Chapter 4 Dakota Saturday's Evening - Alpha Maddox's Mansion. The pack mansion was unrecognizable. Golden lights strung through the trees, a red carpet stretched from the driveway to the grand entrance, and music thumped in the background. Guests dressed in elegant gowns and sharp suits swarmed the estate. It was like a royal ball-and I was the princess no one wanted. "You look amazing," Alicia whispered beside me, eyeing my dress. I wore a silver satin gown that shimmered like moonlight. My hair had been done by a professional stylist Mom hired, curled loosely over my shoulders. A delicate diamond pendant lay against my collarbone. "Thanks," I murmured, but nerves twisted my stomach. This wasn't my scene. These weren't my people. "Smile," Mom said, approaching us. She looked stunning in a sleek navy dress. "Tonight is about you. Just enjoy it. By the way, you are gorgeous." I forced a nod. "Thanks. Where's... Alpha Maddox?" I asked. "He's making his grand entrance soon," she replied. "He wanted everything to be perfect." I barely held back a sigh. This party didn't erase anything. It didn't fix what my stepbrothers did or how they made me feel. It was all for show. "Now listen sweetheart, once the full moon comes out, make a wish." "Not like the wish will come true, anyway." "My grandmother was the one who told me about it and it worked for me," she said, tapping my shoulder. "Give it a try, sweetie." Well, my wish was to find my mate tonight. A protective and loving mate. - Inside the ballroom. Everything glittered. A massive ice sculpture of a howling wolf stood at the center. A five-tier cake with my name on it sat on a decorated table. People greeted me like I was royalty-but their smiles didn't reach their eyes. I stood beside Alicia, sipping a glass of apple cider, when the announcement came. "Ladies and gentlemen, Alpha Maddox and the birthday girl-Dakota!" He strode in confidently, regal in his black suit, and gave me a proud smile. "Let's give a toast to my daughter, Dakota," he said. "She may be new to our family, but from today onward, she stands as one of us. Strong. Proud. And protected." People clapped, and a spotlight hit me. I smiled weakly, nodding. I glanced at the back of the hall and saw them-Jasper, Conan, and Logan. Standing with their girls. Watching me like vultures. Kylie whispered something into Jasper's ear, then smirked at me. Fear gripped me. - After the cake cutting and a slow dance with Alpha Maddox, I stepped out to the garden for some air. Alicia had gone to grab drinks. I stood alone beneath a willow tree when I heard the giggles. "Hello birthday girl," Matilda said, stepping out of the shadows. Behind her came Keisha and Kylie. "What do you want?" I asked, heart pounding. "Just wanted to give you your real gift," Keisha said sweetly. Before I could react, Kylie reached into her purse and tossed a balloon-filled with a sticky red punch-straight at my dress. It burst on impact. The cold, sweet liquid soaked my bodice and stained my dress like blood. I gasped, stumbling back. "Oh no!" Matilda fake-gasped. "You're bleeding, birthday girl." They all laughed. "Smile for the cameras," Kylie said, pulling out her phone and snapping pictures. I turned and ran-straight into someone. Strong hands steadied me. I looked up. A stranger. A tall guy, dark-haired, unfamiliar but with piercing gray eyes that made everything else freeze. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice calm but furious. Behind me, the girls stopped laughing and began to walk away. "Yes," I lied. "I just need to get away from here." He stretched his hand. "Alright, come with me." "I don't know who you are," I said, nervously. "I'm River," he said, eyes locked on mine. "Alpha Caleb's son. New transfer to Crescent Ridge. And I think I just found my reason for staying." "What reason?" He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "you." River's phone rang, cutting through the silence like a slap. He looked at the screen and let out a breath. "I have to take this," he said gently, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Stay right here, okay?" I nodded, still dazed. He turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows. I took a shaky breath, hugging my arms around myself as I tilted my head toward the sky. The full moon had risen, glowing like a silver crown in the dark. A strange sensation rippled through me-like tiny electric shots dancing beneath my skin. My heart began to race. What was happening to me? Then I heard it. "Mate." One word. One thunderclap of a truth that I was so eager to hear. I turned slowly. And there they were. I was dreaming. Jasper. Conan. Logan. My stepbrothers stood just a few feet away, eyes wide with disbelief. I saw the bond ignite in their expressions-the horror. "No," Jasper muttered, shaking his head. "No way." "This can't be real," Conan growled. "The Moon Goddess wouldn't be this cruel." "She's a wolfless freak," Logan snapped, his voice cold. "She's not our mate. She'll never be." The words hit me like a slap. I stepped back, my heart crashing inside my chest. "For your information, Dakota," Kylie sneered, stepping up beside Jasper. "They need a strong wolf with Luna qualities. Not... you." Matilda laughed. "Not a human-like creature, Dakota." I tried to speak. I really did. But my throat closed, and the shame and heartbreak made it impossible to breathe. Then another voice came-calm, strong, and warm. "Mate." I turned. River stood there, eyes glowing silver, his face lit with wonder. "It's you," he whispered. "What the hell?" Logan snarled. "You too?" River didn't even glance their way. His eyes stayed locked on mine as he stepped closer. "Dakota... I feel it. I feel you." Jasper snorted. "You must be desperate." Conan added, "She's nothing. She can't shift. She has no wolf. She'll never be enough." "We reject you," Logan hissed. "All of us. Whatever this bond is-it's broken." "Shattered," Conan said. "Gone," Jasper finished. They walked off without another look, their girlfriends snickering behind them. I stood there, shaking, trying to hold myself together. But I couldn't. "Dakota, wait-" River called as I turned and ran. I didn't look back. I tore through the garden, the music fading behind me, the lights vanishing with every step. My dress ripped, my heels snapped-I didn't care. I just ran. Into the woods. Deeper and deeper, until the mansion was gone and all I could hear was the sound of my breathing and the wind in the trees. And then I collapsed. Fell to my knees beside a mossy rock and let it all out. The pain. The humiliation. The rejection. I cried until my chest hurt, until my fingers dug into the earth. "Why?" I whispered. "Why would the Moon Goddess do this to me?" And then I looked up at the sky, at the full moon shining down on me like a spotlight. "If only I had my wolf..." I choked out, broken. The air shifted. The forest went still. Something stirred inside me. A low rumble. A flicker of warmth deep in my chest. A howl... rising from somewhere inside my soul. What was happening?