Raina: Ever since I came of age and got my wolf, I became the Whitecrest Pack’s outcast– the fat girl who was constantly bullied and despised by her own pack.

I was mocked, humiliated and used by the very Alpha who was supposed to protect me.

With all hope lost, I resigned myself to my fate, but the moon goddess had other plans.

During a hunting game gone wrong, I was found by Alpha Rowan Vesper, the feared and most powerful Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack.

And he turned out to be my fated mate.

I didn’t have any expectations. After all, I’m the fat girl no one wants. So I lowered my gaze and braced myself for the rejection I knew was coming.

Instead, his words shattered everything I believed about myself…

“You taste so delicious… I want to eat you whole,” Alpha Rowan growled, sending a shiver down my spine.

No one had ever spoken to me like that before… his voice was laced with raw hunger that sent tingles rushing through me. It was new and it terrified me.

Goddess, is this a dream?

****

Rowan: I had given up on finding my mate. After all, my pack was still thriving without a Luna, so I didn’t think I needed one, until my father pushed me to attend hunting games being hosted by another pack hoping I would find my mate.

I never planned to hunt. But fate placed the most irresistible prey in my path. She was timid, and something told me she was ready to run away from me at any chance she got, but goddess knows I had no intention of letting her go.

~ A crush

**Raina's POV**

Heavy breathing reached my ears as Silas moved on top of me like someone who’s possessed by the demon of lust.

I clenched my hands into fists, catching my breath as I forced down the bile that rose to my throat.

If I threw up now, I would just get a beating and have wounds to nurse for days.

Unlike most werewolves, I didn’t have the ability to heal faster. So, I didn’t like getting hit or injured. Silas could be brutal when angry, and I didn't want to provoke him.

He groaned and released inside me before pulling out of me and getting to his feet. And then his face morphed into a look of disgust.

“Fuck… every time I finish, I come to my senses. Why the hell was I fucking someone like you?” He hissed, gritting his teeth.

My stomach churned.

Why was he fucking me? Even I didn’t have the answer to that question. He always had, from the time I became an adult and was sent to the packhouse to live as a maid, even though I wasn’t an omega.

My wolf was just weak. But I was born to Beta parents.

Silas always looked at me with disgust, calling me fat and ugly, but he lusted after the same body he looked down on.

I didn’t understand him at all…

I placed an arm over my chest in a futile attempt to hide my breasts and cupped my core with the other. I couldn’t stand the look of disgust on his face.

He just slept with me, but he looked at me like I was some filthy pig.

It stung… the prickling-like sensations made my heart feel like it was being pierced with long, sharp needles.

Yes… I had a crush on Silas, the Alpha of the Whitecrest Pack. I thought that maybe if I did as he wanted, he would fall in love with me and make me his Luna.

But he constantly just kept lusting over my body and treated me like trash both in private and publicly.

Guess the joke’s on me…

He would never make me his Luna… my half-sister, Gwen, was a better match for him. She was the typical bombshell- blonde with striking green eyes and a slender figure with just the right amount of curves.

Whereas you wouldn’t feel my hipbones if you grabbed my hips… I had lush breasts that bounced as I moved and a tummy pooch.

I wasn’t beautiful according to werewolf standards.

So, I couldn’t even dream of being Silas’ chosen mate. I should be grateful he could even sleep with me…

I felt my wolf growl in my mind in disapproval, but I ignored her… she wasn’t human, so she wouldn’t understand how insecure my body made me feel.

A sigh escaped my lips as I dressed up in my usual baggy clothes- a large grey tee and loose black pants. When I was done, I made for the door, but Silas suddenly growled.

“What are you doing?” He questioned.

I turned to glance at him, confused. Wasn’t he done?

His eyes fell on the old vanity table. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

My eyes fell on the small white bowl that had a green liquid, and I wrinkled my nose.

“Can I not take that? I can only get pregnant if I have my heat–”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Silas furrowed his eyebrows. “I will not take any chances. Are you trying to get pregnant and trap me with a kid? Drink that concoction… only my Luna can have my pup.”

