TANA'S P.O.V.

　　"Hurry up!" I heard my mother yell from outside but all my thoughts were surrounded by the man I love the most - my father, but unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to attend my biggest day and walk me down the aisle like any father would.

　　Wiping the tears that threatened to roll off my cheek, I walked out of the room with a bright smile on my face. I wish he was here, but he wouldn't want me to be sad about him being gone forever.

　　Mother looked at me in awe as I walked down the stairs, and she hugged me tightly before letting go.

　　"You look lovely." She gave out a smile, but I could see the sadness deep within her eyes.

　　"Dad would have said, never let a single tear ruin the happiness of the entire day." She let out a laugh as she wiped it away.

　　"He will be so proud after all, now let's get you married because he begins to communicate from the heavens."

　　"That's impossible!" We both laughed before getting into the car, and we were on the way to the altar.

　　Finally, we arrived at the wedding venue. My heart was racing as I thought about our lovemaking the previous night. I couldn't forget how he brought me to this room, carried me to the bed, and stripped me naked, in the most romantic way ever.

　　The way he grabbed my boobs and pressed them tenderly in his hands was so pleasurable. He made love to me with care after I told him that it was my first time.

　　The memory of the romantic night I had spent with Philip was burned into my mind, a treasured moment I knew I would never forget. Even as I stood at the altar, dressed in my wedding gown, I couldn't stop thinking about how he had made me feel so special, so loved. I remembered the way he had looked at me, the way his hands had felt on my skin and the soft words he had whispered in my ear. It was a night that had changed everything, and I knew I would never be the same. He had made me feel like the most special person in the world and I was eager to say yes I do on the altar.

　　As I stood at the altar, waiting for him to arrive, I noticed something was off. Philip's aura was different, his expression solemn and distant. Gone was the romantic smile that I remembered from the night before, replaced by a fierce look. A shiver ran down my spine as I wondered what could have changed his mood so drastically. Did he regret what had happened between us? Had he only been pretending to care for me the night before? The questions swirled in my head as the priest cleared his throat, bringing me back to the present moment. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off my doubts and focus on the ceremony.

　　"Say your vows" The pastor urged me as I looked into his eyes through the thin layer of veil covering my face.

　　"I take you as my husband. To have and to hold, until death do us part. I give you my hand to be your kin and your love. Loving what I know of you and trusting what I don't yet know, I give you my hand. I give you my love. I give you myself, the good, the bad, and the yet to come." I smiled, but his expression didn't change, what world has he gotten himself into?

　　"Your vows?" The pastor turned to Philip, but he looked him dead in the eyes with no emotion written on his face.

　　"I'm not saying any vows" My body remained frozen as I was driven into shock by his words and I could hear the whispers from the crowd, but my attention was fully on him

　　I opened my veil to look at him, but his face remained emotionless like he didn't just cause a commotion he shouldn't

　　"This must certainly be some joke…" I spoke lowly as I got closer to him, "... Philip, what are you…"

　　"I'm not saying any vows and that's it" He snarled towards me which made me take a few steps back with tears slowly filling my eyes.

　　"She's using the mate bond against him!" I heard Veronica's voice from the crowd as she suddenly began to cry.

　　"What the hell are you talking about?!" I tried to walk to her, but my mother held me back, which made me stop.

　　"Tana knew Philip and I were in a relationship and now she's not only using the mate bond to take away the man I love, she also wants to render my unborn child fatherless!" I looked at my step-sister in disbelief and I looked back at Philip who now looked angry.

　　"What the hell is she talking about, Philip? We are mated to one another and just like always, we were meant to get married, why is Veronica…"

　　"This is what I'm talking about. Everyone looked at her. She knew Philip had marked me that's why she is behaving like this" Veronica directs everyone's attention towards me "... She's at it again. Philip has no choice, he loves me, but he would rather not cause her pain with the mate bond. Philip is so kind-hearted yet she chooses to be self-centered about the situation." Veronica fell to the ground and right before my eyes, Philip began to walk down the stairs, but I held him, and he yanked his hands out of mine while looking at me with an angry face.

