At 20 years old, Sasha found herself unable to shift into her wolf form, marking her as the weakest member of her pack. This inadequacy led to her mate, Darius, publicly rejecting her, casting her out and leaving her heart shattered. With a wounded heart and nowhere to call home, Sasha roamed the wilderness as a rogue werewolf. Just when she thought all hope was lost, she met Lucian, the formidable Alpha of the largest pack in the south. Their meeting felt fated, igniting a transformation within Sasha that would turn her into the strongest werewolf. But newfound power comes at a price. Sasha soon becomes the target of those who seek to claim her for themselves. As she navigates the complexities of her strength and the perilous attention it brings, what lies ahead for Sasha? And how will her relationship with Lucian evolve amid the chaos?
Chapter 1 A Mate
"Darius? Are you here?"
Sasha inhaled deeply, the intoxicating scent of Darius's pheromones filling the air around her. It was a scent so alluring, so addictive, that she hadn't realized until now how it could drive her nearly insane with desire.
For a werewolf with a mate, the smell of their partner's pheromones was enough to make them feel lightheaded, overwhelmed by need. Sasha was still adjusting to this-she had only met her mate a week ago, and every time she caught a whiff of Darius's scent, her body responded as if it were beyond her control.
"Darius?"
Her voice echoed through the empty hallway as she followed the growing intensity of his scent.
When Sasha finally reached his door, she paused, her heart skipping a beat at the soft, unmistakable sigh of a woman's voice from inside. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Her hand hesitated on the doorknob, but it was unlocked. Slowly, she pushed the door open.
"Darius? I've been looking for you...."
The words died in her throat.
Sasha froze. Her breath caught in her chest as her gaze locked onto the sight before her. Darius-her mate-was entangled with another woman, their bodies intertwined in a bedsheet with a naked body. Sasha's heart plummeted, the world around her tilting on its axis as if the ground had been ripped out from under her. It felt like a boulder had fallen straight onto her chest, crushing her until she could barely breathe.
"Rachel?" Sasha's voice trembled with disbelief as she recognized the woman beside Darius. Her best friend. "You ...."
"Don't you have any manners?!" Darius snapped, startled by her presence, his voice sharp as he yanked the blanket over himself. "Knock if you want to come into my room, you idiot!"
Sasha barely heard him. Her eyes remained fixed on Rachel, her pulse pounding painfully in her ears.
"What are you doing here with my mate, Rach?!" Sasha's voice shook, tears welling in her eyes, her heart splintering.
Rachel rolled her eyes, unbothered, her expression cold and indifferent. "Oh, come on. You seriously don't get it?"
Sasha's chest tightened, the betrayal cutting deeper with each passing second.
"I thought you were my friend! How could you do this to me?!" she cried, her voice breaking under the weight of her pain.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she clutched her chest, the agony too much to bear. Darius, her mate, and Rachel, her closest friend, had betrayed her in the cruelest way possible.
"Betrayal? Who's the betrayer here, really? Did Darius ever love you, Sasha? Let me guess the answer." Rachel sauntered toward Sasha, her lips curving into a cruel, mocking smile. "No one wants a weak girl like you, dear."
Rachel's voice dripped with malice as she closed the distance between them. "Sasha, think about it. An Alpha-to-be can't possibly be stuck with a mate who can't even shift into her wolf form, right? The Moon Goddess must've made a mistake pairing Darius with someone as weak as you."
Sasha's body tensed, rage flooding her veins. Without thinking, her hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of Rachel's hair and yanking it with all the strength she could muster.
"Argh!" Rachel screamed, stumbling back, her face contorting in pain.
Before Sasha could react further, Darius's strong hands pried hers from Rachel's hair and shoved her roughly to the floor.
"Get out of my room, you bitch! What I do with anyone is none of your business!" Darius raised his voice.
Sasha stared up at him, heartbroken and stunned. The sting in her chest was unbearable, like a thousand knives slicing her soul.
"But... I'm your mate, Darius. Why are you doing this to me?" Her voice trembled, her heart cracking with every word she managed to speak through her sobs.
"Mate?" Darius spat the word as if it disgusted him. "I don't want a weak mate like you! Get out! I'm sick of looking at your pathetic face!"
The harshness of his words struck her like a physical blow. Tears blurred her vision as Sasha's breath hitched, her chest tightening painfully. Slowly, she pushed herself off the ground, trembling, and stumbled out of his room, the sound of his cruel dismissal still echoing in her mind.
What is this? Why does it hurt so much?
Sasha gripped the walls as she made her way down the hallway, her legs barely supporting her weight. Her knees wobbled beneath her, and with each step, the ache in her chest deepened.
"Sasha? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" Mr. Anderson, Darius's father, approached her with a concerned expression.
Sasha quickly shook her head, forcing herself to steady her voice. "I-I'm fine, Mr. Anderson. Just... not feeling too well."
"Are you sure?" His brow furrowed with doubt.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sasha gave him a tight, forced smile, hoping he wouldn't see through it.
"Alright then. But why are you leaving so soon? You said you wanted to meet Darius in his room," Mr. Anderson asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Y-Yeah, I did... but it looked like he was sleeping, and I didn't want to disturb him," she lied again, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I see. Well, I'll let him know you were looking for him."
Sasha mustered a small smile. "Thank you, Mr. Anderson. I'll be heading home now."
As she turned to leave, Mr. Anderson's voice stopped her. "Ah, don't forget about the event tomorrow night! I want to celebrate your relationship with my son!"
Sasha's chest tightened, but she simply nodded in response, unable to trust her voice. Then, with a heavy heart, she walked away, her footsteps echoing in the silence.
Meanwhile, back in Darius's room, he clicked his tongue in frustration as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"What's wrong? Still thinking about it?" Rachel cooed, clinging to his arm. "Don't tell me you have feelings for Sasha!"
"Feelings? For her? Impossible!" Darius let out a sharp laugh. "I could never like a girl as ugly as her!"
Rachel's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Oh, really? Then why don't you just get rid of her?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, the suggestion dripping with danger as she leaned in close to his ear.
Darius's brow lifted. "Get rid of her?"
"Yes." Rachel whispered, her voice like poison. "I have a plan."