Chapter One

​​​

NORA

 

Laughter ripples through the air, glasses clink, and people drift from one corner to the next, dressed in their finest. All I can think is: how is this all for me? I shouldn’t be here. I belong in the kitchen, doing the dishes.

​

Being a half-breed, half-human and half-wolf, puts me at the bottom of the hierarchy. Especially since I’m more human than wolf. And if this night has cemented anything, it’s that I’m destined to remain a wolfless omega forever.

​

The great assembly hall glows with warmth, the chandeliers above casting soft shadows over the velvet-draped walls and polished floor. The corner of the gift table cuts into my thigh.

​

‘’Happy birthday, my dear child,’’ my stepmother greets.

 

Carol’s voice is shrill, and I do my best not to flinch. My stepmother has never wished me a happy birthday before, and she most definitely hasn’t used any kind of endearments either. She manages to shock me even further when she pulls me into an awkward hug and hands me a present. My stepsister flanks my stepmother’s side. Heather remains quiet, which is a nice reprieve.

​

‘’Happy Birthday,’’ my father adds.

​

I smile. ‘’Thank you, Dad.’’

​

Carol claps her hands together. ‘’It’s a great honor that our alpha has decided to celebrate the half-bre… I mean, our Nora,’’ she corrects herself, her focus solely on Alpha Lucien.

​

‘’You should thank your Luna for that,’’ he answers, short and to the point, placing his hand on Luna Alex’s lower back.

​

All the puzzle pieces fall into place. The sudden niceties from my so-called parents are for Alpha Lucien’s sake.

​

‘’No need to thank me,’’ Luna Alex says. ‘’Nora is not just a valued employee and a great cook. She’s a good friend of mine.’’

​

I bend my head and press my lips together to hide my growing smile. Luna Alex is too polite. Calling me a friend. She has used that word about me often. No one else ever has.

 

After some more strained chitchat, my family finally trudges off to the bar to arm themselves with alcohol. When I look their way, their pleasant smiles have vanished, leaving sneers in their wake.

 

A figure steps out from the shadows. Gamma Griffen. His brown curls hang over his forehead and into his eyes. He jerks his head once, swiping the curls to the side as his dark brown orbs connect with mine. He doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me.

​

‘’Happy Birthday, Nora.’’

​

He holds out a box with a green silk ribbon around it. It matches his jacket. The green military color indicates his rank. He’s the Shadow Moon Pack’s third-in-command, only outranked by Alpha Lucien and Beta Kai. Griffen is the only one who has ever celebrated my birthday, the only one who has ever given me a gift before. Over the years, I’ve gotten flowers, special Vervain herbs that are almost impossible to get your hands on, and a vintage radio when my old one broke. I have it in the packhouse kitchen and use it every day.

​

Gamma Griffen is like a brother. Protective and devastatingly handsome. One day, he’ll find his fated mate and they’ll start a family. What a lucky woman. I just hope he’ll still be kind to me then.

​

I pull at one of the green strings, and the tie comes undone. Opening the jewelry box, my heart pounds frantically in my chest. The box is way too big to be earrings. Maybe it’s a bracelet? No. It can’t be. It’s too big for that as well.

​

When I open the black box, my eyes grow as wide as the day I accidentally replaced salt with sugar in a cake and Alpha Lucien had taken a bite. It was my second day in the kitchen. I still think someone switched the ingredients on me, but the crisis was averted when Griffen took the blame. I should have corrected the misunderstanding, but my legs had been shaking like leaves in a storm.

​

Inside the jewelry box is a beautiful necklace with an emerald green stone.

​

‘’What do you think?’’ Griffen asks.

​

‘’I don’t know what to say.’’ I shake my head. ‘’This is too much. I can’t accept it.’’

​

I push the box into Griffen’s chest, but he merely steals the necklace, drops the box on the gift table, and swings the necklace around me, his chest pressing against my backside in front of the whole pack. Well, the people invited.

​

The chain wraps around my neck, the pendant with the deep emerald stone resting against my chest. It’s cold at first, but soon the presence of the piece is comfortable, like it’s always been there. I brush my fingertips over the smooth stone.

