The Life I Never Wished For

“My name is Hailey.” “Sixteen years old.” “And according to everyone in my town… I should never have been born.” My mother died the day I came into this world. People said she was attacked by a rogue before she found out she was pregnant with me. No one knew who my father was. Some believed he was a monster, while others whispered that he wasn’t even human. Whatever the truth was, my mother took it to her grave. I was left behind to carry a burden I never asked for. The Moon Shadow Pack lived on the outskirts of our small town, hidden from ordinary humans. Although humans believed we were just another peaceful community, every werewolf knew the truth. Strength determined your worth. Pure blood meant respect. Family meant everything. I had none of those. No wolf. No parents. No place in the pack. Everyone called me the cursed girl. Whenever children saw me, they crossed the road. Adults lowered their voices whenever I walked past. “That’s her.” “The girl with no wolf.” “The child born from shame.” I ignored them. What else could I do? My only home was a tiny wooden cottage my Aunt Emma secretly gave me years ago. It sat near the forest where wolves often howled at night. The cottage was old, but it was mine. Aunt Emma was the only person who truly cared about me. She secretly paid my school fees and often brought me food when no one was watching. “If Jude finds out,” she always whispered nervously, “he’ll never forgive me.” Her husband hated me. He believed I brought bad luck to everyone around me. His daughter, Rhea, hated me even more. She was my age and attended Moon Shadow Academy with me, but she made sure nobody knew we were related. “If anyone finds out we’re cousins,” she warned one day, grabbing my wrist tightly, “I’ll make your life a living nightmare.” She didn’t need to try very hard. The entire school already treated me like I didn’t belong. Being sixteen, every werewolf around me had already shifted into their wolf at least once. Everyone… Except me. Whenever training began, I sat alone while others practiced with their wolves. They laughed. “There goes the wolfless freak.” “I bet she’s not even a real werewolf.” “I heard she’s half human.” Their words hurt, but not as much as the silence inside me. Every full moon I waited. Every full moon… nothing happened. No voice. No wolf. Nothing. That night, after another humiliating day at school, I walked into the forest alone. The moon hung high above the trees. The cold wind brushed against my face as I closed my eyes. “I don’t care if you’re real or not,” I whispered. “But if I have a wolf…” “Please…” “Answer me.” Silence. Tears rolled down my cheeks. “I just want to belong.” Suddenly… A terrifying howl echoed through the forest. Not one. Several. Birds flew from the trees. The ground beneath my feet trembled. My heart pounded. Then, for the first time in sixteen years… I heard a voice inside my head. “Run.” Hailey’s eyes snapped open. “What…?” The voice came again, stronger this time. “Run! They’re coming for you!” Branches snapped behind her. Heavy footsteps rushed through the darkness. Glowing golden eyes appeared between the trees. Then another. And another. A group of enormous wolves emerged from the shadows. Hailey stumbled backward, frozen with fear. One of the wolves lowered its head and growled. But before it could attack, a deafening alpha command echoed through the forest. “STOP!” Every wolf instantly lowered itself. A tall young man stepped out of the darkness, his piercing silver eyes fixed on Hailey. His expression changed from anger… To complete shock. “No…” he whispered. “It can’t be…” He stared at her as though he had finally found someone he had been searching for his entire life. “Mate.” End of Chapter 1