DACIANA'S POV

"Thank you, Father, for welcoming me," I said to my father as I stood before him with a glass of champagne in hand.

"Hmm..." He grunted, and immediately he looked away toward his wife, my stepmother.

I felt ashamed of myself at this point. I never knew my father still hated me, just like always.

"You better get going to greet the guests. You wouldn't want to keep them waiting, would you?" My stepmother, Ava, said, with a sick smile on her face. Her eyes hid a mysterious light in them. One which I wouldn't want to know about. Her gaze on me made me shiver and I was quick to turn away.

Right after my mother had died, my father got married to Ava.

It was a torturous sight to behold. The fact that my mother was being replaced right off the bat was a painful thing to watch. Above all, I had to live in hatred all my life.

Dressed in a black dress, I walked down toward the guests with a smile on my face.

A party had been set up, just to welcome me back into the Pack. I had been gone for two years, right after my 18th birthday and first shift. I just wanted to be strong and then I set out to train, away from the Pack.

As I stepped forward, I was met with the wicked gaze of my stepsister, Moana.

"Hi, sister. It's good to have you back here." She said as she dragged me into her embrace. Her hands, which were previously linked to another man, wrapped around me.

That was when the scent hit me. I could feel my wolf scratching desperately against our bond. It wanted to be let out, to take in the scent of our mate.

"Mate!!" It cried in my head while I was quick to detach myself from Moana's embrace. She looked at me with so much disgust and embarrassment but then I didn't care. My head whipped from side to side as I searched for my mate.

In the next second, my head snapped in the direction of slow footsteps.

There came the most handsome man I had ever seen. He smelled like wood and pines and I was prepared to get buried in his embrace, forever. My heart thudded in my chest and for the first time since two years ago, I had euphoric bliss.

His scent alone could give me comfort. What if I had something more?

"Mate!" I said out loud and immediately the hall came to a silence. He stood before me, with the same astonished gaze and he raised his hand slowly, to touch me.

"Mate!" He muttered, and I could see his eyes full of love for me.

Everyone watched us, in silence however, I didn't notice the tension in the air.

Moana was fuming beside me and her next actions caught me off guard.

"He is not your mate! He is mine!" She yelled as she took hold of my mate and dragged him toward herself.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, she slammed her lips on his, kissing him to her relish.

"Moana, watch yourself!" I yelled in anger at the fact that she would do this to me.

I was about to drag her away from him but then I got the shock of my life.

My mate held onto Moana and kissed her with so much passion.

The love and rapport between them weren't to be denied and I staggered, in shock.

My heart thudded in my chest and I almost fell to my knees.

"What is going on here?" I asked, in a shaky tone as I pointed at Moana and my mate.

However, my words were paid on deaf ears as they continued to do their thing.

Looking around, no one was surprised by their actions and I looked like a fool. I was clueless and hurt. My heart seared in pain but then I needed answers.

"Get away from him, Moana!" I yelled, in anger as my strong hands wound around my stepsister. Swiftly, I drew her away from my mate and guided him, with my hands spread wide.

He was mine!

"Why? Do you think you have found your mate, huh? He is mine! The Alpha has always been mine before you got here! You cannot take him away from me!" She yelled back at me and my head rang painfully.

"What are you saying? You are not mated to him! The Moon Goddess has caused us to be together." I said, trying to counter her words but then I wasn't so sure myself.

I realized I was mated to the Alpha of the Pack. Alpha Howard. It had been so long since I last saw him and he changed so much.

He looked so manly now and I wanted him all to myself.

"Alpha Howard..." I called out, turning away from Moana to look at him.

However, he looked back at me, with a neutral expression. The loving look in his eyes when he looked at me, earlier, was gone.

At this, I could hear my heart breaking into pieces. If he didn't love me, what does that mean?

However, I wasn't going to jump to a conclusion.

"You are my mate, Howard. Please, say something." I said, in a pleading tone. I was a mess right now, even though I still looked composed.

However, I just wanted Howard to say the word. To claim me as his and nothing else.

The whole hall was bathed with tension and I waited desperately for his words. But as the seconds passed by and he looked at me, with no emotions, my hope diminished.

