"Don’t look the Alpha in the eyes."

"Don’t talk back to your mate."

"A woman’s duty is to serve her mate and Alpha with unwavering obedience."

Luna Diana’s voice echoes through the grand hall, each word a whip against my patience. She stands at the front, regal as ever, with her silver-blonde hair perfectly styled into a thick braid that cascades over her shoulder. Her sharp blue eyes scan the room with practiced authority, and her flawless red gown clings to her figure, a stark contrast to the suffocating rules she preaches.

My jaw tightens, but I keep my expression neutral, standing stiffly among the other young women. Their heads are bowed, eyes are downcast, hands neatly folded, backs straight—like perfect little dolls, programmed to be obedient and silent.

I loathe everything about this lecture. Every. Single. Word.

"A woman must never question her Alpha’s decisions."

"Her body belongs to her mate—she has no right to refuse him."

"The greatest honour a woman can have is bearing strong sons."

Why aren’t men taught how to respect their mates before demanding obedience? Shouldn’t respect be earned? But no. Here, a woman is expected to lower her head, smile sweetly, and accept whatever is thrown her way. Love, neglect, abuse—it doesn’t matter. As long as she obeys.

If I had the power, I would burn this entire system to the ground. I’d create a world where women are equal to men—no, where women rule. A world where we are not just property or vessels but warriors, leaders, Alphas in our own right.

But I don’t have that power.

Yet.

Instead, I’m forced to endure these ridiculous lectures every day of my life, and each time, my wolf and I grow closer to madness. Some days, I try to skip, but the punishments aren’t worth it—especially today, when I have other plans.

I glance at the giant clock on the wall, itching to get out of here. I have training with Caspian—my only real friend and a pack warrior. If I miss today’s session, I’ll lose precious time and risk being punished. Caspian secretly trains me to fight, knowing full well that if anyone finds out, he’ll be stripped of his rank and demoted to an Omega. He’s only taking the risk because he has a ridiculous crush on me, secretly hoping we’ll turn out to be mates.

I never cared for the idea of having a mate, but if it were Caspian, I wouldn’t mind. He is different from the rest of the men in this pack. He treats me with respect. He doesn’t leer at me like I’m a piece of meat. And most importantly, he teaches me to fight—the only thing that keeps me sane in this hellhole.

I tune Luna Diana out, letting her words blend into a meaningless hum. My mind drifts to the movements I’ll be practicing later, the satisfying crack of my fists against a target—

A sharp jab to my ribs startles me.

Shit.

I blink, snapping back to reality to find all eyes on me. My fingers curl into fists at my sides. Damn it. I wasn’t paying attention. Not that I missed anything important.

Luna Diana glares at me, arms crossed, her lips pinched in disapproval. "Kali," she says, voice laced with ice. "Were you even listening?"

I suppress the urge to sigh and meet her gaze head-on. "Of course, Luna," I say blandly.

"Then repeat what I just said."

I tilt my head, offering a slow, deliberate smile. "I’ve heard it all before, a thousand times." I pause for dramatic effect, watching as the room collectively holds its breath. "But let me make one thing clear." My eyes gleam with defiance. "I don’t care about your lectures. I. Don’t. Submit. I wasn’t born to bow to anyone."

The hall falls into stunned silence.

Then, whispers. Gasps. Shocked murmurs spreading like wildfire.

"Disrespectful brat," someone hisses.

"She should be punished immediately!"

"You see? This is why she doesn’t deserve to be here—"

And then comes the voice I despise the most.

"How would you know you weren’t born to submit, Kali? You were picked from the dirt like a worthless stray, remember?"

I turn slowly, already knowing who it is.

Grace.

My personal nightmare wrapped in designer fabric. The Gamma’s daughter. My age, yet my complete opposite. Where I am fire, she is ice. Where I am battle-hardened, she is pampered. She stands with her arms crossed, her honey-blonde hair styled in soft curls, her smug smile daring me to lash out.

