Chapter 1

Chapter 0001

When you have status in a wolf pack then your life is set. You have privilege, you have pretty much everything you can ask for. I used to have that. Until my father, the head warrior, died protecting the Alpha and then all of a sudden we were nothing to the top pack leaders.

My mother had never really had a job before. She met her mate when she was 18 and had me, which meant she stayed home with me and dad was the worker.

That was 5 years ago now. I still wonder how my mother managed to live through the death of her mate.

She’s the strongest woman I know. Especially after having our house taken off of us, our car, our entire life taken away.

We are now ranked lower than omega’s. My mother works endless dead end jobs just to pay the overpriced bills that the Alpha has given us and to put food on the table.

But I’ve noticed the decline in my mother since my father died. She doesn’t eat as much, she works too much, she doesn’t take care of herself, and the Alpha has since passed the reins on to his son who is just as ruthless and arrogant as he was as an Alpha.

My mother just wants me to get the hell out of this pack and find my own way in life. So I don’t have to suffer the same fate.

I woke up one morning and I looked out the window from the couch that I was sleeping on and it was pouring down rain. It was going to be a really crappy day.

I rolled off the couch and stumbled to the kitchen to get a coffee when I saw some hand picked flowers sitting in a vase and a note was sitting in front of them.

Happy Birthday Morgan,

I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate with you. But you have a good day. You’re finally 18. I can’t believe it. You’ve grown up so quick. I love you.

Love Mom.

“Wow. Mom really loves us.” My wolf Bella said in my head.

“We already knew that.” I said.

“I know. Are you going to have anything more than just coffee?” She asked.

“Yes, actually.” I said, opening a drawer and grabbing a packet of cigarettes. And I stood next to the kitchen window of our trailer as I lit it up.

“I still can’t believe you stole those. If you get caught then you are screwed. The Alpha will throw you in the dungeon.” Bella said.

“Would you relax? No one saw me.” I said.

“Yeah. You were lucky.” She said.

I went to the bedroom where the only closet was and I started going through my half of it and I grabbed a pair of frayed jeans, a black t-shirt and black boots.

I grabbed my bag and put a raincoat on and I left the trailer that my mother and I shared.

It took us half an hour to walk to school because everyone wanted us as far out of the way as they could. So we were in the middle of nowhere, just inside the tree line with no neighbors and in an area that doesn’t get patrolled much.

When I finally got to school I felt like a drowned rat.

I took my raincoat off and put it in my locker and I started getting my books for my first class.

There were only a couple of minutes to go before I had to be there.

I heard a group of people walking down the hall towards me.

I turned to look at them and I knew all of them. Some of them were old friends of mine and some I had never wanted to be friends with at all.

Now, they all hated me since we were looked down on by omega’s. Which is a rare thing.

As the group walked past me, I was still going through my locker when the guy at the front threw his shoulder into me and I hit the side of the locker with my face.

Him and his friends started laughing as they all kept walking, but I pulled my head back and felt a little bit of blood next to my eye.

“Asshole.” I said. And the group stopped and turned back to look at me.

“What did you just call me?” Ryan asked me.

“You heard me.” I said. And he gave his bag to his friend and walked over to me. He wanted to look down on me, but since I was unusually tall at 6 foot 1, no one could really look down on me.

“You really should be careful who you talk to like that. Or maybe we could go behind the gym and see what all the fuss is about. I heard that you’d give it up to anyone just for something to eat.” He said, moving a piece of hair out of my face.

I slap his hand away and he grabs me by the arms and he slams me back into the lockers.

That’s when I noticed a crowd starting to gather around us.

“Don’t ever lay a finger on me tramp, I outrank you.” He said.

“Go to hell.” I growled in his face.

He then slapped me across the face and when I pulled my face back, I wiped my hand across my mouth and saw a little bit of blood on it.

“You little slut.” He said.

“You know your problem right now?” I asked.

“And what’s that?” He asked.

“You’re standing too close.” I said. And I headbutted him in the face and he stumbled back a few steps, letting go of my arms as he did it.

I was able to move away from the lockers and Ryan lifted his head up with blood pouring out of his nose.

