Katya POV

"Hey, freak," Tabitha sneers at me, blocking my path. I try to step past her, but she sidesteps, blocking my way.

Tabitha was the Alpha's daughter, and her brother Darian was next in line for the Alpha position; both were my nemesis.

Mostly, I try to remain invisible, which is near impossible when you're Beta's daughter, and your mother is one of the leading Pack warriors.

"What do you want, Tabitha?" We used to be friends until everyone found out I had no wolf, then I became the school's laughingstock.

"Oh, nothing just came to give you the proper send-off," she says, and my brows furrow.

"What do you mean?" I ask, shaking my head, not understanding what she is talking about. Her blue eyes brightened maliciously, her lips pulling up in a taunting smile. One I knew too well; usually, it meant something awful. The words leaving her lips next proved as much.

"You haven't heard? My father has banished you from the Pack, so I thought I would come to see you, say my goodbyes to the unwanted Beta's daughter," she says, and Bianca and Maril laugh at her not-so-funny joke.

Geez, those girls were just as stupid as they looked. If they weren't beautiful, I can guarantee no one would put up with their antics or their terrible sense of humor.

I felt something wet and cold run down my face just as the office door burst open. Merril dumped her milkshake over my head, and it seeps into the crocheted jumper my mother made me drenching me.

"Tabitha Elizabeth Blackwell, is there a reason you are tormenting my daughter?" My mother questions, her dark hair pulled back in a high ponytail. She is a strong woman, stern, and brought fear amongst the she-wolves, including the Luna of the Pack after my mother kicked her ass in training in front of the entire Pack for saying I should have been put down at birth.

If my mother weren't the only female Pack warrior, she definitely would have been punished for embarrassing the Luna. Still, everyone knew Alpha Jackson always had the hots for my mother, had since they were kids, and it disappointed him when she turned out not to be his mate.

Tabitha's smile falls as she twirls around to face my mother, who is stalking directly toward her. Merril and Bianca take off, afraid to face her wrath.

"It was an accident," Tabitha stutters out, and to think this pathetic girl was an alpha female and fears my mother, who is just a typical wolf. I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face; her fear was so intense that I was shocked she didn't soil herself.

What I wasn't expecting was for my mother to raise her hand and slap her across the face. Tabitha squeals loudly, her head whipping to the side and the outline of my mother's hand imprints on her face. I cover my mouth with my hands.

Shit, Alpha Jackson was going to kill her now. She just struck the Alpha's daughter.

I heard a gasp and looked around to see a few people had seen what my mother had done. My mother stared them down, daring them to say something to her.

"Mum!" I gasp in shock. Tabitha tucks her tail and runs off crying.

"I have always wanted to put that mutt in her place," my mother says before gripping my arms.

"Why do you put up with it?" She says, grabbing my hands and raising them in front of me.

"You are trained better than any of these little shits here. You may not have a wolf, but that has never stopped you from kicking their asses in training. I trained you; your father trained you. Use these. They are beneath you; you just need to see it," she says.

I shook my head, knowing it would just worsen my torment, and my hands were no good against a shifted wolf.

"Come, we are leaving," she says, straightening up before turning on her heel and walking toward the car park. I chase after her before falling in line with her.

"What's going on?" I ask, worried. She doesn't answer. I see a removalist truck parked next to our car when we reach the school's car park.

"Mum, what's going on?" I ask when I see my father hop out of the car.

"Hey, pumpkin," my father smiles, walking over and embracing me.

"I know you like strawberry milkshakes. I didn't know you wanted to wear them, though," Dad says, swiping some from my hair with his hands before ringing out my hair. My mother goes to the trunk, popping the hatch open before grabbing a water bottle out.

"Tip your head back," I do as she asks. She uses the water bottle to rinse my hair out before tearing my jumper up from the side and taking it off me.

"Mum!"

"I will make you another," she says, tossing it in the garbage can beside the truck.

"So, is someone going to tell me what's going on?" My father looks at my mother nervously.

"We are moving," my father announces like it was no big deal.

"Why is what Tabitha said true? Did they banish me? Are you getting rid of me?" I ask, feeling sick to my stomach.

I only know of one other family in our Pack whose child didn't have a wolf, and they threw him away like trash. Literally kicked him out, and I have always been worried about my parents getting rid of me like I never existed because I brought shame to the family.

"Yes, what Tabitha said is true. Alpha Jackson has asked you to leave. This is a werewolf-only community, and he wanted you gone once you hit eighteen," my mother answers.

"So, you're sending me away?" I ask, feeling tears brim. They were going to get rid of me, force me to go rogue.

"No, of course not; you're our baby. We knew this was coming, so we made plans ahead of time. We are joining another pack and coming with you," my mother says.

"By the way, Hun, we should leave," My mother says, walking around to the passenger side of the car. My father went to ask why, but she got in, slamming the door before he could get the sentence out.

"She slapped Tabitha," I tell him.

"Did she get her a good one?" My father says, sending me a wink, and I smile, hopping into the back seat. My father pulls out of the parking space, the truck following us.

"What about Dad? He is the Pack Beta," I ask, worried knowing he would lose his title.

"I won't be part of a Pack that shuns my daughter; they want you gone, then I go to," He states, leaving no room for argument. I had the best parents, relief flooding me even though I felt guilty for ripping them away from everything they had here.

