Chapter 1

Melanie’s POV

“On Monday, I will be announcing Jaxon as the new Alpha,” Dad declares, sipping his morning coffee. “This will give our give our pack plenty of time to prepare for his ceremony on Friday during the Full Moon.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I explode, slamming my fists on the countertop.

Mom averts her eyes, avoiding my gaze as she often does in these situations. She never stands up for me when I need her to.

Dad shrugs. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Melanie. I gave you a chance to prove yourself in the Alpha Academy. Now you know that it’s not because you’re female. You just weren’t good enough. Jaxon’s scores consistently outshine yours. He’s faster, stronger, and more deserving of the Alpha title than you.”

“Damon-” Mom whispers, attempting to intervene.

“No, she needs to hear the truth,” Dad interrupts sharply, “I will not tolerate her disrespect.”

He glares at me, his eyes growing darker by the second. “You disgust me. Stop acting like an entitled brat,” he hisses.

My mouth drops open. “Entitled? I’ve spent my entire life working my ass off to please you, to earn the title that would automatically be mine if I were a man!” I scream, my voice thick with emotion.

Jaxon is the son my dad never had, and I am the daughter he never wanted. After I was born, my parents spent years trying for a male heir. When my little sister came along, and Dad realized it was never going to happen, he began to resent us. I should have seen this coming. He was never going to grant me the title as Alpha, no matter how hard I worked for it.

I feel my body beginning to vibrate as my wolf within, threatening to take control. “I…I can’t believe this!” I stammer, threatening to contain the surge of anger and frustration washing over me.

“The decision has already been made,” Dad asserts, his tone firm and unyielding. “Jaxon will take my place as Alpha, and you will remain in yours and never question my authority again. Understood?”

My vision blurs with rage, but I know that if I argue with him, I’ll just be digging a bigger hole for myself. So, I swallow my retort and turn to leave.

As I burst out of the house, I shred my clothes and shift into my wolf. Thanks to my Alpha bloodline, my wolf form is larger than average. My soft, black coat gleams in the sunlight as I streak through the forest. Trees buzz with life around me, and small animals scatter in all directions at the sound of trigs and leaves crunching beneath my thunderous paws.

My wolf, Nina, revels in her new freedom, her joyous purrs filling my ears.

Suddenly, somebody rushes up behind us, and before I can react, a massive, black and gray wolf tackles me to the ground.

My eyes round with recognition. Get the fuck off me, Jaxon! I snarl through our telepathic connection.

He bares his teeth, his canines menacingly close to my face as he gazes at me intently.

Goddess, I was just playing. Good morning to you too, Mel, his rich, deep voice rumbles in my head.

I quickly push him away, my irritation bubbling within me. What do you want?

His bright, green eyes assess me with amusement. Somebody’s in a mood today.

I’m pretty sure my dad already told you the news, I retort, a bitter edge coloring my words.

He seems surprised by that, but quickly regains his composure. Oh, so that’s why. I never would have thought Melanie Stokes was a sore loser, he teases.

I growl at him. Fuck you.

Just give me a time and location, baby girl.

It’s absurd to think a wolf could smirk, yet the sight manages to stir an unsettling flutter in my stomach. And I fucking hate it.

Don’t call me that! I snap, my temper flaring.

Well, you’ll be calling me Alpha soon. He darts away before I can retaliate.

I resist the urge to follow him; instead, heading to the training grounds to blow off some steam. Swiftly shifting, I throw on a purple sports bra and shorts, ready to release my pent-up emotions. Then, I do a series of warm-up stretches before running a few laps around the track outside.

I have spent the last six months in Alpha Academy, where Alphas from all over the country come and train for their roles. which I can only describe as pure hell. After graduating high school a year early, I pleaded with my father for the opportunity to prove myself worthy of the Alpha title, and with Mom’s persuasion, he sent both me and Jaxon.

Jaxon, golden boy groomed from childhood to become the next Alpha, had always been Dad’s favorite choice. And no matter how hard I worked or begged for recognition, it was obvious that his decision was made long before I ever stepped foot in the academy.

