The Alpha's Scorned Mate

Zoey’s POV

“Run, slut, run! Good ol’ loverboy is coming to get you! “

I bit my lower lip hearing his hairraising remark. I had been running for a good amount of time trying to get away from this monster but he never seemed to give up.

“Playing hard to get, huh? That is more I like it! Make sure you’ll run real fast because once I catch you, I’ll make sure your body will suffer both in pain and pleasure. Hahahaha!”

I grimaced, utterly disgusted with what he uttered. But I remained focused. I need to get out of this situation, and fast! Because if not, that middleaged rogue perv would be feasting on my body like a predator to his prey and I wouldn’t let him. I’d rather die!

The forest mountains of Crestwood had been my home for the last two years. The heavily forested slopes, abundant vegetation covering the ground, and milehigh peaks were my constant companions during my hunting trips. But if not for this pervert, I wouldn’t realize that Crestwood was not mine exclusively. The peace and tranquility it gave me over the last few months were so addicting that I forgot about this being a home of dangerous rogues and other pariahs of our society.

Like me.

All of a sudden, the surroundings became quiet. I could no longer feel the rogue that was running after me. It took me a couple more seconds of dashing before I slowed my tracks until eventually, I stopped. I could no longer smell his filthy desire. Perhaps he got tired and decided to let me go unscathed?

Perhaps. Perhaps was quite an unsettling word. And I learned that the hard way.

Suddenly, an unknown being jumped at me making me roll violently on the ground. I must have been too complacent with the momentary peace I had. Obviously, I did not notice that the vile rogue was able to get near me without realizing it.

Big mistake.

The rogue howled as his skin brushed into mine. We kept on rolling until eventually, he was able to subdue me. He locked my arms above me while his legs were jailing my limbs. Dang, it! His putrid stench hit my nostrils.

He leaned forward, sniffing my neck in the process. I moved my head sideways, avoiding his foul breath.

“Finally! I got you, little bunny. Now, it’s time for the wolf to devour you,” he uttered, seemingly unclothing me with his dirty stares. No, I would let him touch me. Not now, not ever!

And then, he began to touch me. And with that, I exploded.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!!!!”

I pushed him as hard as I could, not giving him time to react. He sent him flying to a nearby tree, hitting his back in the process. Before he could recover, I launched at him ready for another attack. But this time, I was in another form.

I morphed into my fucking copperhued wolf form.

The man was caught off guard, with shock evident on his face. He didn’t see it coming. I bet never in a million years he saw this coming. Well, I couldn’t blame him. Because in our world, my form was considered a miracle.

Female werewolves who could shift into their wolf form were a million werewolves to one. There was only one known female shifter on the continent and I knew her personally because she came from our pack. So seeing me in this state was a moment he was least expected of all.

I targeted his neck area, locking my powerful jaws into it. I am a wolf and this was the way we attack our victims. Using my sharp teeth, I pierced his dirty skin. It didn’t take long before the red liquid from his body squirted. The rustic smell of the liquid made me frown, as this was the substance I would never grow to love.

And with that, I let him go. I already inflicted a fatal injury. I was so sure that the rogue would die soon.

The man stared at me, still couldn’t believe the fate that befell him. “Impossible,” he uttered while laying on the ground. He was now holding the torn flesh on his neck as blood was oozing out of it. “What the fuck are you?”

In a blink of an eye, I shifted back to my human form. I walked toward him, enjoying the fear that I could sense in his body.    I scooched down, leaning to his ears in the process. He shuddered in fear as I stated the words that even in his dream, he was never ready to hear.

“The name is Zoey Davis, a rogue, and a female shifter.” A few seconds later, life departed from the rogue’s body. I took a deep sigh.

It was over. I won and killed another outlaw.

The rustic smell of the rogue’s blood was filling my nostrils and I fucking hate it. So, I wasted no time trying to find ways how to clean my body from it.

In this place, the weak will surely be a victim of the strong ones. You have to learn to fight and defend yourself if you wanted to live.

Finally, I reached the stream. The clear water shines blue in the middle of green nature. The sound of the flowing water gave me peace of mind as I dipped my naked body into it.

I watched as the cold water washed out the dirt and blood from my body. While the beauty of the place was to be grateful for, I couldn’t help but think about that one thing that never departed from my mind.

Moonlight Pack…the place where I was raised and used to call home.

It has been a while since I ran away from my pack, something that I never planned of doing. But at that moment, I didn’t have a choice. I was forced to do it out of my desperation. I needed to do it because I couldn’t bear to see the man who was destined to be my mate but chose to break my heart.

And with that, my mind traveled to the day when it all began.

“Zoey?”

The voice was almost a whisper but enough to make my heart jump with joy. He only stated my name but that simple gesture already made my day. I fidgetted my fingers, still couldn’t believe that this was happening. It was him all along, the man I had waited for eighteen years.

“Why? Why does it have to be you?”

In a blink of an eye, all of my hopes were shattered into a million pieces. I lifted my head so I could look at him the first time my wolf realized that he was my mate. He looked surprised but not in a good way. All I could see was his utmost disappointment in the situation I waited for all my life.

Today was my eighteenth birthday and the day I met my mate. I didn’t have to travel far and wide because the moon goddess decided to pair me with Grayson Anderson, the future alpha of our pack. His shiny jetblack hair was moving against the autumn breeze, and his light blue eyes were fixated on me. I never felt so insecure in my life with the way he looked at me. Were mates supposed to look at you this way?

“I can’t believe it was you! Of all people, why did the moon goddess have to pick you?

If words could kill, I probably died on the spot. That was how much his words hurt me. It was like a dagger that stabbed me a million times.

Heartbroken was an understatement. Because at that moment, I felt that my heart stopped beating.

Grayson raked his hand on his hair, also cursing in the process. I bit my lower lip and bowed down, for seeing his dismay over the turn of events really bothered me. I couldn’t bear to see him look down on me this way like I was the worst thing that ever happened to him.

He took a deep breath, finally calming down. He lifted his chin and stared at me and then uttered the words that forever changed my life.

“I cannot be mated with you. I just can’t.”

That was it, he reached my breaking point. Tears were streaming down my face as I look at him with nothing but one question.

“Why? Why would you reject me?” My words were breaking as I stated those words. But before I could have his explanation, I saw my sister Savi going in our direction. She snaked her hands around Grayson before throwing me an insulting stare.

“Why are you talking to this loser, Grayson?”

Zoey’s POV

Well, there she goes again. Savannah never liked me. In fact, she even treated me worst than she treated the omegas who served her. She was one special wolf, as she was the only known female shifter in the land. This title earned her a significant rank in Moonlight Pack. Adding to her gorgeous blonde locks and a beauty that was to die for, she held the title of being the most powerful shewolf in Moonlight Pack.

While me? I was nothing. Savi was right, I am a loser. I was no match for her looks, much more for her abilities. A lot of times she was insisting I was adopted, for I never inherited the strength and looks that ran into our genes. If not for my mother’s constant reminder that I was her child, I would really believe Savi’s words.

“Answer me, my love. Is she bothering you?” Savi said seductively. She ran her fingers onto Grayson’s chest while throwing me a disgusted look.

Grayson held her close, sniffing her hair in the process. The gesture made Savi giggle as if Grayson hit something sensitive. And then, he turned in my direction. The smile and welcoming demeanor he was giving Savi disappeared. Contempt was all I could see in him.

“I don’t know what the moon goddess is thinking but I can’t accept this pairing. Not only that you are not beautiful but you were also weak, unlike your sister.” Grayson looked at Savi with a smile on his face and in return, Savi caressed the side of his face. He looked at me again and continued to humiliate me. “You cannot be my Luna. You will only disgrace me if I will choose you. So please, don’t ever bring up this topic ever again. You’ll only humiliate yourself more.”

