Chapter 1

Katya POV

Another day in this shit hole of a school, I was in my last year of high school, and I was glad this part of my life was nearly over. Soon I would not have to put up with the constant torment of being the freak of the Pack. Only three more months of school, and I would be free, free to choose never to see these arseholes again.

My father was the Beta of the Pack; he was a highly regarded pack member. So, imagine his disappointment when he discovered I had no wolf. I was the freak of the Pack, the wolf-less girl. Our school was a Pack school with only werewolves, no humans allowed. So, you could imagine what sort of hell it has been for me here. I was basically human, shamefully so.

My parents are the best, though; my Pack may shun me but not once have they even entertained the idea, always telling me I was a late bloomer and that my wolf would come one day. I used to believe that story, too, until now. I was nearly eighteen; that is the age you can find your mate. Despite that, I am without my wolf. Most get their wolf when they are thirteen; I was well and truly past that deadline.

I had just sat down to eat my lunch in the cafeteria when I heard my name called over the PA system. "Katya Hartley, please report to the front office," the middle-aged woman, who works as the school's secretary, announces. The entire cafeteria laughs and boos at me, chucking food at me as I leave. I just kept walking. I was more than used to it at this point.

I found not reacting to be the best reaction at all; it worked most of the time. However, today was not that day.

Mostly, I try to remain invisible, which is near impossible when you're Beta's daughter, and your mother is one of the leading Pack warriors. Chucking my bag over my shoulder, I pulled a chunk of lettuce from my dark brown hair. Thomas threw his burger at my head, and gunk was all over me, yet I didn't react, knowing that was what they wanted. They want to see me break.

I was pulling more vegetable matter out as I walked down the hall before touching something slimy. Ew, and his burger had mayo on it. I groaned, using the sleeve of my jumper to wipe my hair that was covered in the white gunk.

I walk through the green corridors toward the head office. Making sure I glance out the glass double doors before racing across the quad. The brown door to the office comes into view. That is my safe place. No one messes with me there. Mrs. Mason was a scary woman, so no one caused drama in the front office. Just as I was nearly at the door, Tabitha and her goonies stepped in front of me.

Tabitha was the Alpha's daughter, and her brother Darian was next in line for the Alpha position; both were my nemesis.

"Hey, freak," Tabitha sneers at me, blocking my path. I try to step past her, but she sidesteps, blocking my way.

"What do you want, Tabitha?" We used to be friends until everyone found out I had no wolf, then I became the school's laughingstock.

"Oh, nothing just came to give you the proper send-off," she says, and my brows furrow.

"What do you mean?" I ask, shaking my head, not understanding what she is talking about. Her blue eyes brightened maliciously, her lips pulling up in a taunting smile. One I knew too well; usually, it meant something awful. The words leaving her lips next proved as much.

"You haven't heard? My father has banished you from the Pack, so I thought I would come to see you, say my goodbyes to the unwanted Beta's daughter," she says, and Bianca and Maril laugh at her not-so-funny joke.

Geez, those girls were just as stupid as they looked. If they weren't beautiful, I can guarantee no one would put up with their antics or their terrible sense of humor.

I felt something wet and cold run down my face just as the office door burst open. Merril dumped her milkshake over my head, and it seeps into the crocheted jumper my mother made me drenching me.

"Tabitha Elizabeth Blackwell, is there a reason you are tormenting my daughter?" My mother questions, her dark hair pulled back in a high ponytail. She is a strong woman, stern, and brought fear amongst the she-wolves, including the Luna of the Pack after my mother kicked her ass in training in front of the entire Pack for saying I should have been put down at birth.

 If my mother weren't the only female Pack warrior, she definitely would have been punished for embarrassing the Luna. Still, everyone knew Alpha Jackson always had the hots for my mother, had since they were kids, and it disappointed him when she turned out not to be his mate.

Tabitha's smile falls as she twirls around to face my mother, who is stalking directly toward her. Merril and Bianca take off, afraid to face her wrath.

"It was an accident," Tabitha stutters out, and to think this pathetic girl was an alpha female and fears my mother, who is just a typical wolf. I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face; her fear was so intense that I was shocked she didn't soil herself. 

What I wasn't expecting was for my mother to raise her hand and slap her across the face. Tabitha squeals loudly, her head whipping to the side and the outline of my mother's hand imprints on her face. I cover my mouth with my hands.

 Shit, Alpha Jackson was going to kill her now. She just struck the Alpha's daughter.

I heard a gasp and looked around to see a few people had seen what my mother had done. My mother stared them down, daring them to say something to her.

