Chasing The Rejected Mate

It was freezing and pitch black. Hearing nothing but wailings, screeches, and howls for what seemed like an eternity instilled rage in his soul.

He abhorred light but yearned to see even a sliver of it in this vast agonizing darkness, chained by a harrowing curse at the abyss.

He'd tried everything to break free from the shackles that the Moon Goddess had bestowed upon him. However, each time he failed. The force holding him down was powerful, and he was powerless in the face of the goddess's supremacy.

So he lay in wait for a gap on the curse to appear. However, none took shape in the past thousand years.

Then, one day, the bright light he yearned for flashed before his eyes at the brink of losing himself to madness.

His booming laughter echoed in the dark.

'At last, the day has finally come!'

His eyes glowed, and the earth trembled as he tried to pull the chains off his body, rattling while they snapped.

"Aaargh!"

A scream left his mouth like a growl.

Suddenly, the light began to fade. Desperation became apparent on his face. He gritted his teeth and forced his way out, cursing the one behind his curse. He wouldn't let this chance go by.

Another bonechilling scream left him, and then a thunderous explosion shook the abyss.

When he came to, the sunlight shone on his face. He felt warm throughout his body. The dewy scent of the forest hit his nose, and the sound of the forest became music to his ears.

"Finally!" he rejoiced.

A burst of maniacal laughter rumbled out of his chest. His eyes menacingly narrowed as he boiled up revenge in his mind.

Suddenly he heard someone giggling.

His ears perked up, and he heard a cheerful voice of a man calling someone out.

"Princess!"

His face scrunched up in grimace and followed the voice. The merry laughter got louder as he drew near. As he passed through rows of trees, his feet led him to a clearing, and a cheery face of a little girl caught his eye.

She ran toward her parents, giggling with flowers in her hands, and a strand of light streamed behind her.

A smile marked his lips. All the suffering he had for entire millennia flashed before his eyes.

"Hello there, Miracle," he muttered, enraged.

And in a flash, the world turned red. Screams and cries replaced the peaceful sound of the forest.

The little girl's laughter became cries out of terror. As he made blood rain over her.

He stood before the girl snarling and relished the fear she had in her eyes.

'I'll reclaim what was mine,' he growled.

As Lunaire awoke from a terrible nightmare, a bonechilling pain shot through her body. Streaks of tears escaped her eyes as she winced from the wave of agony and shrunk to her side, clutching her stomach.

It was nothing new for her to wake up sore from head to toe. Lunaire had been living her life in this manner since the day her parents died. Her skin had bruises and wounds from being treated like a rag, beaten and worn out by people who should have loved her.

Lunaire squirmed when a little ray of sunlight hit her eyes. She glanced over the clock, and fear drummed her heart wildly when she saw the time. It was a few minutes past six in the morning, and she should have been up an hour before.

The poor girl quickly got up despite her body's defiance, heading to the bathroom to wash up. Heartwrenching sobs escaped her mouth with each step as it doubled the pain ripping her body apart.

Her suffering didn't end even when she got into the showers. The cold water raining on her skin felt like fires burning her insides.

Tortured screams attempted to break out of her chest, but she desperately held it in and endured.

It was already way more than enough pain that she could handle. If she pissed someone off with her screams, Lunaire feared today might be her last day breathing.

Washing up didn't take her long. After fixing herself up, she immediately went down and prepped breakfast for their whole pack.

Bustling in the kitchen alone, Lunaire went through batches of pancakes, eggs, and slices of bacon. Lay plates after plates at the dining table until members of the Black Rose pack started filling the dining room.

They took their places around the table and began their usual clamor, ignoring her existence like every day for years. With Lunaire sitting at the lowest end of the caste system, it wasn't strange for them to feel repulsed by her.

She could only sigh, knowing it was better than having them knock her down at every tiny thing she did.

Of course, someone would always be thrilled to see her suffer and look pathetic. And they wouldn't hesitate to mess with her.

Lunaire was wrapping up her work, pouring water on their glasses, when she heard someone mutter.

"Bitch."

Then suddenly, her foot stumbled over something, and she crashed to the floor in a swoop. A burst of scornful laughter erupted in the dining room as they feasted on her torment.

She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Bawling her eyes out in here was pointless. It would only invite her to more torture than she could bear.

Lunaire's heart grieved as she looked up at her bullies.

"What are you looking at bitch?" Bella, the slut of their pack, sneered.

Lunaire flinched, looking away, and hurriedly picked up the shards of a broken glass pitcher.

Right then, the door to the dining room slammed open, and their laughter died down.

She didn't have to look at who had arrived to know who they were. Her body instantly shuddered as she felt the presence of her biggest tormentors, her four brothers, Darius, Dustin, Xavier, and Lucas.

Her hands trembled as she continued to clean up, hoping they wouldn't notice her. But life had never been so kind. Sometimes, Lunaire wondered if she was born only to suffer in this hell.

When her four brothers took their seats, their eldest, Darius, slammed his hand mad on the table.

"Where's my food slave?" Darius snarled.

Lunaire timidly got up with all the shards at hand and bowed at her brother. She rushed back to the kitchen and quickly picked up their plates after throwing the broken pitcher in the garbage.

Her four brothers liked their food served fresh. They hated it if she put their food out long before they dined. The last time Lunaire made such a mistake, she almost died from their beating.

Since then, she had been careful. However, her brothers were talented at making excuses to torture her. Lunaire dreaded what would happen now that she made them wait for breakfast. If only no one had tripped her over.

When she came back, her body trembled instantly under their gaze. Lunaire had received far too much trauma to her body that trembling became her first reaction to everything.

She carefully laid their plates before them when a burning sensation began to rip her scalp off.

Lunaire screamed as Xavier harshly pulled her hair and made her look at his plate.

"Look at this, you fucking bitch, what did I tell you about my breakfast? Didn't I tell you I don't want these fucking pancakes for breakfast?!" he growled.

"II'm ssorry," she stuttered between sobs.

"What's it, mutt? I didn't hear you!" Xavier snarled, yanking her head back.

"I'm sorry," Lunaire cried louder.

Xavier's grimace worsened, and he landed a brutal punch to her gut.

"You, being sorry, ain't gonna make up for ruining my morning!" he barked, throwing her across the floor.

Silence swept through the dining room at his outburst, with Lunaire wheezing as she crawled away, shaking like a weak leaf.

"Get the fuck out of here! I'll deal with you later!" Xavier yelled again and soccered her sides.

Lunaire whimpered, knowing the hit she took right now was only the beginning. She slowly got up and headed out as fast as possible.

"Out!" Xavier yelled again before she got out.

Sensing him coming near, she scampered away and dashed to her room, locking the door behind her. Her legs gave out as soon as she felt safe and slid down against the door.

Her suppressed cry finally escaped from her chest. She sobbed, hiding her face between her knees, crying out for a savior that may not come.

"Mum, Dad...I missed you. I missed you so much," Lunaire cried.

The next thing she knew, someone's loud banging on her door woke her up. The poor girl's soul was so tired that she didn't even know when she had fallen asleep.

"Open the fucking door, slut!" Dustin yelled and banged her door again.

Lunaire crawled away from the door, petrified.

"Don't wait for me to fucking tear this goddamn door down!" Dustin's menacingly roared.

Her eyes widened in horror. She didn't know what to do. She was scared to open the door, knowing her brothers would beat her to death. That end wouldn't be different even if they broke her door down.

"Little bitch!" Dustin growled, daunting her.

Lunaire frantically got up and unlocked the door, and soon as her brothers heard it click, they slammed it open. She got thrown off balance upon impact and fell to the floor.

Dustin before her with bloodshot red eyes, seething with anger. His straight lips lifted into an evil smirk, making her shudder.

He then grabbed her hair, making her scream as he dragged her downstairs to the basement.

"Pplease DDustin...pplease let mme ggo." Her voice broke as she profusely begged between her cries. But he only laughed and threw her across the cold, stone floor.

Lunaire wailed from the pain. She bled badly after scraping most of her skin from that throw.

She looked up to her four brothers hoping for a sliver of mercy, but their eyes had nothing but disgust, anger, and loathing.

Lunaire froze, stricken with terror. This situation was nothing new. She had those kinds of faces multiple times, but it still got her shock and hurt every time.

Her brothers would hit her as their punching bag for entertainment. They were the artists behind the bruises and scars all over her body and heart.

"I'm feeling very bored today, so thought why not take my boredom out on you, little sister," Xavier smirked.

Lunaire clasped her hands together like a prayer and pleaded to her brothers.

"Pplease....pplease, ddon't ddo tthis," she cried but got laughed at, except by the serious and cold one among her brothers, Darius.

