ALPHA'S FATED ONE

Another day in this shithole of a school. I was in my last year of high school, and I was glad this part of my life was nearly over. Soon, I wouldn't have to put up with the constant torment of being the freak of our Pack. I was counting down the days - only three more months of school to go, and then I was free to choose never to see these assholes again.

My father was the Beta of the Pack, a highly regarded pack member, so imagine his disappointment when he discovered I had no wolf. I was the freak of the pack, the wolf-less girl. Our school was a pack school with only werewolves, no humans allowed, so you could imagine what hell it has been for me here. I was basically human, shamefully so.

My parents are the best, though. My pack may shun me, but not once have they ever entertained the idea of rejecting me. They always told me I was a late bloomer, that my wolf would come one day. I used to believe that story too, until now. I was nearly 18, the age you can find your mate, and I was still without my wolf. Most get their wolf when they are 13; I was well and truly past that deadline.

I had just sat down to eat my lunch in the cafeteria when I heard my name called over the PA system. "Katya Hartley, please report to the front office," the middle-aged woman who works as the school's secretary announced. The entire cafeteria laughed and booed, chucking food at me as I left.

For the most part, I tried to remain invisible, which is nearly impossible when you're the Beta's daughter and your mother is one of the leading Pack warriors. Chucking my bag over my shoulder, I pulled a chunk of lettuce from my chocolate brown hair that was stuck after Thomas chucked his burger at my head.

Ew, and it had mayo on it. I groaned, using the sleeve of my jumper to wipe my hair, which was covered in the white gunk.

I walked through the green corridors toward the head office. Racing across the quad, I saw the brown door to the office - my safe place. No one messed with me there. Mrs. Mason was a scary woman, so no one caused drama in the front office. Just as I was nearly at the door, Tabitha and her goons stepped in front of me.

Tabitha was the Alpha's daughter, and her brother Darian was next in line for Alpha. Both of them were my nemeses.

"Hey, freak," Tabitha sneered at me, blocking my path. I tried to step past her, but she sidestepped.

"What do you want, Tabitha?" I asked. We used to be friends - well, until everyone found out I had no wolf. Then, I became the laughingstock of the school.

"Oh, nothing. Just came to give you the proper send-off," she said, and my brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" I asked, shaking my head, her blue eyes brightening maliciously.

"You haven't heard? My father has banished you from the Pack, so I thought I would come see you, say my goodbyes to the unwanted Beta's daughter," she said, and Bianca and Maril laughed at her not-so-funny joke. Geez, those girls were just as stupid as they looked. If they weren't beautiful, I can guarantee no one would put up with their antics.

I feel something wet and cold run down my face just as the office door opens, Meril dumping her milkshake over my head. It seeps into the crocheted jumper my mother made me.

"Tabitha Elizabeth Blackwell, is there a reason you are tormenting my daughter?" my mother asks, her dark hair pulled back in a high ponytail. She was a strong woman, stern and commanding respect, even from the Luna of the Pack. She once kicked the Luna's ass in training, right in front of the entire pack, for suggesting that I should have been put down at birth because I was useless to the Pack. If my mother hadn't been the only female Pack warrior, she might have been punished for embarrassing the Luna, but everyone knew Alpha Jackson had always been attracted to my mother, ever since they were kids, and he was disappointed when she turned out not to be his mate.

Tabitha's smile falls as she turns around to face my mother, who was stalking directly toward her. Meril and Bianca take off, too afraid to face her wrath.

"It was an accident," Tabitha stutters, and to think this pathetic girl was supposed to be an Alpha female! I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face; her fear was so obvious I was shocked she didn't soil herself.

What I wasn't expecting was for my mother to raise her hand and slap her across the face. Tabitha squeals loudly, her head whipping to the side, and the outline of my mother's hand imprints on her face. I cover my mouth with my hands. Shit, Alpha Jackson was going to kill her now-she just struck the Alpha's daughter.

I heard a gasp and looked around to see a few people had witnessed what my mother had done. She stared them down, daring them to say something.