"Mum!" I gasp in shock. Tabitha tucks her tail and runs off crying.

"I have always wanted to put that mutt in her place," my mother says before gripping my arms.

"Why do you put up with it?" She says, grabbing my hands and raising them in front of me.

"You are trained better than any of these little shits here. You may not have a wolf, but that has never stopped you from kicking their asses in training. I trained you; your father trained you. Use these. They are beneath you; you just need to see it," she says.

I shook my head, knowing it would just worsen my torment, and my hands were no good against a shifted wolf.

"Come, we are leaving," she says, straightening up before turning on her heel and walking toward the car park. I chase after her before falling in line with her.

"What's going on?" I ask, worried. She doesn't answer. I see a removalist truck parked next to our car when we reach the school's car park.

"Mum, what's going on?" I ask when I see my father hop out of the car.

"Hey, pumpkin," my father smiles, walking over and embracing me.

"I know you like strawberry milkshakes. I didn't know you wanted to wear them, though," Dad says, swiping some from my hair with his hands before ringing out my hair. My mother goes to the trunk, popping the hatch open before grabbing a water bottle out.

"Tip your head back," I do as she asks. She uses the water bottle to rinse my hair out before tearing my jumper up from the side and taking it off me.

"Mum!"

"I will make you another," she says, tossing it in the garbage can beside the truck.

"So, is someone going to tell me what's going on?" My father looks at my mother nervously.

"We are moving," my father announces like it was no big deal.

"Why is what Tabitha said true? Did they banish me? Are you getting rid of me?" I ask, feeling sick to my stomach.

I only know of one other family in our Pack whose child didn't have a wolf, and they threw him away like trash. Literally kicked him out, and I have always been worried about my parents getting rid of me like I never existed because I brought shame to the family.

"Yes, what Tabitha said is true. Alpha Jackson has asked you to leave. This is a werewolf-only community, and he wanted you gone once you hit eighteen," my mother answers.

"So, you're sending me away?" I ask, feeling tears brim. They were going to get rid of me, force me to go rogue.

"No, of course not; you're our baby. We knew this was coming, so we made plans ahead of time. We are joining another pack and coming with you," my mother says.

"By the way, Hun, we should leave," My mother says, walking around to the passenger side of the car. My father went to ask why, but she got in, slamming the door before he could get the sentence out.

"She slapped Tabitha," I tell him.

"Did she get her a good one?" My father says, sending me a wink, and I smile, hopping into the back seat. My father pulls out of the parking space, the truck following us.

"What about Dad? He is the Pack Beta," I ask, worried knowing he would lose his title.

"I won't be part of a Pack that shuns my daughter; they want you gone, then I go to," He states, leaving no room for argument. I had the best parents, relief flooding me even though I felt guilty for ripping them away from everything they had here.

"Everything will work out, dear, you'll see," my mother says, reaching over from the front and gripping my knee gently.

"What pack would want a wolf-less Pack member?" I ask.

"You're not wolf-less, just a late bloomer. Your wolf will come, Kat. You were born from two werewolf parents. Therefore, you are a werewolf," my mother says, not wanting to see the truth. I was as useless as everyone says I am.

"We are moving to Black creek Pack; Alpha Ezra has kindly offered to take us in."

"Black Creek Pack? Isn't the Pack that just went to war with Blue Mountain Pack?"

"Yes, Katya, I know you are scared, but the Alpha is truly a nice guy. He was very understanding. Besides, Alpha Ezra was pretty happy about stripping Jackson of his Beta and only female warrior."

"Yeah, but he killed their entire Pack, mum. He is a monster," I tell her. I was more scared of my so-called new Alpha than my current one. Everyone fears Alpha Ezra. Everyone has heard of that notorious Alpha and the fear he instilled in his enemies.

"I'm sure he had his reasons, and you shouldn't believe rumors. Besides, it is not like anyone else will take us in," my mother says, leaving out the part about not taking me in.

"So, he knows I have no wolf?" I ask, knowing all packs were small communities solely of our kind. I was basically human, so I was a little shocked he even agreed, given his reputation.

They both glance at each other. "It won't be an issue as long as you can prove yourself to be helpful around the pack," my father tells me.

Great, he doesn't know, and I will have to act like an omega slave, I thought dryly. I fell asleep on the drive, only waking when we stopped at a storage shed. The drive took five hours total, and I was exhausted. My back was killing, and my ass was numb. The removalist drivers loaded our stuff into the storage shed before two men approached us.