The sun shone brightly across my school compound as excitement filled the air. Today was supposed to be all about me – it was college graduation day, a moment I had been dreaming about for years.

Standing tall in my graduation gown, I felt a swell of pride as I looked at my reflection, adjusting the golden tassel on my cap. Today I was supposed to bask in the glow of all my achievements all these years but my dear father, Alpha Rudolf Cohen decided this was the best day to fix his wedding.

My father – Alpha Cohen had chosen today, of all days to hold his wedding – in the pack’s central clearing. His decision to marry in such a big and open space was to make sure every member of our pack Thunderhowlers pack could attend and witness it.

As his daughter, I had grown used to him making random decisions but this was a pleasant surprise for me, and despite him not having the time to attend my graduation, I was still happy. Since my father was happy… I was too. At least, I’ll get a new mom and maybe another sibling, if I’m lucky.

Still, I wasn’t going to let his wedding overshadow my celebration. I took a quick selfie in my graduation cap and gown, and also found a picture of my father on my phone which I posted online with a caption:

            Graduation day and Daddy’s wedding all in one!

            Whoever is marrying my daddy today, don’t forget,

            I’ll always be the most important girl in his heart.

            #PackPrincess #/DaddysGirl.

As soon as I posted it, so many likes and comments poured in. A lot of people congratulated me on my big day and some even went as far as to tease me about my father’s sense of humour in putting his wedding day exactly today.

 I would be going to the wedding later on in the day… maybe for the reception after the graduation ceremony was over. I was still in my dormitory responding to messages online waiting for my friend to join me so we would go to the graduation hall since it wasn’t time yet.

Suddenly, a commotion outside my dormitory made me drop my phone. I immediately came down from my bed and started for the door wondering what the noise was all about. I immediately opened my door and peeked at the corridor; my eyes widened with shock. A figure had just come out from the elevator dressed in a wedding dress. She was a woman with striking, beautiful, fiery red hair and piercing green eyes that made her stand out wherever was.     

Immediately, I recognized her – she was the woman my dad was set to marry – Her name was Ember Frazier. Although we’ve not been introduced officially I recognized her from the engagement photos I’ve seen with her and my dad.

She had two burly enforcers flanking her on each side and seemed to be coming in my direction. I threw my door wider as I came out to the corridor, a ready smile on my face as I waited for her to come so we could finally greet each other.

Hi there!” I greeted her when she reached. “My name is…”

The words were barely out of my mouth when she slapped me across my face, drawing a gasp from the few members of the pack present.

I blinked, feeling my cheeks redden with embarrassment. A crowd had gathered around us and they were staring at us curiously. More than anyone, I was baffled by her behaviour wondering what I might have done to her that she was picking a fight with me.

“What’s going on?” I whispered trying to maintain my composure.

“Bitch! How dare you!” She snarled. “You think you can challenge me on my wedding day?”

I took a step back, confusion written across my face. A crowd had gathered now and their murmurs had turned into a low hum of concern “What? I don’t understand…".

“Don’t play innocent with me” Ember spat, holding up her phone. On the screen was my recent post – the selfie with my dad I posted a moment ago. “You think you can waltz in here and claim my place as Luna even before I have it!”

I blinked, my mind racing to catch up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I am not challenging you, Ember. This is my graduation day and the Alpha is…".

“Liar!” she shouted, her voice ringing through the corridor. “You posted it yourself! Trying to show everyone you’re more Important to the Alpha than I am!".

My heart pounded as realization dawned on me. She must have seen my post and misunderstood it entirely “No!” I shook my head, attempting a smile. “You see…".

“Seize her!” she interrupted me again, motioning to the enforcers.

Before I could react, she lunged at me and with a swift swipe, tore at my ceremonial cloak, ripping it from my shoulders. The crowd gasped as I stumbled back, my breath catching in my throat.

I stared at my torn ceremonial robe, everything felt like a dream. Was this even real? Was this some sort of prank – you know the kind where my friends would suddenly jump out from where they were hiding and congratulate me on my passing out?

But it wasn’t. Ember’s face loomed over mine, filled with revenge.

“Ember, Stop!” I cried out, but she was beyond reason now. Her face was twisted with rage and from her pocket, she pulled out a vial. My eyes widened in horror – I recognized the dark, oily liquid inside. It was Wolfsbane.

“No, no, no!” I struggled harder “Please listen to me, this is all a misunderstanding. You’ve got everything wrong,” I pleaded struggling against the enforcers who held me firmly.

Ember advanced towards me, a satisfied smug look on her face, holding the vial threateningly.

“You wanted to play games, little bitch?” she hissed. “Let’s see how you like this!”

I managed to kick her hand that had the Wolfsbane vial and it fell on the ground, breaking into tiny pieces.

I knew this was the first time we were meeting, so it was understandable if she thought I was a mistress.

