1. BETROTHED

22 YEARS LATER

RAVEN’S POV

“Raven!”

I jumped as soon as I heard the voice, my head turning right and left, contemplating on just running away to hide. My heart was not taking the situation lightly, beating as if to tear from my chest and fall on the ground for Elissa to step on and crush. What joy it would bring her.

I rolled my eyes, sighing with me rushing to meet her before she found my secret hiding spot.

My body was covered in nothing but sweat, quickly wiping it away with my t-shirt to pull it over my head, covering my upper body along with my sports bra. My feet were dirty with mud, no time to rush to the river to wash them off.

“The fact that I have to walk off this far to come get you just makes me so mad. You better show your face before my shoes get dirty or we will have a problem.” Elissa spoke out, hearing that she was reaching her boiling point. I sighed and moved even faster, dodging tree branches and making sure I was not leaving a trail behind me; stepping on tree roots and stones.

I could already smell her overly sweet perfume where I was, just nearly having me sneeze where I was. I shook my head, wishing I could throw her in the river to wash it away, what a lovely sight that would be.

I bent over a branch, raising my head with her form standing right there before me, looking so red I thought she would pop. Her arms were folded on her chest, it rising up and down with such destress sure shit would hit the fan soon.

She did not belong there. Her long hair was tied back in a middle-parted ponytail, looking so beautiful with her make up done to perfection but what more would you expect from her.

She wore a knitted jersey with high waisted jeans, tucking the jersey and then white sneakers on her feet. I felt bad in a way for making her walk all this way. She gave me one look, then scoffed, turning around and sighing to walk away.

I bowed my head, following after her and watching her body sway with her shaking her head now and again. Her form was tall and slim with her curves defined. She was every girl’s dream and to add to that she was very smart. I was jealous I would not lie, even when we were younger, she was always a shining star and I was just there at the back with my deep red eyes, hair so dark it was unnatural along with my shorter statue and more of a figure no matter how hard I exercised.

My head snapped from all that as we broke through the forest with the large mansion coming to view as some of the pack members strolled by. Right before the mansion was a large garden where most were seated and just enjoying the summer breeze as the sun set. It had been a hot day indeed but the night seemed to be cool.

I was sweating buckets myself so I would know, busy doing my things in the forest away from everyone’s eyes.

All eyes turned as we walked, a few people passing their greetings to Elissa. The way she drew people to her was amazing. They all adored her, even I kind of wished I was her, well, minus the evil sister attitude. She was kind to everyone except me but for that I blamed only one person who I would not say.

I stopped where I was, wiping my feet on the grass to clean them before my head rolled from my neck for dirtying the house.

The Greyhemm pack was on the top ten of the largest and wealthiest packs in the area. It was big and beautiful with the alpha having spent so much money to make sure the pack looked the part.

The mansion just before me was the Alpha’s house; the beta and gamma had their own exquisite houses. The pack was well taken care of I would not lie, a beautiful place to be in if you were a werewolf.

My head bowed just thinking of it with my heart sore.

The alpha and luna already knew I was not a werewolf but to make sure they had taken both of us to the forest on our sixteen birthday to observe the transformation of the Alpha’s daughters. Everyone had been there, all eyes on us with more whispering about me.

I had never prayed so much to the moon goddess, just praying for her to please give me a wolf because maybe just maybe everything would be better then but nothing.

Elissa had shifted right next to me, her bones shifting with her crying out loud. The luna and alpha had ran to her, holding and cooing her until she completed her first transformation. As if I was not already burning enough, her wolf was white with accents of silver just stealing everyone’s breath as I died over and over again.

I had stood there, watching the parents praise their daughter, kissing her wolf over and over again with such pride, something I would never have. It hurt so much, but I had held my smile because the fact was that I was no werewolf and I was a stranger to all of them, an intruder in their pack and family.

After all had praised Elissa, the whole pack shifted and they all took off running through the forest with me left behind, staring at their backs as they disappeared out of sight. The tears streamed down just that second, my body shaking, cursing my existence to no end.

I had bowed my head, turned around to my room where I slipped in my bed and cried so hard I thought I might die.

The memory was shaken away, looking up to see Elissa near the door. I rushed after her, my feet clean to enter through the house, closing the door after me. The house was so quiet you would swear there was no one but sure there were.