My fist smashes through the wooden dummy, sending pieces flying in all directions.

“Fuck you, Jaxon!” I growl.

“Who’s fucking Jaxon?” a cheerful voice asks from behind me.

“Hey Bliss,” I mutter, walking over to pick out another dummy to obliterate.

Bliss is my one and only best friend. We’ve known each other since we were in diapers. She has long black hair, hazel-green eyes, and the figure of an hourglass. I only hope to one day be as gorgeous as she is.

“What’s wrong with my bestie?” she inquiries from behind me.

“Ask our new Alpha.” I throw the dummy on the ground, punching it repeatedly until it’s just a pile of wood.

“Oh, damn, I’m sorry-” she trails off, keeping her distance to avoid flying splinters.

I destroy three more dummies before I feel even a tiny bit better. By the time I’m done, I’m covered in sweat and panting, trying to catch my breath as I lay sprawled on the ground.

Bliss walks closer, now that there isn’t a chance she’ll be hit by a stray piece of wood. She looks down at me with a sympathetic smile. “Want to grab breakfast at the diner?” she asks.

“Sure, whatever,” I mutter, getting up, throwing a towel over my shoulder, and heading to the showers. After washing off some of my anger and disappointment, I find Bliss in her car, waiting for me. I stare out the window as she drives, watching the buildings blur past us. “You think he would’ve ever picked me?” I ask, my voice tight with emotion.

She sighs loudly. “Honestly, no. Your dad is a huge dick, and he probably chose Jaxon just because he’s an even bigger dick than he is.”

“Probably,” I chuckle. Her answer actually makes me feel a little better.

We quickly arrive, thanks to her reckless and illegal driving, and find a parking spot in front of the building. Donna, our favorite server, seats us at a booth. I order avocado toast and orange juice, while Bliss gets three orders of short stacks and two coffees.

I eye her suspiciously. “Let me guess, Patrick will be joining us?”

She averts her gaze to the table, her face blossoming with warmth. “Ugh, I’m sorry, Mel. I can’t stay away from him for too long.”

“I know, a slave to the mate bond,” I mumble, disdain coloring my words. “I hope I never find my mate. That shit looks miserable.”

“Here you go girls!” Donna exclaims, placing our orders on the table.

“Thanks, Donna,” we say in unison. After she walks away, I dive into my food. I deserve it after the shitty morning I’ve had so far.

Bliss shoves a forkful of pancakes into her mouth. “Don’t you think you’ll find your mate at the Mate Ball?” she asks, curiously.

I scoff. “I’m not going. It will be on my birthday too. You think I’m falling for that trap?”

She scowls at me like a stern parent. “Now Mel, you know it is mandatory for all werewolves to attend the Mate Ball every year after turning nineteen until you find your mate. Your dad is going to force you to.”

“It’s my birthday. He’ll understand,” I insist.

No, he won’t.

“You know that’s a lie,” she mumbles, taking another bite.

Her head suddenly snaps in the direction behind us. “Baby!” she exclaims, getting up and jumping into Patrick’s arms as he walks through the diner door. They sit back down across from me.

“Hey, Mel,” Patrick greets cheerfully.

“Pat,” I mumble, trying to conceal the irritation in my voice. By the glare Bliss sends me, I didn’t do a very good job.

“Baby, I’ve missed you so much,” she whispers. She kisses the mark on his neck, and Patrick damn near starts sucking her face off.

I pretend to gag as I quickly look away. There is no way I would ever act like some lovesick puppy over a guy. Even if I find my mate, I vow to reject him on the spot. Because of my bloodline, my mate can only be an Alpha, and that means I’ll become a stupid Luna. I’ll just be a housewife washing dishes and raising pups. I would rather die alone than do that.

Mating with an Alpha also means I will have to join his pack instead of ruling the pack that is rightfully mine as Alpha Damon’s only child. Instead, my heritage is being handed to some cocky asshole just because he has a penis.

Speaking of cocky assholes, here he is.