　　"Don't you dare touch me again" He growled, and I watched him walk toward Veronica

　　My heartbeat increased the more I looked at what was happening, it was more like a dream, but it was happening way too fast for me to understand

　　All this while I had thought we were in love, considering what had happened last night, it was the best night of my life, and he claimed the same, and out of the blue he was in love with Veronica, and they were having a child?

　　"This isn't true, Veronica, tell them the truth!" I snapped at her, but all she did was cry more and more into Philip's arms.

　　"Enough!" Philip snapped, making me jump "... This wedding and everything that is going on in the place is being canceled, everyone go home, there's no more weddings!"

　　"Philip you just can't do…"

　　"I said enough." He stood up on his feet and gently picked Veronica into his arms, "... Let's get out of here, sweetheart"

　　"Philip…"

　　"Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Taking a pregnant woman's husband" The crowd began to throw words as tears rolled down my eyes and my mum grabbed my hands before guiding me out.

　　Was this truly the wedding of my dreams?

TANA'S P.O.V.

　　It's been three days since the incident in the church, but I couldn't do anything but cry in my bed all day. My mother had knocked on my door several times, hell she had even threatened to break the door down, but I didn't pay any attention to anything she said.

　　I looked at my father's photo and the pain in my heart increased. We were mates, we loved each other more than anything, what the hell was Veronica doing that Philip was memorized by?

　　I thought that everything I had done just to keep Philip with the wedding was the key for us to be marked and mated to one another, yet the wedding was easily broken off like it didn't matter at all.

　　"Are you still grumpy?" I heard a familiar voice and without thinking twice I flipped the blanket off me and unlocked the door, revealing Jennifer, "… Jeez! You look…" I wrapped my hands around her neck as I hugged her while the tears continued to pour out.

　　"I can't do this anymore" My voice was cracked as she walked inside the room and I heard the door close

　　"I don't think I can hold your weight any longer" She mumbled and dropped my legs on the floor still holding on to her, "… Tell me, what happened?" She whispered in my ears and I gently pulled away as I wiped away the tears.

　　Jennifer could attend the wedding because she wasn't in the pack, and she wasn't even aware it was going on, but she's the only friend who could look me dead in the eyes and know something was wrong

　　"It's Philip"

　　"Philip? Did he… Did he reject you?" She asked with her eyes widened, and I could see the fear in them.

　　"No, that's not it. I'm sorry I couldn't inform you because you were far away, but I was meant to get married three days ago but…" I trailed off as I took a deep breath, "… But at the wedding, Philip refused to say his vows, and suddenly Veronica made a fuss about her and Philip being in a relationship and being pregnant"

　　"That's impossible, you and Philip love each other"

　　"That's what I thought, but it didn't seem like it" She wiped the tears from my eyes as she looked at me in the eyes and put a hand against my cheek

　　"I know you and Philip truly love each other. Veronica is up to something and I don't understand why she acts like a sister sometimes and suddenly changes, but you need to fight for your mate, no one should be coming between you both. Come on, get dressed" She pulled me up and pushed me towards the bathroom, which made me smile.

　　She was right

　　Giving up Philip for Veronica was not an option, if Veronica wanted to be stupid and think she could take my mate away from me, then I had to teach her a lesson, pregnant or not

　　I immediately freshened up before getting dressed in the clothes she picked out, and I headed towards the alpha's home, I knew Philip was home, moreover, he barely goes anywhere

　　"Win him back, no matter what" Jennifer hugged me before walking towards her home, while I walked into the mansion

　　I noticed the look people were giving me around the house, but I wasn't concerned about that, he was my mate, and I wasn't letting him go with my step-sister no matter what. I walked towards his office and opened it, but I was stunned to see Veronica sitting on the couch with a frown on her face.

　　"What the hell are you doing here after what you've done?" I looked at her in disbelief as I shut the door.

　　"What have I done? Veronica, I have no interest in you or whatever you wish to do in your life, but Philip is my mate. You dared to interrupt my wedding because you slept with another woman's mate, and then you got pregnant! That shows how much of a whore you just are…"

　　"Don't you dare…."

