Chapter 1

• Emily
• Aunt Jamie used to tell me stories…stories about how the world outside was full of danger. I never believed her.
• Not until now.
• The trees blurred past as I ran. Their branches scratched my arms. My breath was short and fast and my chest burned with each gasp of air. The ground was rough beneath my feet but I couldn’t stop.
• A deep growl came from behind me.
• I had been running tirelessly for hours through the Spring Valley Mountains, desperate to get away from this rogue. I didn’t doubt my decision to flee. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder; did I not deserve a single day of peace without any disturbance?
• When I glanced behind me, I saw his hungry eyes. In his eyes, it felt like I was nothing more than fresh meat waiting to be devoured. Judging by his desperate demeanor, it seemed like he’d been thirsting for a woman’s body for decades. Luckily, he was alone and not part of any rogue group. If so, who knew what was going to happen next?
• “You can’t get away from me!” he shouted. “Just give up because you have nowhere to run.”
• His menacing smile sent me chills. It urged me to surge forward.
• I had been traveling alone through this forest to hunt some food. Everything had been calm until the rogue appeared. His eyes betrayed the kind of wolf he was. I wasn't a judgmental wolf, for I knew what was like to be judged. But in his case? There was no doubt about his intentions. He was ruthless, vile, and had no regard for any laws we had been following since the beginning.
• Every part of me screamed not to let him catch me. But my feet felt heavy, and my lungs burned with each painful breath. He must have sensed it for he immediately commented.
• “Tired already, sweetheart?”
• I glanced back and realized he was within reach. The rogue laughed and all of a sudden, lunged at me. His weight slammed into my body which made us roll on the ground several times before he pinned me down like a wild beast.
• “I told you, you can’t escape me,” he sneered. “Don’t worry, darling, I’ll make it quick.”
• His eyes gleamed with excitement as he licked his lips. He stared hungrily at every inch of my body. I watched in horror as he leaned closer, ready to bury his face in my neck.
• But before he could, my instincts roared to life.
• “Get your hands off of me!”
• Heat flooded my body as my bones stretched and my muscles twitched. My hands were curled and my fingers turned into sharp claws. Thick fur spread over my arms and covered my skin. The rogue froze when my transformation was completed. His eyes widened in terror.
• “A WHITE WOLF!” he exclaimed as he stumbled back in fear.
• The sight of my true form seemed to knock some sense into him. He trembled as he backed away further.
• “Impossible! You are a she-wolf! You cannot transform into a white wolf!”
• But I did, didn’t I?
• In my world, white-furred wolves were considered the strongest. Some say we were chosen by the moon goddess herself, being blessed with the power to lead and rule. Because of that, most of the strongest alphas in the land were white wolves. All of them are males. Those who yield such power are so rare that many think of us as mere legends. Moreso, a she-wolf.
• With one powerful pounce, I overpowered him with ease. My teeth tore through his flesh, and I ripped his head clean off. His lifeless body fell to the ground. Blood pooled around him.
• The rogue had provoked me to reveal my true form, costing him his life. His death was inevitable.
• I wasn’t born a rogue. I had a life before all of this. I had a family, friends, and a place to call home. Compared to the way I live now, my former life was one of luxury and comfort. I was the Beta’s daughter, in a powerful pack called Red Moon.
• But everything changed the day I caught my mate making out with another she-wolf.
• *************
• “What are you doing here?” Viktor Russo said coldly as his arms wrapped tightly around my half-sister’s waist, Bella.
• I froze.
• I had waited for this day my entire life…my 20th birthday…the moment I would finally find my mate. I had imagined it a thousand times and dreamed of the overwhelming joy and the instant connection I would feel as the bond scent led me to him. But nothing, not in my worst nightmares, had prepared me for this.
• To him.
• To Viktor Russo, the Alpha’s son.
• “I—” I stammered. My throat tightened as the weight of reality crushed me. My heart shattered and splintered into something beyond repair.
• Viktor scoffed. “Let me guess…you feel it too, don’t you?”
• His words confirmed the mate bond I felt was real. But what he said next erased the smile from my face.
• “Did you really think I’d accept you as my mate?” He turned to Bella and smirked. “Who are you compared to your sister?”
• I knew my half-sister was special. She was the only she-wolf blessed with the rare gift of being the White Wolf. It was a privilege that brought her attention and status within the Red Moon Pack.
• But I never thought my mate would be interested in her too…just like everyone else.
• I mean, who wouldn’t? Bella was considered the most valuable asset of our pack.
• Viktor pulled Bella near him and smelled her neck, making her giggle. Then, he turned to me and said, “The pack gains nothing if I make you my wife.”
• Bella scanned me from head to toe with disdain while Viktor was nudging her neck. She played with her wavy, blonde hair while rolling her eyes on me. “I mean, do you honestly believe Viktor would accept you as his mate just because of a stupid mate bond? Dream on, loser!”
• Viktor saw the pain in my eyes and heard every word. But instead of defending me like I expected, he joined in the mockery.
• The two of them looked at me with scorn before kissing passionately right in front of me.
• My heart screamed in agony. The expectations and dreams I had built inside me crumbled in an instant. Tears filled my eyes as I stood there, paralyzed by the nightmare unfolding before me.
• This was supposed to be my special day.
• How did everything turn into this?
• Desperation clawed at my chest as I watched their passionate kiss. My heart was screaming, and countless questions swirled in my mind. Despite the agony threatening to consume me, I couldn’t just accept this cruel reality. I just couldn’t stand by and watch someone else claim the love I had longed for all my life.
• I mean, I gotta fight for my mate, right?
• At least try.