Chapter 1

"HAZEL!!!!" The shouting of my mom downstairs startles me out of my reading journey, leading to my ever-so-favourite Pride and Prejudice drop on the wooden floor. It is the third time I am reading this book and Jane Austen has never grown old. How amazing it was to live through people's hearts even when you had been buried in your coffin a long time ago? 

The door slams open and in comes my mom with blazing blue eyes that can scare away dinosaurs if they existed in the twenty first century. 

"I have been calling you for so long! Do you plan to stay unmarried until my hair turns grey!" Mom shouts, her chest rising and falling in a struggle for air. And maybe more words for her 'irresponsible daughter'. 

I sigh. "Yeah mom, I heard. But I was busy." I defend myself only to regret later as my mom's sharp gaze finds the book lying on the floor. 

She picks it up and flips on the cover. Her face turns grim and I pull my blanket close to my face to use it as a shield from her wrath.

"This?" She holds the book in her hands like it was nothing more than a distraction. "How many times have I told you to stop wasting your time reading and actually putting some time on your household work? Would you like your future mate to get a wife that knows nothing except reading stupid books all day?" My mother tears the book apart in seconds and a warm tear rolls down my eye. 

"This is my last warning! You have had enough of my mercy in this house. But not anymore. You are going to the mating ball tomorrow. Lisa is going shopping, you must go with her!" She throws the leftovers on the floor and walks over to the door. "Another thing…" she halts in front of the door and turns her head at me. "...if you do not win the attention of any Alpha this time, then consider your marriage trials are over and I will throw you out of this house." Her warning trails over the door as she walks away. 

I sniff a few times before reaching down to the scattered pieces of my favourite novel. It had taken a month of work in the cafe to get my hands on this book. And now nothing is left of it. Gathering all the bits of paper, I put them in the trash can. Goodbye, Jane Austen. 

Just then the door throws open again and behind it stands my elder sister Lisa in her flowered crop top and red mini skirt. She looks glamorous like every other time. No wonder, why the other werewolves of our pack drool over her. But they could never match her expectations and standards. Except one…

"Xavier Ash is throwing a mating ball for the first time." She struts inside in her golden stilettos."So I need to focus on the right kind of dress. But…" she turns around to face me, her waxed arms crossed over her chest."...mom told me that you are going too. So unfortunately I have to deal with you." She flips her curled blonde hair behind her shoulder. "So, don't even try to think about distracting me from my work. Once inside the mall, you go on your way, I go on mine. Is that clear?" 

"Crystal. I would be very delighted to stay away from you." I flash a sarcastic smile. 

Lisa's facial muscles twitch and she takes a step closer to me. "Don't even think about crossing me with your words. I'm not a fool. If you do this again, I'll make sure that my parents get rid of you forever." 

I gulp down the lump in my throat. Lisa means it. The last thing she wants is for me to stay with her under the same roof. So there is no better than apologizing. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again." I say looking down at the floor. 

"Excellent. Now get your ass ready. We're going shopping." She says and slams the door after her. 

Tears flood to my eyes, but I wipe them immediately. Life has been miserable since the day I was born. My parents died in an accident, I was adopted by my Uncle and Aunt who never wanted me. And last but not the least, I was stuck in a world where a human had no rights of their own until they married a werewolf. I sigh and start getting ready for shopping. 

I have read several stories of the old times when werewolves didn't exist. The world was...so magical. People could make their own decisions, live their own lives. But it all changed after the werewolves became more profound and there was a huge war among the two species. The winner was definitely the werewolves and now they rule the entire world. And that is what makes me wish to live in those golden days. 

I get showered, and wear my last to last year's clothes. The stitches are showing up and there is nothing more I can do with it. The dress used to be a bright pink colour. Now the pink is barely visible. It is mostly a dirty white. It is the only dress I could manage to get my dad-slash-uncle pay for me since I had literally no clothes to wear outside. And now this is not going to last for long. My face drops when I look at the mirror. Dark eye bags hang under my eyes, dry fair skin with freckles and chapped lips. I don't even have makeup to hide my imperfections. One of the reasons I got rejected...I shove the thought away and get back to putting my unruly wavy blonde hair into a ponytail. 