I let the insult settle for a moment before I speak, my voice silk-wrapped steel.

"Maybe I was in the dirt," I muse, "but I must’ve looked expensive enough to be worth picking up." I tilt my head, letting my smirk widen. “You, on the other hand? If you had been in my place, you’d still be there—because no one would have wanted your whore ass.”

Laughter erupts across the hall. Grace’s face turns a violent shade of red.

"Enough!" Luna Diana’s voice slices through the noise. The laughter dies instantly. "Both of you, silence!" She turns to me, her eyes dark with warning. "Kali, I will be reporting this to your father."

The laughter fades from my own lips.

Of course, she will.

I clench my jaw, knowing exactly what that means—another beating at the hands of my adoptive father. The only reason I haven’t destroyed him yet is because of my adoptive mother, who, despite her kindness, is powerless against him.

I inhale deeply, suppressing the sharp sting of frustration in my chest. Tomorrow, I turn eighteen. For some reason, an unfamiliar restlessness gnaws at me. A strange urge to leave, to find the truth about where I came from. To escape and search for my real family.

I was adopted at the age of ten, my memory wiped clean. Even my wolf has no recollection of where we came from. How am I supposed to find a family I can’t even remember?

But then, a darker thought slithers in.

What if my real family never wanted me? What if they left me in the dirt on purpose?

A bitter taste fills my mouth, but I shove the thought aside and lift my chin, meeting Luna Diana’s gaze without flinching.

"Do what you have to, Luna," I say smoothly. "But I’ll tell you this—I don’t care how many times you try to beat it into me."

My eyes gleam with challenge.

"I will never submit."

Luna Diana exhales sharply, running a frustrated hand through her perfectly styled hair before waving her hand in dismissal. At this rate, she’ll start losing her gorgeous locks because of me.

"Enough. Everyone, leave."

The hall slowly empties, the other women walking past me, some shooting pitying glances, others looking smug, as if they enjoy watching me get into trouble. I don't move right away, waiting for my moment to slip out unnoticed—

A sudden, sharp yank on my hair jerks my head back.

I hiss in pain, instantly knowing who it is before she even opens her mouth.

"How dare you disrespect me, dirt?" Grace sneers, her grip tightening each second. "Once I’m Luna, I’ll make you submit forcefully."

I bite back a laugh, despite the burning sting on my scalp.

"You?" I scoff. "Becoming Luna?" I let out a full-blown laugh now, not caring that she’s nearly pulling my hair from the roots. "That means you better keep sucking Travis’s dick extra well so he pities you enough out of the thousands of woman to make you his Luna—because I know the Moon Goddess wouldn’t be stupid enough to pair two assholes together as mates. That would be the end of the Red Night Pack for sure."

Grace lets out an enraged shriek and yanks harder, but before she can revel in her petty victory, I move—quick and precise.

My fist slams into her jaw.

She stumbles back with a pained cry, clutching her face as she glares at me with pure hatred.

I shake my hand out, barely feeling the sting of impact. "The only reason I’m letting you go," I say lazily, "is because your birthday is tomorrow, Grace. Consider this my gift to you."

Her furious screams follow me as I walk away, but I don’t spare her another glance.

I have better things to do.

---

The moment I step inside the house, I barely have time to close the door before my adoptive mother rushes toward me, her face pale, her hands trembling as they grab my arms.

"Kali, hide," she whispers urgently, her voice shaking.

I barely have time to process her fear before a sudden gust of wind whooshes past me, and then—

Pain.

A crushing, explosive pain as my body is lifted off the ground and slammed violently against the wooden door. The impact rattles through my bones, knocking the breath from my lungs.

I cough, blinking through the stars in my vision, as my adoptive father looms over me, his golden wolf eyes burning with rage.

Beta Logan.

I never call him "Father." He doesn’t deserve it.

