APRIL'S POV I pushed the doors open. The scent hit me first: white roses and champagne, elegant and almost suffocating. The hall was decorated exactly how I'd imagined it, with soft lights, trailing ivy, and candles flickering like tiny stars. Then I saw their faces. Almost every member of the pack had turned to watch me enter, but no one was smiling. There were cold stares, frowns, and expressions of open disapproval. I forced my chin up and kept walking. Today is my birthday and my wedding to Alpha Luke. I didn't want to care about what they thought of me. That's when the rotten whispers started. "I can't believe a wolfless girl is going to be Luna." "This is a disgrace. What is the Alpha thinking?" "Someone needs to stop this," a middle-aged man hissed, his face twisted in disapproval. "You want to challenge the Alpha?" his companion shot back. "Go ahead. Get yourself killed." The first man fell silent, but his glare remained fixed on me. "She can't even shift. Not like her sister." "Cursed. That's what she is." I clutched the wolf pendant, my nails digging into my palms, the pain grounding me. My eyes landed on my best friend, Stephanie. She gave me an encouraging look. I wouldn't let them see me break. After today, I'd be Luna, and they'd have no choice but to respect me. At least, that's what I kept telling myself. Alpha Luke was waiting at the altar. He looked every inch the Alpha he was: tall and handsome, with broad shoulders filling out his dark blue suit. His brown hair was slicked back, and his expression was calm and unreadable. He had this powerful, untouchable aura around him, and somehow, by some miracle of fate, he was mine. "Go get him, baby girl," Stephanie whispered from her seat. I smiled, but it felt fragile. At the altar, May stood in a soft lavender dress, perfectly poised as my maid of honor. She was my twin. My opposite. She was everything I wasn't: strong, confident, and beautiful in a way that demanded attention. She was everything our father valued. And yet, tradition dictated that I was the heir. The eldest. The one who should inherit it all. Not that it had ever felt that way. Still, I clung to hope as I reached the altar. Maybe today, I'd finally step out of her shadow. Then I noticed something. The way Luke and May were looking at each other. It wasn't the way friends looked at each other. There was something familiar in their eyes, something that made my stomach tighten. They looked like lovers sharing a private moment. My heart began to race, but I quickly pushed the thought aside. I was probably overthinking things. There was no reason for me to suspect anything. Right? "Are you ready?" the officiant asked, cutting through the fog in my mind. "Yes." I turned to Luke, forcing myself to meet his eyes. He stared back at me with a blank, cold expression. "Do you, April Quinn, take Luke Blackwood as your husband and Alpha?" The officiant looked at me, and I returned his gaze with a smile and a nod. "Yes. Yes, I do." He turned to Luke. "Do you, Luke Blackwood, take April Quinn as your bride and Luna?" Luke's jaw tightened. He didn't answer. A few seconds passed, and the silence began to feel unbearable. I glanced at him, waiting for him to say the words. Waiting for him to smile, take my hand, and put an end to all the doubts I had been fighting since I walked into the hall. But instead, he said the words that shattered my world. "No. I don't." The hall erupted in gasps, but all I could hear was the roaring in my ears. My vision blurred, and my knees went weak. No. No, this wasn't real. I must have misheard him. "Luke, what do you mean?" My voice came out weak. "You're my mate." Luke stepped back as if I'd tried to touch him with something diseased. "Mate?" His lip curled. "I won't bind myself to weakness. I refuse to accept a wolfless Luna." He turned to face the crowd, his voice ringing with authority. "I, Luke Blackwood, reject April Quinn." The words hit me hard. My chest tightened, and my breathing stopped. I couldn't breathe. "No... you can't..." I whispered, but the words barely made it past my lips. Then I saw Luke stretch out his hand. But it wasn't toward me. It was toward May. My twin sister. For a moment, I couldn't understand what I was seeing. I stared at his outstretched hand, then at May, who stood beside him without looking the least bit surprised. My mind went blank. 'What the hell is going on?' Luke's hand was stretched out to May, and my twin sister didn't hesitate. She slipped her hand into his, her fingers curling around his as they belonged there. Then she looked at me and smiled. He's mine now, April," she said sweetly, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "He deserves a real Luna. May, how could you-" My voice cracked as I tried to speak. She tilted her head, her smile widening. "How could I? Luke was always mine, dear sister." Luke turned back to the crowd, his hand still holding May's. "April doesn't have a wolf. She's an abomination to this pack." His eyes flicked to my father. "Howard, make May your heir. She's the one who deserves it." Tears burned down my cheeks as I spun toward my father, desperate for him to say something, anything at all to defend me. It was feeling too much to be real. I was just betrayed by Luke and May; was I going to lose the title as heir too? I looked at my father, Alpha Howard Quinn, but he didn't meet my eyes. Instead, he stepped forward, took my arm, and pulled me back like I was an embarrassment he needed to hide. Enough, April." His voice was low, sharp, and filled with shame. Then he addressed the pack. From this day forward, I renounce April's title as heir." His words were brutal, formal, and final. "May Quinn will take her place. She will be my heir and Luna of this pack. Father, no!" I screamed, but my voice was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. They cheered. They clapped. They celebrated like this was a victory. And I realized, with sickening clarity, that to them, it was. I stumbled backward, my legs shaking so badly I nearly fell. Stephanie caught me, her hands steadying me even as her face twisted in fury. April-" she started, but I couldn't hear her. Couldn't hear anything except the sound of Luke's voice as the officiant pronounced him and May husband and wife. Alpha and Luna. And I couldn't do a damn thing about it. The tears came in a flood, flowing down my cheek, unstoppable and humiliating. I tore myself from Stephanie's grip and ran.

