Chapter 1
My heart shattered, but I refused to let it show. Kayden and Francis, my oldest friends–the ones who’d once vowed to protect me–stood across from me, cold and unyielding, with Sharon nestled between them, wide–eyed and innocent as ever.
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“Maybe if you weren‘ t so distant, we’d still trust you, Francis spat, not even sparing me a glance. Kayden‘ s tone was softer but no less cutting, “She’s done nothing to you, Malinda. Sharon just wants to belong… maybe the problem is you.
Their words pierced deeper than I could have imagined, the sting of betrayal sharper than any pain I’d known. They were ready to cast me aside for someone they d barely met. In that moment, my path forward became clear. Leaving them–choosing the arranged mateship with a powerful, unknowi Alpha–felt like the only way to escape the heartbreak of staying where I wasn‘ t wanted. Without a word, I turned away. Leaving them would hurt, but not as much as staying.
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“Malinda, we’ve arranged a Mateship Ceremony for you, my mother’s voice echoed through the mind link. “Your blood is becoming more volatile every day. Only the strength of an Alpha mate can keep your blood stable and keep you safe.
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I sat alone in my dimly lit room, gaze fixed on the shadowy corners. Silence stretched between us, filling the air with an unspoken weight. I knew my mother was about to speak again, offering me a way out, as always.
“If you don’t want this, I’ll speak to your father and cancel everything. We won’t force you,” she finally said, her voice softening.
My lips parted, my answer steady and unyielding. “I’m willing, Mom. I’ll go through with the arranged mateship.
There was stunned silence on the other end, and then she stammered in disbelief. “You… you agreed?’
“Yes, I agreed,” I repeated, calm and devoid of hesitation. “But I need time to wrap up some things in the Shadow Pack first. Please start preparing for the Mateship Ceremony.
I ended the mind link without asking a single question about the Alpha they’d chosen. I didn’t care who he was or what he’d heard about my fragile health, only that he was willing to mate with someone everyone believed was dying.
But I wasn‘ t dying. Not yet. The powerful Lycan bloodline coursing through me was more than my body could handle without a mate‘ s mark to stabilize it. Every day, I grew weaker, struggling against the surging strength within.
As the connection faded, loud music from the packhouse filtered up through my walls. The faint sound of voices singing “Happy Birthday” mingled with the clinking of glasses and laughter. Downstairs, Kayden and Francis, my oldest friends and the Alpha‘ s sons, were throwing a celebration for Sharon, the newest member of the Shadow Pack. She‘ d arrived a month prior, orphaned after a rogue attack left her alone.
A soft knock at my door interrupted my thoughts, followed by the quiet creak of it opening. Sharon entered with a shy smile and a slice of blueberry cake, remnants of frosting smudged on her carefully made–up face. She stepped closer, her eyes wide and pleading.
“Malinda,” she began in a soft, sweet voice, “won” t you come down and join us? I’d love to have you there with me.
My gaze hardened. Beneath Sharon’s innocent expression, I’d seen flashes of something else—a slyness I couldn’t ignore. “I have work to finish, Sharon,” I replied, my tone icy. “Go enjoy your party.
A flicker of hurt crossed her face, tears welling in her eyes. “Malinda… do you not like me? Is that why you always keep your distance?”
I clenched my jaw. I hadn’t even done anything, but Sharon was already playing the victim. The act felt so obvious. It was almost laughable.
“Sharon,
I said, voice laced with warning, “save your performances for Kayden and Francis. They may fall for it, but I don‘ t.” I turned to close the door.
But Sharon, undeterred, reached out to stop it, catching her hand painfully between the door and the frame. She gasped, cradling her swelling hand.
“Aww-”
At that moment, Kayden and Francis rounded the corner. Their eyes fell on Sharon, cradling her injured hand, and they rushed over without sparing me a second glance. Francis s face turned red with anger as he looked at me.
“Malinda, if you don’t like Sharon, fine, but you didn’t have to hurt her!” He snapped, words sharp with accusation. “When did you become so cruel?”
Kayden, ever the quieter one, regarded me with a cold, disappointed gaze. “Today’s her birthday, Malinda,” he said in a low voice. “There was no need for this.
Turning back to Sharon, he instantly softened. “Let’s get that hand of yours looked at. Does it hurt
much?
Kayden led Sharon away, Francis following close behind. I watched them dote on her, whispering promises to lift her spirits. It felt as though I were watching strangers rather than the two friends who‘ d once been my everything.
As they disappeared down the stairs, I closed my door and leaned against it, memories flooding back from a time when I’d been the one they always protected.
We’d all grown up together in Shadow Pack, childhood friends who had once been inseparable. Kayden and Francis, the Alpha‘ s sons, had always been by my side, ready to defend me or make me laugh. But I, the Beta‘, s daughter, was born with an unstable Lycan bloodline–fragile from birth, prone to bouts of weakness that left me bedridden in the pack territory‘ s damp climate. When I was five, my parents sent me to a city with warmer weather to help me recover under a skilled healer‘ s guidance.
But it was more than just my frail health; my blood held a rare strength, the power of an ancient Lycan lineage, a force that pulsed through me but was far too much for my body to withstand alone. The only solution, the healer said, was to find my fated mate–an Alpha strong enough to mark me and anchor
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the power within.
Kayden and Francis had been my protectors, my friends. When I left for the city to recuperate, they‘ d practically begged me not to go, vowing to stay by my side, no matter what. Back then, the bond between us had felt unbreakable.
But that bond was crumbling, and it all started when Sharon arrived.
On her first day, Sharon sat alone, avoiding eye contact and refusing to join the pack for meals. I had pitied her then, hearing of her tragic past and feeling the urge to protect her as I’d once been
protected. I invited Sharon to join me, introducing her to Kayden and Francis, who welcomed her into our circle without a second thought.
And Sharon, with her doc–eyed innocence, captivated them.
Kayden, once the silent, steady presence by my side, now laughed and joked at Sharon’s every word. Francis, who used to spar and train with me, dropped everything the moment Sharon needed
something.
It was painful, realizing I had been replaced, and yet, in a twisted way, it also freed me. I could walk away from them both without regret now. My decision to accept the arranged mateship was more than just a means to stabilize my blood–it was the only way to run away from everything.
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