　　"But of course! It's Veronica, she's the sweet little daughter of Beta Andrew. No one will see her fault, but you need to know that I'm also our father's daughter!"

　　"I'm a child from the mate bond between him and my mother, but you are nothing but a replacement" I looked at her curiously and I could see she wasn't going to give up

　　"You are not…" A slap across my face made my mouth shut within an instant and when I raised my hands she caught it and twisted it which made me scream.

　　"Do not be so naive, Tana. I'm far stronger than you!" She growled at my face, and she pushed me to the ground, and out of the blue I felt a whip against my back which made me scream more.

　　"You will not…" She punched me in the face and my vision became blurrier than before, I couldn't keep up with her throwing things at my face.

　　I grabbed her hand as she tried to punch me again and pushed her away from him, and she suddenly pulled out a dagger which made me gasp, there was no way I was going to escape from this place, she was against the door, and blocking my exit

　　"You might be his mate, but you are nothing but a cheap side chick, I bet you claimed to have the best night of your life before the wedding but sweetie, it was all planned" My eyes widened as I looked at her in disbelief

　　"You weren't the one in bed with him, so you have… Have you lost your mind!" I watched as she cut her arm with the dagger and fell to the ground.

　　"Not really…" She began to cry, and the door opened revealing Philip and I realized it was a trap "... I told you I wasn't safe anywhere close to her and now look what she has done to me" Philip looked at me and I could see the clear anger in his eyes.

　　"Get the hell out of here, Tana"

　　"She's lying she did that…" I was suddenly pinned against the wall by him and I struggled to breathe "... Philip… Please"

　　"Silence!" He growled in my face, "... I've had enough of you and from now henceforth, you are forever banished from this pack and I reject you as my mate" He threw me out of the room as pain pierced into my heart.

Tana's POV.

　　I couldn't hide the disbelief look in my eyes as he stared at him in utter shock. Shaking my head in disagreement, I parted my lips to speak. "please, Philip. Don't… do this," I could barely breathe as I gasped in pain. My throat felt like it was on fire, an unquenchable fire. He growled, and his eyes darkened as he tightened his hold as if he were still being lenient.

　　Behind him, I could see Veronica smiling ruefully. She seemed quite pleased with the sudden declaration. I wanted to beg, but I could barely breathe and the blood in my body slowly turned cold, and my heart beat faster within my left breast.

　　Fear grasped my heart and tears stung my eyes as I tried to wiggle free from his stronghold but it was obviously impossible to break free from him. However, how could I overpower an alpha?

　　I knew she wouldn't bother to interfere, as she derived joy from the pain I felt. My vision slowly became blurry and my fear increased. I was scared to die, I couldn't die this way.

　　Just when I thought it was the end, he pulled me from the wall and pushed me down on the cold floor harshly. I fell back with a groan before I choked and coughed as I quickly gasped. I lifted my teary eyes to look at him as he stood above me with a solemn expression.

　　I felt so vulnerable under his scrutinizing gaze. He shifted his gaze to someone, and the cold look in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with an affectionate look. I watched as he walked towards Veronica, who still sat on the floor with a painful expression.

　　She hissed when he touched her injured hand as he lifted her up carefully. The way he handled her with so much care hurt me more than the pain he afflicted on me just now. I felt like smacking the pitiful look off her face as she shifted her gaze to me.

　　She suddenly pulled herself from his embrace and stalked towards me with a fake facade. "What have you done to deserve such brutality from you? Isn't it enough that you almost stole the man I love? Why are you so evil that you wish to hurt a pregnant woman? I took you as my sister-" she started, but I caught her off.

　　"We aren't sisters," I muttered with a raspy voice.

　　She snorted indignantly. "We might not be that close, but I love you," she said venomously, through gritty teeth.

　　I almost spat blood upon hearing her statement. "Where is the love you claim you have? You stole my mate, and you slept with him behind my back. And don't think there's the word sister in your dictionary because then you'll know and value the meaning?" I snapped, but a cold chill ran down my spine when I felt a cold glare from behind her.