“You’re in for it now.” He said, rushing me.

But I quickly stepped off to the side and grabbed him by his hair and slammed his head into the locker and then I kneed him in the stomach. As he was crouched over, I kneed him in the face and he was flat on his back after that.

His friends looked like they were going to start advancing on me, and I was ready for that. Afterall, they are wolves. And wolves hunt in packs.

“What the hell is going on down here?” A booming voice came from the other end of the hall.

Suddenly all of the onlookers scattered and it was just me and Ryan left there with a couple of Ryan’s friends.

I looked up to see Principal Grayson storming towards us.

“Shit.” I muttered to myself.

“I asked a question. What the hell is going on here?” Grayson asked again.

“Isn’t it obvious? That piece of trash attacked Ryan.” Quinn said. Ryan’s girlfriend and my ex best friend.

“Would you please get him up and take him to the nurse? He’s bleeding all over the floor?” Grayson asked his friends. So they helped him up and they got him out of there and then Grayson walked over to me and tried to stand over me as well. Trying to intimidate me.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” He asked.

“Are you going to believe anything I say?” I asked.

“Get to my office.” He demanded. So I closed my locker and I went to Grayson’s office.

I was surprised when I opened the door and Beta Levi was standing there in his three-piece suit.

Grayson walked in behind me and he bared his neck to Beta Levi out of respect. Something that I never did because I don’t respect anyone in this pack anymore. I had no reason to.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“You’re coming with me.” Beta Levi said.

“I have class.” I said.

“Are you disobeying a direct order?” He asked.

I followed Beta Levi out of the office and we got in his car that was waiting at the front door for us.

We drove through town until we got to the packhouse and when I got out of the car I was suddenly very nervous.

I was shown inside and the packhouse looked pretty much the same as it did five years ago. The living room was off to the right, but Beta Levi took me through a couple of rooms to the left and down a hallway until we came to a large mahogany door.

He knocked on it and I heard a deep voice sing out for him to open it.

So he opened the door and I walked inside the office first, but Beta Levi shut the door behind me.

It was a pretty large office with a massive desk and Alpha Logan was sitting behind it in his finely pressed three-piece suit.

As soon as he looked up at me and I saw the firm sculpture of his face and his slicked back brown hair and green eyes staring at me, I started to feel dizzy.

The aroma of his scent finally hit me and Bella started going crazy in my head and I had to grab onto a chair to steady myself.

“Mate.” I said, shocked.

Chapter 0002

Alpha Logan sat there staring at me for what seemed like an eternity. I didn’t know what was wrong with him.

He finally stood up and walked around his desk, making sure that his suit wasn’t wrinkled and that he looked perfect. Glancing at his reflection in a window to a cabinet as he passed it.

He walked around his desk to where I was standing, trying not to lose my balance and he leaned on his desk.

“You already knew.” I finally said.

“I’m 24 years old. Of course I already knew.” He said.

“But you never said anything.” I said.

“I found out that you were my mate when I was 18. You were only 12. I wasn’t going to tell a 12-year-old that she was mated to the future Alpha. And it’s just as well I didn’t.” He said, smoothing his hair back.

“Why?” I asked.

“I can’t let people know that us two are mates. You’re lower in the pack than an omega.” He said.

“Who’s fault is that? You turned your back on me and my mother after my father died. Protecting your father, I might add.” I said.

“Don’t get sassy with me girl. We’re not here to talk about the past. We’re here to talk about what we are going to do now. So, sit down.” He said, pulling the chair out from his desk.

So I walked closer to him and I had to hold my breath as I walked past him and sat on the chair.

He went back around to the other side of his desk and sat in his massive leather chair, making sure that he unbuttoned his jacket before he sat down.

“Can you please just get this over with? I have to get back to school.” I said.

“Get what over with?” He asked, confused.

“The rejection.” I said.

“I never said that I was going to reject you.” He said. And then I was confused.

“I don’t understand. You just said that you’re glad no one knows that we’re mates. So, why aren’t you going to reject me?” I asked.

