1. Calla

Present day

The Everglade Pack

It was here. It was finally here. This day. This dreadful and damned day. The day that I had spent years fearing. The day that I was finally being sent to my mate like a damned special gift. Wearing a stupidly white ceremonial dress, and offered to him on a silver platter.

It was the custom. The norm. Inevitable, as my father had said so many times before. There was no standing in the way of a bond created by the Moon Goddess herself. No escaping this, no matter how many times I had begged for them to refuse his request. To let me stay here. The mate bond was sacred, and it needed to be honoured. No matter if your mate was actually the most brutal and feared lycan throughout the entire realm.

I forcibly swallowed that sob that fought so desperately to escape my throat, my gaze stuck on the person staring right back at me through the mirror. Looking at the silken dress on my body with nothing but sickening repulsion. It didn't matter that it was pretty. Or that it fell on my generous curves so sexily. It was doomed to fall to ribbons under his claws anyway. Probably.

I was feeling so frozen. Unable to detach my feet from the carpeted floor and get out of my room. Descend those steps and go to that sleek black limousine that was already waiting for me outside. The one that was supposed to drive me to Nightshade Pack, per my future husband's request. My new home. The place where I would be spending the rest of my days.

Our matrimonial ceremony was supposed to be held there. On his pack grounds. Not mine. Where his rules applied. Not our Alpha's. Where he could do whatever he pleased to me, and no one would be able to stop him. Unlike the last time.

I shivered as that deeply ingrained memory resurfaced. Forcing me to visualize bits and fragments of those terrifying moments. The ghost of my own screams ringing in my ears. Those golden eyes. His gleaming fangs dripping with saliva.

I unconsciously touched that small scar on my left arm with my fingers. The permanent reminder I have of that day. Of what he was. A monster.

A burning hot tear trailed down my cheek, my attention trained on those dark brown eyes staring right back at me through the mirror. Showcasing what was going on inside of me. I was scared. Terrified out of my mind of what was going to happen to me. What my dear future husband was about to do to me today. But like our Alpha had said, there was no escaping this.

I let out a shaky exhale, quickly wiping that tear away. I hadn't even bothered to put any makeup on. Or even do my hair. What was the point of it anyway? It wasn't like I wanted him to appreciate my features. I didn't even want him to look at me, let alone like what he was seeing. The dress I was wearing was revealing enough. Outlining what I had inherited from my birth parents. A large pair of breasts, thin waist, and curvy hips. I knew that I was pretty enough to draw attention, for a simple human. The younger males from my pack had commented on it so many times before. They had even made me feel embarrassed about it on several occasions. As if it wasn't enough, the fact that I looked so different from my sister and parents. I wasn't as tall as they were. Or as light-skinned as they. I was a few shades darker, my hair sleek and dark brown whereas my sister's and my mother's was light blonde. The same went for the colour of our eyes. Or our facial features. I looked nothing like them, and it showed. It was so glaringly visible, the fact that I was nothing like them. That I was different. An outsider. A helpless, less fortunate creature. Without a wolf, or even supernatural strength and senses. I didn't belong here. I was never meant to be. And yet, the Moon Goddess deemed me worthy of a soulmate, wolfless and mundane as I was. A bond that I was not to reject, regardless of who my destined mate was.

You could only try and imagine my pack's surprise upon witnessing that shocking scene all those years ago when the rabid beast had found me. Declaring that I was his with a single growling snarl. It was unheard of. The first time in both human and werewolf history that a shifter had ever had a human as a mate.

At first, I thought that he was going to try and renounce his claim on me. Reject our pairing, regardless of the Moon Goddess' wish. I was a feeble human, not to mention underage. He was to wait for five whole years until he could fully and legitimately claim me.

And wait he did. He hadn't forgotten. Nor renounced his claim. He hadn't allowed me to either. Sending little gifts and tokens of his committed affection every single year. Torturing me with the constant reminder of his existence. The impending doom of this day.

And now, it was finally here. Our mating day. The day that the life I knew and I had grown accustomed to was going to change forever.

I drew in an encouraging breath, my hands tightly clutching at the skirt of my dress. And without any other lingering glances or hesitations I turned around and went for the door, finally stepping past the threshold of my bedroom. Secretly hoping that it wouldn't be for the last time.

My heels clicked on the hardwood floors as I walked through the place that had been my home for the past twenty years. Ever since the Luna of our pack had found me in the forest. She would always say that I had such strong lungs for a creature so tiny, every time the story about how I had been saved by them came up. That I was loud and relentless, and that that was the very reason why I had survived. She used to say that I was so strong-willed and fearless in my early years of life, and that nothing could stop me. Not even the sight of my father's wolf. Obviously, that changed a lot over the years. And living in a pack full of prideful wolves had everything to do with it. I was human. I had to learn my place. Offer them respect. Keep my mouth shut. My head down. I had to let go of the attitude. Understand that my sister would always come first. Or any other member of the pack. They had wolves. They had been blessed, whereas I had not. My sister was the real daughter, and I had to be grateful that they even took me in. That they had been merciful enough to rescue me and raise me.

I was grateful. I really was. And I didn't want to leave this place, regardless of how many sad memories it brought me whenever I looked around. This was my home. The only place I had ever known. I didn't want to move out, and much less to a place as scary as my husband's. My sister could trade places with me. I knew that she wanted to. She had told me so, many times before. That I was not worthy of a shifter mate. Much less of the Lycan Alpha himself.