　　Turning to look at the source, I found Philip glaring daggers at me. He walked towards me so hastily, before I could fathom his next move, he pulled me by the hair and jerked me up effortlessly as he dragged me towards the door.

　　He pulled the door up and tossed me on the floor like something disposable. His bloodshot eyes stared at me as he called. "Guards!"

　　A moment after, I heard feet ensuing towards me. The guards bow in respect.

　　"Take her outside," he ordered without a hint of reluctance. The guards roughly dragged me outside, holding me by the arms with a punishing grip.

　　"Tana!" I heard my mother's voice from close by. I turned to look at her as she ran towards me. I noticed the onlookers gathering around to witness the scene. I heard murmurs from close by.

　　"Tana, what's going on? Why are they holding you?" My mother inquired as she neared. I could hear the fear in her voice as she asked. I knew she was scared, wondering what had occurred before this outcome.

　　"Philip… he…" my voice broke as I tried to make a coherent word. It just hurts, thinking about everything that has conspired to this moment. How do I tell my mother that her only daughter was going to be exiled from the pack and would be a rogue?

　　The news would likely break her apart. I knew I was the only reason she had been enduring the thorns and snares in this pack. I was the only reason she breathed and lived.

　　"Come on, talk to me, tana. Why are you even here? Why did you come here?" She asked desperately for an answer. Her gaze fell on my neck, and she gasped in shock, seeing the bruises inflicted by Philip.

　　"Tana, you're no longer allowed into this pack. You're exiled from this pack and this should be the last time I see you in this pack," he declared in front of everyone.

　　I could hear gasps and whispers that erupted from the crowd gathered around. Veronica was right beside him and her wound was already dressed. My gaze shifted to another person beside her, and it was none other than her grandmother, Rachel. She smirked at the sight of me being so vulnerable and helpless.

　　"Oh dear, isn't that too hard for her? I mean, I understand that she committed an abominable crime by trying to hurt my granddaughter and her sister. And such an act should be intolerable and unforgivable," Rechel started with a pitiful expression.

　　I could barely believe my ears. Was she trying to reason with him, or was further fanning the flames?

　　However, she continued with her pretense. "But can you please reconsider it? I think you should give her another child, she's after all young and naive, but if you feel this is the best for the pack, then I won't interfere."

　　I blinked in disbelief after hearing her ridiculous comment. Veronica used the opportunity to chime in with a pitiful look as well. "Yes, my love. I know you're trying to protect me, but she isn't worth your time. I would rather not pay evil for evil," she added.

　　Philip clenched his jaw as he stared at me with so much hate. "I can't temper justice with mercy. She crossed the line the moment she tried to hurt you. If she has forgotten her place, then I've taken it upon myself to bring her to her place which is under you. For that reason, I won't renounce my declaration." He snapped.

　　"No!" My mother yelled, running towards Philip, but the guard held her back before she could take another step closer to him. "No, please. Don't do this to her, please," she cried, falling to her knees in tears. She rubbed her hands in front of her while pleading.

　　"I know she did bad by coming here, but she would never hurt you and Veronica in any way. She must've come here to seek answers, since you left her without a proper explanation for everything. Please try to understand her, everything happened so suddenly, she never meant to cause you pain in any way and if she did unknowingly, please for my sake forgive her. Don't let my only daughter go rogue, please. I'll do whatever you want but spare her this last time. She'll never disturb you again, promise," she croaked.

　　I felt weak, watching as my mother begged unceasingly. She looked so weak and helpless, with her only hope on Philip for him to reconsider.

　　However, he looked adamant. "She defied the leader of the pack the moment she tried to break into my home and hurt Veronica. I'm being benevolent enough to cast her out of the pack without sentencing her to death. I can easily ask for her execution, for her to be beheaded, and her head served on a golden platter to Veronica." He drawled.

　　My mother trembled in utter fear as she looked at him. She shook her head. "Please, this is nothing less than killing her. She'll die out there in this cold winter. She has no one to guide her, nowhere to go," she reasoned.

　　He snorted angrily. "She deserves what awaits here out there," he muttered coldly with visible disdain in his eyes. I shudder in both shock and fright. I had never expected him to be this heartless and cold. I had always viewed him as a gentle, kind and thoughtful man.

