Chapter One: The Wolf Without Love

"I despise this hellhole I'm in, my cruel uncle, and his family," I cursed as I hurriedly swept the hall's floor.

As I did so, I kept checking the clock on the wall. I had 45 minutes left to prepare for the mating ceremony.

Turning 21 a week ago, I was ready to find my mate.

For a wolf, finding their mate means meeting their other half. But for me, it's more than that. It is knowing what love is for the first time, never experiencing it, and calling a place home with my mate.

With 30 minutes left, I rushed for the already-prepared map and bucket, completing my 50th chore of the day: mapping the floor.

The morning my uncle's wicked mate, Allison, gave me the long to-do list, I had a hunch she was trying to prevent me from attending the mating ceremony on time. Why? I had no clue. I assumed she would be as excited to see me leave as I am to escape this prison. I guess when you're evil, your every intention is.

As I mapped as quickly as possible, beads of sweat rolled down my face, and I was finished in 15 minutes, leaving me with 12 minutes to get ready.

I hurriedly walked away with the map and bucket.

"You missed a spot." I heard Addison, my cruel cousin, from behind.

I spun around to see the devilish blonde already dressed in her mating gown. A silk nightdress represents the moon's light, and she's emptying a bottle of dirt and water onto the floor I'd just cleaned. Addison gave a cocky smile as I shockingly watched her mess up the floor.

"Now clean that up," she said, stepping over the mess and returning upstairs.

In a rage, I ran to clean it up, very aware that I had only 10 minutes left.

"This is my last day here at this horrid place," I encouraged myself as I angrily mapped the floor.

My mom died after she conceived me, and my dad was killed when I was less than a month old in a battle to protect our pack, the Melokyn Pack. Which, unfortunately, left me in the care of my father's only sibling, Uncle Cyrus, since my mom was an orphan. Sometimes, I wish my parents were still alive. I wouldn't be here now, forced to work as their housemaid and putting up with their horrible treatment every single day.

Getting rid of the mess, I bolted upstairs to the attic, which is also my room, forcing my way through several boxes toward the bed I had had since I was four years old. The bed is so tiny that I have to sleep in a fetal position to fit into it.

On the bed lay my ceremony gown. It was so old that it no longer looked white but rather a pale yellow, which Allison forced me to wear instead of purchasing a new one. I quickly picked it up, slipped in, and took a quick look in the mirror. Sadness consumed me, and I wished I could wear something better to meet my mate for the first time.

I considered letting go of my dark hair, but the awful memory of Allison saying that I looked like a wet rat with my hair down haunted me. I decided to keep my hair in a ballet bun.

Addison laughed as she saw me descending the stairs, and a chuckle fell from her mom's mouth.

"What an ugly nightgown," Addison teased. "It looks like it has been worn by an entire generation."

Allison burst out into a snort of laughter, and I fled from the house, humiliated, sprinting into the woods with tears pouring down my cheeks.

I came to a halt under a tree, and as I used the gown's helm to wipe away my tears, my eyes rose to the night sky.

"It is time." I watched the clouds peacefully divide, revealing the full moon, and its presence took over me, guiding me to my mate until the sight of him at the river, sparkling under the moonlight, took me by surprise.

"Alpha Bolin. You're my mate." My eyes widened.