​

Goosebumps explode across my nape as Griffen leans in, his mouth hovering by my ear, his warm breath scorching against my earlobe.

​

‘’It looks beautiful on you,’’ he says.

​

His gruff tone almost makes me whimper. In my head, I’m imagining his lips softly stroking my neck where a mate mark would potentially go. It feels so real. But it can’t be. I’m just imagining things. Daydreaming about stuff I have no business entertaining. My fantasies are getting too real. It’s highly inappropriate. Griffen is the Gamma, and I’m a wolfless omega cook. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about him. He’s like a brother to me. Or at least I’m like a sister to him. A wimpy, pitiful sister. It’s the only reason he puts up with me.

​

‘’Thank you,’’ I reply. ‘’That’s kind of you to say. Still, it’s too much.’’

​

I twist my head to the side. Epic mistake. Griffen’s face is right there, our mouths not even an inch apart.

​

We both still. I remain captivated by Griffen’s lips. They’re so close and so tempting. The swallow that makes his Adam’s apple bob up and down steals my attention. I gulp and lower my gaze even further. I’m nowhere brave enough to look him in the eye right now. What would I see in them if I did? Pity? Disgust? Humor?

​

‘’Do you like the necklace, Nora?’’

​

I pivot and put two steps between us. ‘’I do.’’

​

‘’That’s all that matters.’’

​

I count the seconds in my head. I want this interaction to be over with as much as I want it to never end. In my head and heart, it will last forever. Alone in my room, I’ll replay this moment over and over again, letting my mind wander to things it shouldn't. I'll picture Griffen stepping closer, pressing his lips to mine, claiming me as his in front of the entire pack. And in my fantasy, the pack will cheer. They’ll be happy, and they’ll love me.

​

A gentle finger under my jaw tilts my head upward.

​

I stop breathing. Well, that’s a lie. I wish I had stopped breathing, but in reality, my breathing is coming in ragged gasps. It's so embarrassing. I can never do anything right.

​

‘’I like it on you as well. It fits you perfectly. Like it was made to be worn by you.’’

​

‘’But?’’ I ask. ‘’There’s a but, right? There’s always a but.’’

​

‘’Despite the beauty of the necklace,’’ Griffen begins, lifting the pendant gently, his knuckles brushing my flushed skin beneath it. ‘’It pales in comparison to the woman wearing it.’’

​

I would love to lower my gaze and study the floor as Einstein studied physics, but Griffen’s hold on the necklace prevents me from doing just that. He holds me captive. My face flushes red. I don’t need a mirror to know that. My cheeks are burning.

​

‘’You’re being far too polite, Gamma Griffen,’’ I manage to say, almost without stuttering.

​

This tight dress has me gasping for air. My breasts are practically spilling out of the bodice. All right, that’s another lie. I’m being a tad too dramatic now. It was Luna Alex who insisted I wear this lavish gown and high heels. I’ve never worn anything this fancy in my whole life before. The dress is a deep copper-ish color. It complements my red hair and hazel eyes extremely well. It belonged to Luna Alex, but she said it was mine to keep. It’s like I’m Cinderella, but we all know what happens to Cinderella when the clock strikes twelve. She returns to the kitchen.

​

Gamma Griffen steps back, his brown curls once again falling into his face. Gosh, how I want to run my fingers through his hair and push it back. I shake my head. When will I learn to control my thoughts? As long as they’re just thoughts, I’ll be okay.

​

The rest of the night is rather uneventful. People pretend to like me; a few of them even do. Like Luna Alex and the newest arrival to our pack, Aria. She and her fated mate, Beta Kai, only have eyes for each other. Sometimes, though, those eyes scream bloody murder.

​

Trudging over to the bar, I ask for a glass of white wine. The liquid does nothing to settle my nerves. The moon is rising outside, and there’s still no sign of my wolf. Today was my last chance. It’s unheard of for a wolf to receive their wolf after they’ve turned twenty-one. After tonight, I’m stuck like this for the rest of my life.

