Chapter 2: Every Werewolf is invited

Tiana's POV

I kept my head down as I entered the Moonstone Pack House. I knew I wasn't welcome here, as every single person in this pack hated me. I have had to endure all sorts of physical abuse and insults both from my family and fellow Pack members since the day I lost my mom. They all blamed me for her death.

While I suffered silently in the pack, my brother Viktor was honoured and cherished highly in our pack. He was the trophy child of the Beta family. Viktor took over the Beta position from our father five years ago on his eighteenth birthday when he first shifted into his wolf.

A year before Viktor became Beta, I met my wolf, Aurora. It was shocking to me because I was just thirteen at the time. Meeting your wolf at thirteen was something that had never happened in the Moonstone Pack. I had heard about it from a few of the pack's elders, and when I got the chance to read, I also read about it at the library.

But, according to the history I read, there was a certain werewolf clan whose members were able to communicate with their wolves before they reached their natural shifting age, but from what I read, that particular clan was no more; they had gone extinct. But here I was communicating freely with my wolf, Aurora.

However, I couldn't tell anyone; it was already fair enough that everyone blamed me for the death of my mother; if I had told them that I met my wolf at thirteen, they'd probably start calling me a witch or a liar. And that would have resulted in further insults and abuse from my family and pack members.

Last year everything became worse for me, as my eighteenth birthday passed without me making my first shift like other werewolves my age. Aurora and I were shocked and confused. We had both waited eagerly for my eighteenth birthday when we could make our first shift, but nothing happened that night.

And like wildfire, word got out, so every single person in this pack hated me more than they did before, because they believed I didn't have a wolf just because I couldn't shift, and being the Beta’s daughter, I was the embarrassment of my family. Or more like I was the embarrassment of the whole pack. Since then, the pack has treated me like crap.

Even Omegas get more respect than me. Seriously! I've become their personal maid. I clean our house and make breakfast in the morning, then I run to the pack house to clean the Alphas quarter, then I do the dishes after they've all had breakfast, and then laundry before I can rest a little bit. But despite my hard work, I got beaten for any little mistake I made; it was like I was their punching bag, an object on which they could unleash all their anger and frustration.

The only reason I even bothered to enter the pack house this evening was because I wanted to catch a glimpse of the soon-to-be Alpha, Derek, my childhood crush. He had been away for over four years for his Alpha training. Everyone was thrilled to finally welcome him.

But it was mostly all the unmated she-wolves that were going crazy to see him. It was no secret that Derek hadn't met his mate yet, so all the unmated she-wolves were eager to find out if he was their mate.

“I can't believe this!” Spat my brother Viktor, grabbing me by the arm.

“Hey!” I yelped, trying to tug my arm away but failing. He had an iron grip.

“What are you doing here?” He bellowed.

“To see our future Alpha, and everyone is invited, right?” I asked softly, not meeting my brother's eyes.

“Every werewolf is invited,” he snarled. “You don't have a wolf, remember?”

I sighed in frustration. At Moonstone Pack, they never stopped reminding me that I was wolf-less and responsible for my mother's death.

My brother dragged me by my arm to the door. “Don't you dare come back here!” He warned.

A few of the warriors on the porch snickered while the rest looked at me with a disgusted face.

I trudged away from the pack house, my eyes brimming with tears. I broke out into a run, heading for the woods, and went to the top of the hills that overlooked our pack border. I looked into the vast terrain of nothingness and wondered what it would have been like if my mother was still alive. Would I have been bullied and mocked my whole life? Or would I have grown up with friends and had a normal childhood?

Would I have been able to shift into my wolf? All those what-if questions played in my head repeatedly like a broken radio. I sat on the ground, hugged my knees, and rested my chin on my forearms as I allowed the tears to continue streaming down my face. After crying for a couple of minutes, I decided to go to the one place that gives me peace at every point in time.

My mother’s graveyard. The whole place is eerily quiet and I find it comforting. I need to talk to my mother. Talking to my mother always gives me peace. It feels as though every time I commune with her, she is right there with me and I just need to reach out a little bit more to see her.

“Mother, how’s life in the otherworld? I hope it is treating you better than how life treats me here.” Hot tears flow down my eyes again, and I do not bother to wipe them. I needed to let it out. Even though I found peace at my mother's graveyard, I couldn't help but feel guilty about her death.

Unexpectedly, I feel the earth tremble with approaching footsteps. I quickly turn to scan my surroundings, but there is nothing. It is, however, really dark, and as I don't have a wolf, I am not able to see as clearly as those who do, so I raised my voice and asked, “Who is out there?”

There was no answer, but I had the impression that someone was watching me. And the more I stand here, the more uncomfortable I become, and the more I realize someone is definitely watching me. Without being told, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me home, and luckily for me, no one was at home.

It wasn't long after I got home and was about to start cleaning the dishes when I heard a soft knock on the door. Fear gripped me instantly as I stood paralyzed in the kitchen, my heart racing.

“Tiana! Come out, the Alpha wants to see you.” A voice called out, and I felt a little bit relieved. But I couldn't help but wonder why the Alpha wanted to see me. Was he angry that I came to the pack house? Or perhaps I've done something wrong.