I tripped on my gown, my knees slamming into the floor. Pain shot up my legs, but I shoved myself back up and kept running, shoving through the heavy doors and stumbling into the hallway. The girls loitering outside-girls who used to pretend to respect me-burst into laughter. Guess she's not Luna after all. Did you see her face? I ignored them, forcing my legs to move, my lungs to pull in air that felt too thick to breathe. By the time I reached my room, I was sobbing so hard I could barely see. I slammed the door shut and collapsed onto the bed, my hands clawing at the dress, trying to rip it off, trying to make it stop. But it wouldn't come off. The zipper was stuck, the lace tangled, and the more I struggled, the tighter it seemed to become. Finally, I gave up and fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as tears streamed silently down my face. The full moon glowed through my window, bright and mocking. Why? I asked the Moon Goddess silently. Why did you give me hope just to crush it? Why did you make me this way? No answer came. Just the cold, indifferent light of the moon. I sat up slowly, every part of me aching. I needed air. I needed to get out of this room before I suffocated. But before I could stand, I heard footsteps in the hallway. Then laughter. May's laughter. God, I thought today would never end," she said, her voice muffled but clear through the door. "Watching her stand there like a kicked puppy-pathetic. If you hadn't warned me, I might've actually gone through with it." Luke's voice, low and amused. "Can you imagine? Me, stuck with her? She actually thought you wanted her." May's laugh was light, cruel. "My sister, the eternal optimist. Well, she's not our problem anymore. The sound of fabric rustling and a soft moan filled my ears. I should've walked away. Or better still, I should've left that place. Instead, I stood and walked to the door. My hand shook as I reached for the handle. Then I threw it open. They sprang apart-May's lipstick smeared across her mouth, Luke's shirt half-unbuttoned, his hand still tangled in her hair. For one frozen moment, we all just stared at each other. Then May smiled without feeling guilty or sorry. Oh. April." She straightened her dress slowly, casually, like I'd caught her doing something as nothing wrong. "We were just... celebrating. An inexplicable urge made me want to tear the suffocating atmosphere. You'll regret it. I was surprised by what I blurted out. Luke also seemed not to expect the words I said. He frowned, then suddenly relieved. He just turned back to May and kissed her again, slow and erotic, like I wasn't even there. He replied to my words with his actions. At that moment, I suddenly didn't feel sad at all, and I even felt stupid for the tears I shed earlier. A clear goal suddenly rose in my heart: I want to leave here, leave the pack. I ignored them, turned, and ran to the garage. The Thoughts in my heart were unshakable. I stared at my black bike, covered in a thick layer of dust that dulled her once-glossy finish. I removed the cover slowly, watching dust motes dance in the dim garage light. Running my hand over the cooled metal felt like greeting an old friend who'd been forgotten. Ice. I'd named her Ice the day I bought her-one of the first things I'd ever purchased with my own money. Father had frowned when I started riding. "It doesn't fit the image of an heir," he'd said, his voice tight with disappointment. But God, I'd loved it. Being on Ice made me feel alive in a way nothing else did. It had made me free, powerful, and myself. I brushed the dust off, pulled the key from the drawer, and started her. The engine roared to life, and for a moment-just a moment-I smiled. She would never betray me! I drove slowly toward the gate, helmet on, visor lifted. One last look in the mirror at the pack house behind me. Goodbye," I whispered with sadness. Then I noticed something wrong. The guards who were supposed to be standing at their posts were on the ground. They seemed like they had had their necks torn apart. What the hell? I was about to gun the throttle when I heard it. A howl. Loud and raw and full of killing intent. My hands suddenly went cold with fear. Four guards rushed out from the shadows, their head guard, Maxwell,l at the front. He pointed directly at me, his face twisted with something that looked almost like satisfaction. Where the hell do you think you're going? Maxwell?" My voice came out smaller than I intended. "What's going on? Where do you think you're going?" He stepped closer, and I could smell the aggression rolling off him in waves as he looked down and pointed towards where the guards were lying dead. Check them," He ordered the guards, who rushed in together with him. They are dead, sir; she killed them," The guards quickly replied. WHAT!!! I DID WHAT? What? Hold on, I didn't..I just noticed..." I tried saying it, but I was caught in shock. WHERE THE HELL DO YOU FUCKING THINK