HAZEL’S POV

“Ugh!” I grunted grabbing another pillow and squeezing it tight over my ears. Damn, this stupid werewolf has super hearing abilities. I mean, my door is sound proof so are my walls, yet I can still hear the sound of the party going on over the wall and it irks me.

“Screw this.” I snapped throwing the pillow away from me as I watched the innocent thing land a few feet away from my door.

Just then, my door opened and it was Jason, my brother. “Go away,” I mumbled in frustration as I drew the covers over me. This always happened. Whenever my Dad was throwing a party, Jason and my other brothers always come up to my room to try to get me to come down and join them in the party.

“Hazel, I –”

“Jason, You and I know how this is going to end.” I interrupted him from under the duvet, my voice was a little muffled, but he could still hear me. “You and your brothers come to try to get me to come downstairs, I refuse and then you go leaving disappointed. Can we just skip it and go to the part where you leave disappointed?”

“Who says I am here to get you to come join the party?” Jason responded. “And it’s just me. Damien, Xander, and Joshua are occupied having the time of their lives downstairs. I just wanted to keep you company.”

I sighed and pulled off the duvet letting him see my face. Jason was my favorite brother. He understood me more than my older brothers. Maybe because he was my immediate elder brother, we were closer. Well, the party going on downstairs was thrown by my father, the Pirate King.

My name is Hazel Armstrong, a member of the Silver Moon Pack and I am the only daughter of the Pirate King. My dad’s mate birthed me and died after giving birth to me, so I know nothing about her. Well, except for what she looks like in her pictures. We share a striking resemblance.

You might be wondering what I mean by Pirate King. Well, my dad is not an Alpha like every other leader in the werewolf community that you know of. He holds a very high mantle ship and is well respected across the globe. Even Alphas give him his respect. He controls maritime affairs and transportation and wields immense wealth and power.

He used his wealth and power to help our present alpha secure his position. I was just fourteen and at that time alpha position of the Silver Moon Pack was in a struggle between the two brothers.

One of the brothers had met my dad and they became allies and made a treaty.

A knock on the door interrupted my trail of thoughts and immediately the rest of my brothers barged in. I facepalmed. Of course, it’s them.

“Oh c’mon!” Jason groaned in frustration. “I was handling it till y’all came in and messed it up!”

I gasped. So Jason did come here to try to get me to join the party. The bloody manipulative git!

“You were being slow. We don’t have time for that Jason.” Xander, my older brother snapped at Jason and turned to me, staring pointedly at me. “You, get dressed and come downstairs. Your presence is needed by the Pirate King. No excuse would be tolerated. You have ten minutes.” With that, he turned around and left Damien and Joshua following behind him.

“What was that about?” I asked genuinely confused.

Jason sighed running his hands through his hair. “Dad hates seeing you strung up in your room, so he came up with an idea and he needs you to be there to execute it!”

“I’m not going,” I mumble dryly and relax back into my bed.

“Oh come on Hazel, don’t be so uptight.” He whined. “You know our father. He would be pissed if you defy him, besides…” he trailed off looking away. “I miss the old you. You before you turned eighteen. The fun you. Lately, you are always in your room being boring.” Jason said softly.

“You know I can’t go downstairs, Jason. You of all people should understand that.” I said softly.

“You can’t waste your days hiding in the shadows Hazel. The society would learn to accept it and live with it. Besides, you are not the first person to not have her wolf.”

I sighed. Yup. That was my secret. I was in my early twenties and still was yet to get my wolf. All my friends and my mates had wolfed out since they turned fifteen. After I turned twelve, it was obvious and certain that I was like those werewolves without wolves. Whispers went about and everyone looked at me with pity. Like I had a disability, a disease, or something. I hated the look in their eyes, so since then, I avoided the entire public. Some mean people went as far as saying that I deserved not getting my wolf. It was the moon goddess’s way of punishing me for killing my mother at my birth. I felt extremely bad and every form of inferiority complex took abode in my mind. Because I didn’t have a wolf, it meant that I did not have a mate either, so I was all alone in this world, having just my four brothers and my Dad.