I felt like someone was stabbing me in the gut multiple times.

Silas knew what would happen if I took that concoction for a long time. It was a mixture of very strong herbs that prevented pregnancy, and to make it more effective, it was laced with a small amount of wolfsbane. It’s said to cause infertility in werewolves if used for a long time, and I had been using it ever since Silas took my first time.

I may have no hope of being his Luna, but I wanted to have my own children at some point. After all, I couldn’t be alone forever.

Silas must have seen something on my face because the air around him suddenly turned cold. He stomped towards the vanity table and grabbed the white bowl.

And then, he was in front of me in seconds, holding my jaw tightly, forcing my mouth open.

“Ugh…” I groaned from the pain in my jaw. If he tightened his grip even just a little bit, my jaw would snap in two.

Silas glared at me like I was his greatest enemy. Like the very sight of me disgusted the hell out of him.

His cruel look sent stings of pain through my heart.

Did he hate me that much?

“I said drink this shit,” he growled, forcing the horrible liquid down my throat.

Not only did it taste bad, but it smelled like shit.

Was this poison disguised as a contraceptive meant for people to consume?

I gagged, some of the liquid spilling out of my mouth and Silas grabbed my jaw tightly, tilting my head up.

“You better not waste anything. I don’t want you passing those ugly genes to my offspring,” he said ruthlessly.

I couldn’t hold my breath for too long and since he was pouring the liquid relentlessly down my throat, I ended up swallowing it.

When he was done, he let go of me like I was a disease while I coughed violently, but it was too late.

I had already swallowed everything and immediately, I felt like my insides were burning. Like someone had made me swallow a piece of hot coal and it was wrecking my insides.

Silas nodded in satisfaction. “We are hosting the hunting games today. A lot of important guests will be in our pack today. Don’t show your ugly face… don’t embarrass our pack for having such an ugly ass she-wolf.”

~ A wish

**Raina's POV**

It took a while for the burning sensation in my stomach to stop. When I could finally breathe without my gut feeling like it was being ripped from the inside out, I went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

The packhouse had plenty of omegas who were supposed to be responsible for such tasks, but I was tasked to do the majority of it.

All because I was different.

I sighed, looking at the dishes in the sink. They couldn’t even have the decency to wash the dishes they used for breakfast.

Pushing my anger down, I walked to the sink and grabbed the sponge before pouring some of the dishwashing liquid on it.

As I began to wash the dishes, a few omegas walked into the kitchen and moments later, I heard them talking.

“I don’t like being in the kitchen when she’s here,” one of them said.

“Oh, just ignore her. Everyone treats her like she’s invisible anyway,” her friend responded.

“Have you seen how big she is? She’s NOT invisible,” the other female said and laughed. “Damn, four of me could fit in her pants.”

I bit my lower lip, trying hard to ignore their mockery.

They couldn’t even bother to keep their voices down as they talked about me. I mean, I was just there.

I didn’t blame them though. My own family treated me like trash. Why would I expect people who were not related to me to treat me any different?

“Come on, girls. That’s not nice,” an annoying voice reached my ears and I coiled my hands into fists.

I knew she would smell Silas’ scent on me and give me hell again.

“Don’t talk about my sister like that… she can hear you, she has feelings too, you know.”

“M-Miss Gwen, we are sorry, we didn’t mean to.”

I rolled my eyes.

They respected Gwen because she was a beauty, and me? I was not worth respecting just because of how I looked, even if I was also from a Beta family.

“We won’t do it again,” the females said in unison.

“That’s alright. My big sis is very kind. She’s already forgiven you,” Gwen said, and after the omegas left the kitchen, she approached me and stood next to me.

“Big sis, are you joining the hunting games today?” She asked, and I glanced at her, silently asking if she had gone mad.

Since when did I participate in pack activities?

I was this pack’s dirty secret.

They didn’t want anyone to see me and know that they have someone like me in their pack.

