, Nick; sadness is born big and disappears little by little."

He answered me in a snarling voice, "How can you understand what's in my heart? You're probably happy that she's dead."

His poisonous words fell on my head like a bucket of cold water. I said dryly, "Why do you see me so ugly? I'm not that heartless, Nick. I was deeply saddened by her death; after all, she's my sister. Whether we agree or disagree, blood is a bond that connects us."

His gaze on me became soft, and apparently my father didn't tell him what had happened. Although he holds me responsible, he feels remorse. If he had believed me then and acted up, Lucia would have been with us now.

He looked at me sadly and said, "Oh Sofia, here is the pain of the murderer."

He said this as he pointed to his chest to the left and threw his head on my shoulders in a collapse. I froze in place, not knowing what to do, but I found myself patting him on the back with consolation, an embrace I wished for and didn't know that when he did it, he would be in a moment of weakness looking for support.

I felt eyes peering at us, their sparkle shining in the dark, but I didn't recognize their owner. As soon as I looked on that side, the person vanished into the night.

The mourning days passed, and I felt that my mother treated me differently, but I attributed the reason to the fact that she was still sad about Lucia's death.

Days and weeks passed, and the distance between me and Nicolai shrank, so the relationship between us took on the character of friendship. So we went out together to fish, and we spent a lot of time in the woods hanging out. and the dealings between us became smoother. The spark of love inside me was extinguished, and what I had for him turned into another feeling.

One night, after finishing my shift guarding the pack, my father burst into my tent. He waved his hand at me, roaring, "There you are! There's a deficit in Treasury funds, the first such incident in our pack."

"And when? On the guard shift, the commander's daughter herself! I want an explanation! Where did that money vanish?" He added, his eyes blazing with anger.

Before I could say a word, my mother entered the tent, with Maria right behind her. Maria pointed a finger at me accusingly, saying, "I saw her sneak into her tent during the guard shift. She held a cloth bag, clutched like a thief's loot. She must have hidden it somewhere here."

My dad pounced on me, clenching my locks of hair hard, saying angrily from between his gripped lips, his eyes raging with hellish rage, "Is what Maria says true?!"

As soon as I looked at Maria's face, I knew that a trap had been set tightly and that someone had put the money here to trap me. Certainly. Maria is the one who did it. But why did she do that?

Taking a deep breath, I knew my protestations wouldn't erase the doubt already sown: "She's a liar; I only left my guard shift to relieve myself; it was once, and I never went to my tent."

You said it's the first time there has been theft from the vaults, but it's not my first time on a guard shift.

Something is wrong. If I wanted to embezzle, would it be on the same night I was guarding?!

I think no one stupid would do that.

He loosened his grip on my hair, and hope came within me.

But the chameleon quickly said sarcastically, "An elaborate representation in which you rely on playing on feelings of fatherhood, but commander, if the members of the pack know that you tolerated your daughter, chaos will prevail and a coup will spread. We trust in your justice and that you will punish the thief."

Then, she looked at me again and said with a grudge, "The difference in this incident is money. If it's found here, there's no doubt she's the perpetrator."

The ashes caught fire, and my father called the guards, instructing them to search the tent. No sooner had he finished speaking than they turned the tent upside down.

After a few minutes, one of the guards shouted, "Look, sir! I found this bag under the mattress with money inside."

My dad grabbed my arms tightly as he dragged me behind him in a humiliating manner out of the tent, coinciding with a gloating smile on Maria's face.

My dad shouted forcefully, "There are laws that have been put in place since ancient times that criminalize theft in our pack, and everyone is aware of them. And I will not tolerate their application, even if the thief is my daughter."

I looked at my mother, begging her to intervene, but she hung her head down in shame. Even my friend Nikolai did not dare to oppose the leader. I turned my gaze to my father and begged him, Please, Father, believe me. I did not do this. I am not a thief. Why should I do this when I am the daughter of Commander Wilson?

He shouted angrily. "Shut up, you thief; I don't want to hear your voice again."

He said this while slapping me in the face with his broad palm. Then he issued an order to the guards, saying, "Throw her in prison."