His jaw tightens, his nostrils flaring as he grabs my collar, yanking me up so I have no choice but to face him. His breath is hot and heavy against my face, the scent of whiskey clinging to him like a second skin.

"You," he growls venomously, "are a disgrace to this family. Every day, I regret not leaving you to die in the filthy dirt where you belonged."

I refuse to look away, even as pain pulses through my body from the impact. I see the veins bulging in his neck, the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers twitch—he wants to do more than just yell.

"The Luna keeps complaining about you," he continues, shaking me slightly. "Says I’m not doing my job as Beta. Says I should break you." His grip tightens. "And now my duty—my pride—is on the line because of you."

I feel the rage bubbling inside me, but I keep my face blank, my silence only fueling his fury.

"You don’t want to submit?" he spits. "Fine. Today, I’m taming you."

I barely register the first kick before pain blossoms across my ribs. Then another. And another.

I refuse to cry out.

A choked sob escapes my mother as she rushes forward. "Please, Logan, stop! She’s just a child—"

Smack!

The slap echoes through the small house, louder than the beating itself.

I see red.

My mother stumbles back, clutching her cheek, her eyes wide with unshed tears. Through their mate bond, he must’ve silenced her, because she doesn’t cry out, doesn’t scream. She just looks at me helplessly.

I hate the mate bond.

The rage in my chest burns hotter than ever. My wolf roars, demanding blood.

I want to fight back.

I could fight back. I know I can, despite the Beta blood running through his veins—something deep inside me tells me I would win.

But then my mother shakes her head, just the slightest movement, her pleading eyes begging me not to.

If I fight, he’ll hurt her more.

So I do the one thing I’ve never done before.

I lower my head.

I shield her with my body and take the rest of the beating for us.

Every inch of my body screams in pain.

Bruises bloom across my skin, my ribs ache with every shallow breath, and my limbs feel like dead weight, but I refuse to stay down.

Gritting my teeth, I push myself up from the cold floor where Beta Logan left me. Shame burns hotter than the pain—not because of the bruises, not because of the broken bones that are already snapping back into place thanks to my wolf, but because I didn’t fight back.

I let that bastard do this to me.

I let him win for Mum's sake.

Swallowing hard, I force myself to stand, ignoring the way my legs shake beneath me. He won’t win forever. One day, I’ll make him pay, and when I do, I’ll take my mother far away from him—somewhere safe. Somewhere he can never touch her again.

---

Caspian’s house is one of the only places where I can breathe, where I can just exist without being reminded that I’m nothing more than an unwanted stray in the Red Night Pack.

I had his key, so I let myself in, collapsing onto his worn leather couch and letting my body relax.

Caspian arrives minutes later, his face twisted with barely restrained fury as he kneels in front of me, gently pushing my hair back to examine the bruises on my face. His touch is soft, the complete opposite of the rage in his eyes.

“He went too far this time,” he mutters as he reaches for the first-aid kit.

I huff out a weak laugh, leaning back against the couch. “Oh, this is too far?” I tilt my head slightly, watching him through lidded eyes. “What about all the other times?”

His hands still for a moment before he resumes cleaning a cut on my shoulder. The sting barely registers compared to the deep ache settling in my bones.

"This is different," he says quietly. "Broken ribs, a fractured wrist—Kali, you should be in the pack hospital."

I shake my head. "I’m not giving them the satisfaction of seeing me like this."

Caspian exhales sharply but doesn’t argue. He knows my pride too well.

“I should fucking kill him,” he mutters under his breath.

I let out a dry, humorless laugh, wincing as it jostles my ribs. “You can’t,” I remind him. “He’s Beta. He has power over you.”

Caspian clenches his jaw so hard I can hear his teeth grind but doesn't say anything as he works in silence.

We both know the truth—no one would dare challenge Logan, not unless they wanted to suffer the consequences. This isn’t the first time Logan has beaten me, but it’s the first time he’s tried to break me.Minutes pass in silence as he tends to my wounds, his touch careful, tender.