"Everything will work out, dear, you'll see," my mother says, reaching over from the front and gripping my knee gently.

"What pack would want a wolf-less Pack member?" I ask.

"You're not wolf-less, just a late bloomer. Your wolf will come, Kat. You were born from two werewolf parents. Therefore, you are a werewolf," my mother says, not wanting to see the truth. I was as useless as everyone says I am.

"We are moving to Black creek Pack; Alpha Ezra has kindly offered to take us in."

"Black Creek Pack? Isn't the Pack that just went to war with Blue Mountain Pack?"

"Yes, Katya, I know you are scared, but the Alpha is truly a nice guy. He was very understanding. Besides, Alpha Ezra was pretty happy about stripping Jackson of his Beta and only female warrior."

"Yeah, but he killed their entire Pack, mum. He is a monster," I tell her. I was more scared of my so-called new Alpha than my current one. Everyone fears Alpha Ezra. Everyone has heard of that notorious Alpha and the fear he instilled in his enemies.

"I'm sure he had his reasons, and you shouldn't believe rumors. Besides, it is not like anyone else will take us in," my mother says, leaving out the part about not taking me in.

"So, he knows I have no wolf?" I ask, knowing all packs were small communities solely of our kind. I was basically human, so I was a little shocked he even agreed, given his reputation.

They both glance at each other. "It won't be an issue as long as you can prove yourself to be helpful around the pack," my father tells me.

Great, he doesn't know, and I will have to act like an omega slave, I thought dryly. I fell asleep on the drive, only waking when we stopped at a storage shed. The drive took five hours total, and I was exhausted. My back was killing, and my ass was numb. The removalist drivers loaded our stuff into the storage shed before two men approached us.

Both looked at me sniffing the air, and I knew they were werewolves and high-ranking ones.

"Alpha Ezra requests your presence at the packhouse immediately," the man with dark hair that was shaved on the sides says.

He appeared to be in his early twenties, and by the authority oozing off him. I could tell he was a Beta. His eyes darted to me for a few seconds, and he looked me up and down. A strange look on his face. Was he angry? I couldn't tell, but whatever the look was on his face, he masked it quickly.

"This is your daughter?" He asked, not even trying to hide his dislike as he spoke; I guess I saw anger then.

"Yes, this is my daughter Katya, and I am Derrick," my father says before holding out his hand.

"I didn't catch your name," my father says, drawing the man's attention away from me. The man grasps his hand, giving it a quick shake.

"Beta Mateo, this is Alex, one of our Gamma's," He says, introducing the other man; he was around the same age with blonde hair that hung in his hazel eyes. Both of them were huge, around the same size as my father.

"I hear you used to be a Beta at your old Pack," Mateo says, and my father nods.

"Good, we could use some help training some of the pack members if you're up for it?" He says, and my father nods before introducing my mother to him.

"This is Shirley, my wife and mate."

"Nice to meet you," my mother says before shaking both their hands. The Beta's eyes kept darting back to me, his anger gone now, but he looked confused every time he glanced in my direction.

,

"If you follow us, we will escort you to the packhouse, so we can place you with someone until the property is available," Mateo says before turning on his heel and getting in his black BMW. We hop back in our car before following him through the sleepy town.

"See how nice they are? This will work out; it has to," my mother says a little too enthusiastically. Clearly, she missed the look the Beta gave me.

We followed their car all the way to the end of town before pulling down a road that went into the forest. Following it for another ten minutes. We stopped on the horseshoe driveway in front of a massive sandstone mansion.

There are three levels of windows with bushy green hedges out the front. It had huge arched windows and vines that grew along the stone walls to the roof. I hop out of the car, looking up at the packhouse. It was definitely more lavish than the one back home.

Beta Mateo led us up to the white door before opening it. Inside had white marble floors; a hallstand sat along the wall near the entryway with a big expensive-looking vase. My mother looks around in awe. Two staircases led to the landing above that overlooked the floor.

We walk toward the door between both stairwells; I see some bench seats next to it, and Mateo knocks on the door before I hear a deep voice telling him to enter; that same voice sent a shiver up my spine.

Beta Mateo slips through the door, closing it behind him before returning and telling my mother and father to go in and for me to wait in the foyer until called. I waited for what felt like hours before my mother came out sitting next to me. The packhouse was pretty quiet, and we saw no one walking around.

"He is just speaking with your father. Then he will want to speak to us individually to make sure our stories are the same," my mother tells me.

"What story? They banished us because of me," I whispered to her. He was going to find out; he was going to find out and kill us or, worse, make me leave without my parents.

"Shh, calm down. Everything is fine. He probably won't ask you much because you're our child," she says, trying to calm me down. I could feel tears brimming, and I quickly wiped them away.

"What did you say?"

"Just that they were going to banish us. It's not lying; it's the truth. The Alpha doesn't need to know why, and he doesn't need to know you don't have a wolf, Kat. She will come. You'll see," my mother tries to reassure me. I nod, knowing there is no point in arguing with her.

"And if she doesn't?"

"She will," my mother says, and I hang my head. I would be the biggest disappointment, which made my stomach twist painfully.