Then, Lucas's eyes glowed yellow at the drop of a hat, and he lunged at her. He swung her fist to her face, hitting her jaw and cheek with another.

A sharp pain busted her sensors, making her cry even more. He yanked his hair and dealt her another punch, making her nose bleed. Lunaire shrieked, begging him to stop but only riled her brothers up, and then Dustin and Xavier joined in.

Her tortured screams echoed in the basement until nightfall as they beat and hit their little sister mercilessly. The three only stopped when her voice dwindled into groans.

"Enough. Let's get to the fun part," Darius sneered coldly.

Xavier and Dustin dragged Lunaire away and forced her to stand up. Blood dripped at her smashed face with her eyes gazing across the river Styx. Lunaire tried hard to stay awake, but her consciousness slowly faded.

They tied both her hands and hanged her lifeless body from the ceiling. Her sleeping senses soon awakened when a stiff whip cut through the air and landed on her back.

"Ahh!" Lunaire howled as the whip continuously shredded her back.

"Ahh! PPlease...stop...brother, stop, please!" Lunaire kept on pleading between her screams, but Darius didn't stop.

"Mom... Dad, save me!" she bawled.

Her brothers were monsters who treated her like an animal. They bear no empathy despite her lying at the doorsteps of death.

"How dare you speak of their name, you fucking bitch!" Darius growled. His voice roared in the basement, sending shivers even to his other brothers.

"They died because of you, you fucking murderer! You took our parents away from us!" he yelled, making her lose breath from the suffocating pain inflicted by his consecutive whipping.

Slowly, the darkness was taking her away. Her brother's wrathful words gradually became inaudible. Her vocal cords had been tired from screaming that her cries sounded like croaks.

"Stop, leave her. That's enough for today." She heard someone say.

She couldn't see who it was, but she felt glad this nightmare was about to stop.

Lunaire felt the ropes suspending her getting cut, and she fell heavily to the ground. It might not seem like it, but she breathed a sigh of relief hearing them leave.

However, before she heard the door shut, Xavier left her with daggerlike words and dealt her tonight's final blow.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you this. Happy Birthday, Slut," he said and laughed off, slamming the door shut on his way out.

Lunaire whimpered in the darkness, lying like a corpse on a cold stone floor.

'I should have died that night instead of our parents,' her soul lamented.

The following day, Lunaire woke up to the dead silence plaguing the basement.

Now that she was awake, the dormant pain in her body shot back up. She hissed and groaned as she slowly got up, leaning against the wall.

"Happy Birthday to me," she bitterly greeted herself.

Her brothers cooked her up welldone this time. Most werewolves, even the other omegas, should have been healed by now. But her wolf was weak and would take her longer to recover enough to walk out of that dark basement.

In that deafening silence, Lunaire closed her eyes and spoke in her mind.

"Crystal, are you okay?" worried, she called out her wolf, who hadn't spoken to her in a while.

"I'm okay, Lunaire. I'm trying my best to heal us, but it's hard," she whimpered. But despite her sorry state, Crystal still found the strength to cheer her up.

"Hey, we're sixteen now. Maybe our suffering will end soon," Crystal said with warm excitement.

Lunaire smiled wryly and opened her eyes. She hoped so too. She'd wished for it every year on her birthday, expecting the coming year would be different. But each year since their parents died , it was packed full of disappointments.

This year would be her last ray of light. She'd been waiting for the day their mate would come and take them away from this hellish place. Their soul longed for his healing, protection, and love.

'Please, find us soon.' Their hearts desperately wished.

"We need to go now, or else we will get into trouble again," Crystal whimpered.

Lunaire nodded and groggily stood up, holding on to the wall for support as she navigated her way out of this dark basement up to her crappy room.

She quickly washed up, melding her cries to the rush of water that stung her wounds.

Afterward, she made her way down the kitchen, repeating the same routine she did yesterday and, of course, keeping in mind not to make pancakes for Xavier.

While putting things together in the kitchen, she caught a whiff of a beautiful scent coming from somewhere. Lunaire tried not to mind and poured her full attention into what she was doing but

Crystal kept on jumping in excitement.

While serving breakfast, Lunaire heard Bella whisper something to her friends.

"Have you heard? Alpha Zane came back last night. Gosh, it's only been a week, and I miss him so much! I can't wait to see him again," Bella giggled with a blush on her cheeks, making her want to hurl.

'Alpha Zane. Zane Villain.' Lunaire repeated in her mind. Just hearing his name made her shiver.

Alpha Zane was the nicest kid she had ever met during her childhood. Her brothers were best friends with him. She could still remember how caring he was towards her then, but he changed along with her brothers and the entire pack after that horrible night.

Lunaire clutched her skirt tightly as she remembered the time Zane slapped her in front of everyone just because she spilled some water over his trousers by accident. She was only thirteen at that time.

"Guys! Alpha Zane is here!"

A pack member suddenly ran in and informed them all.

As everyone stood up, waiting for the arrival of their Alpha. The shewolves gazed dreamily at the doorway, fanning their wild excitement, while Lunaire stood in the farthest corner and looked down, feeling nervous. She wanted to stay clear of them as much as possible.

She gulped when the doors opened. Squeals of hungry shewolves erupted, and Crystal suddenly started howling inside her mind.

The beautiful scent she smelled strongly hit her nose, making her look up. Her brothers walked into the dining room with Alpha Zane leading the way.

Lunaire gasped as her eyes locked in with his.

'Mate. Mate. Mate!' Crystal rejoiced in her head.

In contrast, Lunaire only stood there, conflicted and confused about what was happening. Her heart was pounding fast. The feeling of exhilaration was forcing its way out of her chest.

Zane looked at her, mirroring the same feelings on his face. Then, in a blink, his stiff and shocked gaze softened.

Lunaire searched, the emotions swirling in his blue eyes. 'Is he looking at me with love?' she dubiously thought.

After what she went through, she felt hopeful but hesitant at the same time.

She studied his face; he looked attractive with his dark brown hair, long lashes, high nose bridge, and tattooed tanned skin. It was no wonder why these shewolves were dying to be his mate. He was a walking sixfoottall enigma. Even without their mate connection, she'd feel drawn to him like the other shewolves if she wasn't so broken.

Lunaire mustered a smile with butterflies fluttering in her stomach and Crystal's howling ringing in her head. However, her smile disappeared, and her fears overtook her joy when his loving gaze switched to his usual look of hatred and disgust.

Zane strode towards her and grabbed her wrist. Sparks instantly burst through her body at his touch, making both flinch. He dragged Lunaire away, ignoring everyone's stares, and pushed her into an empty room.

Lunaire's eyes welled in tears when he turned around and looked at her with a menacing gaze after shutting the door.

"I can't believe the moon goddess gave me a weak, pathetic, and ugly mate like you!" He spat angrily, making Lunaire jump in fear.

"Above all, a murderer!" he hissed.

His direct insults took Lunaire aback. "I'm not a murderer," she muttered in defense, but soon regretted it.

"What did you say?" Zane growled and drew closer.

Lunaire's head drooped low and repeated in a stutter, "I...I said I'm nnot a murderer."

Zane boiled in anger and yanked her hair harshly, making her cry.

Her pained voice made him freeze. His glare mellowed as he stared at her widely in shock.

Zane slowly released her and stepped away.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, which stunned Lunaire.

'What? Did Alpha just apologize to me?' She thought, baffled.

He suddenly sighed and cupped her cheeks. "I've been swarmed with work and haven't been getting much sleep because of the stress," he said softly, his eyes gloomed with regret.

'I'm sorry about whatever I said. I didn't mean any word of it. I'm sorry, my mate," he profusely apologized and softly placed his rough lips on hers, sending her sparks and mixing her emotions into chaos.

'He took my first kiss... My mate took my first kiss,' Lunaire's young heart celebrated.

He slightly broke away from their kiss and looked at her with pleading eyes. "I hope you can forgive me," he said.

However, Lunaire still had her reservations.

'Forgive him, Lunaire. Look into his eyes. He loves us so much. Besides, he's handsome!' Lunaire blushed at Crystal's fangirling over their mates.

"I forgive you," she whispered, bashful.

Zane smiled and sought her lips again, kissing her intimately. Lunaire kissed him back, loving the feeling of his lips over hers.

He broke the kiss and stepped back.

"We need to keep this a secret," he suddenly said, simmering the boiling intimacy between them.

"Wwhy?" Lunaire asked, feeling crushed.

"Oh no, no, baby, please don't cry. I only wanted to surprise the pack," Zane hushed her, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"Will...will you keep this a secret?" His eyes begged.

'Anything for our Mate,' Crystal whimpered.