“Because everyone knows that rejecting a fated mate is a bad omen and a slap in the face to the moon Goddess who paired us together. She obviously did it for some reason, but I can’t imagine why. So, I’m not going to reject you. With this pack’s history, I don’t need to be bringing any bad omen to us.” He explained.

“So, what? You’re going to keep me as your mate and Luna?” I asked, confused.

“No. Hell no. No one is going to know that we are mates. I won’t reject you, but you are not going to move into the packhouse. We are not going to act like we are dating or mated in any way. If I need you for anything related to Alpha duties then I will let you know. Otherwise, we keep our distance from each other.” He said.

“And you keep dating that plastic girlfriend of yours, right? To keep up appearances?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m glad you understand.” He said.

“I never said that. What’s to stop me from telling people?” I asked.

“Who would believe you? Even if they do believe you, all I have to do is deny it and that’s the end of it. They will hate you for lying about their Alpha.” He insisted.

“And what the hell am I meant to do? Just hang around for the rest of my life and be at your beckon call? What if I want to go to college after high school? What if I want to make something of myself so I am not working endless dead end jobs like my mother?” I asked.

“You’ve still got a few months to go before you graduate. We can revisit it at the time. But right now, you know the rules of this mating. You can leave now.” He said, picking up his pen and getting back to his paperwork.

I think I was still in a little bit of shock as I stood up from the chair and I walked over and opened the door to see Alpha Logan’s plastic girlfriend Penelope was standing there waiting for him. With her skin tight dress that just came down past her ass and everything else that should stay covered up, her make-up caked on like she never knew how much was enough and 4 inch high heels that still didn’t make her as tall as me and her long brown hair curled down her back.

“Sweetheart. What are you doing wasting your time with this trash?” She asked as Alpha Logan walked up behind me.

“It was just another fight at school.” Logan said.

“Well, we’re late for lunch. You told me that you were going to take me to the city today. It’s going to take an hour to drive there.” She said.

“I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. I’ll just be a moment and then we can go. And Morgan, I’ll talk to you later.” Alpha Logan said, looking at me.

I didn’t say anything back to him as I started walking down the hall and I headed to the front door of the packhouse.

As soon as we got outside and down the stairs, I finally felt like I could breathe again.

I stood there taking a few deep breaths and I saw Beta Levi walk out onto the veranda watching me.

I looked at him for a moment and he actually looked like he felt sorry for me or something like that. But I doubted it. No one felt sorry for me.

I started walking back towards town and I had no intention of going back to school today.

“Why doesn’t he want us?” Bella whined.

“Because he’s an arrogant ass.” I said.

“Morgan. He’s our mate. Don’t you want to go back to the packhouse and be with him?” She asked.

“Why would I?” I asked.

“I live inside of you Morgan. You can’t lie to me. You are just as hurt as I am.” She said.

“Yeah. So what? There’s nothing we can do about it.” I said.

“We can go back there and demand that he pay attention to us.” She said.

“He doesn’t give a shit about us. Doing that will just get us thrown in the dungeon. Mom doesn’t need that stress. I can’t wait until I graduate high school. I am grabbing mom and taking her with me when we get the hell out of here.” I said. But Bella started whining again.

“What about our mate?” She asked.

“I don’t care? What don’t you understand about that? He doesn’t want us so why should we want him?” I asked.

“Because he loves us. He just doesn’t know it.” She said.

“I can’t deal with this right now Bella.” I said. And I pushed her to the back of my mind so I couldn’t hear her anymore.

I turned down an alley that was a shortcut instead of going around the whole block when suddenly Ryan came out from behind a dumpster.

I stopped when I saw him standing there and then his friends David and John walked up behind him.

I turned around to go back to where I came from, but I saw Alex and Brody walk in behind me.

“Wow. This doesn’t really look like a fair fight.” I said, turning back to Ryan.

“That’s the whole point. You may know how to fight one on one. But I am not going to be embarrassed by a worthless piece of trash like you again. Especially not while I have this.” He taunted, holding up my father’s watch that he stole from my locker.

“Give that back.” I demanded.

“Make me.” He laughed. I noticed that his friends were slowly getting closer. Closing me in.