I grimaced in extreme pain as I tried to make sense of what he just said. My soul was shattered. And just when I thought the torture was over, he leaned down and kissed my sister as if the two of them already have a secret relationship they were both making me aware now.

I wanted to move my feet so I could get out of that place but it wasn’t moving. I wanted to take my eyes off of them but I couldn’t.

My mate rejected our mateship. Worst, he was choosing my sister Savi over me.

Oh, moon goddess! Why did it have to be this way?

But I couldn’t just turn my back on all of this. I had waited all my life to find my destined mate. This couldn’t be the end.

“Maybe you are just surprised. I can give you time to think about it. Just please, don’t do this to me. You can’t treat me like this.”

I tried to hold Grayson’s arms but he moved them away from me. This time, the disappointment written all over his face changed into something viler.

“Don’t you have any dignity left in you? I said I didn’t want you! What’s not to understand?”

“Oh my god! Can you just stop?!” I saw Savi roll her eyes. “Why don’t you just walk away? Can’t you see you are bothering me and my boyfriend?”

I turned to her with tears still running down my face. “Please, Savi, not now. This is between me and Grayson so please, stay out of it.”

I saw the surprised look on Savi’s face, as this was the first time I spoke something against her. I was shocked as well but it was already too late to regret what I did to her.

“You piece of garbage! How dare you humiliate me like this in front of our future alpha!” In a blink of an eye, Savi launched at me and grabbed a handful of my hair. Her grasp was so tight that I felt my scalp was about to tear from my head. I let out a groan due to the extreme pain I was feeling. But Savi was not done yet, as she began to slap me so hard that I tasted rust in my mouth.

“Stop it, Savi. You are hurting me....” I begged. I could no longer take her blows. I began to feel dizzy with her constant hits.

The pain made me weak. I suddenly stopped covering my face and let her slap and punch me as if I no longer care. The numbing pain was immobilizing. But nothing compared to the pain I was experiencing seeing Grayson’s indifference. He allowed Savi to beat me as if I was nothing but a nuisance in his life.

There was no remorse on his face. He enjoyed seeing me in this state.

“Savi! Get your hands off of Zoey!”

Finally, my salvation came. I was expecting it would come from Grayson himself but instead, I felt Hunter’s warmth. He was our older brother.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Savi? Are you out of your mind?” he said while holding Savi’s hands in the air. My brother was furious, as was seen evident in his flushing red face.

“Oh, Hunter! It wasn’t my fault. It was Zoey who started it all!” With that, Savi started crying. She dug her face into her hands and ran into Grayson’s arms while the latter was consoling her.

I rolled my eyes at the scene. Clearly, pretending to be the victim was the game she was an expert in playing.

“What did Zoey do for you to beat her up like this? Look at her! Her face was swollen and bruised because of what you did!”

Suddenly, Savi’s face changed. From her bitch face earlier, it transformed into an innocentlooking saint.

“Oh, dear brother! Because she tried to steal my boyfriend from me!” Savi answered. “She tried seducing Grayson but our alpha heir rejected her advancements. I tried to beg her to leave me and Grayson alone but instead of listening to my plea, she started insulting Grayson and began attacking me. I only defended myself from her! It was her who started it all!”

“Liar! You know that wasn’t true!”

“I am not!” Savi retorted, with tears still streaming down her pretentious face. “I saw it with my own eyes! You were taking off your clothes in front of Grayson!”

“Liar—”

“ENOUGH!”

Hunter’s voice boomed. His eyes changed color, a clear indication of him allowing his wolf to take over. With his fangs already visible, we knew that he was on the verge of losing his patience. Both Savi and I feared our brother as he was known to be a ruthless killer once he morphed into his majestic wolf form.

Hunter looked at me enough for my body to tense in fear. “Tell me what happened.”

I took a deep breath and was ready to tell him my version of the story. “I wasn’t seducing Grayson. We were just talking about something.”

“And what was that?” Hunter, once again, queried.

I was hesitant at first but decided to talk anyway. “About…about our mateship.” I looked at Grayson before continuing my next sentence. “Grayson and I were mated. I just found out this morning.”

Hunter stared at me, shocked at what I just revealed. “What did you say?”

“She said we were mates but that is not true,” Grayson uttered. He stepped forward and grabbed Savi into a hug. “Savi is telling the truth. She was trying to seduce me and when Savi told her that we were already dating, she began attacking her and called me different names.”

“No! That wasn’t true! Why are you telling this—”

Pak!

My cheek went numb from the blow as Hunter hit me with a slap. He glowered at me, panting hard as he tried to control his anger. “How could you shame our family like this? Are you this desperate to be mated to an alpha son? Don’t you have any dignity left in you?”

“But it’s true!” I shouted back. “I am the mate that the moon goddess has given to Grayson! I am supposed to be his girlfriend, not Savi!”

Pak!

Again, another sharp openhanded slap rang in my ears. I cupped my cheek while in tears facing my brother who was never been this angry with me in my entire life.

“If I hear one more word about this nonsense, I’ll make sure to drag you into the dungeon and jail you there until you get back to your fucking senses!”

I stepped back, realizing that my brother now hated me like everybody else. Hunter’s disappointed stares were devastating. He was the only man who knew the real me. But alas! He chose to be blinded by Savi and Grayson’s lies.

Hunter turned to Grayson and bowed his head. “My apologies for my sister’s behavior, Grayson. Please forgive her insolence. Instead, punish me in her stead. I deserve to be beaten because as an older brother and the only man of our family, I should have taught her what’s right from wrong.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Grayson answered. “As long as she would stay away from me and Savi.”

“Thank you for your understanding I’ll make sure that Zoey would no longer bother you and your future Luna,” Hunter uttered. He bowed his head one last time before throwing me a “we will talk later” look.

Meanwhile. Savi smirked at me before hooking her arms to Grayson’s waist. Grayson did the same and planted another kiss on her forehead. And then, they both stepped away, leaving me alone with my misery.

“Go after him, Zoey! Tell him the truth! Tell him he was wrong to think we are weak!” I heard my wolf shout at the back of my head. I gave my remaining ounce of strength to subdue her as I don’t want her to take over my body without my consent.

“What are you doing, Zoey? We will lose our mate if you will not tell him the truth!” My wolf, Kenya, was desperate. She was begging me to speak up but i kept my mouth shut.

He would never know. He didn’t deserve to know about the secret of my ability. After what he did, Grayson only proved that he wasn’t worthy of the truth.

And I vowed to the goddess that I would keep it like that for the rest of my life.

Zoey’s POV

The day was about to be over. I didn’t even realize that I had been running this long.

I looked up the sky. The shades of orange and red were visible on what was once a clear, blue sky earlier. Then, I realized that I needed to go home before the darkness took over. I had so many bad things going on in my life right now so the last thing I wanted was to receive repercusions from violating the pack’s curfew.

So with a heavy heart, I ran home.

Normally, running would calm my senses and ease my heart. Whenever I feel down, I would just run and let my heart out. Afterward, I would feel better and ready to face the world once again. But the pain that was lingering inside me was far from being gone. Instead, the more I tried not to think about it, the more that my heart ached for what had happened earlier.

It wasn’t easy to grow up being the weak sister of the great Hunter and Savannah Davis. I often heard a lot of disappointments and comparisons, making me exposed with a lot of doubts and insecurities. My only consolation was to think about my mate. But the man I expected to save me was the same man who killed my heart.

I was wrong to think that I already experience the worst in life. Because the pain of rejection was beyond comparable.

A few minutes later, I saw our house. It was one of the best homes here in Moonlight, thanks to my brother and sister’s special statuses.. It was a fourbedroom cabin, threebath houses enough to make the us feel comfortable.