Lunaire nodded and hugged him. "Yes... I will keep it a secret," she said, slightly downhearted.

"Thank you." Lunaire heard him say and planted a kiss on her crown.

"Meet me in my room tonight before midnight, okay?" he added, breaking their hug.

A bright smile appeared on his face as Lunaire nodded and smiled.

"I'll see you soon," Zane whispered, pecking her lips again, and then left.

Lunaire stood alone in the middle of the empty room, frozen and tracing her lips with her fingers. A broad smile marked her lips while staring at the door.

"Omg! I love him," Crystal squealed, making Lunaire chuckle.

She hadn't smiled or laughed like this for years. She smiled for the first time, and the cause was her mate.

Lunaire giddily left the room and did all her chores, trying to stay out of trouble until the clock struck before midnight.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, smiling as she brushed her hair. She wore a long white nightgown she kept for this special day of meeting her mate.

Her reflection in the mirror revealed the joy brimming in her heart. But it quickly disappeared while her eyes traced the scars all over her body.

'I look so ugly. Why would he want to be with an ugly girl like me?' she gloomily thought.

"Hey, girly, stop being so negative. You're damn gorgeous, and you don't even know it. Don't let those bitches' words get to your head," Crystal cheered her up.

Lunaire could only sigh and left her room.

She stood outside her mate's room, feeling nervous. Her heart was going crazy, acting like she was in love.

Her eyes went wide at that thought. She never a day like this would come. She was already in love with him, the mate bond, the pull, the sparks. Lunaire loved him that she was willing to forgive his mistakes from the past.

'He's now my Mate, my future, my lover, and I am ready to accept him wholeheartedly.'

She smiled, and her face glowed with hope and determination.

Lunaire raised her hand to knock on his door, only for it to swing open.

"Hey," he greeted with a smile.

Her fist froze in the air as she got hypnotized by his scent and looks.

"Hi," she shyly greeted back, slowly taking her fist down.

Zane chuckled and pulled her inside, locking the door behind her.

He scanned his eyes all over her body, which made her a bit insecure. Unlike the girls that usually flock around him, she was chubby compared to their supermodel physiques.

Lunaire looked away, hugging herself. She didn't want to see him look at her in disgust anymore.

Just then, Zane cupped her cheeks and made her look at him. Her cheeks blushed when she locked eyes with his passionate gaze.

"You are so beautiful," he said, drawing her in with his heated gaze.

"I want to mate with you," he feverishly uttered.

Lunaire looked at him with shock.

"Bu" She wanted to protest, but Zane hushed her, "Shhh," placing his finger over her lips.

"I want you, Lunaire. I want to make you mine," he said, rubbing his thumb over her lips.

Her breath hitched when he said her name, making her go crazy.

However, her selfesteem was too low to believe in his attention toward her.

He was a wellknown playboy and experienced, unlike her, who knew nothing about mating or sex.

Zane raised her chin and stared intensely into his eyes, "What's wrong, my love?" he asked concernedly.

Lunaire felt her flutter when he called her love.

'Is this how it feels when someone talks to you lovingly?' she wondered.

"I...um...I was thinking. You have so many beautiful girls running after you. Whywhy me?" she answered, fidgety.

Zane looked at her, puzzled. Her words seemed alien to him.

"I mean, why did you ggive me a chance?" she directly asked this time.

A short pause came between them, and he sighed, playing with her long locks.

"Those girls I've been with mean nothing to me at all," he declared. "I chose you because I love you, and you are my mate."

His words, full of emotions, made her gasp.

"You....you love me?" Lunaire exclaimed in shock.

Zane wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. The warmth of his embrace almost melted her down. She felt safe and loved.

"Of course. Don't you?" Zane asked, sounding dark.

Lunaire gulped and nodded.

"Yes... I love you too." she blushed.

Right then, Zane captured her lips, taking her with passion and hunger. Lunaire moaned between their kisses, fueling his desire for his mate. His hand went down to her ass, squeezing it and making her gasp.

"Fuck, you taste fucking amazing...I need you right now," he growled and ripped her gown off my body.

He pushed her onto the bed and hovered over her. He took off his shirt and licked his lips as he stared at her body.

Lunaire crossed her arms for cover, embarrassed with her fattiness, but he peeled them away.

"You're beautiful, Lunaire. Believe me," he whispered and showered her neck kisses down to her shoulders, making her breathe heavily.

Zane then ripped off her bra and squeezed her big molds, pulling onto my hard nipples.

A soft moan escaped her mouth when he took her supple breast into his mouth.

"ZZane," she moaned his name, making him stop.

"Say it again," he demanded.

"Zane," she repeated softly.

Her voice chimed beautifully in his ears, which aroused him even more.

"Fuck!" He cursed and then captured her sweet lips.

He pulled her closer and wrapped her legs around his waist. He ground against her core as he suckled her breasts, making her scream in pleasure.

Lunaire never knew this was what making love felt like. Sparks were running through her body as she burned feverishly inside.

Zane's kisses slowly traveled down to her legs, spreading them apart. Suddenly, Lunaire felt nervous and attempted to close her legs, but he held them in place.

"You're beautiful," he said, turning her red from embarrassment.

He locked his eyes with hers as he slid his hand underneath her underwear, invoking a moan out of her lips as he stroked her folds.

"So wet...only for me." His eyes swirled with lust as he growled.

Zane then ripped her underwear, making her squeal as he thrust a finger inside. Her back arched from all the foreign sensation coursing in her vein right now.

"Ahh...Zane," Lunaire moaned, clutching tightly onto the bedcovers.

His chest rumbled as his name repeatedly came out of her mouth, intensifying the thirst he was feeling.

He then unzipped his pants, pulling them down along with his boxers. Her eyes went wide when she saw how big he was.

'How was he going to fit in me? He will kill me,' Lunaire worried.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll stop whenever you want. It'll hurt a bit at first, but it'll go away," he reassured her, sensing her anxious feelings through their bond.

Lunaire gave him a nod, and he smiled. He positioned himself between her legs and slowly rubbed his manhood against her core before thrusting inside her cave.

Lunaire gritted her teeth, enduring the pain. Soft sobs escaped her when the pain got too extreme.

Lunaire clung to his back, digging her nails onto his skin as his pace gradually sped up.

"Ahh fuck...so good," he moaned on her neck.

"Mmmm, Zane," she moaned while he pounded deep into her, sucking onto her nipple.

Lunaire was losing her mind at his every touch. He turned her around and pushed her ass up, thrusting himself from the back.

"Ahh!" she cried out.

Lunaire gasped when he smacked her behind.

"Do you like it, baby? You like it when I spank you?" he asked dominantly, making her quiver.

Lunaire didn't like the spanking, but for him, she nodded. She hissed when Zane kissed her scars.

He grabbed her hair as reins and pounded roughly and deeply into her until he came.

Lunaire collapsed on the bed with him over her. Both were catching their breath. It was the wildest night she ever had.

"Good girl," Zane suddenly whispered, slapping her ass again, which startled her.

Zane fell beside her, and she moved closer to linger in his warmth. She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled to his chest.

"I love you," Lunaire whispered sweetly, waiting for an answer, and looked up, only to see him with eyes closed.

Lunaire faintly smiled and softly kissed his lips.

That night, Lunaire slept soundly and had a good dream for the first time in years.

When morning came, Lunaire woke up smiling, only to find out her mate was no longer beside her.

She abruptly sat up, wrapping the covers around her body as she frantically looked for him.

"Zane," she called out, but there was no response.

She felt a tinge in her chest.

'He just left me after we made love last night?' she confusedly thought.

However, the mere thoughts of the fiery night they shared made her blush. She felt glad that her mate accepted her for who she was and didn't mind her scars.

"I'm so lucky to have a mate like him," she mumbled and buried her face in his pillow as she squealed.

When the rush simmered, reality crept back into her mind. Despite finding her mate, she still had to do her chores. She snapped up and looked at the time.

She was already late.

Lunaire hurriedly looked around, searching for her nightgown, and found it shredded on the floor. She sighed, got out of bed, and walked to Zane's closet.

Grabbing a white shirt, she dressed and headed back to her room. After a quick shower, she went to the kitchen and resumed her chores.

Half a day went by, but it felt like the day was already over. Lunaire had never thought her work was as tedious as this, even though they're just as tough.

It must be because of her mate if she were to point out what made such a difference. Her young and lovestruck heart had been searching for his warmth since she woke up. However, she hadn't seen him since last night. Being apart was the most painful thing she had ever felt.

Lunaire went outside to cool off, taking a short walk near the woods, when someone called her out.

"Hey! You."

She jumped in startle and turned around only to see Bella and her minions smirking at her with an evil glint in their eyes.