"Are you alright, Kali?" he asks suddenly, breaking me from my thoughts.

I blink, meeting his gaze. There’s too much emotion in his eyes—concern, frustration… love.

Caspian is handsome; anyone with eyes can see that. But if I’m being honest, he’s not my type. He’s too good, too soft-hearted, too safe.

I like my men dark and dangerous. The kind that radiate bad boy energy.

Caspian is the kind of man who would worship his mate. And while that’s not a bad thing…

I shake my head, forcing a smirk. "Sorry, Caspian. I got a little distracted thinking about my perfect revenge plan."

His lips press into a thin line. "Kali," he says, voice low, "once we find out we’re mates, I’ll take you away from that house. You’ll be free."

I should be happy to hear that.

But a small, dark part of me knows better than to get my hopes up.

The universe has never been on my side before. Fate wouldn’t be so kind as to pair me with someone like Caspian—someone who actually cares.

Still, I don’t say anything to kill his hope. I just offer him a small, tired smile.

“Maybe,” I murmur, keeping my voice light. “Guess we’ll see.”

Caspian watches me carefully before sighing. "You should rest. We can’t train tonight, not like this. We’ll pick it up tomorrow."

I nod, and the second my head hits the pillow, I’m out.

--

When I wake up, the house is silent.

Slowly, I push myself up, stretching out my arms and testing my ribs. The pain is still there but dull—not as sharp as before. I roll my wrist and watch as the lingering soreness fades.

Faster than normal.

I frown. Wolves heal quickly, but not this fast. I should still be in pain, barely able to move. Yet aside from a little stiffness, I feel... fine.

Stronger, even.

Shaking off the thought, I realise Caspian is gone. He must have left for night patrol, leaving me alone.

I sigh, swinging my legs over the couch and standing up. The moment I do, my stomach growls in protest.

I need food.

I could wait here for Caspian, but the thought of sitting in this empty house with nothing but my thoughts is unbearable. And going home isn’t an option.

Not when I know I won’t be able to stop myself from punching Logan in the face.

So I make up my mind, grab one of Caspian’s hoodies, pull it over my arms, and head out.

The packhouse it is.

****

The cold night air bites at my skin as I step outside, pulling Caspian’s hoodie tighter around me. I slept way longer than I expected.

Which means the packhouse is mostly empty. Good.

The last thing I need is to sit among people who despise my existence. Werewolves love to eat together, bonding over food and stories.

But I’m not part of that family.

I push open the cafeteria doors and sigh in relief when I see no one. The massive dining hall is eerily quiet, the long tables abandoned, the only sign of life being the leftover food on the serving trays.

My stomach growls as I grab a plate, dishing out whatever is left—mostly scraps—but it’s better than nothing. I lower myself onto one of the empty benches, wincing as my ribs protest. The bruises may be fading, but the pain still lingers. I take a deep breath, pushing it aside, and dig in.

The food is cold, but I don’t care.

As I chew, my eyes flick to the large clock on the wall. Ten minutes to midnight. Ten minutes until my birthday.

I should go home. My mother is probably awake, baking me a cake—like she always does. Probably trying to make up for the fact that her mate, her husband, beat the shit out of me again.

I stab my fork into the food, swallowing the bitterness in my throat.

I don’t want to go back.

But my moment of peace is short-lived.

A slow clap echoes through the empty cafeteria.

I go rigid. No. Not now.

“There you are, beautiful," he drawls.

I don’t even have to look to know who it is.

Travis. Future Alpha. Pack golden boy. Arrogant piece of shit.

And my worst fucking nightmare.

I roll my eyes and keep eating, pretending he isn’t there. But, of course, he doesn’t take the hint.

Heavy footsteps echo as he saunters toward me with that same annoying confidence that makes my skin crawl. I don’t even have to look to know he’s smirking—that smug, self-satisfied smirk he wears like a damn crown.

