Wolfless or not, You're Mine

Chapter One Cora's POV I was still standing in front of the mirror, trying to tame my stubborn curls into a sleek back, when a familiar voice came from the doorway. “Well, if pigs could fly.” A low chuckle followed. My hands stopped midway through my hair. I looked at the mirror and saw Victoria leaning against the doorframe, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at me with mocking disbelief. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then I lowered the comb. I quickly rose from the chair and moved toward the corner of the room, bowing my head and interlocking my fingers in front of me. “Victoria,” I said quietly in greeting. She pushed away from the doorframe and walked toward me. Her heels clicked against the floor with slow, deliberate steps, each one making my stomach tighten. When she reached me, she walked around me in a slow circle, examining my hair, my dress, even the shoes I had spent most of the afternoon cleaning until they didn't look as raggedy as usual. Her lips curled. “What is this?” she asked. “Costume day?” I kept my eyes lowered. “The pauper is trying to play princess.” She laughed at her own joke. I said nothing. I had learned a long time ago that fighting Victoria was pointless. No matter what I said, somehow I was always the one who ended up apologizing. If I defended myself, I was disrespectful. If I cried, I was pathetic. If I stayed silent, she accused me of plotting against her. So I had learned to stay quiet. It was easier that way. Or at least, that was what I told myself. Tonight was supposed to be different. Tonight was the full moon ceremony, the night Victoria would officially be presented to the pack as Declan's Luna. Everyone in the Blackthorn Pack had been talking about it for weeks and I had spent most of that time reminding myself that it had nothing to do with me. Still, I had found myself smiling while getting ready. I hated that I had. I hated that one small gift from Declan had been enough to make me forget, even for a few hours, where I stood in this pack. My fingers brushed against the skirt of my dress lightly. It was the prettiest thing I had ever owned. It was a deep midnight-blue fabric that fell softly around my legs, embroidered with tiny silver details that shimmered whenever I moved. It was simple compared to the gowns Victoria wore, but to me, it felt beautiful. Most of my clothes had been handed down after Victoria was finished with them and even those were usually missing buttons or had stains that no amount of washing could remove. I had learned not to complain about it. Anything was better than having nothing. Declan had found me earlier that afternoon carrying a basket of laundry behind the main house. Without saying much, he had handed me the dress and told me to wear it tonight. I had stared at him like he had lost his mind. I had even asked him if he was sure he wanted me, the pack pariah there. He just smiled and told me that I deserved to wear something beautiful too. Maybe that was why I had spent so long looking at myself in the mirror trying to look as presentable as I could. Maybe, just for tonight, I wanted to feel like someone worth looking at. I knew it was foolish. I knew exactly who Declan was supposed to stand beside tonight. Victoria was the strongest female warrior in the pack. She was beautiful, powerful and everything the elders wanted in a Luna. I was none of those things. I didn't even have a wolf. Still, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I had allowed myself one tiny thought. Maybe Declan would notice me. Not as the wolfless girl who needed help. Not as Victoria's unwanted sister. Just Cora. The thought had made me smile. Now, with Victoria standing in front of me, I wished I had never allowed myself that little bit of happiness. Victoria suddenly grabbed the front of my gown and yanked me toward her. “Where did you get this?” My breath caught. “Did you steal the money?” “No.” I shook my head quickly. “No, I didn't. I swear.” “Then where did you get it?” Her long nails dragged across my chest as she shook me. “It was a gift,” I whispered. Her expression hardened. “A gift?” I nodded. Victoria threw her head back and laughed. “Who would give you a gift?” I swallowed. “No one in this pack even likes you. Not even your own father.” Her eyes narrowed. “Who would waste money on a wolfless mutt like you?” The words hurt, but I had heard worse. I lowered my eyes. “It was Alpha Declan,” I whispered. The laughter stopped. For one brief second, the room became completely silent. Then Victoria's hand struck my face, hard. I stumbled sideways and hit the floor. Pain exploded across my cheek. My ears rang and for several seconds, I could barely hear anything beyond the pounding of my own heartbeat. I lifted a trembling hand to my face. Victoria stood over me, her eyes glowing amber. “How dare you?” I pushed myself backward trying to put as much space as possible between us but she followed. “Victoria, please.” She grabbed my