She sighed and walked toward them.

"Yes?" she asked, speaking kindly, not wanting to get into trouble.

"Go get my phone from my room. I left it there," Bella flatly ordered, looking at her nails.

Lunaire frowned at her. "Why can't you get it yourself?" she meekly asked.

Bella then threw her a sharp look. "Listen bitch, just do as I say, or else I will get your brothers on you," she threatened, making Lunaire shudder in fear.

She looked away, nodding, and ran inside the pack house.

Lunaire went straight to Bella's room and saw her on her bed. She grabbed it and didn't stay long, then walked back outside.

"Here...your phone," she said, handing Bella her phone.

Bella only rolled her eyes at her and continued talking to her minions.

Sighing, Lunaire moved away from them and continued her walk. She found herself at her favorite spot and on a huge tree stump facing the woods.

The beauty of the scenery captured her heart. Her gaze pierced beyond the sea of trees, yearning for the liberating feeling within its heart.

'What would it feel like being deep inside the woods? Far away from this pack with only me and my mate?' she wondered.

But she shook that thought away and laughed at herself. It was too high of a dream to turn into reality. A weak shewolf like her would only be stuck here forever.

Lunaire was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize she'd been sitting there for long. The sun was almost setting when she snapped out of it.

"Zane must be back by now," she muttered and headed back in.

And just as she crossed the threshold, a girl's dramatic yell thundered in the hallway.

"Omg! We have a thief in our pack!"

People started gathering around while Lunaire scoffed at Bella for screaming without reason.

Suddenly, her wolf Crystal jumped when an addictive scent hit their nose. Butterflies instantly fluttered in her stomach when she saw Zane come down wearing no shirt.

Jealousy erupted from their depths, and a discreet growl boiled up from their chests upon seeing these girls fawn over their mate.

"What is happening here?" he firmly asked.

Lunaire smiled at him when their gazes met but blankly turned away, hurting her feelings.

'Did I do something wrong?' Lunaire thought, perplexed.

"Alpha Zane," Bella cried, running into his arms, making Lunaire growl.

'My mate!' Crystal growled in her head.

Fortunately, no one heard them, but Zane snapped her a glare that took her aback.

"I went to my room and found my mother's memento missing. Alpha, that gold jewelry never left my room; now it's gone. Someone must have stolen it from my room," Bella wept.

"And who do you think might have stolen it?" Zane dubiously asked.

Of course, why wouldn't he? He had been ruling over them strictly but well. How could a thief come about from such a pack?

By now, every member of their pack had crowded the hallway. Even Lunaire's brothers came out of their rooms due to Bella's commotion.

"I... I don't know, Alpha. I didn't catch anyone in the roo" she answered, looking distressed but paused when her eyes caught Lunaire.

She gasped and pointed her finger at her, turning Lunaire pale. Everyone pinned their eyes on her, filled with judgment, disgust, and loathing.

"You! You went to my room!" Bella accused as she strode toward her, blazing in anger.

Lunaire stepped back, baffled. Shaking my head in hr defense. "No... I swear I didn't steal anything," she cried.

"Stop lying, you bitch!" she spat.

Lunaire's breath hitched, and she looked at Zane in panic, trying to ask for help, but it made her despair seeing his eyes fixed only on Bella.

Bella looked back at Zane, bawling.

"I told her to get my phone from my room. She was the last one who went to my room. That memento meant so much to me, Alpha, but this thief stole it!"

Lunaire couldn't comprehend what was going on. She came to her room to get her phone, but why would she steal her stuff? She didn't need any jewelry for anything.

She looked at everyone with pleading eyes, wanting to say it wasn't her, but their scornful gazes took her voice away.

Then she heard Zane sigh.

"Okay, hang on, Bella, you can't just accuse someone like that," he said and turned to Dustin.

"Dustin, search Lunaire's room," he ordered at her brother, whose glare would kill her.

"Aalpha, I...I swear I didn't steal. I would never," Lunaire choked up, but he never looked at her even once.

'What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so cold with me?' hurt, Lunaire anxiously wondered.

Ten minutes later, Dustin came back with a box in his hand.

Lunaire trembled, aghast as he walked towards Bella.

"Does this belong to you?" he asked.

Bella looked inside the box and cried. "Yes, this is mine," she said, causing everyone to gasp.

"What the fuck? First a Murderer and now a thief? Why can't she just die?" one person muttered.

Her heart squeezed in pain hearing everyone insult her.

Alpha Zane approached, and she looked at him pleadingly, hoping he would come to his mate's rescue. "Alpha, I would never."

However, Lunaire received a sharp sting on her cheek instead. Zane slapped her across the face.

"Disgusting!" he spat.

Lunaire placed her hand over her burning cheek, petrified, feeling the numbness familiar to her.

She looked back at her mate in disbelief when he suddenly pulled her hair and dragged her away mercilessly in front of their pack.

Everyone chanted for her punishment. They all seemed like demons before her blurry eyes.

"Punish her, Alpha!"

"Yes! Punish her for the murder of our beta and his mate too!"

Lunaire wailed, but Zane remained heartless.

"Xavier! Bring out the pole and the whip!" He yelled out, making her gasp in horror.

"No! No! Pplease! Pplease, Alpha! She's lying. She's lying! I didn't ssteal! I didn't do it," Ari desperately begged him, but he only smirked at her.

"You are a pathetic piece of shit!" he cursed, tightening her grip on her hair and making her scream.

"Shut the fuck up!" He yelled and punched her in the face.

He threw her on the floor as if she was disgusting trash. She fell to the mud face down, and in front of her, she saw Bella standing not far, smirking in delight, enjoying her pain.

Xavier took out the pole and dragged her towards it. Lunaire screamed and struggled to escape, knowing she might not survive another night of pain.

However, her brother kicked her leg, breaking a bone, and rendering her helpless.

He tied both her hands and hung her up the pole.

"XXavier...please don't do this. You're my bbrother," Lunaire cried, but her pleas never reached his conscience.

"You're not my fucking sister, murder!" He spat and slapped her face.

"I didn't do it!" Lunaire screamed, earning her a hard punch to her gut.

"I hate you," Xavier whispered with gritted teeth.

"I didn't do it," she whimpered, coughing up blood.

He punched her again and almost knocked her out. Then Zane stood in front of her with a whip in his hand. Lunaire's eyes widened in horror when she saw blades on the lash. She even heard Crystal whimper in her mind.

Their mate didn't hesitate to lash the whip on their skin, making her scream in agony. He mercilessly whipped her until she bled and almost burst her lungs screaming in pain.

Lunaire trashed around as the blades shredded her skin. She screamed like a banshee as one of the blades got stuck to her thigh.

"Take her to the dungeon!" She heard Zane bark as she lingered between life and death.

Two pack members cut the rope, dragged her motionless body away, and dumped her in the dungeon.

Though she seemed lifeless, Lunaire was still barely awake. Seconds after she got thrown into the dungeon, the scent of her horrible mate drew closer.

Deep in her heart, she still believed in him. Maybe he came to apologize. She struggled to open her eyes, but what horror it was to see him with Bella, both flashing an evil smile.

Zane squatted, tilting his head as he clicked his tongue. "Look at you. So fucking weak,"

Lunaire coughed out some blood along with the shattered pieces of her heart.

"You're mmy mmate. Why wwould yyou do this tto me?" She asked, wheezing in pain.

A burst of maniacal laughter shook the dungeon.

"You really thought I'd accept a disgusting, ugly, fat piece of shit like you?"

Her entire world shrunk to the abyss.

And as if that wasn't enough, he landed another blow, "Why so shocked, my mate? Did you think I would go for a slut like you? Have you seen yourself? You are so ugly, fat. Fuck! I nearly puked when I saw your ugly scarred body last night, but you were a great fuck. I didn't expect that from a virgin."

Lunaire's mind went blank.

'It was a lie? Everything that happened last night was a lie? Fake? And meant nothing to him?'

Her tears continued falling from her eyes, but her soul was absent.

"Why would I need a whore like you when I have a beautiful girl with me?" Zane said as he stood up and wrapped his arms around Bella while she smirked down at her.

A bitter laugh left Lunaire's lips.

"You...you planned this, right?" She asked, laughing at herself for being a fool.

Zane mockingly clapped his hands and commended her. "Never thought you were this clever." He chuckled.

"Planned? The accusation? The Love confession? Do you think I have the time for you to do all that?" He scoffed.

"You're a fucking murderer, and murderers like you don't deserve happiness. You killed your parents, and you should have died instead of them. A weak and powerless wolf like you would never make a good Luna!" he growled, seething with anger.

"I need a strong, beautiful, and sexy Luna to rule my pack, not trash like you who can't even stand up for herself," he snapped at her.