“I promise, you would not notice anyone’s stare. The party is mainly attended by those of high ranks in the werewolf community. No commoners would throw abusive words to make you feel bad and make themselves feel better, I assure you.” Jason said. “This party is to celebrate ten years of our Alpha’s reign and rule and also maintain the treaty and ally made. Who knows, maybe one of the noblemen here might pick interest in you.” Jason said clutching my hands desperately. “Look at the time Hay.” Jason continued when I was not saying anything. “Your ten minutes would soon be over. I think if not anything, at least to avoid Dad’s anger, you should go.”

He was right. I had to attend. I mean it was the Alpha’s tenth year of ruling. Besides, My Dad was a beast when he was angry, and defying him made him angry. At least to avoid another episode of his angst, I should probably go. “Fine.” I sighed. “Get out of my room. I gotta get dressed.”

With a smile, Jason dashed out.

***

It was a celebration party, so I was lavishly dressed in a dusty blue lace luxurious gown. I walked down the stairs holding my breath. I could hear whispers as various eyes peered up at me. My heart began to race as my eyes searched for any of my brothers. The faces I saw were new and strange. Jason was not lying when he said mostly princes from across the globe in the whole werewolf community attended the party because the room reeked of luxury.

Just then I saw Jason pushing through the crowd coming to get me. He took my hands and led me to meet my dad.

A hush descended in the room as the Alpha climbed the podium and clinked his glass.

“Good evening great werewolves of the Silver Moon Pack and our amiable and well-respected guests.” The Alpha’s voice boomed from where he stood. It was like a podium from whence he could see everyone. “

Everyone cheered in response.

“Today marks the tenth year since my reign as your Alpha.”

Excitement filled the air as another bout of cheer filled the large room of over a hundred wolves.

My eyes were stuck on the Alpha as I watched him in his alpha glory. He was a very handsome man with glorious features. He spoke with so much authority and commanded so much power. I have always admired him since I was a kid, even though he was about seven years older than I was.

“Let’s drink to that!” The Alpha said raising his glass high. Everyone did the same and downed the contents of their glasses. I quickly grabbed one and did the same.

“This would not have been made possible without the help of our one true Pirate king!” The alpha added and everyone cheered in response as all eyes diverted to our direction.

My dad waved at everyone and walked up to the podium, dragging me along with him. I had no idea why he was doing so but it made me scared and uncomfortable I hid it with a smile.

“Good evening great wolves of Silver Moon Pack!” My dad’s loud voice boomed. “Long live the Alpha!”

Everyone yelled again in excitement.

“It has been ten years of great rulership by our alpha.” My dad said beaming with a smile. “Given this opportunity to speak, I would love to introduce you all to my beautiful daughter, Hazel.”

My eyes snapped up at him as I felt my heart drop my feet.

“She is wolfless and thus has no mate.” My dad continued not even sparing me a glance.

Tears began to pool in my eyes as he spoke. My fingers began to tremble too. Yes, I was wolfless. Everyone knew that, but the way he said it made me feel some type of way. I just wanted to curl up in my shell and never see the light of the day again.

“I want to make a proposition. Whoever chooses to mate her, treat her right, and love her as their own, would be rewarded greatly. You would have the full support of the Pirate king as well as up to one-third of my empire and riches.”

Murmurs filled the air as my dad finished speaking. I listened in carefully as the men folk murmured amongst themselves. Even the women that were there as mates of some of the men also whispered amongst themselves.

“That is a lot”

“She is beautiful too”

“But she is without a wolf”

“It is not worth it”

“What is a mate without a wolf!”

“Useless.”

I could make out words like this from random people and the more I heard, the more it broke my heart. Even though my father put me out as a helpless person with a prize, no one still wanted me.

My eyes immediately landed on the Alpha who was looking directly at me too. He was yet to choose his mate as he had no Luna yet. I wished in my heart and prayed deep down he would take me as his mate.

I mean he hung out with my brothers when we were growing up and I was certain that he knew I liked him.

Besides, my dad helped him in securing his position, maybe, just maybe because of my dad’s help, he would choose me.

No one was saying anything and my heart raced faster as time ticked by.

Just then, I heard a voice say loudly “I’m in.” A hush descended in the room as everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice.