Chapter one: Dianna's Point Of View

In life I have come to realize that there is no right or wrong, there are only victors and victims. When one is powerful enough, changing the rules of the world is done at the slip of their fingers, the powerless and the weak ones have no right to justices. I stared at my reflection as it reflected on the river where I was sitting and tried to think how I would have looked if not for this curse placed on me by my mother. The mindset of the men in this world is that when you have strength that means you are powerful.

The strongest and powerful Alphas will have the largest and fruitful Pack because they are the ones that control the largest number of people.

For women, they believed that beauty is power for finding a mate, and beautiful female mates bring good luck to the Pack. Imagine how devastated I feel as being regarded as the ugliest and unwanted member in the Pack I belon.

"Dianna," I heard someone call my name. Although I don't have a beautiful face, but my hearing is better than all of them all. I was sitting at the river bank that is very far from the Pack so that I can have peace of mind.

"Dianna," the person called me again and I kept wondering how I have a beautiful name like mine and yet have a despicable face. Once again I looked at my reflection on the river and my face was covered with blisters and that made it impossible for people to see my purple eyes. I stood up and picked my scarf and used it to cover hair as well as my face before heading back to the Pack.

"Where did you go?" Ma'am Flora shouted at me. Ma'am Flora is the Matron of Dark Wood Pack and also in charge of me. She is the only one that was willing to accommodate me because she needed helper.

"Ma'am, I needed some time alone that's why I went out," I replied with my face bowed down. I guess I should be happy because she is the only one who can accommodate a wretched girl like me.

"Go to the kitchen and make food for dinner, the Alpha will soon be back."

Although the Dark Wood Pack is not among the strongest and powerful Pack in the werewolf kingdom, it is very peaceful here. But sometimes they turned their back on the wretched ones. My happiness is that all those powerful Packs have no interest in them.

Beatrice and her friend walked past me and they laughed at me. Honestly I envy them because they are so beautiful and their faces look so smooth. They only cross my path when they want to tease me.

I got to the kitchen and I met Jackson, he was busy cutting the bush meat they got from hunting. Jackson is a widower and he is the only one that treats me lovingly. His wife had already died before I came to live in the Dark Wood Pack.

"My dear don't mind Madam Flora, you know how she is." Jackson said and I managed to smile and start preparing food for dinner.

Every family in the Pack lives in their own house and manages it. I was the slave to the Alpha and his family. Ma'am Flora is the Pack Matron and she is in charge of the kitchen as well. In any events or ceremony that involves the whole Pack gathering together, she will be the one that takes care of the food alongside with other females in the Pack.

I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when I heard the voice of Alpha Edward and his two sons returning home. Damon is the one that will take over as an Alpha from his father but if that happens the whole Pack will be in a mess because he is so proud, arrogant and as well as a womanizer. But Devan is a very simple and quiet gentle man that believes in the saying that actions speak louder than words. I have this feeling that jealous of his brother Damon and wishes he could be the next Alpha but that is impossible because Damon is the one with Alpha gene.

According to the custom, it is the gene that determines the Alpha as the strongest member of a Pack. The gene is always passed from the current Alpha to the next Alpha but not necessarily that it will be the first son. Sometimes it can be given to any of his sons. Forcefully one can take it by killing the Alpha and drinks his blood but who will ever dare to challenge the Alpha, his strength supersedes his subjects.

"Welcome home my sons" Luna Bianca said as she came out to welcome her sons and husband.

I pepe through the kitchen window to get a clear view of Luna Bianca. Oh my goodness, she is so beautiful and she looks like she hasn't aged at all. Alpha is the strength of a Pack while Luna is the Pack jewel.

"Tell me how the meeting went?" She asked as they all went inside the house.

It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop on their conversation but I couldn't with my super hearing gift.

"Our Pack has been chosen to host the coming event," Alpha Edward said before getting into the house. Immediately I understood his statement because once in a year they usually had adulthood ceremony. This is the ceremony where all unmated would gather with the hope of finding their mate.

Every wolf was destined to have a mate that's why they all gather every year in the adulthood ceremony to find their mates. They also believe that anyone unmated that's unable to find a mate after the age of thirty years should forget having a mate. The person is then subjected to arranged marriage because they believe there is no need for such people finding a mate in their life.

This is the first time the adulthood ceremony will be hosted in the Dark Wood Pack and I am glad because it is also the first coming of age ceremony I will be attending.

I am already twenty-three yet they never allowed me to attend the adulthood ceremony hosted in another Pack because they want to hide the shame of harbouring someone like me living in their Pack.

"So you are not done with cooking," Ma'am Flora came to where I was and forcefully dragged me by my ear. I don't know where she gets her strength from even though she has small body stature. It is believed that wolves are known for their super strength but I am below average of their strengths.

"I am very sorry Ma'am Flora, the food will be ready in a minute," I replied with my head facing down, she just clicked her tongue and left.

I relaxed a bit as she left and I started thinking how my life would be if our Pack was never attacked.

I was only ten years old when the incident happened and I don't really remember most of the things that happened during the attack. The only thing I can remember was my mother taking me to the river that's behind our Pack and cast a spell that only a few Lunas have access to it.

"Everything will be fine when you find him," my mother said and asked me to run and never looked back. I did exactly what she told me. I was lost and all alone in the desert until Alpha Edward saw me and decided to bring me to his Pack.

When we got to the Pack and washed my face and he discovered that my blisters were permanent, from that spot he regretted his decision of bringing me to the Pack.

Already I knew that it was the spell my mother did that caused the blisters on my face but I can't tell them or even let them know that I came from the Blue Rock Pack that was among the strongest Pack that got destroyed.

I was jerked out of my thoughts when ma'am Flora entered the kitchen and told me to serve the food. Thank goodness she didn't notice that I was lost in thought. I dished out the food and we took it to the Alpha Edward dining room. They were already seated at the dining table cracking jokes and laughing as well as making plans on how the upcoming ceremony would be.

"Tell me, is there any special reason they decided to choose our Pack?" Luna Bianca asked. Carefully I placed the food on the dining table and prayed not to make any mistake, then as quietly as I could.

"They choose our Pack because that is the only way to bring the Emperor of the South to appear." Alpha Edward replied.

It is very understandable since almost everyone knows the Emperor of the South. He is the only Alpha that is addressed as the Emperor and his pack as Empire. I also heard that he is so vast and very strong in the sense that some Alphas pay homage to him.

"But wait, how does hosting the ceremony in our Pack make it possible for him to appear? Luna Bianca asked again.

"If the adulthood ceremony is hosted in one of the big Packs and he attends it, they will take it to their advantage as well as when it is hosted in a small Pack, it will be below his standard. In this case, our Pack is the best option." Alpha Edward said as they all started eating.

"Dianna," this would be the first adulthood ceremony you will attend? Beatrice asked and I looked up to see her mocking gaze towards me.

"Yes," I humbly answered.

"That's too bad for you because you will still not be among the participants," Beatrice said and my eyes widened. I looked at Alpha Edward hoping he would say anything but he kept mute.

"But why won't I attend the ceremony?" I asked as my heart already felt crushed.

"It is very obvious, you won't be attending the ceremony because you are a wretched girl." Beatrice said as she started eating her food.

"Or do you want to bring disgrace to the Dark Wood Pack? It is obvious that your mate will reject you because of the blisters on your face." She smirked and I felt downgraded and wised I could squeeze her mouth.

"Beatrice that is enough, you can leave us now," Alpha Edward said and obediently I left the dining room.

I came outside and saw some of the Pack female warriors busy with their duties. I envy and admire them so much and if not for me having the lowest strength in the Pack I would have loved to join them.

Immediately, I saw Gabu passing by and he looked at me and I nearly melted. Although he hasn't talked to me for once, he smiled each time he saw me as a gesture of acknowledgement. My heart beat increased and the thought of how wonderful it would be if Gabu was my mate.

"You will be fine when you meet him," that's my mother's words and it echoes in my head and I wonder who she was referring to.

"Stop daydreaming and face the reality, you are not even fit to be a Beta mate mistress let alone an Alpha." Maya said. Maya has always carried herself with pride and believes that she will be mated with a powerful Alpha and now she is convinced that Gabu is the one meant for her. I already knew she is wishing for Gabu to be her mate but sometimes you don't get something just by wishing alone.

"I think you need that kind of advice more than me," I said. Even though I may be ugly but I have allowed any members of the Pack to mess with me.

"You know I have hope and you that I am very sure you will be rejected by your mate," she scoffed and walked away.

The fear of being rejected by my mate has always lived with me because I have heard stories of how some people were rejected by their mate.