“Please!” I told her trying to speak calmly. “Can you just calm down for a few seconds? I promise you; you won’t regret speaking to me and I can assure you, that this is all a mistake. I am not who you think I am. So, I just need you to take a deep breath and hear me out for a minute".

“Hear you out?” she scoffed “What do you want to say now? What lies do you want to concoct?”

“Please you don’t understand,” I pleaded again. “I’m not trying to steal your title or your man – I can’t even do that. I am Alpha Rudolf Cohen’s daughter. My name is Jessica. I’m sure my dad must have talked about me or something".

She paused for a minute running her eyes up and down my form but a second later, she scoffed, her eyes flashing with a mix of disbelief and fury. “You liar!” she snarled reaching out to grab my hair. “You think I’m foolish enough to fall for such petty deception? Who do you take me for?”

“I swear on the goddess!” I winced as the pain spread through every part of my body. “Why would I lie about that? I’m his daughter. I've been away from the pack, running an externship program abroad. I just came back for my graduation ceremony Why can’t you accept that? We’ve never even met before today!”

“No daughter would be so intimate with her father,” she spat “And what’s that about you being in his heart forever. Does that sound like something a daughter will tell her father. Are you trying to play on my intelligence right now?” she shook me harder. “Tell me bitch, you’re having an affair with him, right?”

“What? No!” I yelled. “He’s, my dad!”

“You’re a liar,” Ember repeated. “I’ve seen women like you before. Gold diggers, opportunists, always lurking, waiting to pounce".

Frustration surged within me. “What on earth are you talking about? I’ve been part of this pack my entire life! Everyone knows who I am. And I’m close to my dad because he raised me alone after my mother died. Please, just ask him".

“Everyone except me, it seems!” she scoffed. “And I am the Luna – the irony of it all. Besides, Rudolf told me his daughter isn’t exactly a picture freak or even the social media type".

“But today is my graduation,” I insisted “Isn’t it normal for me at least one picture which is what I did?”

“Oh, shut up!” Emer roared and turned to the crowd. “Behold your Alpha’s supposed daughter. Nothing more than a conniving little wolf, trying to steal my title,” with the flick of her wrist, she signalled the enforcers “Teach this imposter a lesson she won’t forget in a hurry. Show her what happens to those who dare to challenge the Luna. Destroy everything".

My heart stopped. “What? No!” You can’t do that!”

But Ember wasn’t listening to me. My eyes widened in horror as her minions pushed past me and descended upon my personal belongings. They tore into my suitcases, ripping my designer dresses and scattering books all over the room. They smashed and tore to shred all of my ceremonial gifts – tokens from friends and family to make my graduation.

I tried to intervene “No! Please stop,” I cried, breaking free from the enforcers that held me and lunged forward to stop the person holding a picture portrait of my mother only to be restrained by the enforcers. “That’s my mother’s picture… please… it’s the only thing I have of her".

Ember laughed cruelly, holding up a small tripod that had her phone attached to it, pointing it towards me. That was when I realized that she was doing a live-stream. She was disgracing in the presence of the entire world. Tears streamed down my face as I watched everything I held there been destroyed.

My mom’s pictures lay smashed and broken on the floor, and my laptop and my iPad were not spared either…

“Why?” I turned to Ember sobbing, my shoulders shaking “Why are you doing this to me. I’ve never done anything to hurt you. I don’t even know you".

Ember’s lips curled in disgust as she pointed the phone at my face. “Oh, you poor, pathetic, thing. Do you think your innocent act will save you? I’ve dealt with women like you before – young, ambitious, willing to do anything to become a Luna.

I stared at the faces of my schoolmates looming at the door watching the scene unfold. They all avoided my gaze, no one was willing to help me. I couldn’t blame them, they were all afraid to go against the Luna who happened to be Ember.

“Fine, why don’t you call my father?” I called out. “I’ll speak to him and you’ll see that I am his daughter and not his mistress. Please".

Ember laughed, the sound cutting through the air like a knife. “If you’re talking about Alpha Cohen, my mate… I’m sorry, I won’t allow you to waste his time. He has no business dealing with someone like you".

While she was still talking, she moved from the doorway and entered the room, her eyes scanning my scattered room in disgust. Suddenly she paused and stared intently towards the direction of my desk.

Following her eyes, I saw she was looking at a picture I framed that was on my desk. It was that of me and my father, taken years ago, on a camping trip – just the two of us, smiling, looking carefree. Ember’s eyes narrowed as she picked up the photo, her expression darkening with every passing second.

The picture seemed to annoy her more.

“So, you think this proves your claim?” she spat, holding the picture up for her enforcers to see. “Anyone can do this besides, you could have gone there with him as his mistress.”

“I am not his mistress,” I shouted. “That’s my father, can’t you see the resemblance?”

But Ember was beyond reason now. With a snarl of pure hatred, she hurled the frame to the ground. The glass shattered, sending shards all over the room.