But I never felt this house was home. My father only loved my other siblings while my sister never really bonded with me. Hunter was nice and kind to me but he was always away doing some pack duties. I was left with our mother, who showed nothing but love and support to me. I thought Hunter would be at my side too but after what had happened earlier, I figured he was like all of them.

I entered the house, as my feet guided me to the kitchen. I heard some faint sounds coming from the it so I knew that my mom was cooking something. When I saw her, the restraints I build into my eyes shattered. I broke down in tears, covering my mouth in the process to hide my despair. But this was a stupid thing to do as werewolves were known for their keen senses. Seconds later, my mom turned to my direction. Her face was full of worry as she walked slowly toward my direction.

“Why are you crying?” she asked. “What happened?”

I ran to her arms like a child. I dugged my face in her chest, crying desperately. She lifted her hand and caressed my back gently. Her warm touch was comforting, but even ths wasn’t enough to remove the pain.

“Just let it all out, Zoey. Mommy is here for you.” She stroke my hair, letting me feel all her love and support. We stayed in that position until finally, I calmed down. Although the pain was still there, mom’s presence was able to make it a bit bearable.

Mom caressed my face and wiped the tears from my cheeks. “Now, are you ready to speak up what happened?

And so, I started telling her the events that happened earlier. “I…I found my mate earlier.”

Mom squealed in joy. But seeing me cry again, her smiles disappeared from her face. “Wait, did he…”

“Yes, mom, you are right! My mate didn’t want me. He wanted me out of his life!”

“Oh, my poor child!” she exclaimed, pulling my body for another hug. “I don’t understand. Who was your mate and why did he had to do that?

“It was…Grayson Anderson,” I whispered almost inaudible. I felt another wail was about to come out of my throat but I tried my best to stop it by taking a deep breath. “He didn’t want me because I am weak. Savi and him were already dating and even told me he wanted her to be his Luna instead of me. To make it worse, Hunter hit me thinking that I was trying to seduce Grayson. Oh, mother! Why did he had to be him?”

“I am so sorry, honey!” my mom exclaimed. “I’m sorry you have to experience all that on your birthday.”

“Don’t be, mom,” I responded. ”It wasn’t your fault. It was Grayson and his ambition that led me into this.” I felt a raging fire ignited inside my soul.

My mom released me from her embrace. She then looked at my face. A hint of concern could be seen in her eyes glistening with tears. “Did he know about your…?”

I shook my head in response. “No, mom, and I will keep it that way. He will never know that like Savi, I am a shifter too.”

When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t expecting all of this. Apart from me finding about who my mate was, I discovered that like Savi, I could also morph into my wolf form. I could still remember the numbing pain I felt the first time my body had its transformation.

The creaking sound of my bones echoed in my room while my muscles tore from it. I remained to lie at my bedside, trying to understand what the heck was happening to me. My limbs morphed while my hair thickened into copperhued fur. My nose stretched out and became a snout while I noticed that I grew in size. Then, I saw a spirit wolf in my mind. She introduced herself as Kenyas, the spirit wolf that would become my companion for as long as I live.

After Grayson’s rejection, I was sure of one thing. My secret would remain hidden between me and my mom. I wouldn’t let anyone from this goddamn pack know what I was really are, most especially, Grayson Anderson. No one would know that like my bitchy sister, I could shift into my wolf form too.

“I didn’t know how to face Grayson or this family anymore after the incident. I felt that…I no longer belong here.”

My mom’s forehead creased. “What do you mean?”

“I want…I want to run away and start a new life,” I uttered. Call me insane or what not but I already made up my mind.

I no loger have a place here at Moonlight Pack. How could I act normal knowing that my mate loathed me and my sister replaced me in his heart?

“Are you out of your mind? No, I won’t let you!” My mom stepped back and massaged the temples of her head. “Cut this crap! You’ll die if you live as a rogue. You will never survive

“But I am already dead!” I retorted, with eyes glistening with tears. “I hate to say this but Grayson took the life out of me when he decided to reject me. This is the only way for me to start my life again. I will keep dying as long as I am seeing him with another woman in his arms!”

My knees wobbled. I felt like something had blocked my throat while uttering those words. At last,    I gave in and slowly descended to the ground.

My mom didn’t utter a single word. Instead, she scooched down and gave me another embrace. My body was still shaking but I felt the comfort she was trying to give me. But this time, it felt different. It felt as if she was setting me free. I knew right there and then that she was giving me her blessing for running away.

My mom didn’t have to say anything. That gesture was enough for me to understand what she really meant. And with that, I am thankful.

“I love you, mom,” I whispered. “Don’t worry about me. I have my wolf Kenyas with me and she will keep me company. I will never forget you. I will try to stay in touch.”

“Take care of yourself, my dear Zoey. My love for you will remain the same. You are my child and I will always care for you, shifter or not.”

We both savored the moment as my mom’s hug became tighter. Somehow, we both knew that it would take a while until we hug each other like this again. But for now, this was enough.

Under the light of the moon, I ran through the woods. I decided to run north, as I know the trees would be denser in this part of our border. Also, this was the section where the least of the trackers were assigned. If I would want to get out of this place, this route would be the best way to go.

I have been running for a good thirty minutes now.    I already passed the boundary of our Northern reach, making me inch closer to the other side of the border. At last, I reached the end of our reach. My heart began to thump like crazy. Because once I stepped into this land, I would start my life as a teenage rogue. Am I ready for that?

Wait, am I having a second thought?

I suddenly felt my throat became dry. I tried swallowing my own saliva multiple times but nothing seemed to ease my discomfort. Being nervous was an understatement. All of the dauntlessness I had earlier suddenly disappeared inside me and I couldn’t seem to find.

There was no turning back. It was now or never.

“Remember, Zoey. I will support you on whatever decision you will have. Mateless or not, I will always be here.”

My eyes became teary hearing those words of encouragement from my spirit wolf, Kenyas. I had only known her for a day, but the amount of love I was getting from her was more than what the people of Moonlight pack had given me. I may have not been lucky with love but I was sure blessed to have Kenyas as my spirit wolf for life.

And that’s all I need to continue.

It felt liberating crossing the border to the other side. I felt I was free from all of the emotional baggages I was carrying with me when I decided to go here. But not long after, my celebration came to a halt when I felt another presence following me.

That moment, I knew I was in big trouble.

Hunter's POV

Today, I asked myself. Am I a terrible brother?

I heaved a deep sigh, remembering the events that transpired earlier. I lifted my palms and stared at it for a moment. These were the pair of hands that I used to protect my youngest sister Zoey from her bullies. But earlier, these were the same pair of hands I used to hit her. I shook my head trying to erase that awful memory. Did I really hit Zoey with these hands? My dear sister didn’t deserve all that!

All her life, people were looking down on her because of me and Savi. Being born into a family with high expectations was a burden she had to carry all her life. Zoey never had a chance to explore her own talents and abilities. Because here in Moonlight Pack, she was always known to be the weak sibling of the great Hunter and Savi Davis.

And, man! It broke my heart every time I hear it! She was too kind, innocent, and pure to deserve that.

It was utterly embarrassing! I couldn’t bear to look at Grayson’s face when he stood up for Savin instead of Zoey. I knew that Savi hated Zoey and was almost ready to scold her for hitting our youngest sister. But after hearing Grayson’s confession, my world came crashing down. Because for the first time in my life, I was forced to believe Savi’s words instead of hers.

However, why am I feeling this way? Why am I feeling as if I had committed a grave sin for believing Grayson and Savi’s words?

“What’s wrong, Hunter? You looked distracted.”

It was Justin’s voice, one of the trackers in our pack and a very close friend of mine. We were both assigned to scan the western perimeter of our territory and spy for any possible threat in our pack.

“Oh! Hmm...nothing. This is nothing important,” I scoffed. I tried to hide my distress by looking in another direction. However, my friend really knew me well as my excuse seemed to not work with him.

