Alpha Garrick immediately let go of my hand and cleared his throat.

“Amber,” he immediately met her lips. They kissed passionately as if I, his mate, wasn’t there.

My sister only recognized that I was there when she noticed my bluish silver dress, a stark contrast to her metallic red dress.

“Fiona!” My sister chirped, linking his arms to Alpha Garrick. My nose flared. “I’m glad you finally met my boyfriend—and fiancé—Alpha Garrick.”

I said nothing. All I can say is nothing. I’m speechless, utterly fucking speechless and stupid to believe that my dream of escaping will one day come true. Just when I thought I could escape this hellhole, I was pushed by Amber—who sent me straight plunging deeper into this shithole.

Amber said more about my birthday, the party, where she got her dress. But it was all inaudible to me. I hear none of it and just let my hatred take over—especially when it seems my mate has no plan to tell my sister about what’s between us.

Amber flipped her hair, “Fiona got her dress inspired from—”

“He’s my mate,” I blurted out without a second thought. Both of them froze as if astounded to hear a dead wolf speak all of a sudden. “Alpha Garrick of the Stoneheart Pack is my mate, Amber.”

I swallowed and inhaled deeply, preparing my cheek for a mighty slap.

But there was no slap. A maniac laughter invaded my ears instead.

“Dream on, Fiona. No one gives a shit in this pack that Alpha Garrick is your mate—nor do they care if you have a fucking mate. But you will never be able to take him away from me. As long as I’m alive, as long as Alpha Talon is alive, you never will.”

Anger is now bright on her face, painting her eyes with pure rage and fury.

“Then perhaps I just have to kill both of you,” I joked and choked on a laugh.

But it only made Amber angry more and this time, a slap finally hit me. When I looked at her straight in the eye, she finished me off with another slap on the other side of my face.

“Reject her, Garrick,” she pleaded to my mate. She used her begging voice, the same voice she used for our father when she wanted something taken away from me—and paired it with her fake crying. “REJECT HER, PLEASE!”

I can’t believe she really did that in front of me. My sister being my ultimate rival with Alpha Garrick...I guess I stand no chance at all.

“Fiona...” The way his voice instantly shifted from being polite to being stern is insane. “I, Alpha Garrick of the Stoneheart Pack, reject you, Fiona, youngest daughter of Alpha Talon of the Nightshade Pack.”

Mira screamed in pain and I fell to the ground. By the look on his face, his wolf is hurting too. I have no choice, rejecting him will save me from my father’s whip. “I, Fiona, youngest daughter of Alpha Talon of the Nightshade Pack, accept your rejection, Alpha Garrick of the Stoneheart Pack.”

And when I finished those words, I rolled to the ground, shrieking in pain.

Alpha Garrick remained standing, though he was clutching his chest, his screams were far softer and less gut-wrenching compared to mine.

My sister immediately grabbed two glasses of champagne from the passing waitress. Everyone looked at me like I'm the source of entertainment tonight. “One for you, my lovely sister.”

I took a sip. But the sight of my sister kissing him passionately and touching him intimately after rejecting me...I let myself descend into madness.

I emptied half of the glass and threw the remaining wine to her face.

Before she could scream, I forced myself up and sprinted far away. I ran away from my birthday party, away from the music. I ran away from the Nightshade Pack.

I forced my feet to run away as fast as I could until I found myself wandering in the woods. Damp earthy scent met the darkness of the forest that even the moonlight barely passed through the thick canopy of trees.

Even with all what happened on my eighteenth birthday, I still knew the road to my cottage, the place where I constantly ran to when my father or sister beat me up. It was the only place in the world where I could be myself, away from anyone’s eyes, where I spent lots of time healing myself since childhood.

I entered and unlocked the door with the key I always hang around my neck. The cottage was the same, it looked the same and felt the same: my home in the heart of nowhere.

I crawled to bed even with this ridiculous dress. With its familiar scent and peaceful surroundings, I drowned my sorrows and anger into a nice good sleep.

I woke up to the smell of something burning, smoky air stinging my eyes and rendering me breathless. Huge, bright orange lights were dancing in the corner of my sight—

Fire. The cottage was on fire. All around me was on fire.

 “Help! Help me!”

I rushed to the door but it was locked from the outside. I crawled back to the bed. Every bone in my body screamed in pain. I’m too weak to move.

I blinked and realized that the last thing I drank was the champagne my sister gave me. Fuck. The champagne, the unexplainable pounding in my head, the lock outside the door...my sister did this to me. Taking my mate away from me wasn’t enough for her. She was willing to kill me.

This made me realize that perhaps being rejected is the lesser evil. Amber is the greatest evil.

“We’re a minute away from passing out,” Mira said to me, my wolf whimpering yet again.

I was about to reply when a mighty kick sent the door flying open, revealing a towering male figure.