​

‘’Half-breed,’’ a female voice calls out.

​

I face the voice.

​

Prudence.

​

As the daughter of former Beta Rupert, the second-in-command when Alpha Lucien’s father ruled the pack, Prudence is respected by everyone.

​

‘’Good to see you still respond to the name,’’ she says. ‘’We wouldn’t want you getting any ideas now, just because our Luna throws you this little party.’’

​

My half-sister slides up next to Prudence. Meany one and two. Heather is like a prettier copy of my stepmother. Deep brown hair and a beauty mark on her cheek that makes her look like a 1950s film actress.

​

‘’Did you see her drooling all over Gamma Griffen?’’ my half-sister says. ‘’So embarrassing.’’

​

Prudence reaches out and grabs hold of my necklace, but I step back, covering it with my hand.

​

‘’Oh, someone’s grown claws.’’ Prudence chuckles. ‘’Metaphorically speaking only of course.’’

​

Both girls giggle this time. I can’t grow claws. I can’t shift. I have no wolf speaking to me in my head. The sting of their words cuts through my pride. They’re right. My wolf is never coming, and no one will ever see me as more than a half-breed.

​

‘’Why don’t you tell us what you did?’’ Prudence says.

​

‘’Yeah,’’ Heather chimes in. ‘’Tell us, what did you have to do to earn such a gift from Gamma Griffen? How many times did you have to spread your legs for him?’’

​

I gasp. ‘’I didn’t. I would never.’’

​

Prudence scoffs. ‘’Oh please, someone like you doesn’t get a gift like that from someone like Griffen by being a mediocre cook.’’

​

Both girls giggle at the comment.

​

The necklace grows heavy around my throat. Is that what everybody thinks of me now?

​

‘’Is everything okay here?’’ Luna Alex interrupts, sliding up next to me.

​

‘’Everything is fine, Luna Alex,’’ Prudence says.

​

My sister nods alongside her.

​

‘’And what about you, Nora? Is everything okay?’’

​

I blink. No. Nothing is okay, but I can’t say that. Luna Alex can’t have my back twenty-four hours a day, and if I complain, Prudence and my half-sister will only seek revenge.

​

‘’Everything is fine, Luna Alex,’’ I confirm.

​

Prudence and my half-sister curtsy before they scurry off with nasty smirks spread across their faces. I drink the last of my white wine.

​

‘’Whatever Prudence and Heather said, forget it, Nora.’’ Luna Alex squeezes my upper arm. ‘’It’s not true. Your sister is just jealous that you’re the center of attention, and Prudence is mad that she won’t get to sink her claws into Beta Kai now that Aria’s here. First, she loses Lucien, then Kai. If I were you, I’d worry about her trying with Griffen.’’

​

The thought of Prudence and Griffen together has never struck me before, but Luna Alex is right. Now that our alpha and beta are off the market, it would be her style to set her sights on the next in line.

​

‘’I’m sure Griffen wouldn’t want her,’’ I mumble. ‘’They’re not fated mates, and he knows she only wants power… But even if he did, then that’s his choice. It’s none of my business.’’

 

Luna Alex hums, her lips pressed into a thin line as if she's keeping a secret from spilling out. ‘’I better go check on Lucien. Love the necklace, by the way. It's such a pretty color. And it goes so well with your dress.’’ Luna Alex winks before she darts off, her white hair glowing under the chandelier

 

Glancing down at the piece, I admire the color as well. Emerald green represents the Gamma’s rank in our pack. It must be a family heirloom. Why would Griffen give me such a necklace? Why would he give me his color to wear? It’s only meant for people related to the Gamma and his mate. Maybe this is his way of trying to protect me from the bullies, to show that he has my back, that I’m family to him—his little pitiful charity case. It’s a nice gesture. But I fear it might just have the opposite effect if Prudence and my half-sister’s reaction is anything to go by.

 

Another couple of hours fly by. Eyes follow me everywhere I go. It’s like I’m being watched, and I am. By everyone. I adjust the thin spaghetti straps of my dress, the V-neckline highlighting the necklace that's starting to feel less like a gift and more like a brand. The thought makes me smile. The sharp pins that are sticking into my scalp bring me back to reality. I’m being ridiculous. Gamma Griffen is just being a good guy, a protective friend.