“I know that something is bothering you. I am a tracker, so I know whether you are acting normally or not. And based on my observation, something is bothering you. You know how crucial our duty is. Any distraction would cause a number of lives in Moonlight Pack.”

Hearing that, I bowed my head in shame. Justin was right, I can’t screw up this job. Being part of our security team was one of the hardest and most challenging tasks in our pack.    If I messed up, somebody would surely lose his life.

“If I were you, go and fix whatever problem you are having right now. Don’t worry about tonight’s patrol, for I will cover for you. Besides, the next set of guards will be here any minute now so you don’t have to worry.”

“There’s no need for that,” I refused. “I just needed some—”

“ But I insist,” he said sternly. “You better hurry because I might change my mind.

Hearing this, I wasted no time and shifted into my wolf form. I figured that running in this form would make me reach home faster.

I nodded at Mark before bolting in the direction of our house. The rustling of the dried leaves echoed through the night as my feet dashed through them. The woods were a bit darker than on other nights because the moon was hiding behind the clouds. However, it wasn’t a big deal for me thanks to our enhanced vision. It was a good thing that my wolf Aegon was supportive tonight so he let me take over with ease.

Moments later, I reached our house. I went to the side and took a pair of pants that I hid behind the corner. Since my job required a lot of shifting time, I made sure to leave some clothes handy to keep myself from walking around naked.

I whistled a happy tune, as I was excited to see Zoey. I couldn’t wait to talk to my sister. She was my favorite person in the world so I hate seeing her like that. Maybe she did something wrong but that doesn't mean I would stop loving and caring for her.

As I entered the front door with enthusiasm, my smile departed from my lips when I saw my mom crying on the sofa. A surge of worry flooded my senses.

“Mom? Are you okay? What happened?” My voice was evidently distressed. I hurried to her side to console her. However, she stood up and went away from me as if I did something that upset her.

“Mom?” I didn’t understand what was happening. Why was she like this? Why do I have this feeling that something bad had happened?

“Can you please tell me what’s up? I am so confused right now. Why are you acting like this? Did I do something to offend you?” I was hoping my honest words could get into her. I wasn’t good at comforting someone. And yet, she was my mom, and whatever she was feeling concerned me. It was hard to see her face flooded with tears.

“It’s Zoey. She is…She ran away and had vowed to never come back,” she uttered softly, with his voice breaking in the process. My mom buried her face in her hand before producing another sob. This action didn’t resonate with me as I was left even more confused with what she said.

“Wwwait, what?. What do you mean she ran away? I don’t understand—”

“She ran away from this pack! She was never coming back!” she yelled before running to her room leaving me with my jaw hitting the floor. I raked my hair, trying to wrap things up.    I balled my fist in frustration and stormed off to Zoey’s room to get to the bottom of this.

I have to see it for myself. I need to know whether my sister was already gone or not. And how I wished that my mom was only joking around!

“Zoey!” I pushed the door without even knocking, hoping that her image would welcome me. I expected Zoey to complain about invading her privacy but all I got was a deafening silence.

“No…It can’t be…” I uttered, broken and devastated. I collapsed at her bedside, staring at the cold wall silently praying that everything was just a bad dream. Nothing had changed to her things but it already felt different. It was not the same anymore, for Zoey was gone.

Dear, goddess! What comes to her mind for doing this to herself?

I turned my gaze to my left and saw her tableside. On top of it was a picture of me and her, taken a few years ago. It was proof of how much we cared for each other. Not shortly after, I felt something warm flow out of my eyes.

“Why, Zoey? What have you done?” I asked the evening breeze while holding the picture frame. I couldn’t believe my sister Zoey had run away to become a rogue. I never saw it coming. It was a situation I never imagined for myself.

And then, I noticed something else. There was a letter under her lamp. Curiosity hit me so I took it. My forehead creased as I read the name of whom the letter was for. It was for me.

“I am sorry for running away from all of this. The rejection I received from Grayson was too much to bear. I need time to heal my shattered soul. Take care of mom for me. I love you and I forgive you. You will always be in my heart wherever l go. Love, Zoey.”

My hands were shaking as I felt my heart sore with every piercing word. The memories of what had happened earlier came flashing into my head.

Dear, goddess! What have I done?

I rushed out of Zoey’s room, with my mind clouded with rage. My jaw tensed as I bit my lower lip to control my emotion. My wolf Aegon was howling from the inside but I did my best to subdue him. My mind was focused on facing the man that caused all these troubles.

Heaven forbid, I will make sure that Grayson will pay!

Grayson’s POV

“Oh, Grayson…Fuck me, please…”

Savi’s voice was on the verge of desperation. She moaned seductively as she writhed in pleasure under me. I was currently busy running my tongue to her navel. She looked like she was in deep pain but in reality, she was craving for more.

My lips traveled up to her lips and paused when I reached her collarbone. Once again, I stuck my tongue out and run that tiny muscle on her neck. Savi’s body arched. The gesture sent her to the peak of her desire.

I began to massage her white, smooth breasts. The next thing I knew, I was sucking it like a hungry baby. I held my teeth in between the peak of her breasts, pressing them slightly to put pressure on them. Then, I continued to play with her pearl using my index finger. This action made Savi go out of control.

“Ohh, please. Claim me! I am begging you…” A desperate moan escaped from her mouth. I smirked. This was the thing I was waiting for. I want her to beg like a slave.

I immediately laid her on top of the bed. Then, I started to take off my clothing. Savi sighed as she laid her eyes on manhood. I grinned. I knew that this was her favorite part of my body. I mean, who wouldn’t?

“Like what you see?” I taunted her while playing with my hard member at her front. In response, she opened her legs and whispered, “I liked it better inside me.

I kissed her lips once again, teasing her body once more.    “Not yet, baby. Not yet.”

I lowered my face once more. This time, I went between her thighs. I used my mouth to explore it, making Savi crazy with her carnal needs once again. The sensation was overwhelming for her. She held the satin bedsheet tightly while separating her legs more. The action gave me more opportunities to explore her womanhood and of course, I didn’t waste any of it.

“Yeah, that’s right. More….More…”

I continued to play with her wet core, making her delirious. Her loud moans filled the four corners of the room. Moments later, she reached the peak of her desires. I smirked as the warm liquid flowed outside her stillwet and pulsating core.

"You’re done already?" I taunted her. "But I am just warming up."

“Please…I can’t do this anymore. I need you…I need you to enter me…” And with that, I finally agreed to her pleas.

I separated her thighs and then moved my hips forward. Savi bit her lip when she felt my hard member inside of her.

I began to thrust, slowly at first. Every move was answered by Savannah’s moans. Indeed, she was loud in bed. That was fine to me as I thought of it as a validation that I was doing a good job.

“Oh, yes! More, baby! More!”

Her moans of pleasure filled the four corners of my room. Drops of sweat formed on my forehead as I continued to thrust forward inside her hot, sexy body.

“Oh…Oh…Grayson…Yeah…Yeah…”

Savi’s eyes squinted while her mouth remained open the whole time. Her skin flushed as her face continued to contort in different manners as I continued to ravish her.

I grabbed both of Savi’s breasts and massaged them to my heart’s content. Then, I taunted the pinkish mounds with my index finger, to which she responded by arching her back. Savi’s hands clung to the headboard as if her life depends on it.

My movements became faster and faster until finally, we both reached orgasmic pleasure.

“Oh, yes!…”We both panted hard after we hit our climax.

“That was one of a kind, '' Savi whispered after we were done. I remained on my spot and concentrated on my own breathing. After a few minutes, Savi’s breathing became steady. She took the blanket to cover herself before going to the bathroom to wash.

A deep, fleeting silence followed afterward.    Bored, I got up and went to my room’s balcony. The moon was hiding behind the sea of clouds so the night was a bit darker than normal. I took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of the cold, evening breeze. Feeling calm, I shut my eyes. My eyes remained closed yet the image of a woman was clear in my mind.

