CHAPTER 1 Mate

Amelia's POV

3 Years Ago

"Why did you survive and my daughter died, huh?" A menacing growl was aimed at me as the door of my room was kicked open.

I had been standing at the door and calling out someone to unlock it. It was my best friend's funeral and I should have been beside my dead friend's coffin!

The sudden kick had me sprawled on the floor and I looked up to find my best friend's mother, Katherine, the Luna of the Blue Moon Pack growling at me.

"My Luna, I didn't…"

Before I could speak anything, she held my collar and straightened me up. Slapping me hard, she spat on me, "You are the Beta's daughter, you should have protected Skylar with your own life!"

As I was kicked across a study table, Luna rushed towards me in a frenzy and grabbed a fistful of my hair, causing me immense pain.

"You are the murderer of my beloved daughter and you will be punished for this offence, Amelia," She snarled at me before slapping my face on the wall, blood trickling from my forehead.

I spoke in my cracky voice, "I didn't kill Skylar..."

But Luna Katherine was not ready to believe me and she instructed the guards, "Make sure she doesn't attend my daughter's funeral. Because of this fucking sinner, my daughter died and now I don't want her to obstruct her smooth departure to heaven!"

With those angry words, she walked out of my room. I ran behind her, crying and trying to convince her, "Please, Luna, let me go out and attend Skylar's funeral, please..."

But the door was closed in my face.

Present

"I am not the reason why you died, Skylar, you know that right?" I sobbed while looking at a photo frame that bore Skylar and my photo. Tears trickled down from my cheeks and fell on the glass frame.

I wiped off the tears from the photo frame and hugged it tightly. I was so unfortunate that I couldn't pay the last visit to Skylar. It's been 3 years since that heartbreaking incident took place but every time I see my friend or think about her, the pain from that day would emerge in my heart.

I am Amelia Green, an eighteen years old she-wolf. As the daughter of the Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, one would think that I would be revered and respected. While fate has dealt me a cruel hand, and I have been condemned as the cursed wolf, forever branded as the bringer of misfortune. My heart has known nothing but sorrow, for everyone who has crossed my path has met an untimely demise.

The torment inflicted on me reached its peak when Alpha and Luna's daughter, Skylar who used to be best friends with me, died under mysterious circumstances.

In the aftermath of Skylar's passing, the accusing fingers pointed directly at me, fueled by whispers of my apparent guilt. The pain intensified as Luna, consumed by righteous anger, demanded my forced confession for a crime I had never committed. Despite the absence of any evidence to support their accusations, the pack's hatred for me grew with every passing day. I became an outcast, an embodiment of their fears and prejudices.

To escape the suffocating disdain and constant torment, I made the heart-wrenching decision to abandon the comfort of the pack house. I sought solace in a broken, dilapidated house that now stands as my solitary refuge on the periphery of the Blue Moon Pack. Its shattered walls and weary facade mirror the state of my heart, tattered and bruised by the rejection of those who should have offered love and acceptance.

Since then I have been living alone. Yes, I don't have a family. Because of being labeled as a sinner, my mom and dad would be sent to wars, and in one such war against the rogues, I received traumatizing news that I became an orphan.

As I looked out of the small window, I realized that it was already afternoon. After getting up from the floor, I decided to prepare my lunch. As I tied my hair into a low bun and headed towards the door to fetch some water, a sudden sound caught my attention. Feeling cautious, I retreated back and peeped through the window. My eyes went wide when I saw a werewolf servant dressed in royalty clothes sitting inside a car and driving away.

What was the royalty werewolf servant doing here? That was downright shocking for me. Why would someone from the pack house come to this poor area?

Once the car was out of my sight, I opened the door and my eyes caught a scroll note hanging by the hook of the door. I quickly grabbed the scroll and got back inside, locking the door behind me.

My hands were shivering not due to the biting cold. I was used to the terrible cold weather. I was shivering because I was scared of opening the scroll note. What is it all about?

Before a countless number of questions would gush into my head, I forced my hands to open the scroll note. What my eyes read blew my mind! It was an invitation to the Alpha Coronation Ceremony. Alpha John's son, Elijah, was going to be crowned as the next Alpha at the coronation ceremony that was held in the next five hours, today.

With a tense look, I read the invitation. I was worried because I know how the coronation ceremony at the Blue Moon Pack works. The ceremony is mandatory for all the wolves of the pack. There's an old belief that the pack members' blessings should be conferred on the new Alpha to become stronger and he would in turn make the pack stronger.

Behind the scroll note, I spotted a copper coin. It had the 56th number written on it. That meant that I would be the 56th she-wolf to confer my wishes on the new Alpha. Attending this ceremony would mean opting for getting laid on the deathbed because they didn't wish to have a sinner on such an important day.

But was there any option left for me? No!

Every pack member has to bring the copper coin attached to the scroll with them when attending the coronation ceremony. So, if I opt to skip the ceremony, they would discover that the 56th member is missing and they would be able to trace me down. So, not attending the ceremony was not even an option.

The best way to keep my identity covered, to keep myself away from the scrutinizing eyes of the werewolves, was to dress up in the ugliest manner possible. It wouldn't be tough because my lifestyle as an orphan living in a poor area, had degraded considerably. I found some old clothes for myself. I wore a ragged, reddish yellow sweater paired with a dark navy blue skirt. I decided to keep my messy dark brown hair open, to use it as a shield to avoid the werewolves catching a glimpse of my face. And in order to provide more protection myself, I grabbed a scarf and wore it on my head, with one of its edges covering my face, with only my eyes left visible.

I stood in front of the small mirror to see to it that I wasn't recognizable and on perceiving how ugly I was looking, I felt a bit relieved and there were chances I would be able to return safely without anyone knowing that I am Amelia Green, the sinner of the Blue Moon Pack.

I could spot public transport pulling over at some distance away from my small house. Now was the time to leave for the ceremony. The reason for sending the public transport was to ensure that no werewolf would end up missing the ceremony.

It took an hour for us to arrive at the castle that was located in the center of the woods. That was where the ceremony was scheduled. The packhouse was decorated with different colored lanterns hanging from the trees. The surroundings were adorned with flowers like lavender and rose that would render their enchanting scents all around.

I stood in a long queue waiting for my turn to arrive. This queue started from the main gates of the castle and went all the way to the lake that was situated in the center. As per the coronation ceremony, the werewolves that came from the higher ranks would offer water to Elijah's head while the lower ranked werewolves would offer water to his feet.

Since I came from a lower ranked background, my number was far behind. The evening sky got dark and I could see the Moon Goddess reigning in the sky. Anxiety hit me hard when I was close and there were just a few werewolves ahead of me ready to offer their best wishes. My anxiety took a backseat when a mesmerizing scent of sweet pine hit my nostrils. I couldn't help but let my eyes follow the source of the mouth-watering scent. I was thrilled and at the same time scared to know that I had discovered my mate in such a dangerous situation. I was stunned when I found out that the scent belonged to Alpha Elijah who was sitting on the throne.

Oh, Goddess! Skylar's brother, Alpha Elijah, is my mate!

I looked back to see if I could get away but it was too late. I saw Elijah rising from the throne, leaving the coronation ceremony midway, and walking up to me.