Chapter 1 The Invisible Girl in the Alpha’s House

Calla's Pov

“Calla, raise your head and chest out. You're supposed to act like you belong and not like you're lost.”

I knew I was out of place the second I stepped inside Club Eclipse. Sierra nudged me, tucking away my fake ID. She didn't need a fake ID because she was twenty and I was almost twenty…well nineteen. I'll be twenty in a few hours and I still have not shifted.

Werewolves generally shifted from 16. So I had two things going for me. I was not a real wolf yet and I was ugly.

And Sierra had convinced me to spend it this way. In a club, and not just any club, but at my stepbrother's club, and he hates me.

Her perfume was so strong I almost choked. She wore her mask and handed mine to me. This was a masked party and I was grateful it was.

The loud bass made my heart feel like it was trying to punch its way out through my ribs. Red and green lights sliced across the room and painted everyone in colors.

I wasn't supposed to be here, mostly because my stepbrother, Lucas, whom I've had a crush on since my Mom married his father, was embarrassed to have someone like me as a step sister because I was ugly and I had not become a wolf. For two years we've lived apart, ever since his father was thrown in prison and my mom died.

He lived in the Alpha house as he was the alpha of the Eclipse wolves while I lived alone in my mom's house. Lucas still paid my bills but he never played the family card.

There was a huge black scar on my face that covered one half of my face. In short, I looked hideous and ugly. And people around me never let me forget it. Lucas, my stepbrother too.

The girls here looked like they'd stepped out of a magazine cover. They all had glossy hair and sparkly dresses that were so short I had to hug myself.

My reflection in the mirrored wall behind the bar made me want to bolt out of the bar. I was wearing a baggy gray hoodie, ripped jeans and converse. I looked like someone's awkward little sister who got dragged along. Which technically I was.

“I think this is a bad idea.” I whispered to her as I turned down the sleeves of my hoodie.

“I know, that's why we're here. Think of what would happen if they find out I'm a dragonclaw wolf.” She scanned the crowd for the hottest guy to latch onto.

The dragonclaws and the eclipse wolves weren't friends or cordial. Infact, they didn't see eye to eye. Her body con gown hugged her curvy body and the neckline was practically illegal because it dipped down to the beginning of her cleavage.

She was the reason I was here and this was her brilliant idea of “celebrating my birthday early.” My birthday that I didn’t even want to think about

I was two steps from telling her I’d wait outside when I saw my step brother. Lucas Blackthorn, Alpha of the Eclipse pack and the owner of this club. He was basically the untouchable king around here.

He was leaning against the railing of the VIP section with a mask on his face. His dark hair was pushed back but fell into his face anyway. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up with a silver watch on his wrist.

He wasn’t even trying, and still every girl in this place was either looking at him or pretending not to.

I was no less different. I couldn't stop staring. Of course, he almost caught me looking.

Shit.

I pressed my mask to my face as if it would make me invisible.

Sierra elbowed me. “Don’t look at him like that unless you’re ready to out us.” Then she kissed my cheek. “Try not to draw any attention, I'll be back.” And off she went to flirt.

I nodded, but apparently, my face hadn't gotten the memo because my eyes kept going back to him. I tried to distract myself by pretending to care about the glowing drink menu above the bar, but while struggling to sit at the bar, someone hit me and my mask fell off.

“Ooohh, that's Lucas's stepsister. The ugly one who wouldn't shift.” I heard someone whisper behind me.

“And she still hasn’t shifted? Pathetic.”

I hunched further into my hoodie, wishing the floor would open up and eat me whole.

Before I could adjust, a voice filled my ear. I stiffened and cursed under my breath. “Well, well. The charity case finally shows her face.”

Lucas was breathing down my neck and he was too close. His stormy gray eyes looked like he was constantly thinking of twelve different ways to ruin you. And God help me, my heart kicked into overdrive just having him look at me.

“I—what?” I stammered for lack of words.

Lucas dragged his eyes over my body and shook his head. “Oversized hoodie? Are you planning to rob the place or just depress everyone with your fashion choices?”

“I didn’t come here to impress you.” We always did this. Banter.

“Clearly.” his cologne wrapped around me. “If you’re going to sneak into my club, at least try not to look like you crawled out of a donation bin.”

Some people chuckled and others whispered.

Lucas's eyes suddenly went cold. "You've had your fun, so it's time to leave, sister. You're embarrassing me.”

I opened my eyes and shut them back. My eyes stung with tears. Everyone was now looking in my direction. Before I could muster an answer, a hand landed on my shoulder.

“Back off, Lucas.”

I turned around to find Darius, Sierra's older brother and the Alpha of the Dragonclaws. He wasn't supposed to be here in Eclipse territory.

The room shifted instantly. Eclipse wolves growled angrily as they slowly caged us in.

Lucas’s smile vanished. “Well, if it isn’t the Dragon pup sneaking into my club. Why are you here?”

“Or maybe just someone who doesn’t enjoy watching you tear down girls half your size,” Darius answered instead.

I was beginning to get antsy. Things could go bad any minute now. An Eclipse Alpha and a Dragonclaw Alpha in the same room? Bad…bad idea.

I tugged at Darius’s arm. “Please, don’t—”

A drunk sidled up to me and his breath reeked strongly of booze and ignorant of what was going on. “Hey, hoodie girl, do you want to dance with me?” He held my hand.

“I said no—”

Darius moved first, shoving him back so hard he crashed into a table, and glass spilled everywhere. Wolves bared their teeth and tried to rush at him for touching one of their own.

Lucas waved his hand in the air. “You don’t get to throw people around in my club, Dragon.”

“Then keep your guests from touching what isn’t theirs,” Darius shot back.

I looked from one man to the other, not sure what to do. Then the clock struck midnight.

A deep pulse ran through me, knocking the air from my lungs, and my knees gave out.

“What’s…what's happening to me?” I sputtered out, my lungs felt like it was on fire.

And it was like the world stopped and the mate bond slammed into me so hard I forgot how to breathe.