“You dare to flaunt your relationship with my mate?” she hissed, grinding her heel into the photograph. “This only proves your guilt".

My breath was coming in short spasms now as I was dragged out of my room, my arms held tightly by two security men who had come on Ember’s command.

The sting of the earlier humiliation still burned in my chest but the taunts and sneers from Ember made it feel like my skin was already on fire. All around me, pack members had gathered, every one of them had their phones out and pointed at me recording every second of my disgrace. I could hear the buzz of notifications, messages and live-stream comments beeping from Ember’s phone.

As we went down the dorm, I saw that the college compound was already filling with people, everyone must have seen the live stream and hence they rushed here to witness it themselves.  Ember walked behind me as they dragged me out, a smug smile on her face, her phone and tripod standing still recording my distress, proud of the chaos she had created.

“Look at this pathetic excuse for a girl,” Ember’s voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. “Trying to claim my place, my title, my mate. And for what? For attention? For sympathy? Her words were amplified by a small speaker clipped to her jacket, ensuring everyone could hear her loud and clear.

As we walked through the Pack land, she kept hurling insults at me, taunting me, calling me every unprintable name you can think of.

I struggled against the security men, trying to free myself but their grip was too strong. The Pack’s central clearing came into view, the place where I should have been celebrating my graduation with pride. Instead, I was being paraded like a rogue. My reputation would forever be soiled in front of everyone I had ever known. I could feel the eyes of the pack members boring into me, some were filled with doubt, others scorn.

“Please, Ember, just stop this,” I pleaded but my voice was barely more than a whisper, drowning out my Ember’s loud voice that was still taunting me.

“Stop? Oh, no, sweetie,” she laughed “This is only the beginning,” she said and turned to her audience again with a wicked grin. “You all need to see this for what it is – a desperate attempt to seduce my Alpha, to tear apart our bond on the very day of our union!”

Ember’s words were received well by the onlookers as they all nodded their heads agreeing with her. My heart pounded, the humiliation and frustration boiling inside me. I knew I had to do something, anything to stop this madness. But what could I do when Ember held all the cards? When Ember was the new Luna and everyone seemed to be hanging onto her every word?

When we reached the ceremonial stage, Ember shoved me forward. I stumbled, catching myself just before I fell. The big screen set up behind the stage came on, showing a close-up of my distressed, tear-stricken face. The camera zoomed in to capture every pain and tear I was struggling to hold back.

Ember snatched a microphone from one of the people onstage, her voice boomed through the speakers. A massive crowd had gathered now and everyone was staring at her in anticipation. I couldn’t believe things had gone sour in less than a few hours.

“Listen everyone!” she shouted “This girl claims to be Alpha Cohen’s daughter, but we all know the truth, don’t we? Alpha Cohen’s daughter is a sweet little girl, who’s not very active on social media, who doesn’t write about the love of her father being snatched, Am I right?”

The crowd chorused a loud Yes.

“This impostor here, is nothing but a conniving little snake trying to slither her way into power, into my place and into my mate’s heart and she deserves to be punished".

My stomach churned as I looked over at the crowd. Faces I had known, including all the ones that looked faintly familiar stared back at me. Some of them were shocked, others uncertain. From behind, I spotted some of the pack elders whose faces I recognized moving through the thick crowd with concern etched on their faces. But they were still too far away to intervene.

I had to find a way to make Ember stop before things spiralled even further out of control. “Ember!” I shouted, above the dining. “If you keep this up, if you keep doing this to me. You’re going to ruin your wedding! Is that what you want? You still have a chance to let me go right now and I promise you, that I’ll put all of this behind me and we’ll never have to talk about it anymore, I promise".

For a moment, there was silence and I felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps, my words had reached Ember and had made her realize the consequence of this madness. But then Ember laughed – a high, shrill sound that echoed through the clearing.

“Ruin my wedding?” she sneered, her eyes narrowing with disdain. “Who do you think you are? What makes you think you have that kind of power? Do you think this is only about the wedding? This is about you, trying to ruin everything I’ve worked for, everything I deserve and now, everyone will see you for what you are".

My heart sank. I had just succeeded in provoking her more. I glanced towards the pack elders. They were closer now but were still struggling to push through the crowd because everyone was trying to see first so, they weren’t allowing them to pass through easily. I had to buy more time until then.

“Fine!” I tried again “If not for me but for my father. He will not be happy if he walks in here and sees me being treated like this. Please, for his sake, let me go and I promise I’ll not hold this against you".

“Your wretched bitch!” Ember matched to me and slapped me hard across my face “I see I have been too lenient with you right. That’s why you think you can still talk. Don’t worry, I know just the perfect thing to shut you up".

She turned and signaled to a security guard to come upstage as she produced a familiar-looking vial from her pocket again.

I froze when I saw it was another Wolfsbane. When will this nightmare end?