“Can I rush to take a shower before coming to dinner?” I politely asked Elissa with her turning where she was, staring at me with her face morphing in to one of disapproval before flicking her hand at me. I did not even waste a second. I rushed up the stairs to my room to take a shower, my hands so fast with my heart drumming just thinking of what the luna would say with me late.

I ran out of the bathroom, applying some deodorant and just jumping into jeans and a t-shirt followed by slippers. I ran out, the door closed behind me to literally jump down the steps.

My hair was flying all over my back, heaving until I got to the last step knowing I was in a lot of trouble from then.

I stopped right before the door. I knew they had smelt me coming, damn werewolves and their sensitive noses. I took a deep breath, making sure I was presentable to push the door open and walk in.

My head was bowed, staring at my feet with my toes clean of all the dirt.

I would not lie and say the Greyhemm had not taken care for me. They had. I had food, I had clothes and a roof over my head. I was forever grateful but I just wished, I just wished I was their child, that would be better. I wished I belonged, I wished I had a wolf to turn to and run all over the forest. The pain struck, swallowing it back and rushing to chair which I pulled back and took a seat.

The alpha and luna were already there along with the beta, gamma and their mates. It was just me. The shame was too much, sitting down not wanting to disturb their conversation.

The help was plating food with me the last to have my plate filled with food. My appetite for food was nothing compared to everyone in the pack, even the little children. I actually did not like it at all. I loved natural foods like fruits and vegetables. Eating them just brought nothing but joy for me.

My plate was filled, thanking Sandra with her giving me an eye before turning and walking away.

Everyone began eating with me doing the same while avoiding eye contact with anyone else.

Elissa was right beside me, eating her food while chatting with everyone else. If you saw me with my family you would say I was deaf for I never spoke; I just kept my mouth shut and took in whatever I was told. I did not talk a lot really, who would I talk with anyway. No one liked me in the pack, not even in the slightest. The amount of bullying I had received as soon as I knew what bullying was, was too much, even those having hearts deciding to let go and let it all be.

It was just me and my imagination along with my inner voice.

“He was in the mountains, hidden there, who knows what his majesty went through.” The beta female said having my head pick up wondering who they were talking about.

“He is the last of the royals. News say that prince Regan killed himself and that they found Prince Carl lying in a pool of blood not knowing what killed him.” The beta said with my eyes moving to him.

“Well, the crown prince came back and was crowned King just many moons back.” The alpha said, me not even daring to stare at him.

I don’t know why but somehow just staring at him brought so much pain, so much pain than I had ever felt in my life through everything. In my existence we had never exchanged even a single world, in my existence we barely looked at each other. He pretended as if I did not exist and I tried to make it easy on him but it was hard. In a way I felt drawn to him in a way I could not explain. In a way I felt more betrayed by him than anyone else in the family and I did not know why.

“Elissa your engagement to the Grey has been called off. They understood, we are all trying to do the best for our packs. The king is looking for a queen and since royals do not have given mates, they pick for themselves then the moon goddess blesses whoever they pick to be their true mate. If things go well, he will be here in the coming week to look over our females.” Alpha Greyhemm continued with me daring to turn and steal a glance at Elissa.

Her fork was slowly placed down, a smile on her face as she stared at her father with her eyes shinning. My heart just shattered with me swallowing.

She deserved to be queen and staring at her I could see that she was meant to be a queen. The way she carried herself was one of sophistication and elegance. How could she not be a queen when her mother had trained her to be a luna since she was five. All her life she had been trained to be nothing less than perfection, in every way. The way she spoke was just breath taking and even the way she carried herself was something else.

I was happy for her seriously, yet I could not help but be jealous of the life she had. She had two parents that adored her which was all I wanted but I knew she was not happy.

First of all; she had to reject her true mate because to her parents, he was not good enough. Being a beta’s son was okay but her mother had planned more for her, so, she had done as told and rejected her true mate.

I bit my lip, placing the spoon down, recalling how broken she had looked no matter the smile she always placed on her face. I could never imagine the pain she had went through, yet, I would say it made her so strong. She was a woman I could look up to if not for her basically making my life a living hell.

All the pain she felt, she took it out on me in any way she could. I understood though, in a way I understood and I forgave her for everything she did and was to do but still it hurt.

“Thank you father, thank you mother, I will not disappoint.” She said with her sweet voice, her head held up high.