“I have some reading to do,” I answered anyway. If I ignored her, she wouldn’t leave until she provoked me into responding.

I knew her smile was all fake. She’s the same person who talked shit about me behind my back and enticed people to bully me.

“Really?” Gwen asked in an exaggerated tone. “Oh well, I guess you will have to miss out. I hear Silas is granting the winner a wish.”

I felt my ears perk up, my heart slamming hard against my ribcage.

A wish…

This could be my chance to escape this horrible life. I have nowhere to go, but living as a rogue was surely better than this hellhole.

Gwen suddenly giggled. “Oh my… see how thoughtless I am… how can I suggest you join the hunting games when you can’t even run without breathing heavily?”

There it was… her true colours always slipped out in the end.

“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t win anyway, so you won’t miss anything,” Gwen said, patting my back. “I gotta go warm up. I’ll be going with Silas to the hunting grounds. You know… it’s his way of slowly introducing me as his Luna.”

A pang of pain shot through my heart, making a lump form in my throat. No matter how much I tried to swallow, it wouldn’t go away.

Yeah… Silas deserved a Luna like Gwen. At least he wouldn’t be ashamed of her. He would even want her to have his babies.

Hours later, I was done with the chores, and I finally found some free time and decided to join the hunting games, hoping I wasn’t too late.

My heart raced when I made my way to the hunting grounds. Everyone was settled in the clearing. A big tent was set up where the visiting packs were resting before the games began.

From the auras blanketing the place, I could tell it was filled with very powerful Alphas and Betas.

This was the first time I was joining a hunting game, so I just approached people from my pack. Silas was addressing them, and Gwen had her arms hooked around his like a koala bear. It was like she was staking her claim so that everyone knew who the Alpha belonged to.

I swallowed my pain and approached the crowd, hoping to stay hidden.

But someone who weighed one ninety pounds in a werewolf pack could do so little to hide herself. I always drew attention everywhere I went.

As usual, I heard a few snickers, and my stomach churned. I felt self-aware.

Like everyone in this clearing was looking at me and laughing at my appearance.

“Hey fatso, what do you think you’re doing here?” Silas’ beta, Jake, sneered, and the rest of the crowd laughed.

“I was wondering why this place stank. Turns out we have a pig in our midst,” someone from the crowd sneered, and everyone laughed again.

I felt my eyes blur with tears, and I lowered my face to hide the single tear that stubbornly rolled down my cheek.

“Seriously, why is she here? The other pack members are staring. They must think we won’t be good at the hunting games after seeing that we have a baby elephant with us,” someone else complained.

“Let her be… I’m sure she’s just here for tonight's feast. After all, it seems eating is what she’s good at,” someone snickered, and everyone laughed louder than earlier.

I dug my nails into my palms, and I felt my wolf's anger rising.

I raised my head and glanced at Silas, only to find him snickering along with everyone, and my heart clenched painfully.

“Yeah… there’s no way she’s joining the games,” he sneered, and I felt something snap within me, giving me the courage I needed to do what I came here to do.

“I am joining the games,” I said, my voice loud and clear despite the painful lump in my throat. “I’m going to win and have my wish granted.”

~ A mate

**Rowan's POV**

“Is this even necessary?” I growled, looking at the invitation card in my hands with the Whitecrest Pack seal. “Since when do I go to such events?”

“We need to mingle with other packs if we want to make alliances with them,” Flynn said, looking at me seriously. “This is important, Alpha. We can’t miss this opportunity.”

A scoff escaped my lips. “What opportunity are we going to miss? What does the Crescent Moon Pack lack?”

Flynn sighed heavily like he had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. He was my beta and had been for the past five years since I took over from my retired father.

I think he was finally starting to get tired of me. Soon, he might leave just like everyone else.

“We may be the richest and strongest pack, but we will soon weaken if our Alpha has no Luna. Most of our pack members haven’t been able to find their mates because we’ve closed ourselves off. We don’t interact with other packs, and we can’t have people who just have chosen mates. We need fated mates too. It’s the goddess’ wish.”

