Chapter 1 Bitter Betrayal

Mabel's POV.

" In a few minutes, our In-law to-be would be here in alluring attires for my daughter's dowries," Flora, my mum, and also the pack doctor of the Crystal pack said as she danced.

Stella sat on the chair, steepled her finger bewilderedly, and looked unimpressed by my mother's words. No girl would be like this if she hears that she is the upcoming Luna of one of the strongest, richest, and wealthiest packs in Our City. But In Stella's case, it was different.

" Mum, I am not supposed to be the Luna of the Decresh pack, my elder sister deserves it" Stella mumbled, not bold enough to pronounce.

" Don't worry about Mabel, she is nothing but bad luck to our family" My mum responded, causing Stella to make a startled 'wow'.

" Mum! How could you say something like that about her?" Stella screamed, tears rushing out from her face.

" You keep quiet, fool. When your mother speaks you shut that dirty mouth of yours and listen. We are giving you to the royal family and that's all" Beta Jackie, my father, and the second leader of the pack said as he walked out of his room.

I was at the door listening to the conversation between my parents and my younger sister, Stella. And right now I seemed out of the world as my body quivered momentarily. I didn't believe my parents could do this on this day.

My name is Mabel Anderson Jackie. I was 21 years old and supposed wolf because I had no elements of a werewolf in me like my family. I should have been declared as a human but I was pardoned temporarily because there was this common disease in our City called the late blooming. People with this disease had delays like me in getting their wolf. Most people got theirs at age 16 and some at 17 or 18 years, and anybody who did not have his/her wolf was classified as a late bloomer. Those of my friends and my age mate who fell in the same category as me had gotten their wolf at age 19 and 20 years, but here I was at age 21 still struggling to get mine. For this, my parents did not know what to classify me as again. Could I also be called a late bloomer after all the affected like me had gotten their wolves?

In our pack, there was this arrangement I grew up to experience. It was called a lucky match mate. It was a modern name for an arranged marriage. The lucky match was a draw between the Betas of the packs in our City. Three years ago, it was my dad's friend's daughter that won a lucky match with one of the white wolves in India. This year I was the one that won the lucky match with Davis, who was the incoming Alpha of the Decresh pack.

My parents most especially my dad were not happy because I won it. To them, it was a masked embarrassment because I had no wolf so they were absolutely sad. Today was the day Davis should pay my bride price but see what my parents were forcing my innocent sister to do - to substitute me as Davis's mate.

I heard some steps behind me and I quickly turned back to see the incoming Alpha of the Decresh pack, Davis, and some of his family members in royal identities walking into our chamber with packages in their hands. These packages looked so enticing that I was sure it was the bride prices.

" Hello, Davis!" I greeted them as he got to where I was.

Before he answered, his friend cut in, "Is this not your betrothed mate who has no wolf?". His other friends, including his sisters, began to laugh at me, and this got Davis angry.

" Hey, asshole! What sort of embarrassment is this on this day?" Davis asked with his face worn with hatred.

" But Davis I taught you were coming to pay my bride price," I said and sobbed.

" Mabel, look at yourself. You have no wolf, you are not even as pretty as your sister, Stella, and you want my brother to take you like that" Davis's sibling pronounced disdainfully.

" You must be very stupid to think I am stupid enough to choose you as my mate and incoming Luna," Davis said, his voice blaring through the veranda to the extent that my parents heard his voice.

Our door opened, and my parents came into view. " Oh, my incoming Alpha you are here already" my mum greeted.

" Your Queen is inside" my dad motioned his hand to my sister on her crying chair.

" Dad! How could you do this to me on this day? Even you Mum, you rejected me as if I am a bastard to you, why?" I fell to my knees and cried.

" Today is not the day to sob, Mabel. I have zeroed you out as my daughter since the day you could not shift to your wolf and I am sure your mum did the same so why the crocodile tears?" My dad asked, not wearing a remorseful look.

" Come on, come in my in-laws," my dad said and motioned his hand to the door.

" No, Dad! I am not ready to be his mate and Luna. I don't like him. Moreover, my sister deserves it not me" Stella bumped out from the door with tears all over her face.

" Keep quiet!" My dad slapped Stella, making her fall on the floor. Stella became unconscious yet her eyes didn't stop crying.

" I hate you, Dad. I hate you, Mum. I regret having you as my parents" I screamed at them and removed our family ring from my thumb and threw it at them.

" Then never in your life come back to this house. The day I see your legs in this place I will tear you apart" My dad said and threw me a wood that I barely escaped.

I hissed at him and moved out of the place. I hung around in the surrounding but decided to move to a pub to drink and smoke away my pain when it was getting dark.