Chapter 1
**KELLY THOMPSON’S POINT OF VIEW**
Oh, Moon Goddess, my heart feels so drawn to him, even though it aches knowing he never looks at me with those dangerously beautiful blue eyes. No, his heart and mind are chained to that irritating girl, Betty Nord. How frustrating!
But why torment myself? Two years ago, my parents, loyal betas to Alpha King Don Bentley, gave their lives in a deadly battle against the Northern clan to save his son, Jason. In honor of their bravery, the Alpha King declared with strength: “The Thompson girl will marry my eldest son, Alpha heir Jason Bentley, on her eighteenth birthday, once her wolf awakens.”
I confess, I treasured every word of that speech at my parents’ funeral for a special reason: I secretly adored Jason, though I never dared tell him.
Of course, Jason was already smitten with Betty. He follows her like a lovesick puppy, just because she resembles his late mother, Jane Bentley, who died giving birth to him. Since then, the Alpha King has lived alone.
Jane was a slender blonde, a Luna Queen whose bright green eyes sparkled like emeralds, making her seem like a goddess among mortals.
Me? I’m nothing like her. At eighteen, I’m 5’5” and weigh 187 pounds. With my black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin adorned with generous curves, I’m proud to be a voluptuous wolf.
The big problem? My wolf hasn’t awakened yet, and it’s eating me up inside. Even that insufferable Betty already has hers and left our clan to train as a nurse at the Eastern clan’s school, our ally.
This morning, I visited the clan temple. I lit incense sticks and prayed to the Moon Goddess for my wolf.
I don’t know if she heard me, but when I returned to my room, I learned shocking news: I must marry Jason.
The Alpha King went to his nineteen-year-old son and told him it was time to wed.
Unsurprisingly, Jason wasn’t thrilled and argued with his father. But, using his royal authority, the Alpha King convinced him to agree.
Jason even asked the Southern clan’s leader to set a wedding date.
“Tonight at midnight,” the Alpha King declared, his voice echoing with power.
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### 11 PM (ONE HOUR BEFORE THE FULL MOON)
Jason waits for me, looking bored, while I hear young she-wolves behind him whispering about me, calling me “the luckiest ugly girl in the world.”
Suddenly, a haunting melody rises to announce my arrival. I catch Jason glancing at his watch: it’s 11:30 PM. A faint smile crosses his face, probably relieved this ordeal is almost over.
As I walk forward, my face pales; I don’t know what to think of my future husband.
“Hey, you’re not dreaming, it’s chubby Kelly,” I tell myself, seeing his disappointed expression.
The guests laugh, throwing nicknames. “Prince Charming and pancake-loving Kelly” sticks in my mind.
I stand beside Jason, but he avoids my gaze. I feel his embarrassment as we turn to the priest, Dan Tommy.
The Alpha King meets my eyes and asks how I’m feeling.
“Fine,” I reply with a forced smile.
“Are you ready for what you know is coming?” he asks.
I’m confused.
Suddenly, the clock strikes 11:59 PM. A small light in the starry sky begins to grow. With each second, it intensifies until, at midnight, a full moon lights up the night. My body trembles. It’s time: my first transformation.
My wedding dress tears as my bones c***k and realign, fur sprouting across my skin. My face stretches into a fearsome muzzle, completing my shift into a majestic wolf. The guests scream in panic and flee.
The Alpha King stays oddly calm and tries to hold me back, but I crash into a curtain and tangle myself pathetically. I struggle against the fabric, but exhaustion wins, and I collapse. The guests sigh in relief as I return to human form.
“Hello, Kelly,” a voice echoes in my mind.
She’s here! At last, my wolf, Sherry.
But my excitement fades during the rushed ceremony, faced with Jason’s indifference. He doesn’t even remember our wedding night. To drown his sorrow over this forced marriage, he drank heavily from the minibar and passed out. An awkward silence has lingered since.
Soon, I realize I’m carrying his child.
“We’ll take great care of it; it’s ours,” Sherry says with joy.
Yes, our little wolf pup.
For the first time, a soft, radiant hope blooms in me for the future.
