Chapter 1 ~The Fake Mate Contract~

“Sign it, Fiona.”

The cold wind blew, and the smell of his expensive cologne wafted across my nostrils.

I tried to look away from his face—handsome, almost as if it were crafted by one of the gods.

He leaned over me, and all I could think about was kissing his full, plump lips again.

But instead, I took a long look at the stack of paper in his hand. It read ‘The fake mate contract’

I exhaled as my heartbeat increased.

So this was really happening?

He continued, oblivious to my turmoils and insane attraction for him. “You get to be Luna and save your mother. I get to save my dying wolf and make my ex-girlfriend jealous.”

I looked from his hockey gear, his jawline, to his piercing molten gold eyes. 

“Read through the rules.” He said.

I picked up the paper, and with trembling hands, signed it.

What was left? I was a rejected wolf with nothing left to lose.

This is a story of how my fate collided with that of Xander Theon Grayson, Northvale’s star hockey player, and I fell so deeply in love with him the world stood still.

But first, I had to lose everything.

~(Flashback)~

The sound of loud moans filled my ears. The smell of sex filled the air.

I froze by the hallway that led to my boyfriend, Alpha Beckett’s room. 

How could it be?

I placed my ear by the door, willing it to be untrue. But instead, I was faced with the mind shattering revelation that he was cheating on me.

I could hear the sounds as their lips met. And a chuckle that came from none other than my boyfriend. “Fiona is a fool to think she'll ever be Luna. I was just messing around with her. It's you I love.”

My jaw slackened in utter disbelief.

Without another thought, I pushed open the door and my eyes met first with Isis, Beta Otto's sister, the prettiest girl in Ashridge pack.

There they were, naked, cuddled together and my heart just couldn't take it.

“Beckett!” I screamed.

He looked unbothered by the fact that I'd caught them. With a cold gaze, he spat out. “From now, it's Alpha Beckett to you, Omega.”

Realization struck me. Cruel and bitter.

But I wasn't as weak as people thought, and I'll prove it.

I wore a numb expression.

“Understood.” My voice croaked.

I took one last glance at them and walked out.

And then I ran. Away from it all. 

One more second in Ashridge pack will sicken me.

The perimeter lights were blaring red, but I ran with no destination in mind.

I could imagine what would happen as we'd now broken up. The bullying from pack members will continue. The mutter of ‘rogue’ any time I pass by, the demeaning gazes.

I and my parents moved to Vermont when I was eighteen.

Well… my stepdad, and my mom, who'd been in a coma since I was born.

I never knew who my real dad was. No one did.

My life changed on the first night we moved. I was out on a stroll and got bitten by a rogue wolf.

I stayed in Ashridge packhouse since then.

I turned to a werewolf the same night.

But life's cruel twist - I'd never shifted or spoken to my wolf since then. 

It was almost like I was wolfless. No one knew but my best friend, Cassia. She promised to keep it as a secret.

If they knew, they'd think I'm cursed and kill me.

On the night I first moved to Ashridge as a werewolf in training, I had a trance from the moon goddess. She told me I could save my mother if only I became Luna. She said other things too… but that's a story for another day.

Beckett and I started dating afterwards. I thought he loved me.

Well… apparently he didn't.

Tears welled up in my eyes. And for the first time in a long time, I cried. Really cried.

I stopped and looked around the environment. It was my new school. Northvale High.

What would people say if they saw me crying?

I ran to the back of the building. It was a large hockey field.

I was looking for where to hide when I bumped into someone wearing a thick hockey gear.

“S-sorry, I didn't mea-” I froze when I looked up at him.

Tall. Brooding. Majestic.

Our eyes locked, and time froze.

A look of disbelief passed across his eyes.

–-------

(Xander's POV)

Coach Bruce's voice filled the school's megaphone.

“Xander Grayson, report to the hockey field now. We've been waiting hours for you, princess.”

A round of chuckles went across the hallway.

I stood by my locker with a smirk plastered across my face.

I knew I was late for practice, but today was such a shitty day. Everything seemed to be going left. 

With a sigh, I picked up my hockey gear bag and sprinted across the hallway as I headed to the hockey field.

“Xander!” I could hear the voices of students calling out to me. The girls batting their eyelashes. The back slaps from the boys.

Sometimes life just seemed blurry. I learnt to keep to myself all while maintaining my status as NorthVale's golden boy.

“Xander, you're looking so handsome today.” A girl stood in my front, blocking me on my way. “Can I come watch you practice?”

What was her name again? Justina? Jasmin?

I gave her a small smile and turned left, heading to the field.

I caught her excited voice as I went. “Oh my god, Xander Theon Grayson smiled at me.”

I almost rolled my eyes. Girls! I never understood them.

A sharp, painful tug went through my chest. I slowed down, but didn't stop so as not to attract unwanted attention.

I knew what the pain was.

Moment of truth.

I was an alpha werewolf, and nobody in school knew.

But my wolf was dying, I discovered from my shaman many years ago. He said the only way I could restore him was to find a mate.

I started dating my girlfriend, Nova, afterwards. Daughter to Alpha of Nightfang pack. And hopefully, the one who'd help restore my dying wolf. 

I didn't stop running till I got to the hockey field. The smell of ice wafted in my nostrils, and something else…

Someone bumped into me, and I looked down.

It was a girl.

Red hair. Green eyes. An incredibly pretty face.

Wait…

Was she crying?

My wolf, that had been silent for a very long time, stirred suddenly, howling one word - ‘Mate!'

I paused, confused. She didn't seem like a werewolf. She was a fragile-looking human girl.

And besides, I already had a girlfriend.

This must be some cosmic mistake! 

She was still staring at me. She looked like she was in a trance. “Sorry.”

“It's fine.” I muttered and continued on my way.

I took one last glance at her.

How could this be?

–--------

~(Flashback ends)~

(Fiona's POV)

I walked away from him that day believing our paths would never cross again.

I was wrong.

Terribly, horribly wrong.