　　"Take her further to the edge of the forest and prepare the potion," he ordered solemnly and servants, who heard his commanding tone, shivered before rushing to carry out his order.

　　The guards pulled me roughly. The sharp edges of the rocks cut through my skin as they dragged me even on the floor whenever I fell weakling, unable to bear the weight of my body with my wobbling legs.

　　Laughs of mockery from the crowd, and I could see them watching in glee.

　　The branches dug into my skin as they dragged me through the forest until we got to the edge.

　　"Here, take this," the guard passed the potion to me. I took it with trembling hands.

　　"Drink that and end the mate bond we share. I no longer want you as my mate." Philip spoke as I stared at the potion.

　　I turned to look at him and saw Veronica in his arms, looking at me with contempt. The sheer anger and pain made my blood boil in anger. I clenched my fists tightly as I stared at him. I didn't deserve this, I didn't deserve such ill-treatment from them.

　　I was already hurt by my father's death, and this only increased the pain in my heart.

　　"I reject you, Philip, as my mate." I whispered before taking the potion without further delay. I would rather die than be his mate, even in my next life. I saw the flash of shock and disbelief in his eyes.

　　I drowned the whole content down my throat before looking at him with hate, not minding the bitter taste as I tried not to grimace. I stared at him with a frown, and he seemed shocked, but suddenly, I winced in pain. The pain felt like my inside was being turned inside out. I fell to the ground in pain as the guard let go of me.

　　I tried to fight the pain as I looked at Philip, his face was equally distorted in pain. "Leave the pack for good," he muttered, trying so hard to conceal the pain.

　　"No, I won't let you take my daughter away from me. You will regret this, I promise, no let go of me!" she yelled as Veronica pulled her away. I slowly stood up, mouthing I love you to her before walking away without glancing back.

Tana's POV

　　I dragged my feet through the thick forest covered with snow. Looking up, I stared at the sky as snow fell down gently. My gaze moved to the wilderness before me. My body was burning from the pain, and the pain shot deep within my body. I tried to fight it, but my attempt was futile, and slowly I fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

　　My heart felt like it was about to explode as it beat two times faster than it was supposed to. I tried to pull my weak body up into a standing position, but every time I tried, I fell back on the ground weakly. My vision became blurry and I finally resorted to crawling on the rocky ground, my knees bled from the continuously cutting from the rocks and branches.

　　If this was my punishment for my wrongdoings in my previous life, then I would willingly accept it unquestionably, but I promised not to let them win, Philip and Veronica would never get the satisfaction of hearing of my death in this cold wilderness.

　　I groaned again as I felt something weird, as if my insides were being twisted. I spat blood, and soon I belatedly realized it as I grew weaker. My wolf, phoenix, was slowly disconnecting from me.

　　"No," I said frantically. Not now when I was in the middle of nowhere. I was already completely weak and helpless, this would only gradually kill me. I finally pulled myself up, and tried to balance my feet. I felt weaker than before as my gaze darted around. I took a step further, determined to live through this no matter what.

　　Just then, I heard a growl from close by. I turned around, trying to search for the source. There was just something about the sound that made my skin crawl. I slowly stalked towards the direction of a giant tree and hid behind it. I heard a growl again, and this time I was sure it was coming closer. I peeped from behind the tree and saw two men…

　　Wait, I paused and trained my eyes. They were no men, and my eyes widened as realization hit me.

　　There were vampires and they were on a hunt. I froze, trying to digest everything before snapping out of my trance. I took a step back, in an attempt to flee from them, but I stepped on a branch and the sound grabbed their attention. They immediately snapped their eyes towards me. Their bloodshot eyes zeroed dangerously at the sight of me behind the tree.

　　Oh no, I had almost forgotten how sharp their hearings were. Their inhuman abilities were an advantage to them and the opposite to me, as they could easily catch up with me. The thoughts made me swallow in fear before I spontaneously turned around and ran to nowhere in particular.

