CHAPTER 1 - PRESENT DAY

Saphira sighed as she finished putting away the last of the washing. With the chores done, she could finally enjoy the rest of her birthday or at least try to. As she lightly made her way up the stairs, adjusting the basket in her arms, she stopped at the first door. Her eyes caught the silly stickers that read ‘No girls allowed.’

It was Connor's room. Seven years had passed since her brother's death, but the pain was still fresh. Every year, on her birthday and the anniversary of his passing, she replayed the events of that night, step by step. She knew it wasn't healthy, but she couldn't help herself. Maybe one day, she will remember something that would make everything make sense.

With a heavy heart, she moved past his room and quickly put away the laundry. Now that the chores were done, she retreated to her small bedroom, closing the door behind her. She flopped onto the bed and closed her eyes, the memories of Connor and that fateful night still haunting her thoughts. As they did, every time she closed her eyes.

Saphira opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, feeling the nagging sensation that she was missing something crucial. Connor wasn't clumsy, so she found it hard to believe that he had simply fallen. The other part that troubled her was Ruby's accusation; why would Ruby say she pushed him if he had just fallen?

She heard footsteps in the hallway and listened intently as they stopped outside her door.

"Saphira, come downstairs, we have some business to discuss," Lupus, her father, called through the door.

"Ok, coming," she replied. Quickly leaving her room, she followed Lupus downstairs. As they reached the kitchen, she saw the Alpha of the pack. The Alpha never came here unless it was serious, which made her slightly nervous. Could he be here because of Connor? Had they found a body and now she was to be punished for it?

“Thank you for joining us, Saphira.” The Alpha started as she sat down opposite him.

“You’re welcome, Alpha.” She replied. It was disrespectful and punishable to not address the Alpha when greeted, so she bit her tongue despite not wanting to be polite.

“We have decided as a pack that it is time for you to leave, and we have all agreed on the conditions. It is in your best interest that we send you to the Matchmaker. There, you will find a new life for yourself. No matter the outcome, you are never to return here. Do you understand?” He said firmly.

Saphira stared back at him in shock; she had heard stories about the Matchmaker, and they were never good. “I understand.” She replied, still in shock.

“Good, now go and pack. You leave in 20 minutes.” He ordered. Twenty minutes? Talk about kicking her out the door, and on her birthday of all days.

Saphira nodded and quickly ran up to her room. She wasn't surprised that they were sending her away; the only thing her pack cared about was status, rank, and strength. Even before she couldn't shift, she was an outcast—not because of anything she had done, but because her father had her before choosing a mate to share his life with. Having any kind of relations, especially having children before claiming and marking a chosen mate, was frowned upon, and so she was never truly thought of as part of the pack.

She decided to focus on the task at hand, knowing she had only 20 minutes to gather her belongings. Grabbing her bag, she quickly packed her clothes, accessories, and toiletries. Fortunately, she didn't own much, making the process swift. With just over 10 minutes remaining, she changed out of her scruffy outfit into black skinny jeans and a white halter top. She took a moment to check her hair.

Saphira took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She bore no resemblance to her father at all; he had blue eyes and blonde hair, whereas she had golden eyes and auburn hair. Even their facial features were different; she had high cheekbones and plump lips, unlike his.

"Saphira, the car is here. It is time to go." The Alpha shouted, pulling her back to the present. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her case and made her way out of her room. As she reached the top of the stairs, Ruby emerged from her room.

“Wait.” Ruby shouted.

Saphira sighed and turned around to face her. “What?”

Ruby's voice dripped with malice as she spoke, “I always knew you would meet your end; the Matchmaker was my idea too. Since I couldn’t push you over the cliff myself, this was the next best thing.”

Saphira would rather be in the Matchmaker than spend another day under the same roof as Ruby. She turned her back on her and replied, "Goodbye Ruby."

Ruby thought she could make her feel sad or heartbroken, but she couldn't because she simply didn't care enough. Saphira knew Ruby wanted to push her over the edge, and deep down, she suspected Ruby had something to do with Connor's death. And she will do anything to prove it.

Saphira went downstairs, where the Alpha and Lupus were standing by the door in conversation. As she approached them, they stopped to look at her, showing no emotion on their faces, despite what they were about to do.

"The car will take you straight there. Good luck, Saphira." The Alpha said, patting her on the shoulder before walking off and nodding to the driver. Saphira began to follow him with her bags, but Lupus placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She turned to face him, hoping it would be the last time.

Saphira’s father spoke with a tone that barely masked his attempt at sincerity, “Before you go, no matter what has happened, you will always be my daughter. I hope everything works out for you, just please be careful and be happy. I will miss you." She couldn’t believe his sudden display of affection. Where was this concern when she was younger, or when Connor died? She wouldn’t allow him to pretend to be a caring father now, just to avoid feeling guilty about sending her away. He had abandoned her a long time ago.

Without hesitation, Saphira retorted, “You will never be my father, I will not miss you or even think of you for a moment longer.” She said proudly, before walking out the door.

She didn't want to hear another word or see his face ever again; she just wanted to be as far away from them as possible. She got into the car at the end of the drive and didn’t look back.