My father steps out and nods to my mother; she wipes her hands on her jeans before getting up, walking into the office, and closing the door behind her.

"He will just initiate you into the Pack. It isn't so bad, you just need to drink his blood, and you will feel the pack link snap in place," my father says.

Gross, I think to myself. "What about the old pack?"

"That will hurt a little once you pledge to him, like a migraine. I won't lie to you; it even brought me to my knees," he says, and I hear my mother suddenly cry out. My father jumps to his feet, head snapping toward the door. I listen to soft murmurs before seeing the silver door handle jiggle before the door opens. My mother stepped out, clutching her head. My father was at her side, instantly helping her to her seat.

I take a step back, not wanting to endure whatever she just did. "Kat, you need to go in," my mother says, pulling herself together with her fingers gently rubbing her temples.

I shake my head, scared. My mother was the strongest woman I know, and if it hurt her that badly, I knew it must be painful.

My father comes over, grabbing my arms. "Kat, we did this for you, moved for you. This is the only choice we have to remain together, so I need you to do this for us," he says, holding my gaze.

"Is everything alright out there?" I hear the Alpha call out. I look to the door in a panic.

"Please, Katya, once it's done, it's done. It stops, I promise. "I let out a breath and nodded. My father steers me toward the door. My hand trembles as I grip the door handle and push the door open, keeping my head down as I close it behind me before looking up at the Alpha.

The Alpha was looking at some documents at his desk. He had dark hair longer on top and shaded on the sides. He looks up, and I freeze. He sniffs the air slightly, a growl rumbling from his chest as he grips the desk so hard his knuckles turn white. His caramel eyes flicker to the beast that resides within him.

He was very handsome, a five o'clock shadow, full lips, and a strong jawline. He smelled nice, like the forest after it rained a strong woodsy scent. I would guess he was around his mid-twenties by looking at him.

His body relaxes slightly, and I notice claw marks on his tabletop where his fingers were. He beckons me closer, and I force my feet to move, his eyes watching my every move.

Shit! could he smell I have no wolf? Does he know I am basically human? The tight set of his jaw clenching and how he was watching me made my blood run cold with his flickering eyes. He knows, and he is going to kill me.

"You can sit," he says, nodding toward the chair beside me. I stared at it before sitting on the edge and looking back toward the door where my parents were waiting.

Turning back to face the Alpha, I find him watching me again. "Your name is Katya?" He says pronouncing it correctly; most people don't the first time.

"Yes, Alpha,"

"You can call me Ezra," he says quickly, and I nod.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen," I tell him, and he nods before looking at some documents, which I see are my mother's and father's paperwork, along with my birth certificate. He picks it up, looking at it.

"You turn eighteen soon? You will be able to find your mate. That's exciting," he states, his eyes flicking back to me. I say nothing. No one will want me; I was basically human with the added difference of heightened senses.

"You go to school; I take it?" I nod, chewing on my thumbnail.

"Last year?"

"Yes, I finish this year, well I am supposed to."

"You'll be finishing school," he states, leaving no room for argument. I press my lips together.

"You don't like school?"

"Does anyone like school?" I ask in return, and he smiles.

"I liked school. I am surprised you don't since you are a beta's daughter," he says.

Yeah, the school was great till they found out I was a freak, I think to myself.

"Your parents have already explained your reason for leaving, that you had a run-in with the Alpha's daughter, and your mother hit her?" He asks. My mother was taking the blame; I kept my mouth shut to stop the risk of being caught out in a lie, although technically that was true, just not the reason we left. I swallow nervously, thankful he was paying attention to the document in front of him.

"Hmm, yep," Please ask no more questions; I suck at lying, not my strongest point.

"Good enough for me; I can't stand Alpha Jackson. I should put the prick down," Alpha Ezra says, not even trying to hide his dislike for my old Alpha.

"Come here," he says, standing up. I jump out of my seat, taking a step back. His eyes snapped to mine at my sudden movement.

"I won't hurt you; I would never hurt you, Katya," he says, holding his hand out to me. I hesitate before I place mine in his. Tingles spread across my palm, and I jerked my hand back, looking at it.

"Sorry, must be static," he says, grabbing my hand again with a smile playing on his lips, making him look even more gorgeous. He pulls me toward him.

His hand was warm, yet the strange tingling sensation didn't stop. I looked up at him, thinking it was odd, only to find he was watching me again. He was tall, and I only came up to the center of his chest. He was wide too, all hard muscle as he towered over me.

He bites his wrist, offering it to me, and I stare at it. He can't be serious; I tried to picture him offering his wrist to my father, awkward. That's also when I notice two glasses stained with his blood on the desk, making me look at him; he wants me to drink his blood from him. Why do I have to play bloodsucker?

"Times ticking, little one, hurry up," he whispered, pulling me closer and wrapping his arm around my waist before bringing his wrist to my lips.

"Oh, God no," Shoving the thought of what I was about to do away, I grabbed his wrist, and I could taste his saliva on his wrist. His blood, surprisingly, didn't taste bad. Not something I would go out drinking. I definitely would suck if I were a vampire, but it didn't make me gag. It was sweet tasting, or maybe that was the taste of his skin, I wasn't sure.

He pulls his wrist away but doesn't let go, holding me close to him, his arm tightening around my waist. He bent down a little, so his face was closer to mine, his voice soft below my ear.