　　I could hear them growling as they followed me. I gritted my teeth as I continued to fight through my pain, desperately trying to move my weak body that was nothing less than a human. My steps quickened with the only thought of survival running through my head. I prayed to the goddess to help me as I ran through trees, struggling to keep up with my fast pace.

　　I heart tightened in fear when I heard their footsteps getting closer. I occasionally fell on the ground, but would pick myself up every single time. After running for minutes, I started to give up. However, I forced myself as I ventured deeper into the wilderness. My pace slowed down, causing me to stumble on the branches. I closed my eyes gradually, willing to surrender to the black hole that drew me in.

　　Suddenly, the vampires stopped chasing after me and they spared themselves a look. "we can't go further. That's the HellGuards territory, and I'm sure Jackson wouldn't take it lightly." One of them reasoned to the other, and they shrieked with just the name, but they still stood there adamant to let me go.

　　"She'll make a fine dinner. We can't let her go just yet, and I doubt we'd encounter him today," the other encouraged, still reluctant to leave the fragile woman even though they were already in another territory.

　　"He is right. We can't go yet when we aren't sure. Let's end our hunt with her. We can't go back now when we've come this far," the second vampire chimed, and the other gladly obliged. They quickly rushed after me again, and soon they caught up with me.

　　The first one that grabbed me, pushed me against a tree, and I fell to the ground almost boneless. The other hastily reached for me as they surrounded me.

　　Just before they could capture me and make me their dinner, we heard a loud growl from a close distance. They froze midway in their attempt, their eyes searching frantically for the source.

　　"Did you hear that?" One of them asked while taking a step back, dreadfully. But after a moment of absolute silence, waiting for another sound, they finally concluded that it was definitely their figment of imagination caused by the fear that was growing within them after crossing the territory.

　　They turned their gaze and were about to carry on their act when something rushed through the wilderness in fast motion, making them blink in confusion. Suddenly, something jumped out from behind a tree.

　　A silver-gray wolf stood before us with a warning air around it.

　　The vampire's eyes widened, they tried to hide their visible fear but to no avail until. Nonetheless, they stood their ground.

　　I tried to keep my eyes open but they refused. I heard the vampires panicked as they stepped back cautiously.

　　I slowly opened my eyes and peeked through my lashes. I could hear loud growls as a fight broke. Screams, groans, and growls could be heard. I tried to pull myself away from the chaos in front of me. I leaned against a tree as I watched the fight.

　　They moved swiftly, and precisely, attacking them effortlessly. Until they became weak, the claws cut through their skin. The fangs dug into the throat of one of them, and the wolf took a big junk of flesh.

　　The other who witnessed this, moved back dreadfully in utter disbelief, watching as the other shook vigorously to death in his pool of blood. He quickly took out daggers to defend himself, no longer confident in his strength nor abilities.

　　The wolf growled as it stared sharply at the last surviving one. The wolf attacks again, knocking the knife away from one of them within seconds.

　　My gaze fell on the dagger that was thrown close to me. I sluggishly reached for it and stared at it before raising my hand up. I brought the dagger to my wrist and slit my wrist slowly, cutting through my veins. I winced a little from the pain.

　　The vampire paused in his attack, bringing his nose to the air, he sniffed and turned to me. The smell of blood caught his attention and distracted him. His eyes reddened upon sighting the droplets of blood from my wrist.

　　He rushed towards me, but the wolf already caught up with him. The distraction made it easier for the wolf to rip him apart with ease and within a minute, his lifeless bodies fell on the ground in a thud.

　　My eyes slowly shut close. The wolf turned to look at the fragile me while I leaned against the tree, I was completely weak as blood gushed out from my wrist. They walked towards me calmly.

　　I watched it walk closer until it stood right in front of me with a piercing gaze as it started deep into my eyes. I tried to crawl back weakly but I groaned in pain. The wolf leaned towards me and sniffed the wound.

　　They leaned down to lick the blood on my skin. He could see the visible marks and deep cuts on my skin. My wounds were bleeding, and my heart was beating slowly.

　　This felt weird because not only was I relaxing around the wolf but I also let the wolf slowly wipe the blood on my arm. Strangely I wasn't feeling any negative aura emanating from the wolf and instead I felt calm, almost as if I knew the wolf before.