In the eyes of others, the lady was just ordinary. She had jetblack, messylooking hair that flowed chaotically in the wind. Her eyebrows were a bit bushy yet complimented her deep, expressive hazelbrown eyes. Her small face would fit my hand, a simple hope inside of me that would probably remain a dream.

The moment I laid my eyes on Zoey Davis, I knew she was the one. The mate bond would only kick in once she reached her eighteenth birthday. So, I waited. And heck, I was right!

I waited for her to reach the right age for her to start looking for her mate. I silently wished she was destined for me. So when she approached me earlier with teary eyes telling me I was her mate, my wolf Eskel became ecstatic. But alas! I was a fool. Because instead of loving her, I chose to hurt her.

I had the chance to claim Zoey as mine, but I chose not to.

Yes, I was foolish. I was stupid to reject the woman who was haunting my dreams ever since I could remember. My reasons? My status as the future alpha of the Moonlight Pack. I know it was selfish but I have no choice. Everybody was expecting me to mate with a strong shewolf.. The council wanted a Luna that was equally powerful as me.

And who would be their number one pick other than Savannah Davis, the only known female shifter in the land?

Suddenly, a pair of arms hugged me from behind. Her body was bearing a mixture of soap and my own scent. Her cheeks leaned to my back and whispered, “This was the best day of my life.

“Good,” I answered without looking back.

“I love you.”

“Okay.”

She waited for a little while before storming off my room leaving me on my own. I remained standing on the balcony trying to contemplate how foolish I was to choose my status over my mate.

Savi would be perfect for me. She was strong, beautiful, and a great partner in bed. She was head over heels in love with me and I benefited from it.

But still, she couldn’t reach me beyond my physical needs.    I gave her an equal chance but nothing changed. My heart yearned for Zoey and I was afraid it would remain like that for the rest of my life.

With that thing in mind, I heard a sudden knock on the door. I pressed the side of my head and opened the closest mindlink to know who was behind the door. It was one of the omegas, so I started asking what he needed from me.

“Hunter Davis was downstairs, my alpha. He wanted to speak to you about something important,” the slave answered through the link.

My forehead creased yet decided to accept my unexpected guest anyway. “Tell him I will be downstairs in five minutes.”

“Right away, my alpha.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what Hunter Davis wanted to talk about this late. It must have been really important for him not to wait until morning to talk to me.

Without wasting any more time, I put on my pants. Looks like this night was far from being over.

Grayson’s POV

If there was one thing I hated about being the alpha heir of this pack, it would be unexpected latenight visits!

As I descended the grand staircase of my home, I saw Hunter’s bulk. He was sitting on the sofa and probably waiting for my arrival. His hands were wrapped around his head as if he was in deep trouble.

“Ehem…”

The fake cough I did was enough to capture his attention. I knew that he sensed me coming as he raised his head to welcome me. But instead of greeting me, he looked at me with indifference and said, “Not here. Let us meet somewhere private.”

If I was an alpha full of ego, I would take offense at what he just said. I was the alpha heir and no one told me what to do. And yet, I kept my mouth shut.

Hunter Davis was a loyal subordinate. His loyalty to Moonlight Pack was beyond questionable. I knew that he would not do anything stupid, especially treat me with disrespect.

So it made me wonder why he was acting this way.

At last, we reached the garden of the packhouse. It was situated at the side of the house, where a fountain was located in the middle. There were a couple of benches too, and I sat in one of those. Hunter remained standing, with eyes looking somewhere far away.

“She’s gone,” he whispered, before turning his eyes to me. Hunter’s eyes were puffy and a bit reddish. His voice was an indication of remorse, broken I might say.

“Who’s gone?” I asked. Although I knew for a fact who was the one he referred to.

But instead of answering, he took something from his pocket. He handed it to me before sitting on the bench and digging his head into his hands. His eyes darted to the side of the woods as if he was trying to avoid me seeing his emotions.

I scanned the thing that I am now holding. It was a letter. My eyebrows creased as I wondered what the letter was about. A mixture of curiosity and anticipation overcame my senses.

My jaw tensed after reading the letter. I swallowed hard, not sure of how I would react.

“Tell me the truth,” Hunter uttered after a while. He then turned his gaze toward me and looked me straight in the eyes. “Are you her mate?”

I heaved a sigh. There’s no point in denying the obvious. Lying was no longer an option here. But before I opened my mouth, another presence entered the scene. My wolf flinched feeling the intimidating aura that surrounded the being.

“You drove my daughter away!”

My wolf growled from the inside hearing the obvious display of threat. When I turned my gaze to the disrespectful member of our pack, I saw Mrs. Piper Davis walked toward us. Her eyes, which were always hazel brown, were now glowing bright yellow indicating that her wolf was about to take over.

Hunter became alert. Before his Piper inched closer, he immediately blocked her. He held one of her arms tightly but not to the point of hurting her. Hunter’s eye color changed as well and was on the brink of shifting. Although I am not sure whether he would defend me once a fight commences or if he would be the one to attack me together with Piper.

I shut my eyes and moved my head from side to side. When I opened it, my iris were now bloody red. This was one of nature’s ways of identifying the highestranking wolves, the alpha, from the rest of his pack.

“Mom, please. Let me handle this,” Hunter finally broke the silence. I felt a sigh of relief hearing his logical reasoning. Well, it was not that I feared Hunter in a fight. I just didn’t want to waste a great warrior like him. No one couldn’t deny his worth to our pack.

Piper’s tensed body calmed after hearing her son’s pleas. When she lifted her head, her eye color was back to its original hazel brown self.    However, the demeanor on her face remained hard, almost stony.

“I am sorry for acting inappropriately in your presence, our future alpha. I am ready to receive any type of punishment because of my insolence.”

My wolf calmed to her submission. I shut my eyes once more. This time, it was back to its normal color. “It’s fine. No harm done.”

“But…” she added, “I will never apologize for defending Zoey’s honor. My daughter is now wandering through uncharted and fatal terriSavies because of your rejection. You know how dangerous the life of a rogue is especially for a woman like her.”

Piper turned her back on us, but after a few steps, she stopped.

“While I am a member of this pack, I am also a mom. I will never forgive you for what you did to my daughter,” she declared before trending away, leaving Hunter and me to ponder her words.

After she was gone, I held a deep breath. This night was far from being over. As if in the queue, Hunter opened his mouth and went back to where we left off earlier.

“Grayson Anderson, alpha heir of the Moonlight Pack, he said. He looked me straight in the eyes pleading for honesty in my next word. “Are you the destined soul mate of my sister Zoey?”

I swallowed hard but decided to give him the honesty he deserved. “Yes,” I admitted in a soft yet still audible voice.

“You aren't anymore. Because you didn’t deserve her,” he said. His words were like daggers cutting through my heart.

“I sure hope that you will never regret your decision of choosing Savi over her. You deprived yourself of a loving mate, remember that.” With that, Hunter left me.

It was at that moment that I knew that I fucked up. Zoey was really gone. And it was all my fault.

My eyes started to well up in tears. I held on to my chest as the pain I was feeling intensified. Even my wolf Eskel howled in pain. My eyes shifted simultaneously from red to blue. I shut them in anguish as I fell to the floor on my back.

Is this the price I had to endure for choosing myself over Zoey?

In the last ounce of strength, I let go. I finally let my wolf Eskel take over my body and began my transitioning. I was dead tired. I needed a break. I need to get away from everything, even for a short while.

Fur began to grow on top of my skin. My bones creaked as my body morphed from man to beast. My nose transformed into a snout as my posture changed to that of a fourlegged animal.

In my complete wolf form, I ran. All I wanted was to release myself from this excruciating sorrow I led myself into. I howled in despair as I ran to the woods without looking back.

