Leila's Pov.

Blue has always been my favorite color. I don't know why, maybe it's because my mom's eyes were blue and I love the sea? Today was my sixteenth birthday, my mom held a big party for this day. Every werewolf was expected to get his/ her wolf on their sixteenth birthday. I was coerced to wear a gown for this day; at least it was blue and so exquisite. I was currently seated on a bench outside the pack's hall where the party is taking place. The excitement of meeting my wolf was making me restless. I knew for sure that my wolf would be big in size since I was a beta's daughter.

I was caught up in my thought that I didn't notice people had already gathered outside to witness my first shift. I had always watched people get their wolves since I was young and I was so delighted that I was going to experience it today.

"Sweetheart, maybe you should stand up for this. We don't want you to shift when you are seated on a bench, right?" Mom asked, averting my attention.

"Yes, Mom, I think you are right," I answered joyfully.

"Then maybe go to the center and wait for midnight to arrive. It is merely five minutes," my sister, Elana, said.

"I love both of you so much," I said before walking away.

"We love you too," Elana shouted, making me chuckle.

She may be older than I am but she still behaved like a kid. She was the light of the house, our sunshine.

I looked at the moon which was just above us. I stared at it as I wondered what the moon goddess had installed for me. I believed that if I scrutinized the moon, I would shift faster and undergo less pain.

"Why isn't she shifting? It is already past twelve."

"This has never happened before."

"She is just a disgrace to our pack."

Those words were enough to preclude my attention from the moon to the crowd which had formed all around me. Most had disapproving looks, others disgusted and shocked.

What is going on? I asked internally cause everyone had been happy a few minutes ago but now… I get to be able to pinpoint what is wrong and why they are talking in such a manner.

I looked at my mom and sister and found that their eyes were on me but they had a pained and apologetic look.

What are they apologizing for?

"Mom," I called out when reality hit me.

Tears started forming in my eyes, making me see everything as a blur.

I didn't shift.

I had no wolf.

How was this even possible?

Looking around, I comprehended that things were going to change with a few people. I couldn't put up with the pain and the humiliation anymore, I let out a loud cry and fell to the ground.

"Rogues," someone shouted.

"Leila," Mom shouted as they ran towards me.

"I need to get both of you to safety," she said as she dragged me along with her.

"Why? I just want to die," I told her.

"You can't die right now. You have a lot ahead of you," she said, making me shake my head in disapproval.

"How will I be able to live amongst everyone after this?" I asked while crying.

"Don't worry, the moon goddess will surely give you the strength and courage to do so," she said.

"but…" I tried talking but Mom interrupted me.

"Listen to me. I need you to get out of here right now. Promise me that you will hide yourself. These people shouldn't get hold of you," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked worriedly and at this time, I had stopped crying.

"They are here for you. I need you to follow Elana right now," she said.

"Promise me, baby," she said with a cracking voice.

I really hated seeing her in this kind of situation.

"I am not going to leave you," I shouted as I dragged her along with me.

We ran to the nearby cabin which we could see. Elana has already gone, I just hope she is fine. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side.

"Where do you think both of you are going," we heard a loud voice saying just behind us.

Afraid to even look behind, we continued running for our rescue.

"Look at them, trying to run so that they can hide themselves," another voice said, mockingly.

"Let them run a little bit. We will surely get hold of the girl and kill the mother."

What they said made me shiver in fear. I wondered what I did wrong to deserve this. I wish they could just kill me instead of Mom. How could I leave without her in my life? Suddenly, someone separated Mom and me.

"Mom," I cried out loud when I saw her fighting the two wolves.

"Run, sweetheart. I am trying to get some time for you so that you can get out of here as soon as possible," she shouted.

"How can I leave you alone?" I asked as I started sobbing. I had already fallen on the ground watching my mom fight with the two men. I kept praying that some miracle would happen and let the men leave even without hurting anyone.

Why did my birthday have to turn into my worst nightmare?

Why did they have to attack this day only?

Why didn't I have a wolf?

Maybe if I had a wolf, I would have helped Mom.

I heard a loud growl which made the fight halt for a while.

"The alpha is here," one of the men said.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible," the other responded to his acquaintance.

I let out a loud sigh when I realized that they were leaving in a few. I felt a sharp pain in my chest and I looked at the scene in front of me.

"Mom," I cried out.

They had stabbed her chest before escaping.

"Mom, please wake up, you can't leave Elana and me," I said while sobbing.

"I love both of you so much. Always stay together as each other's keeper," Those were the last words I heard her say through the mind link before our connection was cut.

"Nooooo," both Elana and I screamed.

Leila's pov.

It had been months since Mom left us. Everything had changed for the worst. I may be a beta's daughter but I was being treated as an omega.

"Leila, hurry up. You don't want to be late for school," my sister shouted from downstairs.