After getting prepared, I walk out of the house and find Lisa sitting on the driver's seat of the car. She looks at me and starts the engine. Within a minute the car drives away. I wanted to say "Wait for me." But someone who has lived twenty years of her life with a family, I know that Lisa would never allow me the luxury to sit in a car. So I started walking towards the mall. Years of practice and now the journey doesn't feel too much. I pass by a few streets, looking at people busy in their lives. Just then, our pack beta passes through the street and I lower my head. Humans are not allowed to make eye contact with the werewolves. Especially the higher ranks. If found to do so, one could be punished. Even jailed. 

"Hazel!" The beta calls me and I keep walking, acting as if I didn't hear him. "Hazel, wait!" Within a woosh of a second, he is in front of me. 

I stop in my tracks and keep my gaze low. Luck is amazing when it comes to me. 

"I've been calling you." He says, his large body standing ramrod straight in front of me. 

"Oh,I umm—" I lick my dry lip." —I didn't hear you." 

"That's all right. Where are you going?" 

Shit! Did he have to ask? Now if I tell him to the mall then he will insist on giving me a ride which I can't say no to if I don't want to end up in jail. And it is fine to get a ride, but the point is, Beta Max is very... clingy. 

But I can't lie either. He will follow me anyway. "To the mall." I say. 

"Oh. I'll be heading there too. Come on, I'll give you a ride." He says and I leave a low sigh. 

As expected, now I am sitting in his car, hearing his tales of glory about how many people work under him, how powerful he is and bla bla blaaa...I don't understand the attitude of people with power and all. Do all of them have to boast about themselves or try making people boast about them? 

"So, you're coming to the ball?" 

"Yeah." I keep my stare fixated outside the window. 

"Did anyone approach you yet?" 

I know where this was going to go. He wants to know because he wants to make sure that he has a chance with me. Poor Hazel, damsel in distress will not be approached by any werewolf for the marriage trials and then he will come rescuing me like the knight in shining armour. "Not yet." I smile and look ahead. 

"Oh. That's great. Maybe this time I'll get a chance with you." He grins but I don't reply anything except smiling back. The point is...I don't have a choice to make. 

Since the time the Werewolves started putting their paws of rule everywhere we humans are more or less slaves. Living under a facade of society that is run by the Werewolves only. The Government stated that the humans have a peace pact with the werewolves and that's when the marriage trials came. Werewolves are considered to be destined with their mate. A werewolf mated to a werewolf is normal. But a werewolf with a human is where the twist comes. Due to the difference in species, it is a rare case to find a werewolf mating with a human. But to make a balance between the two...umm...species, the government decided that the humans who get mated to the Werewolves get the golden crown to live a good life, full of riches and power and no other werewolf shall demean or punish that human. In short, that person gets lucky. 

"What are you wearing?" The beta says, the corner of my eyes noticing his stare at me. Now, I know I will be lucky if the Beta choses me for the marriage trials and somehow it gets successful. But…I want to marry someone with whom I can fall in love with. I don't really believe in marriages that have no emotional connection between each other. 

"Not decided. That's why I'm going to the mall." 

"Oh, then I should come with you. I can help you find a dress." 

I lean on the headrest in defeat. God, can this day be any more worse? We park in front of the mall and I step out of the G-wagon. Beta Max joins beside me. 

"Let's go." He moves his hand towards me, probably to hold mine when his phone rings. Thank God. He receives it with a scowl on his face. I wait beside him since it will be rude to go on my own and leave him here. He hangs up the call and sighs. "I'm so sorry. I won't be able to accompany you." Yayy!!. " The King Alpha is coming today and I have to make arrangements." 

King Alpha? "You mean…" 

"Alpha Xavier Ash. He doesn't appreciate tardiness. I have to make sure everything is ready. Even Alpha Adam will be with me. " 

I raise my brows in shock. "Is the King Alpha that dangerous?" 

"Oh." He exhales sharply. "Trust me, you do not want to mess with him. He was the one who led the war and won without any army. I don't know why someone like him would like to come to our small town. I heard he has very expensive tastes." 

"Will he be attending the ball?" I say out before I can think. 

"Absolutely…"