I felt my heart start beating crazy in my chest and butterflies in my stomach. I could feel tears start to prick at the sides of my eyes, but I was determined to not let them betray me. I couldn’t show Ryan and his friends any kind of weakness. They are the last people that I could show weakness to. But I was having a lot of trouble with that.

“Oh. Look fellas. I think she’s about to cry.” Ryan teased. But I had to be strong. I got into position, ready to take them on.

I knew that I couldn’t take on five of them. Not at once and not on my own.

They all started advancing on me and I was trying to make sure that I didn’t get backed against a wall or into a corner. And I kept my eyes on my dad’s watch in Ryan’s hand.

It was almost impossible but I wasn’t going to give up either.

And I knew it wasn’t going to be a fair fight.

Especially not when Ryan punched me in the face and spun me around and John kicked me in the stomach.

One of them came over and tried to get me to stand up straight and he was holding me from behind so I threw my head back and headbutted him. But the other four jumped me all at once. I didn’t stand a chance.

Chapter 0003

LOGAN’S POV

As soon as Morgan left my office it took everything I had to try and concentrate again. Penelope came into my office and sat on my lap while I was looking at the papers on my desk.

As much as they made sense earlier, they didn’t make any sense now. Not with Morgan’s scent swirling around the room.

How the hell did this happen? I had every intention of rejecting her when she turned 18. I can’t have an omega as a mate. The pack won’t accept her, but the second she walked through the door, I just couldn’t do it.

“Logan. Are you listening to me?” Penelope asked.

“Sorry. I’m just a little distracted. What did you say?” I asked.

“My uncle wants to have a meeting with you. As soon as possible.” She said.

“Yeah. Of course. Let him know that I am free whenever he is.” I said.

“Well, he’s a pretty busy Alpha himself. I’ll try and set it up.” She said.

“Would you please get this rancid bitch off of us?” My wolf Luca growled.

“Shut up.” I said.

“We just saw our mate and now you have this thing hanging off of you. What the hell is that matter with you?” Luca asked.

“You know that I can’t break up with her.” I said.

“Yeah, I know. Because you want an alliance with her uncle. Who the hell cares. Make the alliance and then dump the bitch. If you get it in writing then he can’t renege on the deal.” Luca said.

He was starting to give me a headache so I pushed him to the back of my mind so I didn’t have to listen to him anymore.

I know that he really wanted to be near Morgan. Hell, I even wanted to be near her now. I’ve been deliberately ignoring her for the last few years. I have made sure that we were never in the same place together. But after seeing her today, something just…changed.

I knew that the mate bond was strong, but I didn’t know it was that strong. I found her when she was 12, but that was only a one-sided attraction. Now, it’s completely different and I don’t know how to handle it. I don’t know why I had to be so cruel to her. She didn’t deserve that.

I know she didn’t. And I don’t know what I am going to do about this.

“Well, come on. Lunch time.” Penelope said, standing up and pulling me up from the chair.

Yesterday, her touches meant everything to me. But now, I can’t even stand her being this near to me.

“Yeah. I’ve just got a little bit of work to finish up here.” I said.

“It will be there when you are finished with lunch. Now let go.” She said.

Penelope always gets what she wants. And she has never been told no, so she doesn’t even take that for an answer.

We got up and walked out of the packhouse and got into my black mercedes that was parked at the front of the house.

“Beta Levi.” I mind linked.

“Yes, Alpha.” Levi answered.

“That girl that just left my office. Morgan. I want you to keep an eye on her.” I linked.

“Yes, sir. Is there anything you want me to report back to you about?” He asked.

“Everything.” I answered.

We drove to the most expensive restaurant in town which always had a private room out the back that was reserved for me. So I didn’t have to make a reservation.

We sat down and there wasn’t any point at looking at the menu. I already knew everything on it so we ordered our food and Penelope was talking away, like she always did. Yapping her damn head off all the time. I used to think it was cute, now it was just annoying.

My mind was wandering back to when Morgan was in my office. She was such a little kid the last time I saw her. She’s all grown up now. She’s so beautiful and nothing like I expected when my father declared that they were now going to be omega’s. I thought she would be a lot more run down, but it looks like she’s held it together pretty well since they were demoted in the pack. I was surprised by that.