At least, she was still with me even when everyone had left me. I guess after all that blood is thicker than water as they say it.

"Let her sleep a little longer," Marcus, Elana's mate, said.

"Don't you dare! You have been spoiling her too much," she said back at him.

I knew that if they start their little argument it will go on till evening.

"I will be down in a minute," I shouted, hoping to stop the argument.

"There are seconds remaining now," she said.

Aaargh. She was making everything difficult. She had really changed since Mom's death. She was strict and not a jovial girl anymore.

Everyone blamed me for Mom's death. They say that I am cursed and that is why I wasn't blessed with a wolf and I was the main cause of my mother's death. As much as I want to argue with them, I can't. I have always blamed myself for her death.

I picked up my school bag pack and left since I didn't want to ruin Elana's mood this early morning.

Being blessed with the best chef in the house, I devoured the oatmeal fast.

"Come on, I will drop you," Marcus said when he noticed that I had already finished my breakfast.

"Bye Elana," I said as I gave her a peck.

"Take care of yourself," she said.

"You don't need to worry, I will do that. Remember that I love you," I said.

"I love you too," she said.

The drive was not silent as sure. In a short time, Marcus had become my best friend just like my sister. If it weren't for them, I would have been dead by now.

"Do you remember that there is a ball today?" he asked.

"The one held every year so that people can find their mates?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

"What about it?" I questioned.

"Maybe you should go. You might find your mate," he enunciated.

"Yes, I know that but I am not invited to the party, Marcus," I told him.

"You may not be invited but I think you should go, you would be lucky if you find your mate. Someone to love and take care of you other than Elana and I," he declared.

"Do you think that I care about that? All that I care about is both of you. You are both my life," I said.

"Uhmm, it seems we have arrived," he said.

I looked out of the window and saw that we were just in front of the school's gate.

"Yeah, I will take my life now," I said.

"Think about what I have just told you," he said and I nodded my head in agreement.

Look who has arrived!

I hated school because I was always being bullied since I was wolfless. As usual, all I needed to do was take no notice of any of them.

I strode past them towards the hallway so that I could get my books from the locker before going to class.

"Ouch," I said as I hit something.

If only I was looking where I was going, I wouldn't have stumbled on the wall.

"Watch where you are going, useless bitch," I heard someone say and I looked up.

I gulped when I saw who I had bumped into.

"I….I am…so….sorry," I stammered.

"Look she can't even talk properly," Liam said, making everyone who was in the hallway laugh.

"Let the poor girl be, Liam. maybe she can't see properly," Mike, Liam's best friend said.

"I don't care. She should know who to approach and who to avoid," he said arrogantly.

"Next time you bump into me you won't like it," he said harshly, making me flinch.

I looked at him one more time and ran away from there before they humiliated me more.

Today, I had a lot of classes. I just hope no one will make fun of me or the teacher to spot me. With that in my mind, I walked to my first class with a smile on my face to hide my true sentiments.

Everyone was busy either listening to what the teacher was teaching or talking about today's party.

Maybe Marcus was right. I might be lucky enough to find my mate today. A mate is supposed to love their partner, protect and always be there for her. I just hope I will have a tall muscular mate. Who would be able to defend me from the bullies.

In just a spur of time, the classes were over. This is one of the parts I hate most. The school being a werewolf school, most students prefer shifting and running back home. I walked out of the school and went home.

After a few hours.

There was loud music playing in the pack's house. The party had begun and it made me envious of the people who had gotten an opportunity to meet their mates. I knew if I made my way there, I would just end up in trouble but was the trouble worth it?

Something was apprising me to go there. I felt as if my mate was in that building.

"Leila, just go and find your mate," Elana said as she walked into the living room.

"Do you think he will love me? Will he accept a wolfless person as his mate," I asked her.

"Stop worrying and get there. Whoever doesn't love you let them be. They don't know what a gem they are missing in their lives," she said, making me smile.

"Okay, let me go and try my luck."

"That's the spirit," Marcus said.

"You…" I said as I pointed at him. "I will get back at you when I come back."

I got out of the house and sauntered towards the pack's house when I suddenly smelt a welcoming scent. It had a chocolate smell. I followed that smell hoping that I would find out where it was coming from.

"What are you doing here?" Liam asked, making me jump a little out of stock since I had not noticed him. I turned to look at him.

"It….it can't be," he said.

Is he my mate?

Will he accept me and he is one of my bullies?

"I, Liam Scott, the future alpha of the black moon, reject you Leila Wright as my mate and my luna," immediately he said I felt pain in my chest just as severe as when Mom died.

"I, Leila Wright, accept your rejection," I said since I knew I had no other choice.

"Get out of here and never tell anyone that the moon goddess has paired me with a worthless human being like you," he said.

Tears had already started escaping and I found no reason to keep standing there so that he could continue throwing insults at me.