"You now need to pledge to me," he whispers, and I nod, the heat from his hard chest pressed against my back seeping into me and warming my skin.

"I, Katya Hartley, pledge my loyalty and my life to Alpha Ezra. "I stop not knowing his last name. Looking over my shoulder at him. His face is so close to mine, and I am stunned for a second by his masculine scent.

"Pierce," he whispers, his lips almost brushing mine. Gosh, he was close, and I thought I saw him smile before turning my face away.

"I, Katya Hartley, pledge my loyalty and my life to Alpha Ezra Pierce of Black Creek Pack." as soon as the last word left my lips, searing pain exploded in my head, making me drop as I clutched it. His grip tightening around me prevented me from hitting the floor in a heap. The chattering of my old Pack, every word spoken through the Mind-link flitting through my head loudly, making my ears ring and a scream to leave my lips.

Just as suddenly as it came, it stopped like the snap of a rubber band.

"You're okay. It's over now," Alpha Ezra's voice flits through my head, making me peek up at him. He smiles back at me, and I stupidly stare back at him, my thoughts becoming muddled.

"Are you good for me to let you go?" He asks, and I look down to see both his arms wrapped around me, just under my breasts. My face heats with embarrassment realizing he was the only reason I was still upright before quickly becoming aware of his hands on my body.

Great, I was crushing on my Alpha.

I step away, and he lets go; I watch his eyes glaze over before my mother and father rush in. He must have been talking to them through the Pack-link.

"You okay, see you're fine. I told you it wouldn't be so bad," my father says, fussing over me. I slap their hands away at their fussing. I wasn't a baby. Sometimes they could be a little embarrassing.

.

"Tonight, you can stay in the packhouse. Tomorrow I will have someone show you to your new home. May I ask why you requested one so far from everyone?" He asks curiously, looking at my father.

"Kat doesn't get along well with others; she prefers being by herself," my mother answers, and the Alpha seems a little shocked at her answer.

"And why is that?" He asks, staring down at me.

"I just like being alone," I shrug. Alpha Ezr presses his lips in a line before looking back at my parents.

"Tomorrow, you can get settled into your new place, and I have already enrolled Katya in school this morning. So she can start on Monday, you can skip the Pack run on Friday and both meet me here Monday morning for work details."

"Pack run?" I ask, and my mother nudges me with her elbow to be quiet, which doesn't go unnoticed by the Alpha.

"Pack runs are compulsory. Why is that a problem?" He asks, and I duck my head down, examining my shoes.

"No problem at all," my father says while chucking his arm across my shoulders and holding out his other hand out to the Alpha.

The Alpha turns his attention to my mother. "How are you with training teenage students?"

"I trained my daughter mostly and older she-wolves, but I would give it a go."

"Interesting. We need an extra hand at the high school if you're interested. That way you can also monitor Katya," he says, and my mother seemed excited about the idea.

"That would be lovely; thank you, Alpha," he nods, staring at me again before looking at my father.

"My Beta will show you where you are staying for the night," he says before walking around to sit back at his desk and dismissing us.

The next day, Beta Mateo awoke us early in the morning. Hopping in our car, we followed him, and he drove us to the outskirts of the small town we were now going to live in. The house was more of a cottage and had a wide veranda out the front and a gravel driveway.

The house was lovely and cozy, nestled amongst the trees and away from the Pack and town. Hopping out of the car, I make my way inside, along with my father. Beta Mateo unlocked the green wooden door before handing the keys to my father.

"Are you sure you want to live out here? There are plenty of empty places in town that may be better suited for your needs?" He asks.

"No, this is perfect, thank you, Beta," my father replies.

"We are of the same rank, and honestly, you have been doing this a lot longer than I have. You could probably show me a thing or two. Just call me Mateo, and welcome to the Pack," he tells my father before patting him on the shoulder as he walks past him. I watch as he walks down the steps to the lawn before he stops beside me. He sniffs the air slightly, staring at me peculiarly.

"You smell different from most wolves," He states, looking at me, and I stiffen slightly.

"What do you mean?" I ask worriedly.

"I don't know, just different; I can smell you're a wolf, but your scent isn't powerful, but also something else. You smell familiar," he says, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Anyway, I will let you get settled in, don't forget that Pack runs are compulsory and on Friday afternoons at 6 PM sharp. I know you are excused this week, but it would be good to introduce you to fellow pack members. We are a tight-knit community, and the rest of the Pack will feel more at ease with newcomers that attend, something to think about," Mateo tells my father, who nods to him. I quickly walk up the steps with the box in my hands.

"We will try our best to be there on Friday," My Mother says, giving me a look as she walks up the porch steps toward me. I quickly follow her inside.

The place smelt like it had been closed up for a while, and I glanced around. A massive fireplace in the lounge room took up one wall, the floorboards stained dark brown, almost black. My mother walked around, opening the curtains and cracking open the windows to let the breeze in and let the stagnant air waft out.

Walking through the living room. I found the kitchen, which wasn't as dated as the rest of the house. It had granite benchtops and stainless steel appliances, and a small island bench in the middle.