YOU ARE GOING, CRIMINAL!!" Maxwell shouted I'm leaving here You can't leave." His face darkened, teeth bared. "You're under arrest. My heart stopped. "Under arrest? What the hell did I do? I told you I just saw the dead just now?" For attempting to harm the Luna and killing the pack's guard in your escape" his eyes gleamed, "and for stealing from the pack treasury. The words hit me hard and left me speechless. Because what the hell. I was about to step down from my bike when I heard his voice sound very serious and deadly. Take her. Arrest her immediately. Maxwell, if this is a joke, stop it now." My hands were shaking on the handlebars. "I'm leaving. I was starting to sense foul play here, like I had fallen into a trap, and I didn't want to be stuck in any more of this shit. I didn't kill anyone,e so my conscience was clean. It was probably a mistake; they should solve it. I was going to stay out of it. I snapped my helmet shut and started ICE, heart hammering against my ribs. Behind me, I heard Maxwell's voice, a cold order being sent out, and I knew it was getting real. Arrest her immediately! The sound that followed would haunt me forever. I heard clothes tearing, followed by bones snapping. The crushing sound of bodies reshaping themselves. And then came the howls. Multiple hunting howls that were calling on all nearby guards to join the hunt. I looked in my mirror and saw them. Four massive wolves where the guards had been, their eyes glowing in the darkness, fangs bared, furious at me, ready to devour me. Make sure she doesn't come back," Maxwell snarled to the last guard, and my heart skipped. And I understood. This wasn't an arrest. This was an execution. I was really in danger. My bike flew forward as I sped up, running away from home because I had to survive the werewolves chasing me from behind. Although I didn't have a wolf inside me, being born a lowest-rank werewolf, I still had heightened hearing, sharper scent, quicker reflexes, and strength, though still far weaker than those born with active wolves. I twisted the throttle. Ice roared beneath me. And the hunt began. And that's how it began: my fall from the pack and the hunt that followed. Yes, you guessed right - they're about to try to kill me.

APRIL'S POV Everything happened so fast that I could barely process it. One moment I was trying to leave my pack, and the next, I was being hunted down like some criminal. My miserable life had somehow become even worse, but despite the fear making my heart race and my entire body tremble, I desperately wanted to live. I stayed focused, holding on to the only thought in my mind. To survive. At least that was what I owed myself. It was the only thing I had left in this world. The loud roar of Ice's engine drowned out the frantic beating of my heart. I twisted the throttle, pushing her to accelerate as I tried to put as much distance as possible between myself and the wolves. But fuck! I had never realised just how slow I was until I experienced it firsthand. Even at full speed, my bike was struggling to keep up with werewolves in their wolf forms. They were ridiculously fast. I knew that already, of course. I'd spent years watching them run, always feeling that familiar sting of jealousy and longing as the wolfless girl who could never do the same. But experiencing it firsthand? Yeah, not exactly the kind of experience I'd recommend. Behind me, four massive wolves tore through the forest, their growls loud and terrifying. They weren't ordinary wolves anymore. They were beasts, charging after me with so much rage that it seemed they wouldn't be satisfied until they had ripped me apart. Just what the hell had I done? Why were they so desperate to kill me? And how did I know they genuinely wanted me dead? Because I could sense it. Their killing intent was almost suffocating. The bloodlust coming from them was impossible to ignore. It felt like death was waiting somewhere in the darkness, patiently waiting for me to make one wrong move. Goosebumps covered my entire body. Did being the Alpha daughter not mean a thing anymore? 'I'm not going to die. I'm not. I'm fucking not dying!' I glanced at my rearview mirror and saw their eyes glowing like demonic lights. This was really happening. My own pack was hunting me down. "They're right on my ass... Damn it!" I hissed. The wolves had fully transformed, and just as I'd feared, they were closing the distance as though my bike was nothing more than a child's toy. GRRRR! One of them suddenly lunged at me, its claws swiping dangerously close to my leg. I instinctively jerked the handlebars and made a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding its attack. "Get away from me, you bastard!" I screamed, gripping the handlebars tighter and forcing Ice to surge forward. That had been too close. One more second, and those claws could have torn through my skin and ripped into my leg. Damn it! My leg felt cold, and I couldn't tell