"Forget about being the Luna, baby. She will never become a good mate as well. I mean, look at her. Even her brothers don't want her. Gosh, I feel like retching. Such a weakass bitch. The moon goddess must have made a mistake, pairing you with a useless mate," Bella sneered.

Lunaire looked down, biting her lip, regretting everything. Her weakness, for letting him touch her and for foolishly clinging onto an illusion that he accepted her flaws.

"You will regret this," she coldly said.

Zane and Bella only laughed at her. "Nah, baby. Only you would have regrets, especially after what we're going to do."

Zane flashed an evil look. Lunaire looked back, confused.

Then, her world turned red as she cried in torment, watching her mate smash his lips onto another woman.

Pain, loathing, and anger eroded her soul as Zane did the things he did to her last night with Bella.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" She screamed as the pain worsened, but the two didn't care.

Lunaire screamed until I felt a kick on her stomach, making me cough out blood. She looked to see Zane standing before her, zipping his pants up.

"I, Alpha Zane Villain, reject you, Lunaire, as my mate and Luna of the Black Rose Pack," he spat, sending her to the epitome of her misery.

Her soul felt like it had disintegrated into space. She screamed her life out. It was worse than the wounds inflicted by the whip.

Zane dragged her out to the yard by her hair. She lost all will to struggle, but her cries sirened.

"If anyone dares to steal in this pack, this is what will happen to them!" Zane spat, pointing his finger at Lunaire.

He tossed her to the ground like a rag. She winced when he landed a kick to her gut.

Zane left her half dead while flirting with Bella.

Lunaire roamed her eyes, searching for a sliver of sympathy from their pack, but they all saw her worse than an insect.

No one helped her nor looked saddened by her plight.

'They were all monsters! All of them!' she bitterly thought.

Darius came forward and dragged her back into the pack house like a sack. And as he took her away, Lunaire hit her head on a rock, knocking her out.

An unknown time later, Lunaire opened her eyes, only to find herself lying on the floor in her room. As soon as she woke up, she felt her head throbbing and her body stinging, making her groan in pain.

She caught her forehead with her hand, but immediately hissed and retracted her hand as she felt a twinge, then saw blood in her hand.

Only then did Lunaire recall what happened earlier, causing her tears to fall down her cheeks as she curled up, hugging her knees. It turned out that her longawaited mate simply used her body the night she treasured the most. Zane directly dumped her right after that and went together with his bitch, Bella. They even schemed against her, prompting everyone, especially her brothers, to torture and loathe her even more.

With so much agony Lunaire had gone through, her heart was filled with sorrow, hopelessness, and indignation.

'Why did you let me live? Why didn't you just take my life instead of my parents'? The mate you gave me didn't want me and even rejected me. Then my brothers, who were supposedly protecting me, were the ones who tortured me the most. I have no one in this pack. So, what is the point of living?' Lunaire ranted to the Moon Goddess in her head.

"Crystal...Crystal, are you there?" she called her wolf but got no response. As she was struck by a thought, she froze for a moment, and then a sob escaped from her mouth.

"Ccrystal," she called out once more, but still no response.

In frustration, she grabbed a bunch of her hair and screamed loudly in her head. Suddenly, when an idea crossed her mind, she stared nowhere, not sobbing anymore.

'I will get out of here. I will leave this pack. I need to save myself from the monsters here in this land,' Lunaire declared inwardly and stood, wobbling.

She strode to her shabby wooden closet to get all her wornout belongings. She then grabbed her backpack, stuffed all her things in it, and zipped it up.

Before running away, she went to the table beside her bed and pulled out a notepad and a pen from the drawer. Crying, she wrote two letters and placed them on the table.

Afterward, Lunaire hardly lunged at the window and looked downward. Upon confirming that the coast was clear, she heaved a sigh of relief. For the last time, she glanced at her scruffy room. Though it was not an ideal room, she treasured the place in her heart as it witnessed all her suffering and held all the memories, good and bad, she had in the pack. But she had enough now; she had already decided to flee from this land of monsters.

Upon realizing how high she was from the ground, she hitched her breath. As such, she tried to call her wolf once again.

"Crystal, I need your help," she uttered.

Luckily, this time, her wolf answered. "Lluna… I ccan't. I'm… too weak right nnow," Crystal replied, out of breath.

But Lunaire was desperate, so she pleaded, "We have to, Crystal. Gather all the strength left inside you. Please."

Crystal understood Lunaire and obediently uttered, "Okay, I will do it, for you, for us." She then did as the latter said.

Lunaire dropped her bag, and on the count of three, she jumped with her eyes closed.

To her surprise, she landed safely and unhurt. When she opened her eyes, she saw her feet change into black paws; she had successfully shifted into her wolf form. In delight, she giggled and jumped, forgetting she was injured. As a result, she winced in pain and lost her balance.

Actually, this was not Lunaire's first time shifting into her wolf form. In fact, her first was when she was only 12 years old, but she kept it to herself in fear that the pack might chase her out of the land for being extraordinary. However, that became the last time as she suffered a lot from the pack members, weakening her wolf and making her unable to shift.

Shortly, Lunaire pulled herself together, bit her bag, and ran at full speed. She passed through the woods to avoid encountering her pack members. She kept running until she suddenly heard howls from a distance, but she ignored them as she was desperate to leave the land. Her perfect chance to run away was already at hand, so she wouldn't let it slip. Hence, she sped up without looking back again at the land.

Meanwhile, it was already meal time, so the four brothers were starving and waiting for Lunaire to serve them their food. However, it had been a few minutes, but no food had been served to them yet.

Irked, Xavier roared, "Where's that bitch?! We've been starving here, but she's not still here! That slut must be awake now, so what is she doing?!"

"I'll go and check on her. I'll beat the shit out of her if I catch her just dawdling in her room," Darius said, smirking. His brothers burst out laughing upon hearing him, but he just sniggered.

He then headed upstairs to Lunaire's room and slammed the door open upon reaching it. But he was only greeted by a breeze coming from the open window. He looked around to find his sister, who he thought was just hiding somewhere.

"Lunaire," Darius called out, but no one responded.

"Lunaire! Come the fuck out if you don't want me to cripple you!" he threatened, thinking that the girl would come out after hearing it.

Still, no Lunaire appeared. Darius clenched his jaw in exasperation and was about to walk toward the window when the pieces of paper inserted at the foot of the lamp on the table near the bed caught his attention.

Curious, he picked one of those that was addressed to the four of them.

[Dear Brothers,

When you read this, I will be long gone. I know you would be happy to know I have left. That's what you wanted, right? Either gone or dead? Well, I have now granted your wish.

I just want you to know that after everything you did to me, I still love you four. You are my big brothers, once my protectors and best friends. You were supposed to protect me, love me, and care for me as brothers do, but after our parents died, all you did was abuse me, mentally and physically. You can't imagine how painful this has been for me. It has been six years since, but I'm still barely living.

If Mom and Dad were still around, they would be disappointed with you all. Brothers don't hit, curse, and treat their sisters like slaves, but all of you did just that. Although I love you, you can't blame me that I hold a grudge against you all.

For the last time, I'll tell you, I didn't kill mum and dad; I would never do that. I was just fucking 10 years old back then, so how would I even do what you are all accusing me of? I yelled, begged, and screamed for you all to believe me, but you're just like everyone else. You chose to believe in the pack members over your sister, your own blood relative.

Now, I only hope for one thing. And that is for you all to rot in hell. I promise I will never come back to you all. From now on, you are all dead to me, and I have no brothers from today onwards.

Goodbye. I hope you enjoy your life burning in hell!

From your socalled sister, Lunaire.]

After Darius read the letter, his legs weakened as if his strength escaped him, causing him to drop his knees to the floor. His hand clutched the paper as he placed it on his chest, crying.

The letter served as an eyeopener for him. It took six long years before he was woken up from the blindness brought on by wrong accusations and wrath. It seemed Lunaire had to write this letter first before her brothers realized and regretted what they had done. However, although it happened now, it was too late. Lunaire was already fed up and left them.

'What have I done? My baby sister is gone. She had already left us,' Darius dejected, upon a realization finally dawned on him.

Looking up, he talked to her late parents. 'Mom, Dad. Sorry, we disappointed you. You must be disgusted with us now for treating our sister like that. She was right. We were supposed to love and protect her, but we nearly killed her.'

His tears flowed even more, when he saw marks of blood on the floor. It was Lunaire's blood when they tortured her. Gradually, everything was finally sinking, and remorse was consuming him.

Downstairs, the three brothers grew impatient as Darius took so long, so they decided to check on him upstairs. But they were shocked to find him on his knees, crying as they entered Lunaire's room.

