My Mate Rejected Me

The familiar, harsh shout of the pack's Gamma, Mark Seth—the man you were told was your father—jolted you awake.

"Wake up human!! Go and make breakfast for us!!!"

It was your 18th birthday, a day that, for werewolves, marked the discovery of their fated mate. For you, a human living among them, it was just another day of servitude in the Crescent Moon Pack house, a day you had been counting down to so you could finally escape.

Today, though, felt different. Your stepsister, Britney—the only person who had ever shown you a semblance of kindness—had given you a simple, beautiful white dress to wear. A small gesture, but one that had lifted your spirits slightly.

You finished making breakfast and headed towards the kitchen, only to stop dead in your tracks. In the hallway, Alpha Dylan, the pack leader and Britney's boyfriend, was kissing Britney. A strange wave of jealousy washed over you, quickly replaced by a searing pain that made you scream. They turned, and Alpha Dylan's blue eyes locked onto yours. The word that left his lips shattered your fragile hope and set your life on an unimaginable path.

"Mate."