"Mum!" I exclaim in shock. Tabitha tucks tail and runs off crying.

"Always wanted to put that mutt in her place," my mother says before gripping my arms.

"Why do you put up with it?" she says, grabbing my hands and raising them. "You are trained better than any of these little shits here. You may not have a wolf, but that has never stopped you from kicking their asses in training. I trained you, your father trained you. Use these-they are beneath you; you just need to see it," she says.

I shake my head, knowing it would just make my torment worse, and my hands were no good against a shifted wolf.

"Come, we are leaving," she says, straightening up before turning on her heel and walking toward the car park. I chase after her, falling in line.

"What's going on?" I ask, worried. Reaching the carpark, I see a moving truck parked next to our car.

"Mum, what's going on?" I ask as I see my father hop out of the car.

"Hey, pumpkin," my father says, walking over and embracing me.

"I know you like strawberry milkshakes. I didn't know you wanted to wear it," he says, swiping it off my head before wringing out my hair. My mother goes to the trunk, popping it open and grabbing a water bottle.

"Tip your head back," my mother says, and I do as she asks. She uses the water bottle to rinse my hair out before tearing my jumper up the side and taking it off me.

"Mum!

"I will make you another," she says, tossing it in the garbage can beside the truck.

"So, is someone going to tell me what's going on?" I ask. My father looks to my mother nervously.

"We are moving," my father announces.

"Why? Is what Tabitha said true? Did they banish me? Are you getting rid of me?" I ask, feeling sick to my stomach.

I only know of one other family in our pack whose child didn't have a wolf, and they threw him away like trash-literally kicked him out. It's something I have always feared, that my parents would get rid of me like I never existed because I brought shame to the family.

"Yes, what Tabitha said is true. Alpha Jackson has asked you to leave. This is a werewolf-only community, and he wanted you gone once you turned 18."

"So you're sending me away?" I ask, feeling tears brimming. They were going to get rid of me, force me to go rogue.

"No, of course not. You're our baby. We knew this was coming, so we made plans. We are joining another pack and coming with you," my mother says.

"By the way, hun, we should leave," my mother says, walking around to the passenger side.

My father goes to ask why, but she gets in, slamming the door.

"She slapped Tabitha," I told him.

"Did she get her a good one?" my father says, sending me a wink, and I smile, hopping into the back seat.

My father pulls away, the truck following us.

"What about Dad? He's the Pack Beta," I ask, worried, knowing he would lose his title.

"I won't be part of a pack that shuns my daughter. If they want you gone, then I go too," he says, leaving no room for argument.

"Everything will work out, dear, you'll see," my mother says, gripping my knee.

"What pack would want a wolf-less pack member?" I ask.

"You're not wolf-less, just a late bloomer. Your wolf will come, Kat. You are born from two werewolf parents, therefore you are a werewolf," my mother says, not wanting to see the truth. I was as useless as they said.

"We are moving to Black Creek Pack. Alpha Ezra has kindly offered to take us in."

"Black Creek Pack? Isn't that the pack that just went to war with Blue Mountain Pack?"

"Yes, Katya. I know you're scared, but the Alpha is truly a nice guy. He was very understanding. Besides, I think he was pretty happy about stripping Jackson of his Beta and only female warrior."

"Yeah, but he killed their entire pack, Mum. He is a monster," I tell her. I was more scared of my so-called new Alpha than my current one. Everyone fears Alpha Ezra.

"I'm sure he had his reasons. Besides, it's not like anyone else was willing to take us in," my mother says, leaving out the part about not taking me in.

"So he knows I have no wolf?" I ask, knowing all packs were small communities solely of our kind. I was basically human, so I was a little shocked he even agreed.

They both glance at each other. "It won't be an issue as long as you can prove yourself to be helpful around the pack." Great, he doesn't know, and I will have to act like an omega slave, I thought dryly.

I fell asleep on the drive, only waking when we stopped at a storage shed. The drive took five hours in total, and I was exhausted, with my back killing me. The removalists loaded our stuff into the storage shed before two men approached us.