1 Chapter 1

I was awoken by the blaring of my alarm clock, as I raced to shut it off, I heard my stepmother's shouting.

"You better shut that off if you know what's good for you!"

"Yes ma'am!" I quickly slam my alarm clock and the ringing comes to a halt. Today was supposed to be the best day of my life, the day I'd meet my mate, but the day was starting very gloomily. I climb out of bed and step into my closet. It's my eighteenth birthday, so whether I meet my mate today or not I was leaving. I might've been born into this pack, but I never belonged. It started when my mom died, I was five then, she was out on border patrol when they were attacked by the vampires. She was one of our strongest warriors, she used to train the high schoolers and new warriors as they reached the training age. Her days on shift I'd always tag along and watch, and her off days we were in the yard, and she'd teach simple moves. Until that fateful night. The alarm sounded for the first time in my lifetime, it was the scariest sound I had heard. My dad had come into my room, and I could smell the sorrow and pain seeping from him.

"Honey, the Moon Goddess called your mother home today." His words sounded so hollow, so foreign. I didn't understand his words then, but after two years, my father had met his second chance mate, my umm…amazing stepmother. She had a son a year older than me and I'd seen them around a few times, but one day it seemed like they just took over the house. Nine months later my little sister was born. My dad was called to fight the war when I started middle school, so he was always away, thus began the abuse, and what I call enslavement. My best friend nicknamed me Cinderella, which was kind of funny because my name is Ella, but the nickname was true. Since we're werewolves there was never evidence of the abuse, because of our rapid healing, but it left their mark on my soul. There was one scar that stuck though, which for a wolf means it had to be severe or from silver. It had happened on my sixteenth birthday, I hadn't got my sister ready for school fast enough and the wicked stepmother wasn't happy. She was seething mad, and came storming down to the basement and dragged me into the garage. She slipped on gloves and chained my left wrist to the wall with pure silver chains. She left me there all day until about 9 p.m. when the family was hungry and I had to make dinner. Which I never got, I was left with scraps from days prior, which was why I was always smaller than the rest of the pack. I was so underfed it hurt to shift, so since my first shift when I was twelve I've only shifted three times. My wolf and I are close, she still speaks with me and keeps me sane, but I know she wants to be free as much as I did. I skimmed through my closet and settled with my black skinny jeans, and a maroon v-neck long sleeve. I slip on my black vans, and I throw my dirty blonde hair into a braid down my back. I do a quick smokey eye makeup look to make my ocean blue eyes pop. I slump my bag over my shoulder and rush up the stairs.

"Well look who decided to actually look the part of being a slut?" my stepmother sneers at me, I brush the insult off and try to side step her.

"You better listen to me when I'm talking to you tramp!" she grabs my arm and tanks back, hard causing me to slam my ribs into the edge of the counter. I wince and quickly recover knowing if I react it'll only be worse.

"By the time I get off work this house is to be spotless. Got it? Your father is going to be home for the night, and he can't think I let it get messy. Got it!" she growls at me and some spit hits me in the cheek. I nod once and she continues,

"Now get your sister, she's not going to get ready on her own."

She realizes she's twelve now right? Rhea, my wolf, grumbles to me.

Yes, but you know June, she can't wipe her own ass if she can help it. I joke back to her, Rhea chuffed out a laugh as I make my way to June's room. She's sprawled on her bed scrolling through her phone, she doesn't even twitch when I walk into the room. I quickly grab her a pair of jeans, and a flowy blouse. I grab her brand new Nikes with matching socks and lay them out.

"'Kay you can leave now psycho." June mutters barely glancing up. Just as I turn to leave she speaks again.

"I hope he rejects you. I like having my own maid." she sneers, I feel Rhea stirring trying to break free to rip her throat out, but she knows it'd hurt more to shift. I bite my tongue and leave her room. As my day gets progressively worse, and it's only 7 a.m I ran into Riley, my stepbrother.

"If any one of my friends is your mate I told them to reject you no questions asked."he growls putting his phone back to his ear. Who I'm guessing is his mate Ashley. Your typical skank, had slept with half the pack before she was eighteen, her and Riley had already been dating when they found out they were mated. Kind of fitting actually, top skank with top jock. I ignore him and make my way out the front door finally. I breathe deeply inhaling the intoxicating forest smell. I could smell the river from here, the one place I felt at home. I was tempted to just skip school today and memorize the river, but I remember I can't act oddly if I don't find my mate I'm leaving after classes end. She'd know something is up if I didn't go to class.

I see Mary waiting for me as I reach the school's doors. She meets me halfway and loops her arm with mine and we walk in.

"Are you excited?" she asks, peering at me with her forest green eyes. Mary was beautiful, not in the popular cheerleader type, but the girl next door type. Her natural ringlet curly, brown hair was falling around her shoulders landing at her mid back, she had legs for days that most girls would die for, tan complexion and a small splash of freckles across her cheeks. Most girls envied her, because she was just naturally herself and was always speaking her mind with a "no fucks given" attitude. Her signature red leather jacket was over a skin tight tank top with faded blue skinny jeans with ankle boots. She was stunning, a lot of the boys pined after her, but she was waiting for her mate. She told me as soon as we hit high school she was not going to taint herself with anyone so she could be perfect for her mate. Whom she wouldn't find for another week, my heart sank when remembering I wouldn't be here to see her meet her fated mate, but she understood. I had told her my plans weeks ago when the abuse got worse. I instinctively fiddled with my left sleeve that was covering the scar as the memory flashes in my mind. She had my packed bag stowed away at her place just in case.

"... right El?" Mary's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Hm?" I reply looking at her apologetically.

"Figures," she laughs, "didn't hear a word of that did you?" I feel my cheeks flush with heat.

"No, I'm sorry." I sigh looking down the student filled corridors waiting for the addicting scent of my mate to hit my nose.

"I was saying, if you don't find him here you ready to be done being Cinderella?" she prodes I give a small smile.

"It'll be a nice change, granted I'm not looking forward to being rogue, but it's better than being in that hellhole any longer." I reply as we step into our first period class.

"Once you're free, get to the Silver Moon Pack, they're the closest pack just 150 miles North. They should take you in." Mary drops her voice so no one overhears and to where I barely hear her. I nod letting her know I heard her.