"Darius, what in the world happened to you?" Lucas wondered as he ran towards Darius, followed by Xavier and Dustin, perplexed.

Darius looked up at them and uttered, "She's gone."

Confused about what the latter was saying, Dustin snatched the letter from his brother's hand and read its content. Like his brother, his eyes widened in shock as well, and then tears began to trickle down his cheeks. Strength also escaped from his body, causing him to fall down on Lunaire's bed.

Lucas and Xavier looked at each other in puzzlement and took the letter from Dustin's hand. Upon reading it, they also flashed the same expression as their brothers'.

"Fuck," Dustin cursed, running his hand through his hair.

"She was suffering from the wrong accusation for six years, but we didn't do anything to protect her and made her life miserable instead," Lucas cried.

Getting his act together, Darius stood up, wiped his tears away, and declared, "We need to find her. We need to bring back our baby sister."

All at once, the four of them howled in pain as their tears rose.

"I'm so sorry, Lunaire. I promise we will protect you with our lives this time," Darius promised.

Suddenly, Lucas saw another piece of paper on the table. "What is this letter?" he wondered as he picked it up.

"Read it out aloud," Darius ordered sternly.

"Dear Alpha Zane, I actually don't know what to say to you other than thank you. Thank you for showing the true color that you hid from the world. Thank you for freeing me from this toxic bond. A guy like you doesn't even deserve true love as you are not worth it. My heart still churns in pain with the thought of you being with someone else, but it's okay; I will move on while you rot on your own.

I pray to the moon goddess that no one gets a mate like you. Thank you for rejecting me, and I will have the honor to do the same. I, Lunaire, reject you, Alpha Zane Villain, as my mate and as my Alpha.

I hope we never meet. Enjoy your life with that whore! Goodbye forever.

Your socalled weak mate, Lunaire," Lucas read the letter out loud as Darius instructed.

They were all shocked to learn that their sister had already found her mate, and it was even Zane! But the rage overwhelmed them as they learned that the latter had rejected their sister.

"What the fuck? Lunaire was his mate, and he fucking rejected her? I'm going to kill him!" Xavier roared and stormed out of the room.

With their blood boiling in a rage, the three followed the latter to Zane's room.

As soon as they reached the room, Xavier called him out. "Zane!" He then slammed the door open, exposing Zane lying on his bed.

Surprised and bewildered, the latter got up and asked, "What's going on, bro?"

But instead of receiving an answer, he got a punch from Darius right in the face.

"What the fuck, man?! What was that for?" Zane yelled, glaring at Darius.

"You fucking bastard, why the fuck did you reject my sister?" Darius asked, lunging at Zane again and throwing his fist at him. But the latter's reflex was fast. He quickly dodged it and returned the punch, making Darius stumble back.

"Surrender!" Zane growled, power embedded in his voice. His fangs were shooting out, and his yellow eyes were flashing, making the four brothers bow down, and tilt their heads, showing their necks, indicating submission.

"You don't have the fucking right to shout at me, Darius. And what did you say? Sister? Huh! When the fuck did that slut become your sister?" Zane sneered, making the four growl in anger.

Darius couldn't contain the rage and was about to squawk when they heard a commotion downstairs. Their heads quickly turned to the direction where the noise was coming from. Without any word, they all rush downstairs, led by Darius.

"Take the women and pups to safety!" one of the pack members instructed.

"Fuck! We're under attack," Zane cursed as he sped up and overtook the four brothers.

They then transformed into wolves and dashed outside to find other pack members fighting the rogues. The battle between the two groups was intense, causing many casualties.

Darius was enraged and was about to vent it out to Zane earlier, but then rogues suddenly attacked, preventing him from doing so. Hence, he snarled and ran at full speed, attacking a rogue wolf away from their pack member. He bit the neck, ripped the head off, and threw the wolf away.

Glancing at Dustin, he saw him doing well as the latter ripped off the head of one of the rogues.

All of a sudden, a thunderous howl rang out, making all the wolves stop fighting. As they turned their heads towards where the howl was coming from, their eyes changed to yellow as they growled in unison.

"Well, well, well. Look how big you have all become," an ugly rogue in a wolf form said as he strode towards Zane and the four brothers.

Zane jumped in front of him, snarling and showing his teeth.

"Oh, calm down, dear pup. Where is that weak mate of yours?" the rogue asked in a mocking tone, which gained a growl from the five of them.

"Oh, didn't she tell you anything?" he sarcastically laughed, bringing confusion to Zane and the four brothers.

"Poor little girl. She suffered from something she didn't commit. I pity the poor soul, but what can you expect from a weak girl like her? "he smirked, then shifted into his human form.

All of their eyes widened as they witnessed the rogue transform into a fully clothed human form, which was unusual as all wolves turned naked after shifting.

The rogue intently stared at them with his red eyes etched with mockery and a smirk plastered on his face, urging Darius to kill me at once.

The rogue faced Zane and said, "I'll tell you a little secret. I was the one who killed your exBeta and his mate. I ripped their hearts out and satisfyingly drank their blood." He even let out an evil laugh after saying it. Zane couldn't contain his wrath any longer and ran full speed towards the rogue. He then jumped on top of the latter and bit his leg.

Darius's eyes, on the other hand, began to shed a tear as the image of my dying parents suddenly flashed in his mind. Indeed, their sister was innocent, but they didn't believe her, not even once.

Like Darius, his three brothers also howled in pain and ran towards the rogue, in full charge, only to be flung back with brutal force. Zane tried to stand up again, but his body banged on a tree, so he hissed in pain and found it difficult to get back on his feet again.

"I'll finish you off now!" Zane roared and dug his nails right into the rogue's thigh, making him scream in pain. Gritting his teeth, Darius lunged at the rogue and bore his claws into the latter's eye.

"I'll kill you, you fucking bastard. You killed my parents. Because of you, my sister nearly died. I will fucking kill you!" Darius fumed, drawing the rogue's eyeball out of the eye socket, making him scream in agony.

They froze, however, when the rogue stopped yowling and began laughing like a lunatic. A gust of wind appeared out of nowhere and slammed into them, knocking them back.

Darius's back slammed into a tree, making him groan in pain. Upon opening his eyes, he found his surroundings spinning, so he shook his head and tried to stand up. Limping, he looked around to find the rogue, but he failed to see him; even his troops were missing.

"Where the fuck did that rogue go?" Zane threw a fit.

"Find that fucker right now!" he commanded his pack soldiers.

Darius shifted back to his human form, not caring if others would see him naked.

He then approached Zane and said, "We need to find Lunaire. She is out there alone. If that rogue can come here, then he can fucking reach my sister in no time. We need to save her!"

"No one will hurt my mate. We will fucking find her, and I will kill that fucking rogue once and for all!" he sternly stated, his eyes showing determination. Afterward, he quickly headed inside, leaving the pack members outside, mourning their lost family members and mates.

But aside from sorrow, their eyes were also filled with shame, regret, and guilt after hearing the truth behind the death of the former Beta and his mate from the killer himself. Some couldn't bring themselves to make eye contact with the four brothers due to extreme shame, but some dared to give the four brothers apologetic looks. Although the entire pack tormented Lunaire, Darius could only glare at them, knowing that he was not different from them.

Disregarding the pack, Darius declared to himself, 'I need to find her as soon as possible. I promise you, Mom and Dad, I won't let you down anymore. I'm the fucking Beta of the pack for a reason, and I'll prove it by saving my sister!'

Once inside his room, Zane dropped to the floor and bowed his body to cradle his face between his knees as if he had lost all of his strength. "How could I do this to her? How could I believe in lies? I rejected my mate and even had sex with another woman in front of her. Fuck. Asshole!" he said as he yanked his hair and ran his hands roughly over his face. Zane tightened his fists and cursed, "Fuck...fuck...fuck," while repeatedly punching the floor in sheer anger as his eyes filled with tears.

"Lunaire must have been in so much pain. Fuck! Why the fuck did I do that? Why?" Zane shouted in agony.

'Why? Because you're a fucking piece of shit,' his wolf, Wren, spat at him. Zane flinched. However, Wren continued in disgust, 'She was so beautiful and kindhearted. I love her so much. I even fell for her at first sight, but you filthy human had to ruin everything. You fucking took my mate away from me, and for that, I will never forgive you. You have no idea what you have lost. I hope you regret it for life."

Zane suddenly thought back to how he ignored Wren's whimpers and painful howls when he tortured Lunaire. Wren...He was hurting beside her. While he? He was fucking enjoying watching his mate suffer.

