Chapter 1: Meeting Her Mate
In a small bungalow, a high-pitched voice echoed, followed by the clanging of an object. Inside, Pamela Turner, the younger twin daughter of Delta James Turner, stood menacingly over Charlotte Wallace.
Charlotte clutched her side, her left hand pressed against her tummy, while her right hand held a purple shoe.
The vein on her temple bulged numerous times and there was a trail of cold sweat on her forehead as she knitted her brows tightly in a bid to stiffle in her painful moan.
"I don't understand why you tolerate her, Pamela. It's not like she's worthy of our attention," Paige Turner remarked from her perch on a sofa.
"Are you comfortable with her being our senior?" Pamela shot back, glaring at her elder sister.
Paige scoffed, "I'd rather not have an elder sister who's so pathetic. But we can't change her existence. Once we find our mates, who I know will be alphas, we can distance ourselves from her."
"We can even banish her from our pack. Why else do you think I rarely bother with her?"
Though many thought of Paige as the composed sister and Pamela as impulsive, Charlotte knew what was happening behind the scene. Every move Pamela made was inspired by Paige's hidden words and actions.
Pamela briefly considered Paige's words and nodded in agreement.
Then, Pamela noticed her shoe still in Charlotte's hand. She took off the second shoe and rudely tossed it at her.
"Burn them, and stay out of my sight until evening."
Although hesitant, Charlotte slowly raised her eyes head to look at the twins.
"The Moonlight Mate Gathering is in four hours, Pamela. All werewolves must attend, regardless of their status, or risk the moon goddess' wrath."
Pamela scoffed, "What does it matter if you find your mate? If he doesn't turn out to be a low-life bum, he'll just reject you."
"Let her attend the gathering; it might be entertaining to watch her make a fool of herself." Paige surprisingly butted in, siding Charlotte.
Pamela pleased with Paige's suggestion.
When Paige saw her sister was offended, she quickly forced on a smile and added, "Plus, we can have her wear one of those shabby dresses of hers."
Each year, since they turned 15, the three girls attended the Moonlight Mate Gathering where they watched others find their mates and fantasized about the day they'd also find theirs.
However, while the twins always looked radiant, Charlotte would trail behind them, carrying the hems of their dresses as if she were their servant.
Furthermore, their father, James Turner, had insisted that Charlotte adopt her deceased mother's last name. This, along with her shabby appearance, caused most people to remain unaware of her true relationship to the Turners.
"Dirty clothes in the back, plates in the sink, and clean and mop my room," Pamela ordered Charlotte, turning her face away.
Paige added, "Clean and mop mine too. I also have some dirty clothes in my room; add them to your laundry. Then Iron and arrange the dry clothes on my bed neatly in my wardrobe."
Charlotte met both of their gazes briefly, then picked up the shoe Pamela had thrown at her and quietly left the living room.
"I swear, I despise the way she looks at me!" Pamela exclaimed as Charlotte departed.
"When was the last time we hit her?" Paige suddenly asked, leaving Pamela silent.
The hairs on the back of Charlotte’s back stood on its end and before she could escape, Pamela and Paige cornered her.
Pamela covered Charlotte's face with a cloth, and Paige began to strike her against the face.
This wasn't the first time they were doing this. Paige would do this whenever she got irritated by the sight of Charlotte's pretty face.
While the twins were beauties and caught the eyes of people wherever they went, Charlotte always stole their attention whenever she came along with them.
Thus, Paige grew to hate her very existence. Whenever they went out, she’d instruct Charlotte to lower her face to the floor the whole time.
And given the fact Charlotte didn't train in the packhouse with the rest of her mates, she was way weaker than the twins.
"Tell me, do you know who's responsible for your suffering?" Paige asked in a raspy voice, pausing for a moment from hitting her.
Charlotte didn't respond, infuriating Paige even more. "Your mother. I bet she died after birthing you because she couldn't stand the sight of your ugly face."
Paige relentlessly began hitting her againuntil Charlotte was too weak to resist. But Paige continued even then.
"Pamela, she's not moving," Pamela said in a trembling voice when she noticed Charlotte had stopped moving.
Paige had a crazed look in her eyes and seemed not to hear her. It wasn't until Pamela removed the cloth from Charlotte's face and her limp body fell to the side that Paige snapped back to reality.
She stared at her for a some seconds before she turned and stormed out of the kitchen afterward while Pamela stayed behind to confirm Charlotte was still alive. Hearing Charlotte's heartbeat, she then proceeded out of the kitchen.
Charlotte remained on the floor for ten minutes, allowing her wolf time to heal her injuries. She then sat up, clutching her aching head.
The Quileute Pack remained ignorant of her plight. To them, she was merely an extended member of the Turners. James Turner made sure of that.
The Moonlight Mate Gathering was only a few hours away and Charlotte, just like every other girl in The Quileute Pack, believed meeting her mate would change her life for the better.
With that consolation, she got to work, completing the chores she had been assigned over the next four hours.
By the time she finished, Pamela and Paige were all set to go The Moonlight Mate Gathering.
Their mother, Tiffany Holmes, had returned and was admiring her daughters with pride when Charlotte entered the living room, wearing the best dress she could find.
The dress was old and faded, but somehow, Charlotte looked stunning in it. She outshone the twins, who were decked in numerous pieces of jewelry and wore expensive, exquisite ball gowns.
"Where did you get the money to buy that? Have you been stealing from me, you foolish girl?" Tiffany scolded, upset that Charlotte had managed to look better than her daughters.
Charlotte held the dress firmly and lowered her eyes to the floor, frowning slightly. "This dress belonged to my mother, ma'am."
"I will not tolerate you wearing something that belonged to the deceased under my roof. Take it off and burn it, then put on one of your regular clothes."
Tiffany's eyes flashed maliciously as she approached Charlotte and tore the dress to pieces while it was still on her body.
"Change into your regular clothes quickly so you don't delay my daughters."
Charlotte bit the inside of her cheek, holding back her tears. She didn't want to give Tiffany the satisfaction, so she pretended not to care about the dress and returned to the basement where she slept.
"Mother, I have a feeling my mate will turn out to be someone important, like a beta or even an alpha," Pamela exclaimed as she left.
"Of course, darling. I prayed to the moon goddess today and had a vision. One of you will end up with an alpha, and the other with a beta. You've both been good girls and deserve nothing but the best." Tiffany didn't hesitate to praise her daughters.
Charlotte heard Pamela's words as she sat in the basement, biting down harder on her lower lip until she tasted the metallic taste blood in her mouth.
Thirty minutes later, she and the twins arrived at the venue of the gathering. The venue for the gathering was rotated amongst packs. So the year's own was being held in The Silver Fangs Pack this year.
The Silver Fangs Pack was one of the oldest packs and the alpha and his family were said to be one of the first werewolves to ever exist. Furthermore, it was known for its wealth and exclusivity, and rumors had it that the current alpha, who became alpha at the age of 15, was still mateless at the age of 24.
Charlotte walked behind Pamela and Paige, holding the hems of their gowns as they entered the building where the gathering was being hosted. As usual, no one paid any attention to the shabbily dressed girl who came with the Turner sisters.
The twins soon paired off and went in different directions. Charlotte chose a discreet corner to sit and observe her surroundings. It didn't take long for a sweet scent to fill the air, catching her attention.
Her eye’s glistened in excitement and her wolf who had been sleeping jolted awake and danced around happily.
"Mate!"