"I'm not yours, Daciana!" He said and immediately, the whole hall went into an uproar.

I couldn't believe my ears. He was the same person who had called me his mate. Just a while ago, I had envisioned our future together. What is happening now?

"You can't do this to me, Howard! The Moon Goddess has fated for us to be together. Do you get it?" I asked, in a loud tone. The mocking murmurs of the Pack members were flowing into my head. I was starting to feel really conscious of myself.

I never knew everyone looked down on me so much. The embarrassment and emerging pain in my heart were too much and tears started to pool in my eyes.

Seeing my state, Moana burst into a peal of mocking laughter while she walked toward Howard. Her eyes shone with pride as she linked her arm with his.

The sight of them being closed, burned into my heart and soul.

My wolf had gone silent, suddenly, afraid of what was likely to happen. A sudden sense of fear overwhelmed me as I had heard brutal stories of rejection. Was it about to happen to me as well?

"Tell her, Howard. Tell her you love me and not her. You have chosen me and not her." I heard Moana say and my head snapped to look at Howard.

Was he really going to say those words to me? Was he going to be led by the nose by Moana who had hated me all her life?

"Please, don't do this..." I said in a pleading tone but it didn't look like he was ready to listen to my pleas. Looking at both of them all tangled together, I just wanted to tear them apart! But before I could do that, Howard spoke up.

"I love Moana, and not you." His words resonated through the whole hall and there were silent cheers from almost everyone.

It was like a dream as the mocking laughter of my stepmother flowed into my ears.

How could everyone be so twisted?! The sacredness of having a mate was being demeaned.

"I, Alpha Howard, reject you, Daciana Whitemane, as my mate!" Howard declared and I felt a sudden blow in my heart. Our connection was severed immediately and it felt like my life force was cut off.

My legs quivered and I fell to my knees, in shock.

I came home for a better life but the Moon Goddess threw me a wrecking ball. My tears flowed like an ocean as I realized I was only surrounded by pain, shame, mockery, and hatred.

My last chance at experiencing love was thwarted.

I was hurt and devastated while everyone looked at me, mockingly.

___

The party continued while I was left in the corner to while away my sorrows.

Everyone carried on and they were merry. I was left to drown in my sorrows and I couldn't take it. The star of the party was drinking herself into a stupor.

It was a pathetic sight to behold but then I couldn't think of anything else.

The pain in my heart was too great.

"It hurts..." I said to my wolf, the only one who was still with me. However, it didn't seem so. My wolf had retreated into the deepest recess of my mind.

I was too incompetent to secure our mate's love.

"I hate you, Moana!" I said, through gritted teeth as I looked at her clinging to Alpha Howard while she had a conversation with my father.

I realized she had taken everything away from me.

My father!

The affection I had for him!

My mate!

At this point, my heart couldn't contain the hatred I had toward Moana as well as Ava.

I was determined to bring her down with me as well. I wouldn't be the only one to suffer the embarrassment alone.

Immediately I stood up to my feet, I marched toward her and Howard, screaming her name, with so much anger.

"Moana! You are going down with me!" I yelled, not caring about what anyone would think.

She had a champagne glass in hand which she sipped from, occasionally.

Her hands shook visibly as I walked toward her.

"What are you doing? Are you out of your mind, Daciana?" I heard Ava yell but I paid deaf ears to her words.

I didn't care if everyone looked at me like I had gone crazy.

However, what happened in the next second was unexpected and the whole place went into total shock.

Suddenly, Moana's body shook and the champagne glass in her hand fell to the ground. Its content splashed all over as the glass shards flew all over the place. Her body swayed lightly and she started to fall. I was quick to halt my steps, to protect myself from injury.

"Moana!" I heard Howard yell in panic as he caught her in his arms.

"Pain..." Moana let out a low tone, however, her shaky voice was heard by everyone and we were thrown into confusion.

"What is wrong with you? Are you okay?" I heard Howard shout as everyone rushed toward them. However, I still stood aside in shock at what was happening.

How could Moana feel pain all of a sudden?