Zane trembled and choked back a sob. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," He whispered, closing his eyes and allowing the tears to run down his cheeks. When Zane didn't hear Wren's response, he pleaded in a shaky voice, "Wren...Wren, pplease ttalk to me...Wren...pplease." Still, only silence was heard. Selfblame. Regret. Guilt. It was all Zane could feel at this moment.

After an unknown time passed, Zane raised his head from his legs, wiped away his tears, and vowed in a determined voice, "Forgive me, Lunaire. Once I find you, I will win you back, and I promise I will treat you like a queen," and wiping my tears.

With a renewed sense, Zane took in a deep breath and exhaled. He was the Alpha of this pack, and he needed to stay strong for her, his Luna, and his pack. He stood and walked out of his room towards the training field where everyone was gathered. Once Zane stood in front of his pack members, they all became silent as they waited for him to speak. He sighed, trying to suppress his tears as he didn't want to look weak in front of his pack.

"As you all know, we hahave lost a pack member, a member we all treated like trash and a punching bag. We condemned her for murdering her parents and stealing, not knowing she was innocent," Zane spoke loudly. The pain in his chest became unbearable as he said each word.

"Lunaire is my mate," He finally admitted and looked at each and everyone as loud gasps echoed through the field. "Yes, Lunaire was my mate until I decided to reject her, which was the biggest mistake of my life. We all wronged her and hurt her, especially me," Zane whispered at the end.

Some had a look of regret and guilt flashing on their faces. Others had tears in their eyes, some had sorrow, and very few were apathetic, but once their Alpha shouted the last words, they all gave Zane a firm look.

"FOR OUR LUNA!" a pack member started chanting, his voice full of spirit. "FOR OUR LUNA!" another member echoed. After that, all members repeatedly chanted, "FOR OUR LUNA!" and fisted their hands up in the air. Zane genuinely smiled and whispered, "For my Luna."

Zane couldn't believe that Lunaire lived here, and he did nothing to help her except to add more pain to her. Like a madman, he rummaged through her stuff, just wanting something of hers that would make him calm down. Zane then realized his mate didn't have a lot of things which made him nearly trash the room. Good thing he saw a scarf lying on the edge of her bed. He cried in relief, clutching the scarf to his chest, hugging it, imagining the scarf was her.

Still not satisfied, Zane buried his face into his scarf, deeply inhaled it, and kissed it while murmuring into her scarf, "I'm so sorry, Lunaire. If only I had the power to go back in time. If only I wasn't blind to see how much I love you. You are my true soul mate, and I threw you away while you were ready to accept the way I was, accepting my past along with it. I don't deserve a girl like you, yet I can't let you go."

"Zane," a voice suddenly said. Zane snapped his head at the bedroom door and frowned at the person. "Why are you here?" he asked with disgust.

"I...I thought you might need some company," She whispered in a sultry voice and bit her lips as he looked at him, making Zane feel disgusted with her and himself.

He gritted his teeth, clenched his jaw in anger, and demanded, "Get the fuck out of here, Bella."

However, Bella didn't listen. She walked in and closed the door behind her, her night dress swaying as she walked, flashing him her perky ass.

Disgusted, Zane looked away, his nails digging into his palms, trying to curb his anger.

Bella looked down at him and taunted, "I can't believe you are crying because of that bitch. The big bad wolf is actually crying, huh?" She scoffed at him.

In a flash, Zane stood up, which made her jump back in fear while he glared at her with rage, threatening, "One more word…one more word about her, and I will snap your neck, you filthy slut!"

Bella gasped in disbelief. Her eyes became moist, "So now I'm a filthy slut to you? After doing everything with me, I'm a slut to you now?" She laughed bitterly. Zane didn't care as he continued glaring at her.

Not hearing his reply, Bella walked towards him, tears running down her cheeks, and said in a hurt voice, "I thought you loved me...I thought you wanted me to be your mate. That's why we devised the plan to accuse Lunaire of being a thief. We did it so we could finally be together, but you threw that all away. For what? For a weakling like her?"

"Shut your fucking mouth! I didn't want you in the first place. I only used you to get what I wanted, which was my biggest mistake. Now, don't ever show me your fucking face ever again. GET OUT," He roared, but Bella was not a bit intimidated. She smiled at him as if she had lost her mind, making him frown.

Then, Bella cupped his cheek, so Zane raised his hand to slap it away. However, she endured the pain and murmured, "You don't know what you have done, Alpha Zane. You using me will be the biggest mistake of your life." Saying this, she stared deeply into his eyes with her red glowing ones. Suddenly, his vision became blurry, and he started to sway from side to side as dizziness hit him.

Disoriented, Zane turned to look at Bella's blurry face. He repeatedly shook his head and dug his palms into his eyes to dispel it.

"I loved you so much, and look what you did," a familiar voice said with a hint of accusation.

Zane opened his heavy eyes and stiffened. "ALunaire," He called out in his trembling voice. He raised his shaking hands to touch her face and laughed madly. "You...yyou ccame bback," Zane whispered over her lips.

"You used me. You hurt me. Why?" her bottom lip trembled as she cried.

He furiously shook his head and gulped, leaning his forehead onto hers. He desperately said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you. Pplease don't leave me again. I need you. Pplease, Lunaire…I love you...Forgive me."

Only their heavy breathing could be heard inside the room.

"Kiss me," She commanded, making his eyes widen in shock. The person who he thought was Lunaire looked into his eyes and placed her hand over his chest. "Kiss me, Zane. Kiss me and show me how much you love me," She whispered in a seductive voice.

Zane's heart started to pound wildly. He instantly smashed his lips onto hers, causing her to moan. Her taste felt weird. It was different from what he remembered, but he just shrugged off the feeling. He continued to trail kisses down her neck, licking and sucking on her sweet spot, causing her to tug on his hair while she moaned.

"You're mine, Zane. Mine," She possessively whispered into his ear.

Zane growled and ripped off her clothes, stripping her down naked, and leaving marks all over her body.

"Mmmm, Zane. I need you," She moaned. "Pplease don't leave me. I love you."

Zane kissed her forehead and thrust into her roughly and deeply. She dug her nails into his back, making him groan as he slammed against her like a mad man. He kissed her lips, biting her lower lip while he rubbed and squeezed her breasts which felt a lot bigger. This feeling again. It felt wrong. All of this felt wrong, but Zane was so lost in pleasure that he couldn't tell why.

"ZANEEEEEEEE!" a sudden voice snarled in agony.

Caught off guard, Zane shifted to the side, bent over, and held his pounding head in his arms. He began to pant as he groaned, "Ahh," the pain became intolerable. He couldn't help but scream as his head grew heavier and the pain became severe.

"ZANEEEE!" again, the voice cried, his tone had a hint of anger and resentment.

Zane collapsed to the ground, pulling at his hair as his eyes were tightly shut. He was in excruciating pain and the voice... It seemed so familiar. His body trembled, and a chill caused his hair to rise up. He shivered and hugged his body. He then felt a presence hovering over him before it sat down on his stomach and leaned down so that its lips were close to his ear.

"Sleep well, my big bad wolf," was the last thing Zane heard before he fell into the darkness.

1 year later

Near the place where Lily was hiding, a man's voice commanded angrily, "Don't let her get away. You must catch that bitch."

Hearing this, she stifled her sobs as she began to flee into the woods across from where they were. She was so terrified that she failed to notice the branches and was scratched. She persevered, however, and kept going.

"I'm going to kill you with my own hands when I find you," her Alpha roared fiercely.

She quickly ducked behind a bush, covering her mouth with both hands, not wanting to make any noise. She tried to hold her breath, but it became quicker when she heard the sound of footsteps coming closer, the leaves crunching as the steps moved slowly and steadily, making her heart drop in fear.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," a voice said in a singsong voice before laughing darkly.

Lily closed her eyes tightly, and her heart continued to pound violently against her chest. She pressed her palm to her mouth to stifle the sound of her breathing. Lily was terrified—terrified of being discovered again. If her Alpha found her, she was sure he would kill her.

"Alpha, I have searched everywhere but can't find her. The bitch must have made it out of the territory," another voice spoke.

Lily flinched when she heard her Alpha growl angrily. "Send out a search team tomorrow morning. I want that whore back as quickly as possible. I'm going to have fun snapping all her bones and breaking her legs for escaping the pack," He said and laughed maniacally.

Lily hugged her knees and looked around her surroundings. She didn't know where she was, only that she was surrounded by tall trees and darkness everywhere. She nearly screamed when she felt something touch her leg. She quickly stood up and sighed when she saw it was just a bug.

Only God knew what was out there at this time of the night.

When Lily heard an owl hooting, her tensed nerves made her flinch. She looked around. The moment she saw the huge eyes looking back at her, she froze and stared at them. After realizing it was not a threat, Lily sniffled and hugged herself more tightly while wiping her tears. As the night passed, her eyes became even heavier, unaware when she closed her eyes, and darkness overtook her.