But why did I feel as if my heart was ripped out of my chest? Isn’t this what I wanted? To be free from this bond and be with Savi?

No, this is not what I want. I want her back. I want my mate back!

Realizing what I had done, I ran as fast as I could. I needed to find her and goddess knew that I would do everything just to see her again at my side again.

Zoey’s POV

This was the worst day of my life.

I curled into a ball while I camped under this big, old, rotting tree. My body was dripping wet from the sudden rainfall, shivering to the cold of the night winds. The evening breeze started to blow stronger than I expected. The trees, which were silent a while earlier, were now swaying side to side because of it.

My body was shivering hard. When I ran away from our pack, I didn’t bring any camping supplies. I only brought two sets of clothing and some fruits to munch while looking for a place to stay. Nothing could have prepared me for this condition. I guess I would never have been prepared. I admit that my sudden decision to run away from my pack without any plans was now taking a toll on me.

Feeling sorry for myself, I embraced my knees tighter. I had never felt so alone and vulnerable like this.

All of a sudden, a bright, flashing surge of electricity struck the nearby tree. A loud, booming sound followed afterward. I let out a highpitched sound of shock as a response. Smoke came out of the tree while a slit formed in its trunk. Then, its body gave up on its weight, making it split in two, slowly but violently.

The scene made me shiver, not in cold but in fear. What if the tree, where I was sitting was next? What if lightning struck me afterward? What if I die here?

From where I was sitting, a mild flash of blue caught my attention. Since everything was covered in darkness, it was easy for me to have noticed it. My forehead creased. What would that be?

Moments passed and the mysterious blue spark inched closer. I embraced my knees tightly as my heart pounded out of control. Little by little, the unknown sparkle revealed its form. And nothing could have prepared me for what had happened next.

The blue light was coming from a pair of oceanblue eyes owned by a massive brown wolf.

Terror crept underneath my skin. I held my breath trying to calm my nerves under such horrible circumstances. Of all the possible moments I could encounter a rogue wolf, why now?

The brown wolf inched closer in my direction. I tried to push back my body until my back hit the trunk of the tree. I have nowhere to go. I could no longer run as my energy was already drained from earlier. And even if I tried to fight and defend myself, it would be a futile effort as well.

I closed my eyes and remembered my mom’s face for the last time. I took a deep breath preparing myself for the inevitable. I was sure that my end was near. And hell, I was not fucking ready!

Moments passed and the strike I was anticipating still didn’t happen. The heavy rainfall earlier was now changed to a cold drizzle. My body continued to shudder as I dared open my eyes.

The wolf was gone. Instead, a silhouette of a man faced me.

His blonde hair fell into his face. He lifted his hand to tuck the strands on his ear revealing his sparkling blue eyes. His body was carved perfectly, with years hiding behind his face.

He was goodlooking, no doubt.

“Wwho are you? What do you need from me?” I asked, pouring the remaining ounce of courage I have in me. It was one thing to ask for his name, but more importantly, I needed to know why he was here.

The mysterious man remained stoic as he opened his mouth for a response. “My name is Parker Thompson. And you are?”

But instead of feeding his curiosity, I queried, “Why are you here?” Yes, I was still afraid, yet I was proud of myself for letting these words out.

The man stroked his hair backward and let out a faint smile. “I wanted to know the name of the extremely rare female rogue I just found shivering under a rainstorm.”

Seeing the man soften his demeanor, I calmed down a little. For the first time since the rainstorm started, I stood up. “Zoey Davis. Now that you have my name, can you leave me alone now?”

“I mean no harm,” he responded. “I have been living in Crestwood Mountain for ten years. Since then, I decided to live in isolation. From an alpha, I chose to become a rogue, and damn, it wasn’t easy! So I figured you needed some help especially after seeing you cry under that tree and probably contemplating what you're doing out here all by yourself.”

My forehead creased. Why was he telling me his life story? I was not interested to hear any of it. All I wanted was to be left alone. It was better like that instead of me trusting a naked stranger who tried to lure me with the story of his life if that was true.

“The rain already stopped.I don’t need—.”

“I know what you are.”

I was caught by surprise hearing those words. And yet, I hid it from him. “What are you talking about? I don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know you are a shifter. I have been following you since you crossed this border. I told you, haven’t I? This is my home and nothing could be hidden from me that this forest had seen.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. I tried my best not to attract any other wolves around. Also, I was positive that encountering another wolf in this place was a million chances for one.

Of course, my first instinct was to lie!

“You’re out of your mind. Female shifters are nothing but a legend.”

The man stepped closer but with utmost care. He didn’t want to intimidate me. I could sense that. “No need for you to hide it. I saw it with my own eyes when you shifted. But I could also sense that you were not used to the shifting process judging by how slow your transformation was. And with that, I can help you. You have entered my territory. It was only proper that I welcome you seeing that you were not a threat.”

His explanation was long but not complicated. And honestly, it was the truth. While my wolf was kind enough to adjust to my shortcomings when her spirit bound with me when I shift, it was evident that we still struggled with it both. What do I expect? I only discovered this ability less than twentyfour hours ago.

I swallowed hard. A part of me wanted to run away and avoid him, yet the other part was stating otherwise.

Should I trust a stranger in the middle of the woods? Should I trust his word that he would help me with my newfound ability?

“Why don’t we continue this conversation in my house? You’ve been through a lot. You deserve a hot cup of coffee and a decent meal to warm your body. You may have been a wolf but you still need to rest and fill up your energy.”

His invitation was enticing. I really need shelter to spend the rest of the night with. Not only was I cold and tired, but I was also hungry.

“What do you say?” He asked once more while offering his hand to me.

“I…I…” I hesitated. But seeing that this was an offer worth accepting, I heaved a sigh and let out my answer.

“Okay. I’ll come with you.”

Zoey’s POV

Who would have thought that the salvation I was desperately yearning for earlier, would come from a rogue?

All my life, I thought rogues lived like cavemen, with rocks for a pillow and cold ground for a bed. But after meeting Parker, my views about them totally changed.

Rogues had a very bad reputation in our society. Most of them were plunderers, thieves, and murderers. They were known to have committed the worst crimes you could possibly imagine. To be called one was not only derogatory but a curse to many as well.

In werewolf laws, the worst possible punishment you could receive was not the death penalty. Rather, it was banishment from your own pack. To live alone in a world where staying in solitude would mean danger. It wasn’t surprising that most of the rogues die young. If not murdered, they mostly pass away due to hunger.

So once you became one, it was almost certain that you would lose your sanity. They were men of discord and haters of peace. Nothing nice could be brought out of them.

But Parker Thompson was different. His life as a rouge was one of a kind, almost like a farfetched dream if I were to ask.

“Welcome to my humble abode.”

I scanned the place as Parker guided me inside. The log cabin was not as big as ours yet enough to make at least three people comfortable.

Seated in the heart of the Crestwood Mountain forest, the cabin that extended in length was illuminated with yellow lights. This created a warm atmosphere that drew me inside. In short, the ambiance was both cozy and welcoming. As weird as it sounds, it felt like home.

I continued to feast my eyes, as I scanned the whole place. Lighter shades of color made everything fresh while the outside was dominated by dark, shiny woods. Truly, the house was a masterpiece. No, it was an art.

“Did you…Is this house made by you?” I asked as Parker guided me to the table while he worked his way to the countertop kitchen.

“Hmmm…Yap. Why?” He answered while serving me a cup of freshly brewed coffee in a brown mug.

“Hmmm…Nothing. I just found this house too perfect for—”

“For a rogue?” he uttered. I flinched, as I was afraid to have offended him with my words. But as they say on a lot of occasions, just be yourself and everything will be fine.

“Well, yeah. I am just in awe of seeing your beautiful home. I never imagined a werewolf living alone could possibly pull off something like this in the middle of the jungle.”

