Anna

My name is Anna Carroll, and I am the daughter of the alpha of the Night Shadow Wolf Pack. Today is my 20th birthday. Just thinking about it makes my heart start racing with excitement.

Today is the day I find my mate. Many leaders from neighboring wolf packs and their eligible sons have been invited to the gathering, but I only want Noah. He is also my father's adopted son, whom my father brought to our pack when he was on the brink of death at the pack's border. I believe he shares the same thoughts as me.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my emerald green eyes and heart-shaped face gazing back at me. Noa always said my eyes captivated him. The dress I wore was an A-line thin-strapped gown in a deep red hue, almost crimson like a ruby. The tight bodice hugged my ample bosom perfectly, adorned with hundreds of sparkling gemstones.

The entirety of the sky seemed to have been fitted on my body for it glistened and shone under the bright lights of my room like star-studded heavens.

Everything was in place, the lined eyeliner, glossy lipstick and a small tear-shaped ruby necklace he had given me on my last birthday. I just had to go find him now.

I know deep down that he is my destined mate. We grew up together, and we know each other's every habit; a strong bond has formed between us. Of course, my other best friend Ruby Hayden joins us whenever she visits from her pack, and the three of us enjoy going out together.

I couldn't wait to show Ruby my dress and share with her the news of my mate. It was slightly strange that she hadn't dashed into my room to help me dress up but maybe she was running late. I was so engrossed in getting ready that I didn't even bother checking my phone. Not even sure where I had put the damn thing.

As I exited my room to make it down to the grand hall where the party was being held, I almost ran into my father.

He lightly chuckled as his strong arms steadied me so I wouldn't fall.

“Easy there my beautiful girl, you look lovely. Someone is going to be a very lucky young man today,” he told me with a heartwarming smile that made the sides of his eyes crinkle.

“Thank you, Father.” A blush crept up on my cheeks as I tried to keep my embarrassment at bay.But when I think about what is going to happen next, I know I will cherish our last embrace.

“Go, have fun. It's your night,” he encouraged and I needn't be told twice. Picking up my gown from the sides, I ran down the stairs so as not to trip.

The party was just getting started and only a few guests had arrived. I glanced around looking for my boyfriend and best friend but they were nowhere to be seen.

Omegas were serving champagne and miscellaneous delicacies. So I got hold of one and impatiently asked.

“Have you seen Noah and Ruby?”

She smiled, stars visible in her eyes as she replied.

“They were in the garden a while back.”

“Thank you!” My feet were already rushing towards the main door which opened into our vast gardens.

I stepped out into the crisp wind of the cold night. Like the flimsy delicate wings of an ephemeral butterfly, I felt the tingling sensations swirling in my gut at the mother-watering scent that permeated through the air and reached my flared nostrils.

The scent of my mate.

My wolf perked up inside me. Knowing our fated was near.

I trudged along the path, sniffing and looking for the source. It grew stronger near the redwood tree.

Excitedly I went around the thick red trunk of the tree and skidded to a halt at the sight that almost made my eyes bleed.

A holy grail of woody citrus scents enveloped my entire being. The ones belonging to Noah Carrol, my boyfriend. But another scent clung to him, the scent of betrayal and heartbreak in the form of my best friend, Ruby.

Mingled together it turned putrid and I wanted to puke. That fragile organ in my chest seemed to have been pierced with a sharp shard of glass.

My wolf, Sable howled in pain and woundedly paced within me.

Their lips were locked and their bodies conjoined. So lost in smooching each other that they were unable to acknowledge my presence. My body started trembling uncontrollably. Why?! My mate and my best friend?! I have never been the type to tolerate this. I immediately went forward and angrily pulled Noa away.

"I need an explanation," I said, trying to suppress my pain and anger as calmly as possible.

"The truth is what you saw. I don't want you as my mate," Noa said calmly, without a hint of guilt, while Ruby stood by his side with her arms linked, grinning foolishly.

They looked at me as if I were a clown.

"Why?" I knew it was stupid to ask why, but I couldn't control myself. I blinked hard, trying not to let my tears ruin my makeup, which would make me look even more like a clown.

"Because your father is the man who killed my father! Today is the day I take my revenge!" Noa roared at me.

My mind was in chaos. Was Noa serious? No, my father was the one who saved him. I need to find my father! I immediately turned around, but Noa immediately ordered his men to stop me.

"Grab her!" Noa commanded swiftly.