"You've been avoiding me," he says, pulling out the chair across from me and sitting down like he owns the place. Like he owns me.

Travis has slept with nearly every she-wolf in this pack. And I’m the only one he hasn’t gotten his hands on yet. That’s why he’s obsessed.

Not because he actually likes me.

Because I’m a challenge.

I stab another piece of food with my fork. "Go fuck yourself, Travis."

His grin widens. "I will, but after I fuck you first."

I set my fork down and finally meet his gaze, my expression flat. "I hate you, Travis."

His blue eyes darken slightly, but instead of being offended, he looks entertained.

"You shouldn’t disrespect your Alpha like that," he muses, leaning forward. His voice lowers, smooth and dripping with arrogance. "I could command you to watch your mouth."

I smirk. "You could try."

Travis leans in even closer, his breath brushing my skin. "You know, Kali, there’s still one thing you haven’t given me."

I clench my jaw, my stomach twisting in disgust. I know exactly where this is going.

He smirks. "Come on. Let me have a taste before you find your mate. We can do a quickie right here. No one’s around. Think of it as my birthday present to you."

Rage flares in my chest.

Without thinking, I grab my plate and hurl it at him.

The food smashes against his face, gravy dripping down his cheek and onto his expensive shirt.

Travis freezes.

I push back my chair, standing to my full height, ignoring the throbbing pain in my ribs. My voice is calm, deadly.

"You disgust me."

Slowly, Travis wipes the food from his face, his jaw tight. His usual smirk is gone.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," I continue, my voice laced with pure venom. "You think being the future Alpha means you can do whatever you want? That every girl in this pack belongs to you?" I shake my head. "You are not fit to lead."

His nostrils flare. "Watch your mouth, Kali."

"Or what?" I challenge, stepping closer. "You’ll force me? Make me submit?" I let out a hollow laugh. "You’re not strong enough."

His eyes darken, his Alpha presence rolling off him in waves. "You sure about that?"

The weight of his dominance slams into me, demanding my submission but something stronger rises inside me.

My wolf snarls, defiant.

I stand my ground.

His eyes widen slightly in shock before narrowing. "That’s new," he mutters, intrigued. "Didn’t think you had it in you."

"Guess you don’t know everything," I snap.

He exhales sharply, his usual confidence slipping back into place. "Still," he muses, running a hand through his messy blond hair, "you’ll give in eventually. Everyone does."

"I’d rather die," I spit.

Travis chuckles. "We’ll see about that."

Then suddenly—

Tick.

A sharp, almost deafening sound rings through my ears.

The clock.

Midnight.

A scent—his scent—hits me like a wrecking ball.

It’s intoxicating. Powerful. A mix of sandalwood and something earthy, raw.

I freeze.

No. No, no, no.

This can’t be happening.

My eyes widen in horror as my wolf howls inside me.

Mate.

The word slams into my skull.

No. Fucking. Way.

My breath stutters. My entire body rejects the truth.

Travis, standing in front of me—the most insufferable asshole I’ve ever met—doesn’t feel like the enemy anymore.

He feels like—

Everything.

I want to throw up.

And he knows.

I feel sick. I want to run. I want to die.

Travis, on the other hand, looks thrilled. A slow, knowing smirk spreads across his face.

"Well, well," he purrs, his grin widening. "Hello there, mate."

His voice is dripping with satisfaction.

Like he’s just won.

Like I belong to him now.

I swallow hard, forcing the nausea down, shoving my disgust and betrayal so deep inside that my face goes completely blank.

He thinks this changes things. That I’ll suddenly give in.

That he has me trapped. But he doesn’t.

Because I will never be his.

Travis leans in, lowering his voice. "Guess you have no choice now, huh?"

I smile coldly.

"Oh, Travis," I whisper, tilting my head. "I always have a choice."