“You look stunning Miss Collins,” Miss Ruby gushes at me as she fixes the hem of my dress.

I glance at my reflection in the mirror. The silk material was thin and left nothing to the imagination. It was a stark, bright white that complemented my dark hair which sat in thick loose waves. My icy blue eyes were popping out of my head thanks to the seven layers of mascara I had applied and my red lips were fuller then normal.I looked pretty, but I was also dressed as though my aim tonight was to try and seduce the alpha and that infuriated me.

Miss Ruby brushes away my hair from my face, her concerned eyes glazing over me. “You shouldn’t be nervous, my sweet child. You’re quite the sight to see. The alpha will no doubt find you to be magnificent.”

“Thanks Ruby,” I mumble as I fiddle nervously with my thumbs.

“I’ve heard good things about him. That he is a fair leader and an honest man.”

“Too honest,” I snicker. “I’ve also heard things. That he is dangerous, unapologetic, forceful, demanding and brutal. That he views people as objects and if they get in his way he will slaughter them with no hesitation. I’ve also heard that he is rude.”

Miss Ruby looks nervous by my statement. It was improper of me to speak so low of my alpha, because technically, he was my alpha. He was the ultra alpha of the entire East and West coasts, which means that every pack and their alpha within the area is under his demand. It was ludicrous seeing as he is only 24 years old.

“Maybe tonight you will change your mind,” Ruby mutters. I nod in agreement, but I doubted that to be true.

“Walk faster, child,” Rosa scoffs, poking me from behind. I was stalling. I didn’t want to go through with it, but I had no choice.

I stand behind the large wooden doors to the foyer. This was a private meeting of about twenty guests. All I had to do was walk in, drop my gown and shift into my wolf gracefully, then let them observe me like that for a minute or two. I let out a deep shaky breath, fighting to calm myself. I was so nervous I wasn’t sure if I was going to be sick.

“Hurry up,” Rosa spits from behind me.

I muster all the confidence I have to lift my head and hold it high as the wooden doors slowly begin to open.

It was now or never and there was no going back. I take my first step forwards, entering the room, not daring to look at the faces that were turned in my direction, watching me carefully. I take another step, then another, slipping the thing spaghetti strap from my shoulder, and then the other. I could see their silhouettes in the corners of my eyes. I ignore them. If I looked, I would lose focus. I breath in slowly, deeply, and then out again. I had to remain calm in order for me to transform.

Finally, I let my dress fall to the ground, sprawling out around my feet. The second the light fabric falls a string of gasps and low growls rumble throughout the room, making me both embarrassed and ashamed. I felt like a whore more than a display of beauty.

I shake the thought from my mind, taking another step forward before engaging with my wolf, calling upon it to take over me, and thankfully, she listens.

I feel my eyes change first, and then my spine begins to bend and snap, followed by my limbs. It’s the smoothest transition I’ve ever made and I can’t help but feel proud of myself, that is until my wolf instincts start going wild.

The second I’m fully shifted my engulfed by my primate instincts and I begin to lose control of myself.

My head snaps to the right, my eyes locking on the alphas.

Mate.

I stumble backwards, consumed both by need I suddenly had to go to him and the knowing that something was very wrong.

I’ve never lost control like this before.

“You stupid girl,” I can hear Rosa roaring at me as I make my way over to the alpha, rubbing myself against him.

He was striking, brooding and beautiful, and he was mine.

“What is she doing?” Daryl, my alpha, yells, but I ignore him. I was too focused on the ultra alpha, my mate.

I feel my body begin the pairing ritual. I lay in front of him, giving myself to him completely and awaiting for him to claim me, that’s how it goes. You identify your mate, you bond, he imprints.

I could hear the muffled voices protesting against me, the uncomfortable radiating from my mate, but I couldn’t stop.

Anyone but him. Anyone but the alpha.

But it was too late, I Ahmad been awoken to our connection and now all rationality was lost on me.

He was more than beautiful. More than sexy. He was unworldly. His eyes were a light lime green, so light they almost looked fluorescent and his messy hair was unruly and a rich chocolate brown. He was strong, at least six foot three, and his skin was tanned and flawless.

Please, Rouge, no. I beg myself. Not him.

I stare into his eyes, waiting for him to take the lead, to complete the process, but he never does. Instead, the ultra alpha bursts out into a fit of laughter.

“What are you doing?” He mocks. “You’re not my mate.”

He brushes me away from him forcefully. His faces turned up in disgust. But he has to be my mate, I could feel it imbedded in me, just like the old tales suggested.

I try to make myself back away, but my wolf refuses.

“Get her out of here,” I hear Rosa snickering from somewhere in the room.

I glance up, confused. Waiting for him to connect with me. My wolf identified him and yet he seems to be unbothered by me, bored almost and completely unaffected.

Stop making a scene.

I hear his voice clearly in my mind, invading me, and it catches me off guard. Harry, my mate.

I stumble backwards as I’m suddenly being pushed back away from him.

Look at you, you have no control over yourself.

Mate?

You’re not my mate! Stop making a fool of yourself

I flinch at the harshness of his words. It was impossible to link with a werewolf other than your mate and he knows it.

I can’t stop.

He knows exactly what’s happening and he’s choosing to disregard it.

I watch as he rolls his eyes before pushing his seat back and coming to stand.

He barges past me, scoffing as he makes his way to the centre of the room.

“What kind of a welcoming in this shit?” He spits. “A room full of clowns and a strange looking wolf with no self respect.”

“I’m so sorry Mr Sorensen. My alpha, we thought she was better trained then this,” I flinch at the words of my alpha, Darryl, who was ready to throw me to the wolves if it meant saving him face.

“No training will fix that,” his green eyes turn to find me, huddled in the corner in shame. “She is hideous. And you are pathetic.” He spits, earning himself a chuckle from the group of men that had been seated near him. He glances at Darryl with disgust before turning on his heel and storming out.

I try to link with him again. As my mate, he has no choice but to accept.

You have no idea what you’ve just done. She’s going to kill me.

I could have sworn he heard me, because his back goes rigid the second I connect with him, but if he cares then he does little to show it.

“You disgusting, horrid girl,” Rosa drags me behind her, her rough, bony hand wrapped so tightly around my wrist it was starting to go numb.

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest as I begin to panic. She was either going to bash me or banish me.

“Rosa,” I warn her.

I could feel myself growing angrier with every passing second and I was scared of what I might do to her. I wasn’t going to endure being beaten, not again, not after last time, and I wasn’t going to let her banish me either.

Being banished means you no longer have a place within any pack. You become a rogue wolf, a loner. No one will ever accept you, you will be branded and destined to spend the rest of your life alone and we all no what happens to a lone wolf.

Rosa ignores the warning, dragging me through the corridor towards the dungeons. I knew exactly where she was taking me... To the torture room.

I glance up at the metal gates which signified the entrance of the tunnel. If I had to flee Coven, I would, but I wasn’t going to let Rosa get away with this.

I pin my gaze on the gates and squint, mentally tying myself to them, calling for them to close, and they do as I

say.

“How dare you use magic on me,” Rosa spits in my face.

She raises a hand, no doubt to hit me, but I paralyse her just before she can land the blow.

“Are you stupid,” she screeches. “They will kill you for this.”

I ignore the old hag, putting distance between us. Rosa was right, they could kill me for using magic without permission, but I didn’t care.

I make a dash for the hall way. I was disoriented, frantic and I needed to find him.