whether it was from the wind or the sheer terror running through my body. Probably both. "Come on, Ice... Faster! Faster!" I muttered, urging her forward. The speedometer climbed. Sixty. Seventy. Eighty. My chest rose and fell rapidly, but their growls continued to press closer. Their scent was getting stronger, filling my nose even over the smell of the forest. Sweat ran from my forehead down my neck, making my leather jacket feel uncomfortable. Then I heard Maxwell's voice bellow from behind me. "Make sure she doesn't get away! That's an order from the Pack Leader!" Have you got to be kidding me? My father? No. No, no, no. It couldn't be. Why would my father want me dead? I shook my head, refusing to believe it. Maxwell was definitely lying. He was probably using my father's name to get the others to obey him. That piece of shit! I couldn't even believe what was happening. My father's guards were chasing me like I was some dangerous criminal. What kind of sick joke was this? "Over my dead body!" I spat, although my voice cracked with fear. "You're going to have to do better than that!" These weren't guards anymore. They were hunters. Bloodthirsty wolves trained to track down their targets and make sure they never escaped. And me? I was just a girl on a motorcycle, desperately trying to stay alive. I couldn't even transform into a wolf to defend myself. Actually, what the hell was I thinking? Even if I had a wolf, how was I supposed to fight four raging beasts, especially with Maxwell leading them? He was one of the best fighters in the pack. I wouldn't stand a chance. "Hold it together, Ice," I muttered, ducking as branches whipped across my visor. "Don't you dare fail me now." The rough path ahead made it difficult to maintain my speed. My bike bounced over uneven ground, and I struggled to keep her steady while avoiding the branches and roots scattered across the trail. Then I finally saw it. The border. My eyes widened, and a sudden rush of hope filled me. I didn't even know where the strength came from, but I pushed harder, my adrenaline pumping like crazy. For a moment, just one moment, I thought I might actually make it. The speedometer hit ninety. The wolves were falling slightly behind, and the border was getting closer. I could do this. I could actually- A deep, furious growl thundered behind me. It was much louder than the others. And I knew exactly who it was. Before I could react, a massive grey wolf burst through the trees ahead of me. Maxwell. His enormous body blocked the path, his paws planted firmly on the ground. His eyes were fixed on me, and his lips curled back to reveal a terrifying set of fangs. He lowered his body into a predatory stance, ready to pounce. "SHIT!" I slammed on the brakes and jerked the handlebars, bringing Ice to a sudden stop. My heart sank. My hope shattered like glass. I had been so close. Just a little farther, and I might have reached the border. But now? I was trapped. I stared at the enormous wolf standing in front of me, then glanced behind me. The others were catching up. Was this really it? Was this how I was going to die? After everything I'd endured, was I really going to end up as dinner for a bunch of bloodthirsty wolves? Well, fuck that. If I was going to die, I wasn't going to make it easy for them. My hands tightened around the handlebars. I twisted the throttle, revving the engine as the tires spun beneath me. Then I charged straight at Maxwell. It was a reckless move. A stupid one, actually. But what other choice did I have? Maxwell lowered his body, preparing to attack, and I focused on the small space beside him. I was almost there when I caught something in my side mirror. Another wolf. It was lunging straight at me, its claws raised and ready to tear into my body. Oh, God. I was too late. Two choices flashed through my mind in half a second. I could let the wolf catch me, tear me apart, and die right there on the road. Or I could take my chances with the cliff. Neither option looked particularly promising, but at least one gave me a chance. I made my decision. I twisted the throttle all the way and steered Ice toward the edge of the cliff. The wolf's claws caught my back just as I accelerated. Pain exploded through my body as its claws ripped through my leather jacket, tearing into my skin and muscles. "AHHH!" Blood ran down my back, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't afford to. The next second, Ice and I were flying through the air. For one brief moment, I thought I could make it across to the other side of the cliff. Then I realised how far away it actually was. Shit. I wasn't going to reach it. Gravity seemed to remember I existed, and suddenly, I was falling. The river below rushed toward me as ice, and I plunged into the darkness. I squeezed my eyes shut, my fingers still gripping the handlebars. And as the world disappeared around me, one final thought crossed my mind. 'At least I chose how I'd die.'