Looking at my Alpha father stood on the stage, I heaved a deep sigh over my tortuous fate.
Today was the day he announced his successor to the pack. As the eldest, I should be the one who inherited his Alpha title. It was not me... but my half-sister, Vanessa Baker.
“From today onwards, my daughter, Vanessa Baker, will be the Alpha of Red Moon Pack!” My father raised Vanessa’s hand and announced to everyone.
Howls and cheers erupted all around. All the guests’ gaze fell on Vanessawho wore a shiny golden silk dress.
No one noticed that I sat in the corner with numbness. Tonight was a wonderful night for them all.
Except for me...
It was just an extraordinary day for me. Besides seeing my father give me up, today was actually my 19thbirthday.
But the weak didn't deserve attention. I learned that from my father.
I had been born prematurely, my mother died when she was giving birth to me.
I believed it was the reason why I was so powerless.I felt my wolf’s presence at fourteen, and tried to establish a connection with her. However, she never answer me.
Vanessa’s situation had been the opposite.
Just two days after I had failed, Vanessahad shifted into a white strong she-wolf. She seemed to personify nobility and power.
From then, my father doted on her, and his treatment toward me turned progressively colder and he wasno longersmiled at me.
Even though I had long known itwould happen, my breath still caught when he made the announcement.He really gave up on me and didn't care my feelings. He even forgot it was my birthday. Well...he never remembered it.
I grew up with no one to celebrate my birthday.
The sadness wasn’t too unbearable. I hadalready gotten used to my father’s preference for Vanessa.
The whispers of the people around me caught my attention as I took a deep breath.
"Wow... Alpha Vanessa is so beautiful. Much better than her elder sister Chloe!"
"Yes! Besides, Alpha Vanessa is more powerful than Chloe. It was a good thing that Chloe didn’t inherit to be Alpha, or our pack would have been miserable. I heard that she is nineteen years old and hasn't changed yet. Tsk, good for nothing.”
Hearing what they said, I lowered my head slightly and stepped back to a shadowy corner. Now no one could findme because I wore a plain black dress and hid in the dark, while Vanessa was standing in the center of the stage with a shiny crystal crown on her head. She was so charming and dazzling.
I gulped down a mouthful of red wine. Out of the corner of my eye, Lisa Morris, my stepmother and the current Luna of the pack smirked at me as if she were mocking me, deeming me a laughable failure.
Let her laugh.
Lisa opened her mouth and said something silentlysince she knew my gaze on her. I knew what shesaid from her mouth movements.
‘Loser.’
I didn't mind her sarcasmif it could make her please.Then she wouldn’t stir up trouble for me. As it was, she and Vanessa had robbed me of everything.
Well... nearly everything. I still had my mate.
I shifted my gaze towards the man who worked to maintain order at the party a short distance away. He had a tall frame and was incredibly handsome. My heart beat faster when he looked over. The affection in his eyes made me believe everything would be better.
He was my mate, Alan Meyer, the strongest Sentinel of our pack.
I had found him when I was eighteen and we were truly in love with each other.
As long as I had him by my side, my life wouldn’t be too miserable.
My stomach grumbled, and I wondered if I could find some cake to celebrate my birthday, even if only by myself. Perhaps Alan would remember to celebrate my birthday when the banquet was over.He could be the only one who rememberedmy birthday.
Luckily for me, I spotted my favourite blueberry cake on one of the tables. It was rare to even catch sight of a blueberry as Vanessa hated the taste.
I approached the cake with a small thrill but a green-haired girl beat me to it, reaching an arm out and elbowing my wrist.
I flinched and frowned. Pain... the pain came from my hand. My newly bandaged wrist opened up and the blood oozed.
The girl shot me a look of disdain, “Really? I didn’t even elbow you that hard!” she said, “You really are a weak wolf.”
With that, she walked away with the blueberry cake in hand.
I gritted my teeth as I tried to endure the pain and explore the wound with my finger, trying to establish its extent. I could feel that it was wet and I relieved that my dress was black that the guests could hardly see my wrist hurtwith blood. They would not know the secret of Alpha who they respected.
That secret was the reason why I was even alive.
I, Chloe Baker, had been living as Vanessa’s personal blood bank!
My blood was unique and could treat Vanessa’s heart disease.
It was the only thing they valued about me. I knew it very well...
I swallowed my displeasure and made a pathetic attempt to smile, then reached for another cake.
A different flavored cake was better than none. I got used to consoled myself.
As I was about to dig in, a commotion broke out.
“Impossible!” I heard Vanessa screeched, her voice breaking as she continued, “How can my mate possibly be… a Rogue?”
I turned and found Vanessa staring at a man who stood before her.
The man did not utter a single word. Listening to Vanessa voice her disbelief out in public, he had a slight furrow of disbelief between his brows.
I was taken aback by his cold yet handsome face and realized.
I knew him!
He was the critically injured Rogue I rescued at the border two months ago.
I had begged my father to take him in but hadn’t seen the man much since then. Who would have thought he was Vanessa’s mate?
As if feeling my gaze on him, the man tilted his head slightly and looked at me.
His eyes were beautiful, the color of amber. The moment his beautiful amber met mine, I felt strangely nervous.
My attention was quickly divertedwhile Vanessa turned toward me and glared at me with hatred.
The banquetwas quick to end after that. I went to the attic and shut the door, afraid that Vanessa burst into my room.I felt awful and thenlay on my bed, replaying the words Vanessa said.
I was wondering how Vanessa would take her revenge on me this time... I've had quite enough of her childish stunts and tantrums. She wouldn’t let me off easily and there was no one dared to against her.
Maybe Alan would...
Thinking that, would he come to see me since the banquet was over? Today was coming to an end, I was still expecting he came to giveme the only blessing for my birthday.
So many thoughts whirled around in my mindand I gradually sank into sleep...
A series of loud knocks suddenly startled me out of a nightmare.
It should be Alan!
He came tocelebrate my birthday!
I bolted uprightand made haste to open the door.
No...it was the maid...
I felt an overwhelming sense of loss when the maid called out, “Quick, get up! The Alpha’s asking for you in his study.”
When it came to my father’s demands, I never dared delay, so I hurriedly changed my clothes and ran to the study. After taking a few deep breaths, I pushed the door open.
Vanessa and Lisawere in the study as well.
They were sitting on the sofa, looking at me smugly.Vanessa even raised a co*cky eyebrow at me.
Based on past experiences, it meant that something bad was in store for me.I swallowed anxiously and shifted my gaze to my father.
“Did you need me for anything?” I asked cautiously.
My father exuded thepowerful aura of an Alphawitha neat suit. His gray hair was pushed back,imparting a dignified appearance.
With his scrutinizing gaze on me, my knees tremble slightly. My hands could not help but break out into cold sweat.
“I need you to do one thing,” hesaidwith a deep voice,and the sound of his clothes rustling making me tremble even more.
“What is it?” I asked after a moment’s hesitation, clenching the hem of my clothes unconsciously.
“Since you’ve been giving your sister blood transfusions for so long now, your scents are fairly similar,” he said without preamble. “As you know, Vanessa is the next Alpha in our pack, and her mate can't be a Rouge. So...”
I looked up at my father blankly andmy heartbeat quickened as I wondered where this was going.
“Exchange your mate withVanessa!” he continuedand my heart sank.