My sight is becoming blurry but a pair of green eyes met my gaze. He was instantly in front of me in two mighty steps. I felt my body being lifted from the floor by massive hands.

“Alpha Garrick?”

I blinked at my mysterious savior. Those green eyes looked down at me and I could feel his warm breath on my cheeks. “Alpha Garrick?”

His scent was familiar but his eyes were not my former mate’s forest green eyes. They were bluish green, as if the wildness of the ocean met the mystery of these woods.

“You’re not Alpha Garrick, are you?” But I didn’t hear the answer to my question as my eyes involuntarily closed and everything turned to black.

My eyes slowly fluttered open, sunlight warming my face.

I looked around me and I was in a forest clearing; I smelled like shit. I probably also look like one.

My green-eyed savior was nowhere to be found. Well, whoever he is, I owe him my life.

I rose from the ground slowly. Every bone in my body screamed in pain. The pain from the mating bond rejection is still in my system along with the unexplainable pounding of my head.

How long have I been out?

Shit, I should go back home now. My cottage is burned down. My true home is gone. The Nightshade Pack is the only place left for me to return to.

Even if it’s ruled by a monster.

“Where the fuck have you been, Fiona?”

Alpha Talon, my father, immediately greeted my morning with his old-fashioned slap.

I lifted a hand to my face. “I fell asleep.”

“You fell asleep?” he scoffed. “You ran away, Fiona! You ran away from your own party and humiliated your own sister in front of the entire Nightshade Pack!”

“She deserves it! She took my mate away from me and begged him to reject me. She even burned down my cottage—she tried to kill me last night, Father!”

Alpha Talon grabbed me by the hair and forced my head out the window, where it overlooked the entire backgrounds. “You’re lucky the Alpha King didn’t show up and witnessed your fucking attitude last night!”

“Well, what else do you expect from that woman, Father.” We both turned to the owner of the voice. I didn't see her when I entered my father's office. Amber was sitting on father’s throne-like chair. She poured herself a glass of champagne and lifted it to me. “She killed your wife. Why should you be shocked that she humiliated your entire pack?”

I pointed a finger at her, “You bitch—”

Alpha Talon whacked my hand that pointed at my sister and held his grip on my hair tighter. “Enough now, Fiona. You’ve done too much damage to this pack and family. You should be thankful the Alpha King wasn't here last night. If he was, all of the packs would know that you ran away from your own awakening party!” My father sighed as he ran a hand on his hair. “Amber is far stronger and more suitable to be Alpha Garrick’s mate and Luna than you, child.”

My sister stood from the chair and walked up to me. “I met him last year—on my eighteenth birthday. Alpha Garrick met me first, he fell in love with me first. Most of all, he promised me to be his Luna first!”

I shook my head and spit on my sister’s face. I shouted with all my heart, “If that’s the case then why did the Moon Goddess arrange us for fated mates?!”

My father let go of my hair. “Get out,” he whispered, his voice dripping with lethal calmness.

“I’m just telling the truth. Amber always take away the things that are rightfully mine like—like your love, father!”

“Love?” Alpha Talon grabbed my chin, his huge hand was one motion away from my throat to choke me.

I swallowed fear and anger swirling in my heart. I’ve made Alpha Talon angrier today than any of the past weeks.

“Get out of my house. Get out of my pack.”

“Father, I—”

“Get out of my life and never return. Do not bother returning to my pack or life—not even in your sister’s life—ever again!”

The door opened with a couple of servants bearing my things.

“Fine, Father,” I spoke the last word with such disdain. “Goodbye.” It was a farewell to a daughter to her father, and not a packmember to her Alpha.

 I didn’t bother throwing Amber a look, whom I’m pretty sure is smirking as hell.

Sighing with a heavy heart, though part of me was quite relieved, I gathered my things and vanished through the door I know I will never step again.

The air felt heavy and cold here in the Nightshade Pack's borders.

I was about to set foot in the forest when a female voice interrupted my thoughts.

“I’ve told you, Fiona girl. I always win.” Amber's victorious evil laugh echoed in my mind.

“You really mind-linked me to tell that? How pathetic of you not to brag right in my face.”

A few moments of silence spanned between us. It seems she broke a few glasses in a fit of rage at my words before replying to me.

“Whatever, bitch. I still won. Alpha Garrick is mine. Our father chose me. You’re now gone from the pack, Fiona. And guess what? Our pack says you’re prettier than me but your little lovely doll face won’t save you this time. I hope you rot in the forest that even the Rouges won’t bother to fuck your corpse!”

I put my things down and screamed at that remaining mind-linked bond between me and my sister.

Every anger and pain and fury all those years ago, I shouted down at that mind-linked bond towards her.

“You’ll pay in blood, you bitch!” I continued to channel all my anger and hatred and disdain. “You’ll pay in blood, Amber. I’ll make you pay in blood even if you’re my sister, you fucking ugly whore!”