THE ONLY FEMALE; FATED TO THE WRONG MATE

CHAPTER ONE: AWAITED NIGHT RORY'S POV "Ro! We're turning tonight!" I watched as Ayla burst into the room, her energetic and smiling face a stark contrast to my own apprehensions. "Ayla, you seem so excited," I said, rubbing my arms. "Everyone says it's a terrible experience; you should be shaking." Ayla chuckled, clearly far from intimidated. With the full moon looming, the thought of transforming into a wolf for the first time was daunting, yet thrilling. My twin sister, Ayla, and I had been in the pack our whole lives. Our lives were restrictive, with limitations on moving around alone; an omega always accompanied us. It felt like being prisoners in our own home. "Ro! Get out of your head!" Ayla screamed, yanking me out of my thoughts. I moved closer to her, and her infectious excitement was evident as she darted around the room. "Ayla," I said, taking her hands. My sister's brown eyes sparkled, and her ever-smiling face was a comforting sight. "We're not just turning tonight once it's full moon it's our twenty-second birthday, Maybe we should focus on that." I widened my eyes for clarity. "I know, Ro. We're also getting free," she winked. Who wouldn't be excited? We'd been locked up, barely knowing what the outside world looked like beyond strolling from one omega's house to the beta's and to the alpha's, where we stayed in the guest house. Nobody even knew we existed, probably except for Elara the witch and Elijah, my mom's former beta, now the alpha of our pack. He made daily checks on us, but everything about him felt off. "You're missing it, Ayla," I said, "remember, we promised to find Mom whenever we got out." Ayla's expression turned nonchalant. "It's been ages, Ro. Mom is gone." My heart sank at her words. "But we promised..." Ayla yelled again, her hands open in frustration. "Ro, leave it alone!" I held my words back, knowing things wouldn't be as I imagined. My mom, the former alpha of the Moonlight Pack, had always been loving and carefree. But everything changed when we turned eight. Elijah and Elara, a witch, became our caretakers, locking us away with countless rules. We were forbidden from going outside, attending parties, or experiencing the world beyond our confines. They promised it was for our own safety. Elijah claimed the Hybrid Alpha had taken our mother. "I'll find her," I vowed, recalling my mom's warmth. Ayla's response was laced with skepticism. "Good luck with that." As I glanced around the room, a mix of emotions swirled within me. We'd lived in this house since we were eight, but Elijah had promised we'd leave once we turned on the full moon. That thought was the only thing that excited me. Just then, Ayla's voice pierced the air. "The moon is coming out!" I turned toward the window, and my heart skipped a beat. The awaited night had finally arrived – our 22nd birthday, the day Elara had prophesied we'd turn, and the day we'd finally be free. Tears streamed down my face as Ayla beamed with excitement, her eyes welling up with tears. "Take off your jade, so you won't loose it when turning,” I said, referencing the pendant that was the only reminder we had of our mother. Ayla yanked it off, a determined glint in her eye. "I'll be headed to the Lunar Den. Don't break too many bones," she said with a mischievous grin before dashing off. I remained in the room, seething with emotions. Elara had warned us that our emotions would be unpredictable during our first transformation, and I could already feel nervous brewing within me. I wanted to shatter everything in the room, to release the pent-up frustration and anger. Just then, the door creaked open. "You should be at the Lunar Den; there's enough space for everyone turning tonight," Elijah said, his voice calm and calculated. "I'll do that here, Alpha," I replied, turning back to the window and steeling myself. I could sense Elijah's smirk. "Last days, huh…?" He smiled wickedly, or rather mischievously. The moon had reached its zenith, full to the brim, its glow illuminating the night sky. The Lunar Den was just a short walk from the Alpha's building, but I could hear my sister and other werewolves screaming in the distance. But guess what? I wasn't screaming with them. I wasn't screaming because I wasn't turning. I felt nothing inside, no stirring, no transformation. My head was spinning. Elara had warned us that only a curse, sickness, or lack of werewolf blood could prevent someone from turning on their prophesied date. I was shaking, my mind reeling. The door burst open, and Elijah stormed in, his eyes blazing with questions. "Why aren't your bones breaking, Rory?" he demanded. I struggled to conceal my pain and frustration. "Just give me the room, please," I pleaded. Elijah's smile was wide and menacing. "You might be staying with us for an extra 10 years, hmm?" he taunted before slamming the door shut. I clenched my clothes, overcome with emotion, and screamed louder than ever. *** Hours passed, and nothing happened. My mind wandered back to the times Elara would pull me aside, reminding me of how special I was, destined to be the female Alpha and savior of the Moonlight Pack. "She lied!" I screamed out. Is a savior meant to be powerless? Before I could find answers, the door swung open, and Elijah entered, holding someone behind him. "Elijah, I need to speak to Elara; I think something's wrong with..." My words trailed off as I saw Ayla, her face bloodied, eyes red, and limping. I rushed to her side. "Why are you holding..." "He's my mate, Ro," Ayla said coldly, her smile and sparkle gone. I was taken aback by her words. Moving closer, I said, "No, it can't be. You just turned, and you're not meant to figure everything out yet." My eyes shifted to Elijah, who stood in the corner, arms folded. His gaze on Ayla was unsettling, with flickers of lust in his eyes. "Rory, he's my mate, and I'm going with him," Ayla said, her voice firm. I felt a pang; my sister had never called me Rory, always Ro. What was going on? "You can't leave me, Ayla. I haven't turned, and I can't be alone," I said, trying to hide my pain. Ayla picked up her jade pendant. "You'll figure it out." Elijah stepped forward, holding Ayla's hand. "We should leave. Your sister will be fine, and we'll throw a party to celebrate...this." He gave me a condescending smirk before pulling Ayla close and pecking her cheek. I hated the scene unfolding before me, and Elijah's smug expression only made it worse. Ayla turned to me. "Sisters?" Our familiar phrase echoed between us. "Forever," I replied.