ALETHEA'S POV
I ran as fast as my small legs could carry me.
Growls echoed behind me, paws pounding against the ground, forcing me to run even faster. My foot caught on a log, and I tumbled forward, rolling painfully until my back slammed into a tree. I groaned loudly—too loudly—no doubt alerting the wolves to my location.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up and limped toward the road. An oncoming vehicle swerved, nearly knocking me off my feet. Exhaustion finally claimed me, and I collapsed to the ground. The last thing I saw was the glowing eyes of the wolf chasing me.
I screamed as I thrashed in my bed.
My door flew open, and my grandma rushed in. She pulled me into her arms as I cried into her shoulder.
"It's already over," she whispered softly. "They can't get you. You're safe."
She patted my back, repeating the words until my breathing steadied. Once I regained control, I gently pulled away and nodded, assuring her I was fine and that she should go back to sleep.
She sighed, pressed a kiss to my forehead, and left.
The room was still dark. I walked to the window and peered outside, watching as the patrols changed shifts. Should I go back to bed or take a shower?
Shower won.
I peeled off my sweat-soaked clothes—the aftermath of another nightmare. I'd had that same dream for as long as I could remember. Whenever I asked my dad about it, he brushed me off like it meant nothing.
After brushing my teeth and showering, I wrapped a robe around myself and wiped the fog from the mirror. My reflection stared back at me—pale. Too pale. My blue eyes looked dull, weak.
I hated it.
Grabbing my makeup kit, I fixed my face until I barely recognized the girl staring back. From my closet, I pulled out black jeans, a black crop top, and a black hoodie. I dressed quickly, slipping on fresh underwear and white sneakers. Finally, I put on my black wig and cap.
Why the wig?
Because my hair is white—snow white—and it attracts attention I don't want. Werewolves don't have white hair.
Oh, and I didn't mention it earlier.
I'm a werewolf.
Well… sort of.
My grandma is. Everyone else is too—except me.
I'm the abomination.
The cursed one.
The Forsaken Child of the Moon Goddess.
Every werewolf gets their wolf on their sixteenth birthday. That's also when they find their mate—if they're lucky. Some find their soulmate in another pack. Some never find them at all.
And some… reject them.
Usually because their mate is weak. Or an omega. Or not what they imagined.
I'm a victim of that last one.
My mate rejected me because I was weaker than an omega—and because I'm Forsaken. His loss. I don't give a damn anymore. He marked her instead, and now they're getting married.
I wish them the most miserable life together.
The pain of that rejection still lingers. Worse, he mated with my sister on the same day, shattering what little remained of the mate bond. I feel it every time they're together—disgust, anger, humiliation.
That's why I train.
If I don't have a wolf, I'll become strong without one.
I grabbed my bag, tiptoed out of my room, and quietly made my way down the stairs. Sneaking out at seventeen felt ridiculous, but when you live with my grandma, you learn survival skills fast.
She terrifies me.
She's the only one who does.
Once I shut the front door behind me, I finally released the breath I'd been holding and ran straight into the forest.
I hid behind a tree as bulky warrior wolves passed by. When the path was clear, I climbed my favorite tree and settled on a thick branch. Pulling out my binoculars, I observed the pack house entrance.
"Wow," I muttered. "They increased security."
Smirking, I jumped down and sprinted toward the side of the house. Climbing the pipes was easy. I hooked my legs onto the rails and froze when voices approached.
"Fuck."
I pressed myself against the wall, heart pounding. Below me, the warriors stopped to scan the area—but they didn't look up.
"Stupid fools."
Once they left, I pulled myself onto the balcony and followed my usual route to the stockroom. I grabbed a few supplies and retraced my steps.
That's when I slipped.
The rock I knocked loose flew straight into a guy twice my size. To be fair, he was bragging about sleeping with an omega. Disgusting. The rock hitting him was an accident… mostly.
"What the fu—HEY! Stop there! Thief!"
Like hell I would.
Laughing like a madwoman, I ran into the forest and lost them within minutes.
Back at my grandma's house, I slipped off my sneakers and quietly entered. My keys fell from my hand with a soft clatter as I moved toward the kitchen.
Suddenly, the lights snapped on.
I screamed.
My grandma stood there, arms crossed—and she was not happy.
I tried to smile innocently, kicking my bag behind me.
That smile vanished when I saw what she was holding.
She wouldn't…
Would she?
I stared at her, forcing the most innocent smile I could manage.
She didn't return it.