“Alpha.” Levi screeched in my head.

“Damn. What’s wrong?” I mind linked.

“Morgan’s in danger. She’s been taken to the hospital.” Levi said.

“I have to go.” I said, standing up.

“What are you talking about? Our food isn’t even here yet.” Penelope said.

“Pack business. I have to go.” I said, racing out of the restaurant.

I sped to the hospital and when I got there I could see that there was movement coming from one of the emergency rooms and I walked cautiously over to the door.

I saw a man in there trying to get Morgan’s shirt off of her. But I knew that he didn’t work here.

I barged into the room and I grabbed that kid and threw him into the wall behind us.

“Who the hell are you and why are you taking her clothes off?” I growled.

“I’m Cooper. I’m the one that found her in the alley. She was being beaten and these doctors and nurses aren’t doing anything to help her.” Cooper said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I just told you. They’re not helping her but she needs it.” Cooper said.

So I walked out of the room while I still had a hold of Cooper and I saw the doctor standing at the desk in front of me.

“Why the hell aren’t you helping that girl in there?” I demanded and the doctor spun around to look at me.

“Well, she was just brought in, sir. And it’s Morgan Jameson.” He said.

“I don’t give a shit who it is. Get in there and save her fucking life. NOW!” I yelled, and he and the nurses all ran into the room and started helping Morgan immediately.

“Can you let go of me now?” Cooper asked.

“You still have more questions to answer.” I said.

“I was just trying to see how badly she was hurt. No one else was bothering.” Cooper said.

“And how did you find her?”

“I work at the cafe next to where she was attacked. I was taking trash out to the alley when I saw five guys wailing on her. She wasn’t fighting back. She was on the ground. I got them to back off and they left this on her body before they left.” He explained, showing me a watch. I recognised that watch. It was her father’s. My father gave it to him before he died.

“Get the hell out of here.” I said, letting him go.

He stumbled back and headed out of the hospital and I turned around to see them working on Morgan in the emergency room.

They needed to do several tests on her to see the extent of the damage.

I was waiting for hours and there were so many people trying to get in touch with me, but I ignored them all.

They finally got Morgan to a private room and I sat in there, next to her bed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“We’re transfusing blood and IV antibiotics now. She’s in a coma due to brain swelling from the beating. It will go down eventually, but we don’t know how long it will take.” The doctor explained.

“Get out.” I ordered. And he left immediately.

I leaned forward and I grabbed Morgan’s hand. I could feel that she was still in there. She was still alive. Sparks started darting up and down my hand and my arm.

I didn’t want to let go. I didn’t want to go anywhere.

My phone started ringing again and I looked at it only to see Penelope’s name on it. But I just ignored it and I stayed there staring at Morgan. Hoping that the mate bond would help her right now. I know that I was cruel to her earlier, but all I could hope for right now is that the mate bond was going to work and she was going to get better.

I wasn’t sure how long I was sitting there for. The nurse came in and checked on her vitals a couple of times and she saw me holding her hand, but she was ordered not to say anything. And Levi was outside the room, making sure that only that one nurse came in and out. I didn’t want to have to Alpha order the entire nursing staff. I didn’t have the energy right now.

I don’t think I have ever felt this down before.

I have heard so many stories about Morgan being a fighter. Why wouldn’t she fight back this time? I know that she was outnumbered, but there’s hardly any defensive wounds.

I know that it had to be because of me. Because of what I said and did. This was my fault. She’s fighting for her life because of me.

I wasn’t sure how long I had been sitting there for, but Morgan started moving her fingers.

I looked up and her eyes were slowly opening and I moved my hand away and leaned back on the chair that I was sitting on.

She looked confused as she looked around and then her eyes landed on me.

“What happened?” Morgan asked in a hoarse voice.

“You were attacked. A dishwasher carried you to the hospital. You have his scent all over you.” I said, trying to control my wolf.

But it didn’t work and I stood up and leaned over her.

“Why the hell was that dishwasher so interested in you?” I growled.