Chapter 1

####WARNING This story will contain: Strong Sexual Content, Strong Language, and Scenes that may be triggering. Viewer discretion is advised.#########

I was born 10 minutes after my sister Lily, and that, unfortunately, set my fate. You see, my mother only wanted one pup; instead, she got two. My twin sister Lily was the princess to my mother, and I was what she called the spare. That is my name: "Spare." Spare Williams.

My sister had sunny golden hair, golden tan skin, bright green eyes, and a body to die for. I, on the other hand, had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, pale skin, and a body not so much to die for. My father said that he got a daughter like his mother and one like his mother-in-law. I took after his mother; I never knew my grandparents on my father's side as they both died before we were born. My mother's parents, on the other hand, I wish I did not know. They were mean, cruel, and judgmental.

My father, Erick, is the younger brother of our current Alpha, Michael. He has always gone on business trips, checking on allies and the various businesses that the Pack owns. My mom was on several committees, and everything had to be perfect. Well, that is, except for me. No matter what I did or how well I did it, it was never enough. As I got older, I started to care less and less about my mother's perfection.

Mostly, I just stayed away or in the shadows. I wasn't allowed to eat with the family. When I was younger, I would wait for them to go to bed so I could steal food from the kitchen. Now, with my job, I can just buy the things I need.

My bedroom was in the attic. I had a mattress for a bed, a blanket, and a pillow. An old dresser for what little clothes I had. Over the years, they would put all their old junk up here, so I added things as they came along.

I went to the same school as all the other pack members. I was pretty much invisible, except when Lily wanted to show off to her snobby friends. We turned 19 last month.

I kept my grades a secret from my family. I am a junior because my sister flunked the 9th grade. My mother had my sister and me redo the 9th grade. She told everyone that I was the one who was too stupid to pass, and Lily, the saint that she was, had stayed back with me for support.

I will be graduating with the seniors. I take advanced classes with the help of some of my teachers. I have completed my entry-level courses for college. I want to be a doctor.

As soon as graduation is over, I am leaving. I have enough money saved up from my job. I have to keep that hidden as well, or Lily will find it. God only knows what she would do with it. I worked my tail off cleaning hotel rooms for every penny I have, and the thought of her getting it makes my skin crawl.

Lily gets three hundred dollars a month to spend on frivolous things, not that she pays for her clothes or anything else like gas for her new car. I know I sound like I'm envious. Well, maybe a little. It's because she gets all the love and attention while I'm not even allowed to use the front door.

That reminds me, "The Grandparents" are coming over tonight for dinner. It doesn't matter anyway; it's Friday. I picked up an extra shift at the hotel. I would like to say that work at least gives me some friends to talk to, but it doesn't. It's just me and the cleaning cart.

Every day, I tell myself, soon. There is one girl I am friendly with. She is an Omega and is kind of invisible like me. We used to chat almost every day, but she just disappeared a week ago. I tried to look around and ask a few pack members, but I didn't want or need any extra attention. I just hope she is okay.

Thank the goddess for my one and only true friend, my wolf, Artemis. She is so beautiful, a white wolf with black on the tips of her paws. Her eyes are even darker than mine. She is fast, very fast. She has kept me sane growing up and is my motivation when I sometimes feel like giving up.

So here I am, pushing my cleaning cart from room to room. You really don't understand how nasty and dirty people can be until you work as a maid in a hotel. It truly makes me wonder what their houses look like. I knock on the door, but there is no answer, so I knock a little louder. Nothing. I use my key and open the door just a little to say, "Housekeeping, anyone here?" Again, nothing. So, I grabbed some supplies and headed in.

The bathroom is first on the left, so I start there. I turn on the light, expecting the usual carnage. I am surprised when it is neat. I clean everything and restock the extras. I then turn on the light for the main room, and I gasp. There on the floor is a naked man. I think he is unconscious. I sigh. It's just what I need; another drunk.

I grab a towel off the cart and cover his unmentionables. Then I reach down and shake his shoulder, and that is when I see the blood running down his face. Oh, god, he is hurt! I shake him gently one more time, and he moans.

"Sir, can you hear me?" He moans again, this time starting to move. He rolls over on his back. I am thinking of going to the front desk for help, but I can't afford a phone, so I can't call.

He is a big guy, very tall, well-built, with tan skin and dark hair. When he opens his eyes, they are so unusual. They are a bright gold that seems to have a life of its own. His scent is intoxicating, a combination of the deep woods and rain. I can tell that his wolf is looking back at me, too. I back away a little.

"I'm sorry if I was too close. You were unconscious. Are you okay? Let me get a cold washcloth for your forehead."

Duncan

I woke to the sweetest voice. I almost thought I was still dreaming. Then I remembered how I ended up naked on the floor. My wolf, Apollo, assured me that I was healing. There was nothing to worry about.

That is when she comes back with a cold washcloth. It took the sting out of the cut, and her scent hit me. It's a strange combination of roses and peppermint. She is gorgeous, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Both my wolf and I spoke at the same time. "MATE!"

At the same time, a look of horror came across her face, and she bolted out the door. I can still hear her words as she ran, "NO! Please, not now." Without thinking, I ran after her. I caught her just as she was heading for the back door. I wrapped my arms around her, and she started to panic.

"Shhhh, little wolf. I am not going to hurt you."

She stopped moving and was quiet. I carried her over my shoulder back to my room. I noticed how small she was and that she hardly weighed anything at all. I could feel her breathing; it was still fast but slowly calming down.

Spare

I got a good view of his really nice ass. Artemis was going crazy in my head. She was so frustrated that I could have slapped her. "Stop it, you hussy. This messes up everything."

"He is our mate! He can help us. Take in his scent. He isn't from our pack."

He went inside his room and shut the door, locking it behind him. He sat me gently down on the bed as he went to get a pair of his jeans. Just as he was buttoning them up, I bolted for the door. Catching her quickly this time, he sat down with me on his lap.

"Tell me, my little wolf, why are you so afraid?"

"Please," I whimpered, "you have to let me go. I can't stay here in this pack anymore. You will ruin all my plans."

"Calm down, little wolf, and smell me again."

Third-person perspective

Spare looked at him for a little bit and then sniffed his scent again. It was the same as before, but there was something else. "OMG, you're not from this pack." He smiled at her, taking her all in. His wolf, Apollo, was doing happy circles in his head. A very smug Artemis was saying, "I told you so," over and over in her head.

"What is your name, my little wolf?"

"Umm... my name?"

With a chuckle, he asked her again, "Yes, my little wolf, your name."

Hanging her head in shame, she whispered, "My name is Spare."

His mind couldn't get around it. What kind of name was Spare?

"As in a spare tire? That kind of spare?"

"Yes, as in that spare."

It's clear it embarrassed her, so he decided to drop it for now. "My name is Duncan McKenny of the Storm Crow Moon Pack." Spare didn't know a lot about the Storm Crow Moon Pack, only that it is a mysterious and secretive pack that the Wolf King hires to hunt down criminals and rogues.

"My full name is Spare Williams of the Rising Moon pack." His eyes went from golden to an almost copper color when she said her name. His voice gave off a low growl when he asked, "Williams, as in Michael and Eric Williams?"

"Yes, my father is Eric."

"I met Eric's daughter, Lily. There was no mention of another daughter."

"Lily is my twin sister. There was no mention of me because I am the Spare. I don't exist to them unless they want to vent some anger or need an ego boost." It broke his heart to see her shrug it off as if it was normal. There were so many questions and so little time to get the answers. She isn't going to like what he has to tell her next.