　　The wolf paused when I groaned weakly in pain.

Jackson POV.

　　I sat among the ranting crowd with a frown, feeling an immense pain in my head. It felt like the more I stayed here, the more the intense pain increased. I tried to strain my ears to know why they were ranting.

　　"So what we're saying is that this pack needs more protection. We're safe and the only advantage we have is the experience we've gained." One blurted out in sheer anger.

　　"I don't see any problem with what you say but what about the economy? I'm sure you've been paying close attention because if you were, then you'd know how fast the economy is dropping and how hard it has become for us to survive every passing day without much food." Another chimed.

　　"Why are you making it sound like everything is over. We're still doing our best and if the economy is dropping, then I'm sure the alpha can't really do much. It isn't as if you expect him to fight our neighboring pack and claim their place." Another reasoned, but everything suddenly became quiet as his last words seemed to strike something deep within them.

　　They slowly turned their head to look at me with a knowing look. Clearing my throat, as I broke the silence, I spoke briefly. "You think claiming the other neighboring pack would save us from the upcoming catastrophe?" I raised a brow.

　　They fell silent, trying to figure out how to answer the question, but after a while of thinking, one finally responded. "You can't really blame us if we think they way. Remember, we're still trying to handle a living, and it just keeps getting worse and worse every time. If you ask for my opinion, then I'd advise we do as he says. The people are already suffering, so I would-" he was still talking when I cut him off.

　　"That's unnecessary because no one is asking for your opinion yet. What else do you all have to discuss," they all paused with a deep frown as they exchanged unpleasant looks.

　　"I'm a bit sure you heard our complaints. We just said that the pack is suffering, and we need to do something with an immediate effect. The more we delay, the more we put our pack at stake," he said with a conflicted expression, but my face remained but my face neutral.

　　"The plan isn't bad, but it's quite impulsive to carry out something like that without proper thought." I tried to explain to them, but they seemed reluctant to agree.

　　"I know you want us to think rationally, but I'll people are suffering, and it's either we fight for possession over the other packs, packs like middle forest are enjoying all the chaos. I doubt they even care about the vampire that has gone feral. They are hunting us, and we're the only one at the receiving end of all of these attacks. I'd advise as well that we found a way to get to safety," he started with a worried look.

　　I waved, dismissing his admission. "That's insufficient reasons to plan an attack to hunt a pack. You all just complained about the lack of resources, and now you're still risking the lives of our pack. Isn't that more than being impulsive? Now what I want from you all is to calm down and rethink about what you really want. Do you really think risking our lives just for the means of survival is worth it? I'd advise you all to rethink before doing so," I replied before standing up unceremoniously.

　　They stared at me in utter shock, not expecting the sudden end of discussion, and as I stood up, I called off the meeting. "There's no need to push further with this case. Let's talk about something else next time." I said with a stern voice. They parted their lips to retort, but I quickly shut them up with a stern look.

　　They quickly bowed as I made my way out of the meeting room. Just then, someone rushed towards me and bowed her head in respect. "Alpha, I have news about the lady you're looking for.

　　"What's that?" I asked with a frown, not actually in a good mood for any news, but upon hearing the words she said, I became very curious to know what actually happened to her. I've been desperate to get feedback ever since I instructed them for the search.

　　"What about the news? What happened?" I asked earnestly.

　　She lowered her head even more before responding. "The news is, she…" she trailed off looking worried about her response or was it fear I sighted in her deep brown eyes as beads of sweats covered her forehead. She was clearly nervous, which made me realize that whatever it was that she was about to say wouldn't be pleasant.

　　However, she was just leaving me in suspense with how slow she was. I felt the urge to force the words out of her mouth as my heart beat faster in the sudden silence. I didn't know what I would do if something bad happened to her. She was the main reason I found a purpose to live. She was the only one who mattered to me.

　　Unable to take the silent shy further, I finally snapped with a frown. "What are you saying? What happened to her and what is the news about?" I asked, urging her with a worried expression.

　　"Well, the lady is dead." She said with a stern voice, but her face showed concern.