A few of Alpha Ezra's men helped bring the furniture in, and my mother and father started unpacking while directing them where to which room. Carrying the box from the truck to the back end of the house, I find my room. Next to the bathroom and the window looked out to the surrounding forest. My parent's room was down the hall and had an ensuite, and was slightly larger.

I started putting my bed frame together, and the people helping brought the rest of my belongings into my room before I heard the truck leave. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and cleaning. By the time night came, I was exhausted and fell asleep before eating dinner, only to wake up wide awake in the middle of the night.

Going to the kitchen, I grab a glass of water. This place was quiet, unlike our last house that was on a busy road. I liked how secluded it was out here, with fewer people to interact with, and I felt more comfortable without having neighbors prying into our lives.

Going back to my room, I climb back into bed, falling asleep under my purple duvet tucked to my chin as I snuggle into my bed.

The next few days went by in a blur of getting into a comfortable routine; when Monday came around, I got dressed in my jeans and blue T-shirt before grabbing my bag and loading my schoolbooks into it. My mother and father are meeting up with Alpha Ezra today before being assigned to their new jobs. Pulling up out the front of my new school, I feel dread settle in the pit of my stomach. My mother looked at me in the rear-view mirror.

"You will be fine, and by the sounds of it, I may be working here. Just keep your head down and behave; everything will be fine, Kat," she tells me, and I sigh, opening the back door and climbing out. I look up at the brick building that no doubt would be like the last one, a disappointment and a place of torment if they find out about me not having a wolf.

I leave straight for the head office and am greeted by a lovely woman in her mid-thirties. She had straight auburn hair that hung to her shoulders and big round glasses perched on her perfectly straight nose. Her hazel eyes looked at me as I entered. A smile greeted me.

"You must be Katya?" She speaks.

"Yes, I am here to pick up my timetable," I tell her, making my way to the foyer desk. She looks down at the papers on her desk before pulling out a manilla folder and handing it to me.

"Your timetable and a map of the school are in there; there is also a library card and your locker combination," she says, handing me the folder. I open it looking down at the timetable. My stomach drops when I realize they have training every afternoon except for Fridays.

I wondered if my mother knew that even the students trained every day and for two hours. Two hours of formal training and an hour of training with our wolves every Tuesday and Wednesday. Great, simply fantastic. I will not even be here a day before everyone finds out, and I am banished. Maybe I can be excused for the first week, I wonder.

"Thanks," I told her before walking out to find my locker. I put in the combination, unlocking it. I noticed a few curious stares at the newcomer, but no one was outright mean, which was a relief. Putting my stuff in my locker, I grab my books for the first period. I had English first. As I was closing the locker, I jumped when I saw a girl staring at me. She had dark hair cut in a pixie cut, a nose ring, and dark eye makeup.

"Hi, you must be new here. I am Jasmine," she says before grabbing my timetable.

"Ah, Katya," I tell her awkwardly.

"We have most of the same classes. You can follow me if you want, and I will show you around." She seemed friendly enough.

"Thanks, that would be great," I tell her.

"So you are from Alpha Jackson's Pack, I heard," she says. I say nothing; gossip has already started.

"My father is third in command. He heard Alpha Ezra and Beta Mateo talking, so you have Beta genes?" She asks, and I nod. Not that they would do any good without a wolf.

"Your mother has quite the reputation too, the only female warrior in Jackson's pack; what was it like living there?"

"Um, it was okay, I guess, just like any other pack," I tell her.

"Yeah, well, Alpha Ezra hates Alpha Jackson; It surprised me to hear he actually let someone transfer over. Your parents must have a pretty excellent reputation. We have had no newcomers in a few years," she says before stopping next to an open classroom door.

"This is our English class; Mr. Tonks is nice, but don't be late. He hates tardiness. "I looked in the classroom, and unlike the classrooms back in my old Pack, everyone was chatting quietly as they waited for the teacher to arrive. My last Pack, the students, did whatever they liked and were loud and uncontrollable most of the time, so I was a little surprised to see everyone on their best behavior. Jasmine pulls me to an empty desk, and I sit beside her. She points out a few different groups of kids chatting.

"That group over there is safe, as I like to call them; they won't cause any trouble," she says, pointing to a bunch of kids talking amongst themselves. They looked a little nerdy, not that I cared; I was also a bit of a nerd.

"Now that group over there, try to avoid them. The blonde girl's name is Angie, and she is a real bitch. Also, queen B of the school, as you can probably tell, just try to coast through the middle like I do. You should be fine," she says before pointing out a few other smaller groups before the teacher came in, who thankfully didn't make a fuss about there being a new student. Instead, he set us straight to work writing on the whiteboard before telling us to copy it.

The day passed by in a blur, and for the most part, I did what Jasmine advised and kept to myself. I sat out on the oval with Jasmine watching as students and teachers set up the training grounds at lunchtime. Nausea filled me, knowing I was about to do two hours of training when I suddenly saw my mother walk out onto the field along with Alpha Ezra.

"Does the Alpha help with training?" I ask Jasmine.

"Yeah, he comes every day to help train us if he isn't in meetings. Training is compulsory no matter age and gender; also, the school is short-staffed at the moment," I watch as Angie, the girl Jasmine told me to avoid, runs across the field towards the Alpha, clinging onto him like a leech.