I could feel her disdainful glare on me, even now as I descended the staircase. It made my skin prickle. I loathed this so much already, and I hadn't even gotten to leave. I didn't want my sister to be mad at me. Or any other member of my pack. They were all present at the packhouse today. They had gathered to watch the helpless human leave their pack dressed in a ceremonial gown, on her way to a life she does not deserve. The life of a Luna, and not just any kind of Luna but the Luna to a lycan Alpha. The most powerful creature from the shifter kind. They were angry. I could sense their stares on me as I passed each and every one of them by. I didn't dare look, keeping my head down the whole time. I didn't want to cry. I knew that it would be useless and that it would only make them hate me even more for disrespecting the bond in such a way.

So I swallowed that boulder that had lodged itself into my throat and willed myself to keep moving. To walk.

I finally managed to step past those wide-open doors, just in time to see my parents happily chat with a male I had never seen before. A stranger. A member of his clan. A lycan. It was glaringly obvious. What he was and where he had come from. He was wearing an expensive-looking suit. Black, with a crisp white shirt underneath. He was tall as heck, even taller than our Alpha. And caked with muscles. You could tell that he was of a higher rank. He exuded raw and dominant power. And his golden eyes shifted to me the very moment that I stepped on those few steps of our porch.

I lost my footing, my heel tilting at an odd angle as I set foot on the white carpet laid out for me. Leading straight to his awaiting limousine.

I thankfully managed to catch myself just in time, before I could embarrass myself like that in front of him and my entire pack. But my cheeks were already burning, so painfully aware that everybody had noticed that. My little slip. And now both the Alpha and the Luna of this pack had turned their heads to look at me. My parents. The ones that have raised me. Protected me, up until now.

There was a kind smile directed at me, that was settling on my mother's features. Watching me as I timidly approached where they stood. It wasn't the same in my father's case though. He seemed to be carrying a permanent scowl on his face nowadays, ever since the emissary's arrival a few days ago, announcing that Alpha Lycan Leonidas had decided to take from our pack what was rightfully his. Me.

It didn't sit well with him. This whole arrangement. And I could tell why. He wanted for Soraya to wear this dress today. His real daughter. The one born with a wolf spirit, and capable of carrying on his legacy. Not silly little me. The weak and pitiful human. He had hoped until this very day that the Alpha lycan would change his mind and choose the better sister instead. The one fit to rule. Trained, to fight and behave appropriately.

I walked closer, my steps small and slow. Keeping my chin lowered as a sign of submission. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was. Beg for his forgiveness, for the millionth time, and for him to let me stay. Send Soraya in my stead.

I gulped, letting my gaze trail higher and higher over the lycan's imposing figure. The one meant to escort me to the Nightshade pack. He was huge. And equally handsome, with a strong jaw, full lips, and sandy blonde tousled hair. It occurred to me that he could very well be my future husband, and I wouldn't even be able to tell. It's not like I knew what he looked like anyway. I had only seen him in beast form, and that was only once, five years ago when he had set foot into our pack lands searching for a lost prisoner.

But then again, my parents seemed way too relaxed and casual around him, and I knew for a change that he wasn't like this. Calm or composed. He was anything but. He was ruthless. Feral. Mad. Evil.

"H-hi. My name is Calla..." My voice sounded like a breathy sigh. Meek and girly. Goddess, how I hated it.

The lycan male didn't reply. He didn't even blink. He only held me hostage with his gaze, his golden eyes peering right back into my own. I forgot where I was, for a moment. What I was supposed to do. And then I was shoved aside by a powerful body, the force of it making me stumble a few steps sideways.

I blinked and stared with confusion, noticing my sister standing in the exact same place where I had been mere seconds ago, a large grin present on her face as she gazed at the lycan.

"Please excuse her, Your Highness Supreme Beta. She is still in so much shock, the poor little thing that she has forgotten her place,"

My jaw fell open at the sound of that, noticing my parents' deprecating stares directed at me before realization dawned upon me. Shit.

"My name is Soraya. I am Alpha Cassius' daughter," she presented herself with a sickly-sweet tone. I didn't dare look again at the "Supreme Beta's" face.

"The eldest daughter," she added after a fleeting glance in my direction. The lycan didn't reply. So she continued to talk.

"Anyways, we are so happy to have you here, and so very honoured to have one of our own chosen by the Moon Goddess herself to be paired with the Lycan Alpha!" she gushed with so much excitement, showing off her dazzling smile. I knew that smile all too well.

I tried not to look up at him again, no matter how hard curiosity was gnawing at me. I wanted to see if it was distracting enough. If he would smile in return like a lovesick pup, and disregard our presence altogether. Mine and our parents'. My sister was a gorgeous she-wolf. The epitome of sexiness. She was tall and lean, with a pretty face and a body to die for. Many males yearned to have her. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this lycan standing before us did too. If he would choose to forget about his current duty for a quick tumble in the sheets with her.

Maybe I could-

"Future Luna."

My eyes widened a little at the sound of that masculine and unfamiliar voice, thinking for a fleeting moment that maybe the Alpha lycan had made up his mind -at last- and chosen my sister instead.

"It's time to leave,"

I stared at the outstretched hand in front of me with a mix of awe and confusion, failing to react. It looked so big and rough. Like it could crush my bones with a simple flex. My gaze rose, slowly turning my head from one side to another to have a look at my mother and my sister, and then my father. None of them looked happy. Each of them had their own version of grief. My mom looked genuinely sad, whereas my sister and father appeared so resentful, gazing at me with nothing but spite. Simmering anger. It broke my heart. Shattered it into a million pieces. Still, I fought not to cry and then placed my hand into the lycan's, silently accepting my fate. What was to come.

He didn't hesitate to lead me closer to the limousine, moving aside before he opened the door for me. Inviting me to my new life.

"Be good, little runt," Was the last thing I heard before climbing inside, those words sounding more like a warning instead of a heartfelt goodbye.