The pack house was filled with life as wolves were chatting, laughing, and living like they hadn't made up their mind about her. Tara kept her down. Not out of fear. She'd learn the hard way that being seen usually made things worse.
It felt like the air was heavy, almost hard to breathe. It had always been this way ever since her late father was accused of murdering The Luna. The pack treated her like she carried the crime in her blood.
"Look at her," a voice said meanly, thick with hatred.
Tara kept walking.
"Acting like she has a place here,"another said sharply.
A group of young ladies in the pack stood near the pack houses. They stopped talking the moment she passed.
Her father's close friend scoffed under his breath, "I don't know why she's still here. She's just like him."
Tara bit the inside of the check until she tasted blood.
She wanted to scream that they were all wrong —That her father wasn't the monster they claimed him to be. But she knew better. than to waste her breath, they would never believe her .
The whispering turned to mockery when a boy not much older than her stepped into her path.
"You lost, outcast?" he asked, a cold smile on his face.
Tara stiffened but didn't answer.
"She's probably going to her dead father's grave," someone laughed quietly.
"Oh wait— he's nothing now" laughter followed, cruel and sharp.
"You should be grateful we even let you stay in this pack. If it were up to me, you would be out there with the rogues, where you belong."
The word hurt her more than they should—not because she feared being cast out, but because …would they ever believe the truth?
Later that evening, the air felt alive with excitement as the pack prepared for a gathering. Tara hadn't planned on going.These events were for those with connections, status and futures and she had none of that.
But Ayla…
Tara's best friend had other plans. "Come one, Tara," Ayla begged, yanking her arm.
"just this once".
Tara let out a big sigh, shaking her head. "Ayla, you know what's going to happen. The moment I show up, the whole pack will act like I poisoned the drinks."
Ayla rolled her eyes. "So what? let them talk. They always do, but tonight's different— Landon is back from his training, and the whole park is celebrating. "It'll be fun."
Tara gave her a sharp look. "You'll be the one drooling over him while I hide in the corner."
Ayla smirked. "obviously. but at least you'll get free food while I make a fool of myself." She joked.
Tara hesitated. She didn't care about Landon, parties, or being around people who hated her. But Ayla was her only friend that stood beside her, even when no one else did.
"Fine." Tara muttered,
Ayla giggled happily.
The celebration was going strong when they arrived. pack members mixed together —talking, laughing, enjoying themselves.
Tara stayed close to the wall, avoiding attention to herself, she already caught a few glances from some wolves whispering behind their hands.
Ayla, however, was not worried. She dragged Tara along, her eyes looking around the room eagerly.
"I swear, if Landon doesn't notice me tonight, I might actually die." Ayla sighed dramatically.
Tara laughed. "you'll live."
Before Ayla could respond, the door at the far end of the room opened. A figure stepped inside, and the whole room fell into sudden silence.
Landon. The future Alpha.
Tara had seen him before, of course, but never like this. his tall frame commanded the room's attention.
Ayla let out a dreamy sigh. "He is even more handsome up close. Tara, I swear— if he looks at me, I'll die."
"Tara."
But Tara wasn't listening.
Her eyes met his. At that moment, something strange happened —a rush of Warmth spread across her chest. The air around her seemed to shift. Her heart pounded, and her wolf moved inside her restless.
she whispered one word that would change her life forever.
"Mate." The words slipped out before she could stop it.
Landon's eyes darkened —just for a second. Then he turned away, speaking to someone else as though the moment never happened.
Tara breathed deeply, shaking off the feelings .
Ayla nudged her. "Why are you staring at him like that?"
Tara blinked. "what "
"You were really eating him up with your eyes," Ayla jokes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were into him."
Tara scoffed. "don't be Ridiculous."
Ayla grinned, but she let it go.
Landon knew the moment their eyes met that he was in trouble. The bond between them was clear—undeniable. His wolf grew uneasy, pacing in his mind.. He could feel it …and he was certain Tara did too.
From the way her body tense when their eyes met, to how quickly she looked away—she knew. She was his mate.
But she could never be his.
Landon had spent his whole life training to be Alpha. His father had already decided his future; his duties were fixed. There was no room for Tara in that plan.
Still no matter how much he tried to ignore it, he kept noticing the quiet strength in her eyes. The way she held her head up even when the entire pack wanted her gone . She wasn't supposed to matter.
But she did.
A few weeks later, Landon was patrolling near the northern border when a familiar scent drifted on the breeze —light, floral, clear.
Tara.
He followed it out of feeling, moving silently through the trees until he found her.
She was kneeling beside a wounded rogue, blood soaking the ground beneath the stranger's body. It should've been left to die. That's what they were taught — rogues were dangerous, they didn't deserve mercy.
But Tara didn't stop to help the rogue.
She pressed her hands to the wound, her brows pulled In focus. Her voice was soft, calming. She was trying to save it.