Parker smiled. “Well, you have a point. I was just lucky that my pack was full of skilled carpenters and craftsmen. I learned how to work with wood at such a young age.”

My mouth formed an ‘o’ afterward. Well, cut the crap about stereotyping rogues. Truly, Parker Thompson was something else.

Parker turned his back and went to one of the rooms. When he came back, he was carrying a set of female clothing.

“I think you should take a shower first while I am cooking our food. The bathroom was on the left wing,” he said while handing over the wardrobes.

I looked at the clothes and man! I never expected to be this excited seeing this warm, neatly pressed shirt and shorts. “Thank you.”

I wasted no time and went straight to the shower room. When I opened the wooden door, I was dumbfounded at how simple yet grandiose the design was.

The bathroom sink was carved through a trunk of a tree. A tiny, squareshaped mirror was sitting on top of it. On the left, a space was dedicated to the shower with curtains circling the sides of it. On its right, a backtowall toilet type was sitting. It was not the usual type of toilet I was used to seeing, yet it was a perfect addition to a log cabin sitting in the middle of the forest.

I took off my dirty, damp clothes and went under the shower. The water was not hot but way better than the cold outside.

As the water washed off the dirt from my body, I noticed that my shoulders began to tense. Without any warning, tears started rolling down my face. A lot had happened in the span of twentyfour hours. It was too much to bear for an eighteenyearold girl. Worst of all, everything happened on my birthday.

My date of birth was supposed to be a celebration.    But alas, it turned out to be the worst!

Minutes later, I was done. I took the white towel from the little wooden stool on the side of the sink and dried myself with it. I rushed to put on the clothing that Parker gave me earlier. Then, I looked at myself in the vanity mirror.    I smiled when I saw the wardrobe he gave to me was a perfect fit.

My eyes were a bit red and puffy but fine. As I combed my hair, I heard a faint grumble on my stomach. Wow! I was really that hungry!

After I fixed everything that I used, I went back to the dining area. I didn’t have a hard time looking for it because the smell of the food became my guide. On my way there, I noticed that wooden bookshelves were covering most of the wall area. Needless to say, the dwellers of this house were fond of reading.

“Wow! Shane’s clothing fits you well,” Parker uttered when he saw me. I guided myself to the wooden chair and drank the glass of water before talking again.

“Yeah, it was a shock for me too. Where is she? I’d like to thank her for letting me borrow her stuff.”

The smile written on Parker’s face faded. I noticed that and became nervous. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

He smiled but was full of bitterness. “Don’t be. My sister was gone and we both had nothing to do with it.”

Parker took some plates and other tableware from the cupboard. Seconds later, he was holding two plates of fish and chips served on top of the table.

I smelled the aroma of the hot meal. “Thank you for this.”

“Don’t mention it. You can start eating now.”

And I did. The meal was delicious! No other words could sum up how happy and satisfied I was.

We were both quiet as we started to empty our plates. And right when I was about to take the final bite, I felt Parker’s stare piercing through me.

"You know, you could stay here as long as you want. The forested mountain of Crestwood was such a big place. Why don't you just stay here? We could use some help around here. ”

“Doing what?” I asked.

“Hunting down rogues. This place had become their lair and spoiling the woods with the blood of their innocent victims. A lot of wolves who lost their way fell victim to their murderous act.”

I flinched. A vigilante job for a wolf who just turned of age? Could I even sign up for that?

“II don’t know how to fight,” I admitted. “I might become a nuisance to your job more than the help you seek.”

“Well that’s easy,” he scoffed dismissing my objection. “I will train you. I will help you master your ability. The moon goddess blessed you with a very special gift. It would be a bummer if you will put that to waste.”

His words pierced through my soul. For the first time, someone had seen my worth and potential other than my mother. Someone was willing to see me for who I was and not for the exceptional siblings I was born with.

“So….What do you say?” He asked once again, trying to read what I was thinking.

Chinned up, I gave him a reassuring smile. “Then let’s do it. Let’s hunt those rogues down.”

Zoey’s POV

It had been two months since Parker asked me to stay with him. As promised, he started supervising my training. I thought he would go easy on me, but I was wrong.

Every day, I would go hiking with him. While he running in his majestic, brown wolf form, I was on my bare feet. My soles grew calluses running through the thick branches and pointed rocks. I love running, but his ways were torture. In Parker’s case, he refused to allow me to wear one. In his words, it would help me get a feel of what it was like living in the woods away from the comforts of the pack I was born in.

He also taught me some basic handtohand combat, rock climbing, and other stuff he felt was necessary for my new life as a rogue. At first, I almost quit due to the multiple wounds, cuts, and injuries I got from this training. Luckily, the werewolf genes within me were helping me heal faster than a normal individual would. I wish that these genes would help me heal my broken heart as well.

Oh, cut the crap! I should stop thinking about my past life to help me move forward without carrying any emotional baggage that would slow me down. I would never move forward if I would keep on thinking about that!

Today, I found myself standing on top of a big rock with my heart throbbing inside my chest like crazy. I felt that my chest was about to explode.

“What are you waiting for? Do it, Zoey! Jump!”

I looked down, checking the depth of it. I stepped back, shuddering a little in the process.“II can’t do it. I will surely die,” I whispered with my mind filled with doubt.

“Oh, no you don’t! Don’t give me that lame excuse that you can’t because I know that you can. We have prepared for this for too long. Now is your chance to show me what you got.”

I looked at him still terrified about what he asked me to do. He was standing at my back and purposely convinced me to jump to my death.

This man wanted me to jump off this mini cliff and shift in midair! How insane could that be?

“I’m sorry. But I really can’t do it. It’s too early for me to do this. I am not yet ready. “

I couldn’t be as honest as I could possibly be stating those words.

Parker heaved a sigh. He scratched his head and then smiled. “Are you sure you don’t want to even try it?”

“A hundred percent no. This mini cliff was too shallow. I’m afraid I would not be able to shift in time before I hit the ground.”

“In that case, let me help you then.”

Before I could even react, I felt his hands push me off the cliff.

“No!!!!!!”

A rush of air hit my face as I fell into an emptiness. I tried my best to hold on to something but I failed. I panicked and didn’t know what to think or do. It took me a couple of milliseconds to realize I was falling to my death.

And I need to act. Fast!

“Remember what I thought you, Zoey! Concentrate and feel your wolf!”

I shut my eyes and empty my mind. Now is not the time to worry about anything else world. I need to concentrate on channeling my wolf inside. Else, my gelatinous brain would surely splatter on the ground.

I searched thru the endless void in my subconscious mind. And then, I saw a white light and it was running farther and farther away from me. I chased after it. I knew that it was the only way to survive this. And when I did, it changed everything I ever knew about shifting.

My body hit the ground. Only this time, I landed with paws instead of my head. I did it! I fucking did it!

“Yeah! I knew you can do it!” Parker shouted from the top of the boulder. In a split second, he jumped off the mini cliff and shifted in the midair. He then transformed into his human form and walked straight in my direction.

“I am proud of—”

I didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence. Instead, my fist landed on his face.“ You could have killed me!”

I didn’t even realize I shifted back to my human form. Damn! I might have been too angry. But in fairness, I shifted that fast so that means I am getting used to it.

“But you didn’t die,” he answered feeling no sign of remorse for what he did. He wiped off the stain of blood oozing from his punctured lip while smiling. “I knew you can do it and you did. Besides, do you actually believe that I would risk your life just to prove I was right?”

I was speechless. I may have known Parker for a very short time, but he was more of a father to me than my biological dad ever was. I knew that he would never do anything to harm me.

He offered me a home, a place where I could be whoever I want to be without worrying about how my actions would affect my family in return. All my life, I was only known as the weak sister of the famous Savi and Hunter Davis. In their eyes, I was nothing. I was no more than an omega and not worthy of any respect or recognition.