​

When the party is over and everyone has gone home except for the hired help, I gather some glasses on a tray and carry them to the bar, the heels making the work harder than usual.

​

‘’Did you have a great night, Nora?’’ Luna Alex asks, taking the tray from my hands. ‘’And no cleaning up for you tonight.’’

​

I smile. I wish I could clean up something. I hook my fingers in my gown and rub the fabric between them. ‘’The party was amazing. It really was too—’’

​

‘’If you say the words ‘too much’ again, I’m gonna have to punish you.’’

​

‘’Punish me?’’

​

‘’Yeah, I’m gonna have to keep throwing you parties every year.’’

​

I chuckle, my heart settling back in its place. ‘’I appreciate tonight, Luna Alex, but I’m not cut out to be the center of attention.’’

 

‘’Listen, we’ve talked about this, Nora. Please just call me Alex when we’re not in some official pack setting. And you do know that you’re worth a birthday party, don’t you?’’

​

I sink my teeth into my tongue. Just say, ‘’Yes. Of course, I do.’’

​

Then why don’t I?

​

Why can’t I?

​

Not trusting my own voice, I simply nod.

​

Luna Alex surprises me by embracing me in a hug. She’s not a natural hug-giver. She’d rather stab someone with a knife than hug someone, all the more reason why I appreciate the gesture.

​

When we part, I feel like crying. I don’t even know why, but I sure do know that I don’t want to do it here, in front of my Luna and friend. ‘’I’m gonna go if that’s all right? I need some air.’’

​

‘’Why don’t you go for a stroll in the garden? It’s a nice night.’’

​

I take Alex’s suggestion. Taking off my shoes, I go outside, following the narrow stone path around the packhouse and to the rose garden. Alpha Lucien’s mother cares for it. I owe her a lot. She was the one who hired me to work in the kitchen. It gets me out of the house most of the day. I think she knows about my home not being very homey.

​

The night air is crisp against my skin, but the scent of roses wraps around me like a warm embrace. It reminds me of being in the packhouse kitchen, surrounded by ingredients and herbs that blend together and create new scents.

​

The watchtower bell rings in the distance—twelve slow chimes.

​

I take a deep breath. It’s time to face reality. It’s midnight. A new day has arrived, and still, I have no wolf and never will. Tears blur my vision, streaking down my cheeks before I can stop them.

​

‘’Nora?’’ Griffen calls out.

​

I turn. Griffen stands just a few steps behind me, his broad frame half-shadowed by the trees. His expression falls when he sees my face, more precisely, my tears. He doesn't rush forward. Just watches me for a moment as if trying to decide whether to stay or go.

​

Then he steps closer.

​

He doesn’t ask questions or demand answers. When he moves, it’s to brush away a tear on my cheek, his touch soft against my skin.

​

‘’I’m sorry,’’ he murmurs. ‘’You deserve a wolf, Nora. Of all people, you deserve it.’’

​

I open my mouth, but I don’t know what to say, so I close it again.

​

Without warning, Griffen leans in, his lips brushing over mine. I’m too shocked to move, too shocked to even close my eyes. The kiss ends in a heartbeat, but it leaves a fire beneath my skin and a dizzy flutter in my chest.

​

Am I dreaming? Did that really just happen? I lick my lips, my tongue skimming over where Griffen’s mouth touched mine. And true enough, the taste of him still lingers. But it wasn’t a kiss, more like a peck. It was just a friendly gesture to cheer me up. I’m sure of it.

​

When Griffen grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine, tugging me toward the packhouse, I follow without protest, too afraid to ruin the moment by talking.

​

We slip through the halls, the sounds of the party long gone, the packhouse asleep. Griffen leads me to his chambers on the second floor. My heart pounds so hard in my chest, the whole packhouse must be able to hear it.

​

The second we’re inside, Griffen pushes me up against the wooden door, his lips crashing down on mine, far more demanding this time.