1

DAPHNE

The last thing I wanted was to walk into that room and have to see Hades again.

He was an infuriating asshole and I could not wait to be rid of him.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with as much air as I could and walked into the room with the glass of water in my hand.

Of all the things to call on me to get him… a freaking glass of water.

He had his arms wrapped around the pack whore, Elena and I rolled my eyes when he cast me a wide grin.

“Come closer, runt” He called out.

I squared my shoulders and walked to him with the glass in my hand.

Elena giggled when he smacked her naked ass and then proceeded to pinch her nipple.

I tried my best to keep a straight face but I could barely hide the irritation I was feeling.

“You should get on your knees when offering anything to your Alpha” He commented.

“You are not my Alpha, your father is” I cut him off immediately.

It was almost like a daily ritual for us…this back and forth and it has been going on for years.

He hated my mother for being his father’s mistress and because he could not do anything about it, he took it out on me.

I also disliked the fact that my mother warmed the bed of the Lord of the house but she was my mother and no one had the right to judge her except me.

“You should warm my bed, you know… just like your mother warms my father’s” He snorted, rising to his feet.

He was bare chested and I almost lost my breath at the sight of his muscles.

When had he gotten so ripped?

I always did remember him as scrawny kid who liked to brawl and get into fights because he would never be punished as the Alpha’s son.

“In your wildest dreams, Hades” I smiled cynically at him although my chest fluttered when he smiled.

Fluttered? Did I just say fluttered?

I cleared my throat, hoping it would keep back the silly thoughts I was having about this oaf.

I blamed it on the fact that my birthday was around the corner. I would be eighteen soon and getting my wolf… finally.

That could only be the reason I was feeling incredibly hot at the moment.

I knew about the wolf heat but should it already be happening?

“Do not glare at me like that, little runt” I heard him say.

Was I glaring?

I was losing my train of thought

I pushed the glass into his hand.

“Here is your water and next time, do well to get it yourself” I bowed in mockery

“I should tame you just for the fun of it” He called out as I turned around.

I stopped walking, turning around to cast him a patronizing smile.

“I will like to see you try”

I hurried out of the room before he made good on his words. If there was one thing about Hades, he did not bluff.

Some maids walked by me, casting me a bland stare.

It was one I had come to be used to living in the pack house.

We used to have our own home away from this madness until the Alpha decided to move my mother into the pack house.

He wanted her with him and he could not very well leave me to live on my own.

It was not a decision that was welcomed by the members of the pack house but they could hardly say anything to counter the Alpha.

I had protested however against going to live in close proximity with Hades who had always been a thorn in my flesh but my mother reminded me that they had saved us and we were indebted.

She said Hades’ father and Alpha of our pack had found her pregnant and almost dead at the side of the road and he had taken her in, given her a home and put food on her table.

It was around the time Hades’ mother and Luna of the pack died.

It was the reason he hated my mother so much because to him, she had taken his mother’s place in the pack and it would only be a matter of time before the Alpha made her his Luna.

That would make Hades and I, step siblings.

I shivered in dread at this.

It was one thing to live together in the same environment but to finally be connected as a family? I wanted none of that.

“Wait up, Daphne” I heard my best friend call.

Freydis was the only one who had accepted me in the pack house. She was the daughter of the Beta and second in command in our pack and it had been decided that she would marry Hades when the time comes.

I pitied her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her.

“I escaped” She muttered breathlessly.

“You escaped?” I echoed, my eyes wide.

“Yes”

She was grinning from ear to ear as she pushed me into my room and locked the door.

“How exactly do you escape from your own birthday party?”

“I slipped away” She muttered. “But don’t worry, I will be back there soon besides they will not notice that I am gone until it is time for my mate to be revealed.”

“Who do you think it is going to be?” I asked her, my face breaking into a smile.

“Hades, no doubt” She smiled.

She liked him… always had a crush on him since we were children even when he had never paid her any attention in his life.

I did not know what she saw him in and I only hoped he would treat her right when the time comes.

“You should be at my party” She said.

“Your father said I am not to be invited, remember? And it doesn’t matter because my birthday party is in two months and you are invited”

“Maybe you could disguise as one of the maids and sneak in, keep your head down so you can witness it all” Freydis suggested.

“I don’t know-”

“Oh, come on Daph… it will be brilliant. No one is going to notice you are there” She told me.

I giggled and we decided to do as she suggested.

When I was fully dressed as a maid; I followed behind her, keeping my head down and trying as much as I could not to be noticed by anyone.

The party was beautiful… it was something I would never get to have but it did not bother me much.

I walked to where the maids stood and stayed behind them.

Soon there was an announcement; Alpha Zeus and his son Hades walked in with my mother standing beside him.

She was beautiful in her dress and her smile was wide.

I felt happy and sad for her at the same time because we both knew the members of the pack would never accept her.

The only thing however that mattered to me was that she was happy.

I burrowed further away, making sure Hades did not see me because he was one person who could expose my disguise.

“Shall we prepare for the mating?” Alpha Zeus declared

There were cheers around the high table and so the priestess was invited in while Freydis was asked to stand in the middle of some circle that had been constructed.

The woman began chanting in an ancient dialect while I watched spell bound. It was a beautiful sight indeed and I was glad I was there to see it.

If this was how mine was going to be then I could hardly wait for it.

She finally stopped and silence enveloped the room.

Her eyes remained closed and she began walking while everyone cleared a path for her.

She was headed in my direction and so I moved, hiding behind the tallest girl I could find.

She stopped walking, her eyes fluttering open and they pinned on me.

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach

“You” She rasped in an unearthly voice.

I was pushed forward, exposed to all eyes.

My mother’s smile dropped from her lips as she saw me and Freydis appeared confused where she stood

“What is the meaning of this?” Alpha Zeus interrupted.

The priestess reached for my arm, tugging me painfully forward until I was standing in front of the Alpha.

“She is to be Luna” The priestess answered.

The whole hall exploded with dissent but I could hardly speak…I could not even breathe.

“She is a child, priestess… I cannot mate with her” Alpha Zeus countered.

“Not you, my king” She responded.

Her eyes moved slowly until they stopped at Hades.

No, my head screamed.

“Him” She gestured.

Hades rose to his feet, his eyes wide with anger.

“I refuse, priestess” He said immediately.

“I reject the bond and I reject her as my mate” He pointed one finger in my direction.