The Rogue's Unlucky Bride

Janelle's POV

 I turned 18 and found out that my mate is actually Zack, the Alpha of our Pack, the Dark Moon Pack. I was super excited to tell my Dad, but he couldn't make it home because of his Beta duties.

 "He's gotta be thrilled to hear I'm Zack’s mate, right?" I thought as I walked into our house.

 But when I stepped inside, I was taken aback to see my stepsister Maggie on her knees in front of my stepmom Victoria. She was bawling like a child.

 "Mom! Please! I can't marry that rogue! You have to help me!" Maggie cried.

 Maggie usually struts around like she owns the place, so seeing her begging like that was a total shock.

 "I can't go through with this! Please!"

 When I heard her begging for the second time, it hit me why Maggie was such a wreck. It hadn’t been long since the rumor went around the Pack that the cursed rogue was on the hunt for his mate to marry.

 'If Maggie is crying and pleading like this, could she be the mate of that notorious Lucas?'

 I almost choked on my own breath and had to cover my mouth to keep from saying anything. That’s when Maggie caught my gaze. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, fully aware that trouble was looming.

 "You!" Maggie yelled as she dashed over to me.

 My instincts were spot on.

 "So, your little dream was to get married and escape this nightmare, huh?"

 Her eyes sparkled with tears, but her smile was crooked, suggesting a playful mischief hiding behind that unsettling mask.

 "Then go marry Lucas! Tie the knot with that cursed scoundrel and just disappear!"

 My body shook with fury from deep inside. All I ever wanted was to break free from my awful stepmother and stepsister. So why on earth would I lower myself to marry someone just to replace her? THIS IS SO UNFAIR!

 "Maggie was right," my stepmother, Victoria, mocked. "Save your precious sister, Janelle! Throw yourself away like the pathetic little pawn you are!"

 I took a step back, stunned. I always knew they hated me, but to actually push me toward my doom? I never realized how truly twisted and evil they really were.

 "No way," I shot back, going against their orders, which was pretty out of character for me. "I can't marry him, Maggie. My true mate isn't Lucas; it's the Alpha of our Pack! I'm meant to be with Zack!"

 Maggie's smile twisted into a nasty sneer, and her eyes went wild. Suddenly, she pushed me hard, and I hit the ground with a thud.

 "Ugh!" I groaned, feeling the pain radiate through my body.

 "You really think you can just stroll in here and take Alpha Zack for yourself? Ha! Look at yourself in the mirror, sweetheart. You're a total mess - ugly, scrawny, and utterly useless. There's no way you're fit to be our Pack's Luna," Maggie hissed, her words laced with malice.

 While she was talking, I noticed my reflection in the shiny stainless-steel pot on the table.

 I looked painfully thin, my skin nearly see-through.

 Victoria and Maggie never gave me enough to eat, even though I was the one cooking. I was lucky if I managed to eat once a day.

 "A rat in the dumpster would rather marry you, Janelle!" Maggie chimed in as she moved closer to me.

 I scooted back.

 "Did you forget that Zack has had a crush on me since we were kids? I'm way prettier and sexier than a stick like you! Zack is mine! I should be the Luna!"

 Clenching my jaw, I shot her a nasty glare and replied, "Zack is my mate. Even if he has feelings for you, he can't break the bond the Moon Goddess created between us. Now that I’m eighteen, I’m sure Zack will come around and like me back eventually."

 "Shut up!"

 "Ahh!"

 Maggie slapped me hard, and my cheek burned with pain.

 "Zack is not yours, you pathetic wolf!” she yelled.

 As if that wasn’t enough, she followed up with a brutal kick to my stomach, sending waves of pain through my ribs.

 "Ugh!"

  I took a deep breath, and a sharp pain shot through my lungs. My stomach twisted painfully as I coughed up blood, each convulsion making my already sore ribs feel like they were on fire.

 "You’re only doing this because you hate me, Maggie," I managed to wheeze. "Please, just let me and Zack be. Once we’re married, I’ll disappear from your life for good."

 Maggie’s eyes locked onto mine, a sinister smile creeping across her face. She pressed her foot down on my legs, making me cry out in agony.

 "Ahhh!"

 "And that’s exactly the issue, my dear annoying sister," Maggie sneered. "I can’t stand the thought of marrying a cursed loser while you get to live your perfect life! I won’t accept that! Never!"

 Her hand was raised, ready to hit me again, but Victoria stepped in, stopping her from unleashing her fury.

 "Seriously, Maggie, cut it out! Your dad could walk in any second, and if he sees you messing with Janelle, he's going to lose it!" Victoria snapped. It wasn’t about me; she was just scared of getting caught for her own actions.

 Maggie took a deep breath, glaring at me like I was nothing more than a bug.

 "Listen here, you little brat," she hissed. "Zack is mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to take him from you."

 Then she stormed out of the house.

 Feeling terrified, I bolted to the Pack's infirmary, a place I knew all too well after so many beatings from my awful stepsister and stepmother.

"Back again, huh? Looks like you've got quite a few bumps and bruises tonight, Janelle," Doctor Josephine remarked.

I hung my head and bit my lip.

"You can't seriously expect me to believe you got all these just from being clumsy. Come on, Janelle. You need to be nicer to yourself. Just tell me what's going on, and I can let your dad know right away."

My heart sank at the thought of my dad, the Beta of our Pack. Even with all his authority, I could never bring myself to share the terrible things I faced from my stepmother and stepsister. I felt too weak, too scared to spill the truth.

["Tell her the truth! Victoria and Maggie are unbearable!"] Even my wolf, Fatima, who I only met after my birthday, pushed me to speak up about the awful reality.

I opened my mouth, ready to spill the secrets that had been weighing on me for ages, secrets I had kept from my dad for way too long.

But just as I was about to let it all out, my phone buzzed in my pocket, throwing me off track.

Who could be texting me at a time like this?

I couldn’t help but check my phone, quickly scanning the screen to see who it was.

'It’s from an unknown number.'

I didn’t think twice and clicked on the message, my eyes going wide as I read what was on the screen.

[“Hey Janelle, it’s Zack. I’ve got something important to share with you. Let’s meet up.”]

That message was from Alpha Zack, my mate.

 My heart raced, and my mind was flooded with questions.

 What could Alpha Zack possibly want to discuss? And why reach out to me at this moment?

 Even with all the uncertainty swirling around, I felt a rush of excitement! Without hesitating, I jumped out of my hospital bed and dashed for the door, ready to meet my destined wolf mate!

Zack's Point of View

 My mate is Janelle, the Beta's daughter in our Pack.

 She’s got a bit of beauty, maybe even the prettiest girl in the Pack. But honestly, she’s pretty fragile and doesn’t really have what it takes to meet my endless needs or handle the responsibilities of being the Luna of the Dark Moon Pack.

 If I had to pick someone better for the role, it would definitely be my mate's stepsister, Maggie.

 "Why Janelle and not Maggie?"

 Thanks a bunch, Moon Goddess. You really nailed it with this choice.

 Knock knock.

 I heard a knock and turned to the door. As I strolled over, an enticing aroma drifted through the air, catching my attention.

 I swung the door open with a casual flick of my wrist, and what I saw completely blew my mind.

 Maggie was there, wearing a stunning dress and flashing a playful smile. Just seeing her made my heart race and my wolf crazy