I arched an eyebrow. “So, you want me to go to this shitty event to play around just to look for a mate? Dude, I’m twenty-seven. If I had a mate, I would have met her by now.”

“Oh really?” Flynn asked. “She would have dropped from the sky?”

A growl escaped my lips. “Don’t speak to me that fucking way.”

“Sorry, Alpha,” Flynn said, straightening his back, but I knew he wasn’t afraid. He was the only person who could tell me off, and my wolf would tolerate him. “We all just want you to find your fated mate. And most of our pack members are looking forward to meeting theirs too.”

I fell silent for a few seconds before saying, “A mate? I’m not interested in such a useless thing.”

Flynn inhaled sharply, and I was sure he would give up on me now.

“Alpha, please… this is your father’s wish. He knew you got an invitation and accepted it on your behalf. Who knows? You might find our Luna,” Flynn remarked. When he saw that I was still not interested, he added. “He also said if you don’t find your mate, then he will arrange for you to marry Brooke–”

“The fuck?” I growled, and Flynn smirked at finally getting my attention. “Why the fuck would I marry Brooke?”

“Oh, you know why… she was the late beta’s daughter and since she’s an orphan and your father promised to take care of her, making her your Luna would be the best course of action.”

“He should marry her then,” I spat, furrowing my eyebrows.

Brooke? Is he kidding me?

That she-wolf was irritating and fake as fuck. Why would Dad want to make her my Luna?

“He’s serious this time around… he might use something that you’ve always wanted. And you will end up giving in… and choosing Brooke as your mate.”

I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

“Oh hell no.”

“Oh hell yeah… if you don’t want that ending, you've got to go to this event. At least you can say you’re searching.”

I frowned deeply.

He was right.

I needed to placate my old man somehow. But I knew I wouldn’t find my fated mate. That’s because I had already found her, and she’s dead.

The day I found her is the day I lost her. I’ve never told anyone… she was a rogue, and was already dying at that time.

I didn’t see the need to tell anyone my Luna had died.

There’s no way I would find a second chance mate. That kind of miracle never happens in our world.

You only get one soulmate for life.

“Fine… when is this event again?” I asked, and Flynn grinned from ear to ear.

“Why are you so excited? You already have a mate,” I murmured.

“I’m happy you’re finally willing to try,” he said. “It’s in a few days. I’ll get a few of the pack members ready.”

I sighed when he walked out of my office, excited like a little kid.

Well, it won’t hurt to get some air in another pack. Perhaps that fool, Silas, won’t annoy me this time.

…

That was what I thought, but the moment I laid my eyes on Silas Fenwick, the Alpha of the Whitecrest pack and my former best friend, a murderous growl reverberated in my chest.

He approached me with a blonde female clinging to his arm like she was trying to mould herself into him.

“You’re late,” he said.

“Yeah… the rules don’t apply to me,” I replied cockily, looking around the area.

The place was empty, and I could hear some thudding sounds in the distance, signalling that the forest ahead was occupied.

“So, what do I have to do?” I asked.

“Well, for this game, the one who captures the biggest animal wins, and they will get an anonymous prize,” Silas said. “More like the prize will be decided after the games are over.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What happened to granting a wish?”

He sneered, and the female beside him laughed. “Well, someone was becoming too delusional, so we changed the rules–”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” I cut her off icily, and she flinched, her heart racing.

“Come on, Alpha Rowan. Don’t scare my lady… she’s already scared of you thanks to your reputation.”

“Ah… you mean the rumour that I fuck women to their deaths?” I scoffed, glancing at the blonde woman. For some reason, she annoyed the fuck out of me. “You have no reason to worry. You wouldn’t even get a chance.”

I saw something flash through her eyes before she smiled at me. “Alpha Rowan, since this is your first time coming to such an event, I would like to recommend the areas that have the biggest animals. If you go towards the east side, you’re sure to find something big there.”