"Yeah, Angie has a thing for the Alpha. Seems to think he will choose her as his mate," Jasmine says, and I nod. For some reason, seeing her cling on to him annoyed me a little, but I shoved it aside. I didn't want any trouble with her, especially if she is as bad as Jasmine claims she is.

"How old is the Alpha?" I ask. He looked pretty young compared to my last Alpha, who was in his fifties.

"twenty five, he is a good Alpha, strict but fair. A lot better than his father, who was a complete asshole."

"So he took over the pack when his father stepped down?" Jasmine shakes her head.

"No, Alpha Ezra killed him and took over when he was seventeen,"

"Geez, a lot wouldn't have enjoyed answering to a seventeen-year-old," I tell her, but she shakes her head.

"No, everyone was glad to see Alpha Dean get taken down; he was cruel. Women weren't even allowed to train back then. He treated them like animals, and he used to kill anyone that stepped out of line; he even killed his own mate and his chosen ones," she says, making me feel sick at her words.

"That's terrible," I tell her, and she nods sadly.

"Yeah, everyone hated him. Things changed after the Alpha took over. He made sure women could train to better protect themselves. Maybe that's why he was so quick to have your family join our Pack. Your mother would be an advantage to have and your father given that he has Beta genes" I nod.

"Maybe," I tell her just as Alpha Ezra looks in our direction. I drop my head and am thankful when the school bells ring, signaling the end of lunch. Jasmine and I make our way back to our lockers and grab our gym clothes out. We quickly made our way to the bathrooms, changing before heading down to the ovals where they were setting up earlier.

Alpha Ezra and my mother talked amongst a few teachers before silence suddenly fell over everyone, and people started walking off into the designated groups. I followed Jasmine over to our age group and was a little shocked to see Alpha Ezra come over to us. Jasmine smiles at him when he approaches.

"Hey, Alpha," She says, smiling brightly; her smile was contagious.

"Hi, Jas, you can sit out for today, Kat, to see how things are run if you like," He says, and I nod, grateful I didn't have to start training straight away.

"No, she can train like the rest of them," My mother says, coming up behind him. So much for sitting out.

"She doesn't have to, Shirley. I can excuse her," Alpha Ezra says, and I give my mother a pleading look. My mother presses her lips in a line but doesn't say anything.

"Come sit on the bleachers and watch," Alpha Ezra tells me, and I follow him over to them before sitting down. I watch everyone train. Alpha Ezra gets up a few times to help some teachers and correct some students. When he comes back over, though, he looks down at me.

"How are you liking school so far?"

"It's fine," I tell him, not really comfortable around him. I noticed my mother kept looking over at me nervously, which made me more nervous about his presence.

"Do you train a lot with your mother?" He asks.

"Yes, mum doesn't like me missing training, as you can see," I tell him, and he nods.

"Good, well, you can have today and tomorrow off, but then you can start training with everyone else," He says, and I nod. I notice Angie come over, stopping in front of me, and I see the glare she gives me.

"You should be training Angie. Get back on the field," Ezra tells her.

"I was just seeing if you can come and help me, Ezra," she purrs, and it's obvious the crush she has on him.

"That's Alpha! Now get back on the field," He tells her, pointing back the way she came. She looks down at me, her eyes narrowing before she saunters off. I knew she would make my life hell, and I haven't even spoken to her yet.

"Well, I better get back out there Kat, I will see you around," He says, walking off toward my mother, who was now scolding Angie for walking off the field.

When training finishes, my mother calls me over. I walk over to her, and she grabs my arm, pulling me aside from prying ears.

she

"For someone who is supposed to be lying low, you seem to grab the Alpha's attention, Kat. We talked about this. You need to stay away from him and his Beta. We can't afford for people to know just yet," she scolds me.

"Well, maybe if you told them I wouldn't have to hide," It isn't like I sought him out; he approached me.

"Attitude, young lady, I won't handle disrespect," she says, and I roll my eyes, regretting it instantly.

"Katya, you may be my daughter, but that doesn't mean you will get away with slacking off, now ten laps of the oval,"

"What? Come on, mum, you can't be serious," I argue back when his scent hits me. Alpha Ezra walked up and stopped beside me, obviously witnessing our dispute.

"Everything okay?" He asks my mother. She bows her head in respect.

"Yes, Alpha, it will be. Now go, Katya," she says, pointing to the edge of the field.

I take my jumper off before tossing it at her; she can't be fucking serious. Why was she acting like this?

"Make that twenty," she calls out. I groan but go to the edge of the field, cursing her name.

"Keep going, Kat, and it will be thirty. Now start running," I roll my eyes and start doing laps. Jasmine does a couple with me before getting tired and sitting down. My legs burned by the time I did fifteen, and my lungs felt like they were about to explode. Stopping, I brace my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. My mother blows her whistle, grabbing my attention, and I look over at her.

"Five more Kat, I didn't say stop,"

"This is bullshit," I mutter under my breath.

"You want me to add more? "My mother calls out. I shake my head and continue running around the oval. Alpha Ezra, I noticed, was in the bleachers watching, and by the look on his face, something had made him angry.

By the time I finally finished, my face was bright red, and my breathing was coming in short pants as I collapsed on my back on the grass beside my mother. She looks down at me.