I tried to shift, but Ruby immediately stepped forward and stabbed me in the neck with a syringe filled with silver... My vision immediately blurred. Darkness consumed me, and I fell to the ground.

I don't know how long it took before I opened my heavy eyelids again.

Glancing down I noticed my hands and feet had been shackled with silver cuffs. I couldn't even feel Sable.

‘What was going on?’ I questioned myself and tried to sit up straight, peeking around and was left stunned.

We were in the pack grounds and I could hear the heavy whispers and murmurs of my pack full of profound hate. They had gathered and were bearing their sharp fangs at me. their eyes glowed red with anger and resentment.

“Murderer!”

“Bitch!”

“Traitor!”

Insult after insult hit me in torrents and I couldn't understand what this was all about.

“What's going on? Uncuff me right now. Where is my father?” I ordered and asked at the same time. I was an Alpha-born, how dare they insult me like that.

“Ah! So you are feigning innocence after the slaughter you and your rogue buddies carried out. You had our Alpha and Beta killed along with their other comrades. It's time to face the consequences.” My nostrils were assaulted by Noah's unique scent, the one that melted my insides but right now his voice was only grating on my nerves.

What the hell was he talking about?

I glanced in his direction and saw him standing smugly with Ruby by his side, her arms wrapped around him like a venomous snake. The slight sneer coated her lips.

Revulsion birthed inside me seeing them and I began to understand they had done something terrible.

That's when Omegas brought forward the dead bodies of my father and his trusted beta, Mical. Whom I used to call Uncle Mical.

A blood-curdling scream escaped my throat as tears welled up seeing the slashed body of my father.

“Father!” I cried out in horror, the tears blinded my vision as my head began to swim. I tried to crawl towards his lifeless body but was held back by the silver chains.

“Oh! Come on, cut the act. We have all the evidence against you. You collaborated with the rogue Alpha because you were having an affair with him. When your father found out, you planned to silence him with the help of your lover. Planned a takeover by killing Alpha John and Beta Mical. Little did you know, the Alpha had already given me his blessings to be the next in command.”

I dumbfoundedly listened to the lies Noah spun. The man I had given my heart and soul to.

“You are lying,” I yelled at him and tried to stand on my feet but I felt so weak. They seemed to have injected me with something.

“Lies? I have all the proof.” He indicated to a smirking Ruby, who was holding a stack of papers behind her back. She handed over some to the omegas with her and they began distributing them to the pack.

“Her chat history with the rogue Alpha. She had plans to kill me as well, her fated mate but I discovered her plans. A bit too late to save our Alpha, Beta and other important pack members. But with the help of Ruby's pack, we were able to push back the rogues and retain our pack. Her lover ran away, leaving her behind at our mercy.”

My head throbbed at the lies he had concocted. I was mostly oblivious of my phone and Noah used to take it from me at times to watch videos. Everything was making sense now.

“I think it's you who has killed my father. These are all lies, I don't even know any rogue Alpha,” I screamed in rage but was only met by more profanities from my pack members.

“Shut up, bitch.”

I had grown up among them and it took only seconds for them to change their loyalties and brand me as a traitor, a father killer.

Noah sauntered over to me and bent down, his face masked in pain as if this was all not an act for him.

“Oh! Anna, how I loved you and was excited to start my life with you. But you turned out to be a backstabbing bitch. I am going to honour your father's words and expand this pack, taking it to new heights. I wish you were by my side when I did that.”

He dramatically paused while I stared at him in disbelief, my tears wouldn't stop. The heartache was blinding me.

“I, Noah Raikin, reject you Anna John as my fated mate and future Luna of the pack,” he announced with a grimace, snatching away the ruby necklace from my neck.

The tethered bond between us broke with a snap just like the chain of the necklace. The pain which I had never experienced before wrenched its way inside my heart and gut, making me double over in pain. Leaving me wordless. It was like being punched repeatedly on my chest and gut, I couldn't even breathe.

He rose and turned towards my pack. Ruby had joined him, clinging to him like a leech she had turned out to be.

“Tomorrow, we will execute the traitor and Ruby will be my chosen Luna. Her sharp thinking and timely arrival of her pack members led to the survival of ours. Therefore, she will be your true Luna.” He picked up her hand and raised it in the air, declaring the victory they had achieved.

“Truth cannot remain hidden for long, one day everyone will see both of you for what you are…I will end you both,” I tried to speak through excruciating pain, physical and emotional. My voice came out so weak as my turmoiled mind conjured up scenarios before I passed out again.