CHAPTER 1- MATING CEREMONY

DAISY

I am getting mated today.

I watched my reflection in the mirror, smiling when I caught the blush on my cheeks. The dress was not everything I had always wanted, but it was going to do. It did not matter what I was wearing because I was going to get mated to the man of my dreams. Julian Hale was the son of the alpha of my pack.

About a year ago, I came into this pack with no recollection of my past or my identity. The only thing I knew was a name that rang in the back of my head, which I supposed was my name. The rest of the attachment was given to me when I was enrolling in high school after I was advised to do so by my friend, Joyce.

There was a bitter taste in the back of my tongue when I remembered that she was not going to be here with me to celebrate with me on my big day. She was an angel sent to me at the lowest point of my life until the ugly claws of death took her right from me. The stupid decision of a drunk teenager who was driving recklessly that night took the life of one of the only two friends I have in the world.

I let out a breath before I turned around to face Poppy, my only friend.

“What do you think about the necklace?” I asked her, tracing my fingers on the pearls I had only managed to get after picking up a few shifts at the diner Poppy worked at.

“I think,” she shifted from the bed and stood up on her feet, approaching me. “You look like the most beautiful bride in the world.”

“And my hair, it looks frizzy,” I complained. I tried brushing through my frizzy red hair all day so it could look presentable, but it did not. "I wish I had the money to at least take myself to a saloon. Tonight is going to be the biggest night of my life.” I let out a shaky breath.

Julian likes my hair. He had told me that several times. When we met secretly in the palace after hours, during sex, when we would meet in the janitor's closet in between classes. He always liked to compliment my hair but I wanted tonight to be special. I was going to be mated, and also I was going to announce my pregnancy to him.

I did not know what his reaction was going to be, but we were going to work it out. He was the son of the alpha. He will be able to afford all of the expenses that come with having a baby.

“Daisy, really, you look perfect. I wished I looked like you with no styling products and such minimal makeup. Just smile and go meet him where he is going to accept the mate bond. I have your carry-on with me. I am going to take it to the palace later and give it to a maid so she can give it to you in the morning,” she told me. “Make sure you remember the details so you can tell me later on.” She winked.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks at the thought of that. Julian was very good in bed. He was the only person I have ever slept with, but the feeling every time sent me right to heaven and back. I was sure tonight was going to be even better.

“Fine, fine,” I repeated, letting out a breath and rubbing my palms together. “I will see you tomorrow, Pop.” I kissed her on the cheek.

She whispered her own goodbye before I skipped out of the house. When Joyce died, she had no family, just like most of the Omegas in this pack. So her house was left without anyone and since I lived with her, I just claimed it as mine. It was traumatizing living alone, seeing all of the memories and things she had collected when she was alive. It felt like I was living in a borrowed space. When I told Julian, he offered to clean the house and decorate it to my taste.

I refused because I did not want him to think I was with him because of his money or status. I really loved him. His crooked teeth that bared when he laughed, the little tattoos scattered around his skin, and the way his body felt whenever I touched him. I did not feel the mate bond yet, but I knew it was going to come soon enough. I strolled down the Omega’s side of the pack and headed to the place where he asked me to come earlier today.

It was at the football court of the school, which confused me, but perhaps he liked the open space. The school was a bit far from his house, but he had a car so we could head to the palace immediately after. When I got to the school, the entire place was pitch black. I raised my hands to my arms, feeling the chilly wind hit my bare skin. It felt creepy. I rushed down, not taking a glance at the big gates and the doors by the building of the school.

When I got to the stadium, I looked around for signs of him and there was none.

“Julian?” I called out, my voice coming out in a feverish tone.

“Daisy.” I heard his voice behind me, and I turned around.

The lights in the court suddenly flipped on, lighting up the entire place. I realized that I was standing in the middle of the court already, and Julian was up on the bleachers. He was still wearing his football jersey, as if he had just finished practice, and some of the football team that were his friends were behind him, leaning on the banister while he was seated.

“Oh, God,” I let out a breath of relief as I walked up towards him. Maybe he lost track of time. “You really scared me.”

When I approached the bleachers and was near him, I did not recognize the look on his face. It was strange. Condescending and cold. It was like I was staring at one of his other identical triplets, but none of them played football. He stood up to his feet and approached me. A smile grew on his face with every step he took down to the bleachers and toward me.

“What is going on, Julian?” I croaked out.

“The prank was stretched too far guys,” he said, but he was not speaking to me. “She really thought I was going to mate with her.”

The laughs from behind made my stomach drop all the way to my feet.

No. No, no, no.

“What?” It was barely even a whisper.

“I, Julian Alexander Hale, reject you, this wolf -less weakling as my mate,” he smirked, and then his eyes widened mockingly as he placed a hand on his chest. “Oh wait, I did not feel anything. You know why, Daisy?” He hopped down the bleachers and stood in front of me. “Because there was no mate bond in the first place. It was a dare I played with my friends, and I needed a little virgin to play with after hours of practice. You were the perfect victim. Too bad you fell for it.”

I was beyond speechless. My limbs felt like they were frozen in place, and every word he hurled at me felt like a splash of ice water. I refused to believe what he was telling me even as he went back to the bleachers and his friends started to cheer him on. They took off their jerseys and hugged him like he had just shot a winning goal for the team.

All of this while, I was so stupid to think that he was going to be in love with me. I was a nobody. Someone an alpha would not look at twice, but I thought I had a shot with him. Every sound felt like a slap to my face and my ego. I wanted to cry. To pull my hair and break the stupid necklace I had bought to impress him. The dress I had used my last money to buy. I was a fool. A complete and utter fool.

I trusted him with my heart only for him to throw my biggest insecurity on my face like a joke. I bet he told his friends all about the time we spent together, and they joked about it. I felt nausea creep up my throat as I walked away from the bleachers, letting the tears flow when I was out of the court. I clutched my stomach, and I could feel the baby inside of me shift. Our baby. Well, it was his loss. Now he was not going to know his kid ever existed. He was going to be shocked at the woman I was going to become. The woman that is going to take revenge for the harassment I just went through.

I was tired of the alphas taking advantage of omegas just as a joke with their friends. I had heard stories about it, especially on the football team. I never thought even in my wildest dreams that it was going to happen to me. He played it well, I will give him that. But he should just wait and see what I was going to have in store for him. I wiped my eyes and stormed out of the school. I was not looking back. I was leaving.

When I got home, I packed all I could before I was on my way out of the pack. I could not bear the sight of him again. I could not handle seeing him or his friends because I was sure they were just waiting to spread the news in school. I had to go somewhere else to live for a while and have the baby. I did not know where, but I was going to find it. I came to this pack with nothing but the clothes on my body. I was going to survive leaving like that too.