"Just remember, Kat. I am doing this for your own good. I go easy on you; the rest of the kids will be hard on you. Also, I couldn't exactly let you talk to me like that and get away with it, especially in front of other students; you need to work with me here," I try to catch my breath, raising my arms over my head, feeling like I was going to have a heart attack.

"But I did nothing; he approached me, not the other way around," I whine, everything hurting.

"Doesn't matter next time; watch your tone," my mother says before stalking off.

"Shirley, can I speak with you please," Alpha Ezra says, making me turn my head to the side to see him walking over to her.

"Of course, Alpha," my mother says. Alpha Ezra looks over at me, dying on the ground, and I look away; I must look pathetic right now. Jasmine walks over, handing me her drink bottle, and I squirt some water into my mouth before sitting up.

"Damn, and I thought my dad was strict. What did you get in trouble for?"

"Apparently, my attitude," I tell her, and her brows furrow.

did nothing

"But you didn't do anything," she states.

"Tell my mother that," I told her before standing. My legs felt like jelly as I walked toward the building. School finished an hour ago, so I was a little shocked to run into Angie as I went to my locker. Her blonde hair was highlighted to perfection, her blue eyes bright. I could see why she was so popular. She was gorgeous, but the snarl on her face said her nature was anything but.

I open my locker only to be shoved against it. Jasmine pushes her away, but that doesn't stop her as she grabs the front of my shirt, tearing the collar.

"Stay away from the Alpha bitch, or I will make your life miserable," She spits at me.

"You stayed back an hour after school just to tell me that. Geez possessive much," I tell her, ripping her hand away and turning to retrieve my stuff.

"Angie, go away. She hasn't done anything. What is it pick on the new girl day, geez she just ran twenty laps of the field, lay off her," Jasmine tells her.

Angie grabs my hair, and I hiss as I feel my hair ripped from my skull. Turning, my hair painfully pulling from my head when I punch her. She shrieks, clutching her face. I was not in the mood today, and besides, my mother told me to use my fists.

"You fucking whore," she says, wiping her lip as blood trickled down her chin. Angie swings at me, but I duck, and her fist connects with my locker door behind me with a thud, the metal denting from the force.

"What's going on here?" I hear a voice and look up at Beta Mateo, walking down the corridor toward us.

"The bitch punched me," Angie tells him.

"Is this true?" He asks Jasmine and me.

"She started it; she grabbed Kat's hair and threatened her," Jasmine tells him. I keep my mouth shut just as my mother and Alpha Ezra walk around the corner. Just my luck. Not only do I need to put up with this psycho, but I am also about to be scolded once again. Angie runs to his side, but he steps away from her at the last second before she can touch him.

"She hit me; your daughter hit me," Angie said to my mother. I was expecting my mother to yell and scream at her words, but I had to try to hold my laugh when she replied.

"Well then, you must have deserved it," my mother tells her. That's my mum. On-field, she is strict, but off-field, she was my mother. Angie glares at her, and my mother tries to hide her smirk before looking at me and sending me a wink.

"Go put ice on it, and Angie, stay away from Katya in the future," Alpha Ezra tells her. Angie ran off with tears in her eyes and I kind of felt bad for her, but that lasted a second before my mother spoke. Her motherly nature turned to teacher mode.

"Katya, trouble on your first day, gosh," my mother says, shaking her head, yet it wasn't a scolding, just expressing her disappointment at me for drawing attention to myself.

"Angie attacked her first; she was defending herself," Jasmine blurts out once again, coming to my defense, and the more I am around her, the more I like her.

"That may very well be, but you know I don't condone violence off the field. You will have detention with me tomorrow, Kat," Alpha Ezra says. My mother says nothing, but I watch her lips press together. Jasmine ducks her head, looking at the ground.

"What about Angie? That's unfair. She started it," I ask; my mother gives me a warning look telling me to shut my mouth.

"Beta Mateo will deal with Angie," Ezra says before looking at Mateo, who nods but is clearly not happy about it as he sighs.

"You may go," Alpha Ezra says, and I grab my bag. I chased my mother as she walked down the hall in a hurry.

"Always drawing attention to yourself," she hisses at me.

"But you said to defend myself," I tell her, and she stops looking at me. I see Jasmine walk out the doors down the other end of the corridor. Mateo and Ezra were still talking in the hallway. My mother grabs my arms, looking me dead in the face, making me look at her.

"Yes, but we need this to work out here Kat, I know what I said, but this is it for us. We have nowhere else to go. This doesn't work out; we have no choice but to go rogue."

"But we could go to another pack," I tell her.

"No, Kat, this is it. No other pack would take us because of Alpha Jackson. It was a miracle Alpha Ezra took us in," she says before letting out a breath; she rubs my arms gently before stepping away.

My mother then turns on her heel, storming out the doors, making me chase her to keep up. Getting to her car, I hop in the passenger seat. My mother said nothing to me the entire way home, and I could tell she was angry by the way she kept drumming her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently.

I disappointed her, and now tomorrow I have to deal with Alpha Ezra.

The day goes by quickly, and I groan when I look up and realize it was lunchtime, which meant I had to go to detention, but he didn't tell me where detention was.