“This is what you were born for Elissa, you are a queen, I can see it now, you were meant to sit next to the werewolf king my beautiful daughter. How can you not with such beauty?” The alpha said, hearing the emotions in his voice with my head bowing even lower.

“Thank you father, I would not be the person I am if not for both you and mother.” She said back, her hand going up to wipe her tears away then sit up in her chair controlling her emotions.

“You deserve all the best things this world can give, don’t worry child, the king is yours.” The alpha said back, the moment special for the family.

Elissa stood up, walking to her father to hug him and kiss his cheek then her mother. She was most close with her father. The luna was not much sentimental, she was all about business and nothing else.

“Congratulations Elissa, there is no doubt you will be our next queen.” The beta said with his mate agreeing, all smiles; happy and excited.

The conversation went on as they talked about the preparations for the arrival of the king. It would be grand of course, throwing a ball at night for him, hoping he would stay over the night. I listened, my appetite gone not that I had any.

The food was picked around until the help came to collect the plates.

“Since I am leaving, what about Raven?” The sound of my name from Elissa’s mouth had me cold where I was. When my name slipped from her mouth it meant nothing good.

The room fell silent, feeling the eyes on me.

“What about her?” The luna asked, hearing the distaste in her voice. I cursed Elissa as I sat there, could she just leave me alone for just one day.

“She can’t stay in this house forever, eating our food and running off to wherever she spends her days these days. Who knows if she is fooling around with some stupid kid and comes to tell us she is pregnant, then what, we take care of her bastard baby too?” I closed my eyes to open them, trying to will the anger and pain away yet it too deep. The wound had been created long ago and every day it grew bigger, no way for it to heal. Why couldn’t Elissa just leave me alone please. I felt the tears swell in my eyes only to blink them back for I learned long time ago that even if I cried blood no one would care.

The silence was so loud it had my ears ringing. I wanted to disappear and die right there.

“No one would want her but we can’t be stuck with her forever yet who would want her? She is basically useless, no wolf, nothing, just a waste of air and space in this pack.” The luna spat out, hearing the words hit hard as if swords thrown at me and piercing my skin.

“Maybe one of the men who lost their mates would be interested, she isn’t much but she is still a woman after all.” My sister chirped in as always, just nailing me to my death.

“The only man who has lost his mate in this pack is Ray and since the loss, he is not really in the right mind Elissa, you know that plus he is older even than me.” The alpha spoke, the first time he ever contributed something on a matter concerning me.

My whole body was shaking, feeling so cold where I was, fighting the tears that were fighting their way down my eyes.

“Then what dad, you will keep her here then her bastard children and their bastard children. Haven’t you raised her already, haven’t you given her a lot, its time for her to leave us alone, she has caused enough pain already.” Elissa pointed out, her voice firm with her not backing down.

“Elissa is right, its time she leaves this family, she has done enough already.” The luna added with all the others quiet where they were. No one said anything after, knowing the alpha had the last say in all that. My head tipped up for I wanted to see him, I wanted to stare and see what he was thinking but I was so scared.

What had I done in life to get such a fate?

I wished I could shutter and die.

My eyes fell on the alpha with my chest moving up and down violently. I was begging him with all I had, sure my eyes were saying it all, my heart out, begging for him not to do this please.

His eyes were on mine, him staring at me directly with the world seeming to stop for a minute. It had been the first time I looked straight into his eyes and the warmth I felt from it was something else.

It was some kind of bond, like a father and daughter bond.

He seemed taken away for a second as he stared at me but then he snapped his eyes away, his hand going through his hair.

“We will tell Ray after the king’s visit, its Elissa’s time, let's concentrate on her.” The alpha said, my eyes not moving from him with the tears falling.

I stared at him as if he would collapse and die right there with everything shaking all around him as my head throbbed so hard I felt as if someone was drilling through my brain. I felt whatever that was there snap, nothing but anger taking over me. Anger and hatred so deep it had me scared with me heaving where I was. I was sure my eyes were turning black with each second that was passing deciding to push my seat back and run from there.

I tore through the door, barely seeing anything as I heaved, the anger pushing me to run faster. My slippers fell away, running to the forest with nothing but darkness taking me in and surrounding me. I ran so hard and fast until I could not run anymore, collapsing on the forest floor with my arms under my head as I cried so hard wishing for nothing but death.