wrist. I barely had time to react before she forced my hand against the floor and planted her heel over it. Pain shot through my fingers. "Please!" I cried out. She pressed harder. My fingers curled instinctively beneath her shoe, but I could barely move them. Every attempt sent another sharp wave of pain through my hand and up my arm. “You know,” she said calmly, almost conversationally, “I've been sick of you for a very long time and now I finally get to do what I've always wanted to do.” “What are you talking about?” I asked as tears blurred my vision. She smiled. “The pack is only as weak as its weakest link, right?” My heart began to race. She lifted her chin, and for the first time that evening, I saw something different in her expression. Triumph. “As the Luna-elect of the Blackthorn Pack,” she said, each word deliberate, “I, Victoria Haywood, exile Cora Haywood from this pack.” Everything inside me went still. I stared at her, certain I had misunderstood. Victoria removed her heel from my hand. My fingers remained curled against the floor, trembling violently as I struggled to move them. “You heard me.” “No.” My voice cracked. “You can't.” She crouched in front of me. “I can.” “But you're not Luna yet.” The smile disappeared from her face. “Not officially.” My stomach dropped. “But the ceremony is almost over,” she continued. “And once I stand beside Declan, no one will care about a wolfless girl who has already been cast out.” I shook my head. “I haven't done anything.” “You don't have to.” She rose to her feet and smoothed the front of her dress. “You were born weak. That's enough.” A sob escaped me. I looked toward the door, suddenly desperate for someone to walk in. Declan. The thought of him came before I could stop it. He had given me this dress. He had looked at me earlier that day and smiled. For a few precious moments, I had allowed myself to believe that maybe tonight would be different. Maybe, for once, I wouldn't have to stand at the edge of the room while everyone else celebrated. Maybe I could sit at a table instead of serving one. Maybe I could walk into the banquet hall without keeping my head down. Maybe I could spend one night pretending that I belonged. The realization that I had been foolish hurt more than I wanted to admit. Victoria's gaze dropped to the dress again. Then she smiled. “You really like that dress, don't you?” My heart sank. I instinctively grabbed the skirt and pulled it toward me. “Please.” I didn't even know why I said it. I only knew that I suddenly wanted to protect it more than I wanted to protect myself. Victoria crouched in front of me and grabbed a fistful of the midnight-blue fabric. “Maybe that's what makes you think you're special.” “No.” I reached for her wrist. She shoved my hand away. Then she pulled. The fabric tore with a sharp ripping sound that seemed impossibly loud in the room. I stared down at the jagged tear running through the silver embroidery. My breath caught. Victoria laughed. I grabbed the damaged fabric with both hands, trying to pull it back together even though I knew I couldn't fix it. “Why would you do that?” My voice broke. She looked at me with a cruel smile. “Because I can.” She tore another section. The sound of the fabric ripping seemed to tear something inside me with it. That dress had been the only beautiful thing I had been given in a very long time. For a few hours, it had made me feel like I was allowed to be happy. Now Victoria was standing over me, shredding the one thing that had made me smile that day. And she looked like she was enjoying every second of it. Victoria finally let the ruined fabric fall from her hand. “I want you gone before the ceremony is over.” She paused with her hand on the handle. Then she looked back at me. “And don't bother looking for anyone to help you.” Her smile returned. “No one is coming.” The door slammed shut behind her. I remained on the floor, staring at it. My cheek burned. My hand throbbed. But neither pain compared to the emptiness spreading through my chest. Exile. The word repeated inside my head until it barely sounded real. I looked down at the beautiful dress Declan had given me. Or what was left of it. The silver embroidery caught the light through the tears in the fabric. For the first time since I had put it on, I hated it. Not because it was ugly. Because it had made me hope. I slowly pushed myself to my feet, using the edge of the chair to steady myself. My injured hand shook as I touched the torn skirt. A few hours ago, I had been excited about tonight. Now I didn't even know where I was supposed to go. I had no money. No family willing to protect me. No wolf to guide me. And no place waiting for me outside the pack. I looked at myself in the mirror one last time. The girl staring back at me still wore the midnight-blue dress, but somehow she looked smaller than she had an hour ago. If Victoria was telling the truth, then I wasn't going to the ceremony tonight as a member of the Blackthorn Pack. I was leaving it as a rogue.