Serene’s POV

“Wolves are no different from cats. If they spot a defect in one of their own, they’ll eliminate it on the spot,” said one of the she-wolves, glancing at me with a scornful look.

I just glanced back briefly, then stood up, slung my bag over my shoulder, and walked away. I could still hear their whispers.

A bastard...

Defective...

A trash...

I wasn’t surprised by their words because it was all true.

I am indeed a bastard. The result of a brief affair between my father—the alpha of one of the strongest packs, renowned and respected—and my mother, a pure human. I never knew the details of their whirlwind romance, other than the fact that I was among werewolves who—even if they never said it out loud—always looked down on me.

My father and stepmother treated me well, it seemed. However, of course, the fact that I was the result of my father’s betrayal couldn’t be denied.

My mother is an alcoholic—I don’t know since when. She handed me over to Dad so I could live in the pack with a group of creatures who were different from me, which made me never feel like I belonged—I couldn’t run fast, shift, or even fight.

That’s how I came to understand why, even though my mom and Dad once had a one-night stand, Dad never even considered bringing her into his life.

My stepmother remains the most important person to him, and when I see how my father acts within the family—as a husband who loves his wife and a father who loves his children—I understand why, even though he was ever betraying her, my stepmother still accepts him.

My stepmother, Luna of the Night Hunter Pack, was an elegant, composed woman who always spoke to me in a gentle tone. Yet behind her beautiful eyes lay a wound, as if she were holding back the voices that said I was born of her husband's infidelity and unworthy of her acceptance.

“Have you heard from Dad?” my stepsister asked, but I shook my head.

“What news? If it’s about the pack, I don’t think I’ll be involved. I’m not a she-wolf. I’m just a weak human who’ll eventually be a burden, so it’d be better if they gathered worthy candidates,” I replied, and that was indeed the case.

Humans, even with alpha blood flowing through their veins, will still remain human—without special abilities or physical strength, without a wolf spirit, and not equipped with the ability to communicate with other pack members with a mind-link.

I’m not even sure if I have a mate like most werewolves do.

“This isn’t about the warriors’ activities,” my stepsister said again. “It’s about something else that I think will still involve you.”

I didn’t rush to respond, but instead pondered what kind of activity might require my presence. My stepsister had never been hostile toward me, though she wasn’t exactly close friends with me either. She was simply as kind as any sister should be. Beyond that, she had a world of her own.

She was the pack’s pride and joy as a Luna-in-training and was always the talk of the town. The she-wolves wanted to be her friends, and the male wolves were eager to have her as a lover or mate.

However, my stepsister never let that kind of popularity bother her.

“I’ll wait for Dad to tell me himself. If he doesn’t say anything, it means I don’t have to go,” I finally replied, then stepped into my room to pack the things I’d deliberately set aside in case I ever got the chance to escape from this place.

I’ve already submitted applications to several universities and am just waiting to hear which ones have accepted me.

My eyes fell on the passport tucked between my shirts in the suitcase, and I was putting it away when my stepsister walked in without knocking.

She stared for a long time at the suitcase I’d managed to hide away, then turned to me and looked deeply into my eyes. There was no exaggerated reaction from her—just a silence that actually made me realize she might have seen something she wasn’t supposed to find.

“What were you hiding just now, Serene? Why did you seem so afraid I’d see it? Let me see it,” she said.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Serene... give it to me or I tell Dad about that. You know, if Dad sees that, you’re done for.”

"It's nothing. Just say, what's wrong with you coming again?" I asked. Slowly, I breathed a sigh of relief as she no longer urged me.

“What are you doing? Dad’s calling us,” she said.

“Dad? Are you sure he’s calling me too? Didn’t you just say...”

“Do you think I’m lying? Hurry, before he gets upset.”

I hurried to follow my stepsister into the conference room. There, Dad’s gaze immediately fell on us. He motioned for us to sit not far from him.

“Since everyone is here, I’ll begin today’s meeting,” he said. “I’ve just received bad news from The Crownlands of Innsbruck: a war between packs is underway and has caused damage in several regions. They’re having trouble resolving the issue due to a lack of moderation among the packs. So, as the central leadership, they need our help.”

The commotion from the members and elders present caused Dad to pause for a moment. He let everyone discuss the matter and draw their own conclusions. However, once the voices had died down, he spoke again.

“Fortunately, not all members will be leaving. More precisely, they’re only expecting the alpha descendants to attend as candidates to help them build diplomacy and alliances.” He paused for a moment, but during that brief silence, I grew anxious.

There’s no way I’m one of the ones they’re expecting, right?

“They want descendants who are competent in this field and who are also prepared to be true warriors before taking over leadership in their respective packs,” he added.

Good… I’m not one of them. Humans couldn’t possibly handle anything related to werewolf world. I’m clearly incompetent. Obviously, they wouldn’t want to accept me.

“But don’t they also hope for an alliance between packs?” one of the elders we knew as the pack’s chief advisor interjected.

Dad nodded. “Yes, and they hope that among the candidates we send, there will be one who meets the criteria to become the mate of the alpha prince—who has been waiting nine years for his mate but has yet to find her.”

Once again, a buzz of voices could be heard, especially from the she-wolves. I never knew the prince they were talking about or what he looked like. However, judging by the way they discussed it, it seemed they wanted a piece of the action.

“That’s only for Alpha descendants, remember!” snapped one of the she-wolves. “We’re not included in that, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Yeah, besides, the Alpha prince is a picky one. He won’t accept us if he doesn’t sense a mate sign,” another added.

Well… I certainly didn’t expect to be one of the candidates, let alone the mate of that picky man. My presence would only bring shame to my family and the pack. Besides, Dad would surely be wise enough not to involve me.

“Aren’t you interested?” asked a voice. It belonged to one of the friendliest elders I’d ever met in the pack. While everyone else looked at me with disdain, he always offered a friendly smile.

I shook my head in response to his question. “I’m a human; I’m not fit to take part. Especially when it comes to the issue of mates. Humans don’t get mates. Right?”

He smiled. “There was once a gamma who got a human mate. He became very possessive and protective,” he said. "And also more powerfull."

“Aren’t male wolves always protective of their mates?” I asked.

“Yes, but if he’s an alpha, that protection is multiplied many times over for his mate. Especially if his mate is a human. To them, humans are fragile creatures, so it’s their duty to always protect them.”

That’s terrifying. What kind of life can you build with that kind of attachment? Isn’t love supposed to be about more than just dominance?

Protection… what on earth would happen to the human who becomes his mate that he’d have to protect her so fiercely—which, to me, seems like a ridiculous form of restriction?

“You’ll understand later when you find your mate,” he added.

Well, that’s never going to happen. Before that happens, I’ll already be in another country pursuing my education in design. I’ll start my career after graduation and build a good life for myself, with or without a mate.

Not in a place where I’m not supposed to be.

“I’ve already chosen a few who’ll be leaving. This is Carter, my son.” Dad finally said, turned to Carter, then to Camilla. “And you, Cam.”

Hearing that, Camilla, my stepsister, nodded listlessly. As for me, I immediately let out a sigh of relief. Dad has already got the candidate, so he definitely won't give me a second glance.

“And I’ve also settled one issue that’s been a point of contention in our pack lately—regarding the status of humans with werewolf ancestry. They’re still recognized. So, Serene…” Dad turned to me. “At the Alpha King’s request, you must go with your brother and sister to be a candidate for the Alpha lineage.”