THUD!

Lily jolted awake when she heard a loud sound. She frantically looked around only to see nothing. She swallowed, feeling her throat parched from thirst, and her stomach started to growl in hunger. She rubbed her stomach and weakly stood up. "Where do I go now?" she wondered loudly and started to cry again.

She decided to walk deeper into the woods while constantly looking for any danger. Lily didn't know what time it was or where she was. She was lost in this forest, not knowing any survival skills.

Lily then froze when she heard a crunching sound, followed by a roar echoing through the forest. Without hesitation, she started running for her life. Hearing someone behind her prompted her to run even faster until she tripped and fell onto her face. Lily let out a painful cry, her cheek now bruised, and her leg started swelling.

"Well, well, look who we have here, brothers," an evil voice spoke.

Lily looked up with tears only to see three ugly wolves walking around her in a circle.

"She looks delicious," "Mouthwatering," "Tasty," they all spoke in unison, their tongue licking their razorsharp teeth.

"Pplease, I mean nno harm...Pplease, llet me ggo," She said in a shaky voice and scooted backward.

"Awww, the baby is going to cry now," one of the wolves mocked, causing them to all burst out with laughter.

Lily couldn't help but shriek as a large washedbrown wolf charged at her with an unsightly scar extending from its eye to its lips. With its face now directly in front of Lily, she froze in terror. She felt sick as he snarled at her and closed his mouth, filthy drool running down her calf.

"How about a No, missy? We haven't had a great snack in years, right, brothers?" one of them replied, tilting his head and giving Lily a nasty glare while his brothers chuckled behind him,

"Pplease llet me go," Lily begged and let out a frightened scream when she felt the wetness on her cheek. The rogue was now licking her, making her shut her eyes with disgust and fear.

"Weak human, I'm going to have so much fun with you," the wolf laughed evilly.

Lily opened her eyes in a flash. Her eyes were now swollen from all the crying. She wanted to rub them but was too terrified to lift a finger. Her body shook, and her lips quivered when she saw the huge brown wolf open his disgusting mouth; his sharp fangs were pointed at her like daggers.

"AHHHH," Lily shrieked, tightly closed her eyes, and covered her face with her arms.

Lily waited for the pain, but when she didn't feel anything, she slowly opened her eyes and sprang back in horror as she saw the wolf's head on the ground, eyes wide open. Terrified, she turned to the side and noticed its body had been tossed away. She gulped as she backed away from the lifeless head.

Meanwhile, the two brothers were looking around, growling and snarling. Lily screamed in terror once more as the black wolf swung its head at her and growled, "You did this, didn't you? I'm going to kill you, you bitch!"

Lily frantically shook her head. "II didn't, II sweswear," but the wolf came straight towards her, gritting his teeth. As he leaped into the air with his mouth open and ready to attack her, a figure suddenly appeared and struck the wolf in the face, sending it flying back into a tree.

Lily stood there frozen in shock and bewildered by the sudden turn of events. When the second wolf howled and charged toward the figure, his head was severed from his body and hurled into a tree. Lily shuddered. The red wolf tossed his head, howled, and glared at the person while rocking back and forth on his four legs. Without hesitation, he attacked the figure with all his might, growling loudly and baring his filthy, rotten teeth. The figure remained still as if waiting for death.

Then, with his jaws wide open and his claws extended, the wolf leaped into the air. Unexpectedly, a hand holding the dagger was faster than him, which stabbed into his eyes and caused him to collapse to the ground with a thud. Lily gasped and screamed in horror. The figure bent down to the wolf's height and mercilessly twisted its neck. Lily closed her eyes tightly, choosing not to witness such a gruesome scene.

Except for her labored breathing and whole body drenched with sweat, the forest restored its peace as if nothing had happened. Lily slowly opened her eyes and didn't see anyone. She quickly stood up and hissed in pain, remembering her swollen leg. She whipped her head around, trying to see where the person who saved her life went.

"Up here, kid," a voice spoke. Lily instantly snapped her head up at the tree and see the exact figure sitting there with an apple in her hand, looking at her in boredom. After jumping down, the figure approached Lily and threw the apple away.

Oddly enough, Lily felt safe with her around. She stared into her savior's eyes, her eyes scanning her features. Her savior was beautiful with her golden eyes glowing, her long hair so silky with a scarletfiery color streak on her locks, giving her a vibrant look. Now, standing in front of her, Lily realized that she was taller than her.

"Tthank you for saving mme," Lily stuttered, her cheeks blushing from being scrutinized by this mesmerizing woman.

"What are you doing here alone in the middle of the woods? Don't you know how dangerous this area is?" she asked calmly, but her face was still emotionless.

Lily gulped and looked away, her tears blurring her eyesight, remembering why she was here."II rran away," She answered, her voice breaking.

"Why?" her savior asked bluntly.

Lily looked down at her fingers and played with them, feeling nervous. "Mmy fafamily doesn't llike me," Lily sadly admitted.

"Hmm," the beautiful woman hummed. Lily looked at her and saw her eyes softening, but she quickly covered them with a cold stare.

"How old are you, kid?" she asked.

"I'm 12," Lily responded.

"Did they hurt you?" she asked, looking at Lily's wounded leg.

Lily frowned but then looked down in sadness, understanding her question. Lily sniffled, wiping her nose. "A lot... Tthey ssaid I'm wweak aand tthat I ddon't ddeserve to hhave hhappiness," her voice stuttered.

"And why's that?" her savior asked and shrugged off her small jacket while keeping her eyes on Lily.

"Because I ddon't hhave a wolf," Lily answered and cried, her heart churning with nervousness as she awaited her savior's response.

Lily apprehensively looked at her, knowing the latter would leave her to die or might even kill her for being abnormal. Her savior raised her hand towards Lily's face, making her immediately shut her eyes and flinch. When the pain didn't come, Lily slowly opened her eyes and saw how the latter softly gazed at her.

Her beautiful savior then bent down, making Lily flinch again, but the former rolled her eyes and ripped her jacket, wrapping the fabric around Lily's bleeding leg.

"Next time, read before wandering off," she said, standing up and pointing towards a signboard that said: [TURN BACK!] Knowing how she almost died tonight, Lily gulped and nodded frantically.

Lily looked at her savior's attire. She wore soiled cargo pants, a pair of black boots, and a black tank top. For a moment, Lily wondered why her clothes were dirty, yet her hair was kept clean, smooth, and silky. Lily snapped back from her thoughts when her savior turned around and started to walk away. Lily hurriedly ran after her, in fear of being left alone.

"Wwhere are you going?" Lily asked as she limped behind.

"None of your business, kid," Her savior spoke with a cold voice.

"Wwhere...where will I go then?" Lily pitifully asked, her bottom lip quivering as she walked, supported by a tree branch.

"You should have considered that before running away, kid," Her savior coldly said.

"Ccan I stay with you...pplease?" Lily croaked. She didn't want to be alone again. What if she saw other vicious wolves? Though she looked only a bit older than Lily, she felt safe being with her.

She suddenly came to a halt, looked over at Lily, and stared at her with an unknown expression. "No," she muttered, making Lily's heart lurch.

However, Lily followed her once more, pleaded, "Please? I promise I will be good," and flashed those adorable puppy eyes.

Her savior stopped again and huffed. "Those puppy eyes won't work on me," she pointed at Lily's eyes with an irritated look.

Lily mentally giggled. "Please? Pretty please? I promise I won't be a bother to you," Lily begged, fluttering her eyelashes.

Her savior sighed helplessly and ran her hand through her silky hair, warning her, "One complaint, and I will throw you back to those wolves." She then glared at Lily, pointing her finger at the latter's face.

Lily grinned broadly and pounced at her, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much," Lily squealed, wrapping her arms around her savior's waist. The latter just patted Lily's back and walked away nonchalantly. Lily smiled at her and for a moment, her savior smiled back at her before displaying a cold expression again. Lily quickly held her hand, causing her savior to stare at their intertwined hands.

"Can this get any better?" her savior muttered dryly, making Lily's smile widen.

The two then started walking away from that area. Lily was now safe with her savior, and Lily pledged to always be with her, never leaving her side. When Lily grew older, she would protect her from all kinds of evil, like how she protected her from those vicious wolves.

"What's your name, kid?" Her savior suddenly asked Lily while looking ahead.

"My name is Lily," Lily responded, to which her savior only nodded.

"You?" Lily tilted her head and looked at her, asking.

She looked down at Lily, her bangs obscuring her eyes before responding with a beautiful name, "Lunaire."