He thought me new things. He introduced me to carpentry and other woodwork. I learned to sculpt simple things like wooden cups, spoons, etc. He also allowed me to check out the books at home where I learned about sewing, cooking, and other activities I couldn’t access easily back in Moonlight Pack.

Here in the jungle, I was free.

“Do you want to go down the mountains and meet my friends?” Parker asked suddenly.

Friends? Did he have friends? I thought he lived in isolation.

“Are they rogues too?” I joked. I went to the big rock on my right and sat on it.

“Hmm…Kinda. They have a small community like that of a pack. However, they functioned differently. Also, they have been living with humans since I met them a few years back. They were practically blending in with them without any problem.”

My forehead creased at what I heard from him. “You mean werewolves coexisting with humans? That’s impossible!” I objected with certainty.

“Well, you should see for yourself. There's a bar called the Lycan Cave owned by a good friend of mine. It’s basically an open mic bar. You should come and meet them. You would also meet some rogues there too.”

I laughed at the last thing he said. If I was still in Moonlight, it was prohibited to even mention the word. But here, it was like an identity you can embrace and be proud of. Well, at least, in the case of good rogues like us.

“That sounds lovely. But I didn’t have anything decent to wear,” I stated. Admittedly, I was excited about the idea of meeting other packless wolves like us. And yet, I was also a young woman who wanted to make herself presentable.

“I know you’ll gonna say that. Follow me,” Parker said. I was a bit perplexed by what he said, yet decided to follow him back to our house. It didn’t take long before we were back in our log cabin.

“Wait here,” he instructed while stepping toward his room. When he came back, he was carrying a box with a red bow tied to it. “Here, this is for you.”

“A gift? For me? What for?” I asked simultaneously.

“Think about it as a welcome present from me.”

I excitedly took the box, grinning from ear to ear. It didn’t take long before the lovely white, abovetheknee, mini dress was revealed to me. It was beautiful!

I held on to its straps and pressed them against my body. “I love it!” I squealed.

Parker smiled at the notion. “Welcome home, Zoey,” he said while stretching his hands to offer me a hug.

Indeed, this was home.

Grayson’s POV

“Any news about her?”

Austin bowed his head. I could see him playing with his fingers while finding the right words to say. “I am sorry, Sir, but there was none,” he said in shame.

“Alright, thank you, Austin,” I said while heaving a sigh.

“Again, I am sorry for failing you.”

“You didn’t have to say sorry,” I uttered while smiling at him. “I know that you are doing your best.”

Once again, Austin smiled bitterly.

I couldn’t blame Austin for feeling like that. He was the best tracker in Moonlight but he couldn’t find where Zoey was.

“Just let me know if you will find anything.”

“I will, Alpha,” he said, with eyes full of determination. He bowed his head one last time before exiting.

As soon as I was left alone, I took out the bottle of scotch from the drawer and poured myself a glass of its liquid. It has been two months since Zoey ran away and even now, I haven’t heard anything from her.

Looked like she was dead serious about not letting me see her again. She was good at hiding herself from me. No doubt about that.

The night she ran away, my nightmares started. I thought that rejecting her would put some peace into myself. But it was the exact opposite. Because the day she left Moonlight Pack, was also the day that I lost myself.

I tried to compensate for that inexplainable void lurking inside me. I drank around, slept around, and found different ways how I could get her out of my head. But all of those efforts were futile. Because everywhere I go or no matter what I do, I always see her.

Zoey was the life I deprived myself of. I was still breathing but I don’t know whether I was still living.

I was wide awake but dead inside.

So, I decided to find my mate and do everything right. But so far, nothing productive has come from this effort.

I even go to the length of sending some spies to her mother to see if she knows her whereabouts. But even Piper was clueless about where her daughter was. Hunter became more aloof, but seeing him looking at a picture of Zoey every time through the eyes of my spy, I knew that he didn’t know anything too.

I held the glass tightly, feeling frustrated with the situation. If I had not been too selfish, she might be in my arms tonight.                  I might be sniffing and inhaling her scent as it mixed with mine.

Both naked on top of the bed, merging our bodies into one.

I gasped at the sudden thought. Even though she was far away from me, our mate bond kept on stronger and stronger. I couldn’t help myself but think and fantasize about her. I live every day thinking about her.

If only I wasn’t a jerk, I might not be suffering this much.

I put the glass in my mouth and sipped its contents. With one thing in mind, I vowed to myself.

I would never give up. I will do everything just to bring her back to Moonlight.

I took out my phone and dialed a familiar number. “Hello, Savi?”

“Hey, Grayson! What’s up?” she asked when the other line was opened. I smirked at her response. She knew exactly why I called her but acted like an innocent pup.

“Can you sleep here tonight? I need…company.” I bit my lower on the notion. My wolf objected to the idea but I dismissed it anyway.

I needed some distractions. And Savi was good at doing that, even temporarily.

“Oh…Do you miss my touch, baby?” Savi said seductively. I could also imagine her flirtatious reaction.

“Kinda,” I responded as I bit my lower lip spitting that lie.

I needed someone to ease my longing for my mate. I need a bed warmer tonight to calm my nerves.

“Alright, baby. I’ll be there in a few,” she uttered before hanging up the phone. I took a deep breath and poured another glass of scotch. I pitied myself for being miserable like this, but no one could be blamed for this except for myself.

For I rejected my mate’s love and this was the price I had to pay.

Jame’s POV

“Hi, handsome! Want to have some fun tonight?”

I frowned hearing this slut’s voice. Ugh, it was so darn irritating! Wearing her slutty dress, she sat on my lap and began to caress my body. Seeing that I didn’t flinch at her action, she sought for my tickle spot, which was my neck, and began licking it.

But instead of responding to her, I remained expressionless. Instead of wrapping my arms around her, I let her be. I took the glass of vodka on top of the tableside drawer and began to sip on its contents. The slut, who was called Jamie, continued to kiss and munch on my neck.

If it was some other night that I went to this brothel, I would not waste my time drinking vodka. I might have ground this whore to my heart’s content. But I came here on purpose. And that, I would be sure to accomplish.

“What’s wrong, loverboy? You are spacing out,” she said while standing up from my lap. She moved to get her phone on top of the bed and began playing a sexy song. She started moving her hips seductively while slowly taking off her clothes.

I bit my lower lip when I finally saw her nakedness. Surely, I was just a man with carnal needs.

I poured myself another glass of vodka before answering her. “I was upset with our alphatobe. Ever since his supposed mate left the pack, he started acting really weird. I was a warrior, but look at me now. I was tasked to look for a girl who obviously didn’t want to be found. How pathetic my life was.”

“Well, that’s easy. Why didn’t you just challenge him to a fight?” Jamie responded. She was already naked during this time and proceeded on unbuttoning my pants. “I’m sure you can defeat him with ease.”

“That’s true,” I boasted. “But not today. I’ll look for the best opportunity to strike. For now, I’ll just follow his fucking orders and wait for the right moment to put him where he truly belongs. I will get back what was stolen from me. I will take his seat which was rightfully mine. ”

Yes, Grayson Anderson and his family were nothing but traitors. If not for his father, who was the secondincommand to my late dad, the alpha seat should have remained in my family, as it should be. His father challenged my dad into his weakness and ended up beating him in shame. On his deathbed, I swore vengeance. And that promise was the one that kept me alive and sane all this time after losing everyone.

“That’s my man,” Jamie uttered. Right now, she was already sucking my manhood like a sweet lollipop.

I tilted back my head on the backrest of the chair when I felt her warm mouth. The slut was a great lover and I would make sure to take advantage of it tonight. For now, I will settle for her touch, but tomorrow, I will continue as planned.

For one day, Grayson Anderson would crawl onto my feet like a slave. And I would do everything for that to happen.