　　I frowned as I tried to comprehend what she just said, but nothing was flowing through my head. Until the world seemed to slow down and finally I digested her words. My eyes widened in shock. "What did you say?" I asked, and she parted her lips to speak, but I turned back, walking away from her without waiting for her to reply.

　　As I made my way outside, the world seemed to slow down while I tried to comprehend what just happened. Did I hear correctly, or were my ears playing tricks on me?

　　Well, I couldn't wait for her to confirm that because the fear of confirming what I heard grew as I walked further. I met a servant on my way to my room. "Get a bottle of alcohol," I ordered without looking back.

　　My questions swirled inside my head as I questioned everything. What was the purpose of leaving again if I couldn't see her anymore. If I was unable to have the choice to be with the woman that I had dreamed of. The thought alone was devastating, and I had no idea when the maid showed up with the bottle of alcohol.

　　"Is there something you need me to do again?" She questioned and I found myself nodding my head.

　　"Get me, Juliet," I ordered, and she nodded before walking away. Moments after, she knocked on the door.

　　"Come in," I drawled, and she contemplative stepped in.

　　"Yes, alpha. You called for me." She said, lowering her head.

　　"I want to know what happened. How are you sure that she's dead?" I asked through gritty teeth.

　　"I learned she died close to the middle forest… I don't know if that is the exact she died, but there's a high she died in the wilderness," she revealed.

　　My brows knitted together. "Why was she there in the first place," I murmured to myself before waving for her to leave. She bowed then walked away.

　　Without waiting anymore, I reached for the drink, hoping to find solace in the bottle of alcohol. I sat quietly remembering everything that had happened, and unknowingly I finished the bottle of alcohol.

　　I was torn between accepting her death and rejecting it. Furthermore, I just wanted to see for myself. Furthermore, I couldn't quite believe it, so I stood up but staggered a little bit.

　　I quickly made my way to the place where the servant reported she died. My eyes scanned the place, but something caught my ears. I heard sounds coming from close by. My legs immediately rushed to the source and I spotted newly transformed vampires surrounding a young, fragile woman. I instantly transformed into my wolf.

　　I didn't take the time to check on the woman as a sudden motive to kill grew inside of me, but I didn't take the time to fathom it as I concluded that it was anger fueled by the news I got. Without waiting a moment, I ran through the forest, finding a perfect time to strike and without delay, I jumped out of the thick forest and fought off the vampires that looked perplexed and scared. The fight should've taken longer, but thankfully it ended with the unexpected help from the injured lady.

　　After the tense fight, my eyes snapped towards the lady and I tried to take note of her features, belatedly realizing she was injured, I became furious. Why?

　　I couldn't actually tell, but my wolf kept repeating the word 'mate'.

　　I tried to ignore the strong urge that grew inside mine. My wolf, Lucifer, was more than thrilled. A feeling to connect with her only made me more perplexed. Staring at the unfamiliar beauty, I tried to think rationally. I checked her wounds and realized she needed urgent treatment.

　　Transforming back, I immediately picked her up in a bridal style, bringing her back to the pack with me. As a few of the pack saw me coming in with her, they frowned and whispers erupted. The servant who sighted me looked bewildered as well, but she acted to the situation. "I'll bring water and a cloth with the medicine for treatment," she said.

　　I nodded at her while I walked into my room and slowly placed her on my bed. The maid arrived shortly. I dismissed her before I started cleaning her wounds with a frown, slowly getting mesmerized by her beauty. She was curvy, beautiful, and attractive.

　　Gulping down, I tried to fight off the feeling that aroused deep within me and instead focused on her injuries. After cleaning her up, I sat in the quiet room while buried in deep thought.

　　Mate. The word still rang in my head, but I was inconclusive. Should I let her stay here? But she was a total stranger.

　　How could I be enchanted by her beauty when I didn't know her? Maybe I should just reject her and send her away. I should still be grieving after all. Thus this wasn't the right time for a mate, but there was just this feeling that made me weak and confused and as I stared at her soft features throughout the night, I realized how impossible it was to decide.

　　Perhaps rejecting her would be the best thing to do presently, right?