I wasn't given much time to think about even asking when Alpha Ezra suddenly walked into my science class just as the bell rang. I pack up my belongings and stuff them in my bag. Jasmine gives me a sad smile darting out the classroom door. While I reluctantly walk over to the Alpha.

"Why so glum?" He asks, staring down at me, a smile on his lips.

"It's detention. What is there to be happy about?" I ask him.

"Lots because you're with me, come on," He says, turning and walking out the door. I follow him, and he stops at my locker.

"Put your stuff away," He says. I go to unlock my locker when he suddenly opens it and makes me look at him.

"What? I know all the combinations," He says, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Really, then open that one," I tell him, pointing to the one next to mine, which I know is empty.

"Okay, you got me; I may have snooped," He says with a laugh.

"And why did you do that?"

"You're new, and I am not sure I completely believe your parents' reasoning for changing packs," He says, and my stomach drops.

"And by the sound of the way your heart rate picked up, I am assuming they didn't really leave because your mother hit the Alpha's daughter?"

"Technically, she did hit Alpha's daughter," I tell him. He closes my locker, grabbing my hand tugging me along after him.

"Um, Alpha?" I tell him, tingles rushing across my hand and up my arm. He looks down at our clasped hands.

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have done that," He says, letting go. My brows furrow, confused at his weird actions.

"So, where are we going?" I ask when we walk past all the empty classrooms.

"Stressless, you won't get in trouble with me," he says before walking into the faculty area. I follow him, and he stops at an office before opening it.

"You have an office here?" I ask, a little shocked.

"Yes, I have decided to be more present here. The school is short of staff, and I have free time, so why not," He says, and I step past him and sit on the chair in front of his desk.

Great, I get to look at four walls for the next hour. While holding my breath, so I didn't inhale the Alpha's scent. He smelled nice, and the room was flooded with his scent, overwhelmingly making me want to breathe deeply.

"What's wrong?" He asks while sitting across from me. I shake my head.

"Nothing," I tell him, and he stares for a second when Mateo suddenly walks in with a pizza box in his hands, and he sets it down on the desk, opening it before falling into a chair next to me.

"Eat?" Alpha Ezra tells me.

"Isn't this supposed to be detention? Shouldn't I be doing schoolwork?" I ask.

"You want to do schoolwork?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No, but that's what normally happens," I tell him, and he turns to look at his Beta.

"Why aren't you with Angie?" he asks Mateo as he makes himself comfortable beside me.

"Switch, she annoys the hell out of me," Beta Mateo says, and the Alpha chuckles, shaking his head.

"So, where is she then?"

"I left her with Shirley" I turned to look at him.

"What? My mother, Shirley?" I ask, and he nods, a devious smile on his lips, and I thought I had it bad.

"Something funny?" Alpha Ezra asks with a smile on his lips at my amusement.

"Yes, my mother will eat her alive," I tell him, and he laughs.

"That is exactly why I ditched her with your mother," Mateo says, biting into a slice of pizza.

"Eat, then we can talk?" Alpha Ezra says. I nod, doing what I am asked. When we are done, Mateo takes the empty box out before returning.

Alpha Ezra raises an eyebrow at him when he walks back in, and I see his eyes glaze over and know they are mind linking. Mateo walks over, sitting back in his chair with a smirk on his face; he appears to be amused by something. The Alpha rolls his eyes at him but says nothing, turning back to look at me.

"You like it here so far?" Mateo asks me, and I nod, feeling awkward in both their presence. Mateo leans closer to me, inhaling my scent, and I notice the Alpha glared at him, which for some reason amuses Mateo as he drapes his arm over my shoulder lazily. I try to pull away when he jerks me closer, rubbing my arm.

"Hands off, Mateo," Alpha Ezra says with a growl. Mateo puts his hands up with a smile on his face but moves away, giving me my space back.

"So, detention?" I ask, wondering when this punishment was going to begin.

"No, I wanted to ask you some questions."

"As would I," Mateo says, leaning forward and looking at the Alpha, who growls at him.

"What sort of questions?" I ask.

"Why did you really leave?"

"If you think my family is hiding something, why did you accept us into your pack?" I ask in return.

"Are you questioning your Alpha?" He retorts. I drop my head, remembering I shouldn't be questioning him.

"Because I love knowing I took two of Alpha Jackson's best fighters, that's why," He answers. I nod, chewing my lip nervously.

"So it will be interesting with your bloodline exactly what you are capable of; you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders," He says, and I sigh. Why is it because I have Beta blood everything is expected of me? Why can't I just be like a normal she-wolf without the wolf, obviously?

"You don't agree?' he asks, and I realize he must have heard me sigh. I must have done that a little louder than I thought.

"And if I am a disappointment?" I ask.

"You won't be. You have Beta genes, and your mother, well, she is a tough woman," He says. I wonder if he would still think the same if he knew my secret.

"I have a question?" Mateo asks, looking at me.

"And what is that?" I ask.

"Have you found your mate yet?"

"She isn't eighteen yet," the alpha answers, and Mateo seems a little disappointed.

"So, why did your family really leave? I promise no repercussions will come if you tell me you are free to remain here," He says, and I feel my heart rate skip a beat. My stomach drops, and I break out in a cold sweat.

"Why are you scared?" Ezra asks, sniffing the air slightly and grabbing my hand..