Imogen is her pack's runt. She was a surprise to her family, and a disgrace. Her father is the gamma of her pack so her existence as the runt is a disappointment and disgusting.
Her family wait for the moment when she can find her mate, leave the pa...
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Frosted leaves crunch under my feet as I enjoy my walk of silence. The sun has barely graced the sky as my breath crystallises in the autumn tinted air.
Within the hour, I'll be back in my father's cage and my silence will be broken.
My bones ache from the chill, despite my plump body, I'm a runt, which means my wolf doesn't work quite like everyone else's. I get cold easier, I heal slower and I'm not as fast. The last quality is definitely my bane, my brother's exploit my speed whenever they can, chasing me and beating me with only the promise of escape as mercy.
Birdsong blesses my ears and reluctantly I know it's time to head back. If my father catches me out without an escort he'll skin me. He's obsessed with the idea of maintaining my purity for my mate and fears that I'm at risking of tripping on my walk and falling on a dick.
Even though virginity is not expected between mates, male or female, as the pack runt I need every temptation I have to offer.
"Imogen!" My father roars just as I scuttle into the kitchen and yank my boots from my feet.
I settle down on my knees to coax the waning fire back to breath and warm my frozen fingers as I do. The thunder of footsteps catch my breath in my lungs, my father is coming.
"Imogen."
"I'm here, gamma." I reply passively, keeping my eyes locked on the floor in a submissive stance. My other siblings call my father father, but I do not deserve the privilege.
"Good, I couldn't smell your stench. I thought you had gone out without my permission."
I whimper, hoping, praying he can't smell the dew of the forest on my skin. My father is the gamma, meaning he is the third most ferocious member of or pack. In terms of genetics, I should be stronger and faster than the average she-wolf but I'm not.
Many pack members enjoy the rumour that I am the product of my mother's infidelity from her mate; I'm born a runt as a punishment from the moon goddess. Of course this isn't true, but that doesn't stop them treating me like it.
"Imogen, the alpha of the Red Wood pack is coming in three days time for a meeting. My whole family has been invited to dinner, you included, so try to look better than normal.
He eyes my mass of unruly red hair, the freckles that cover my face and arms, truthfully my entire body, with distaste.
"Could you loose some weight in the next few days? Maybe I just won't feed you."
My father laughs heartily at his little joke and slaps my face as he walks out of the kitchen to begin training with my brothers. In most normal circumstances, the father trains all his offspring, she-wolves included, but not me. I'm a disgrace to my pack and to my family.
It's best if I remain a silent secret. Neither seen nor heard.
After tending to the fire, I clamber up the ladder that leads to my room in the attic. My father tucks me away up here to shame me, but what it doesn't realise is that I love it. It's just me, my thoughts, my books and a window that looks out at the forest.
Pulling on another wooly jumper to keep my warm in the autumn temperatures, I settle on my bed and reach for my latest read.
I have an hour or so before my brothers return home demanding breakfast, which is another of my responsibilities. My pack is disgracefully misogynistic and if I don't do it my mother will have to.
My mother is not the woman she was during my childhood. Giving birth to runt took a toll on her reputation and on her mental health, it's seen as a punishment from the moon goddess. Last year, my mother got pregnant and we all knew it was doomed from the start. She was too old and too frail anyway, the foetus drained her strength for two months and then slipped away. It destroyed her.
So if making breakfast for my piggish older brother is what I have to do to protect my mother from unnecessary strain then I will.
"Immy sweetie."
My mother calls up the ladder, I move quickly so that I can spend some time with my mother before testosterone finds a home here again.
We often play a game of card or talk about a book quietly by the fire before I get up and start cooking. As much as I love the time, I try not to get too attached to it because some days my mother isn't up to leaving the bed and I know that one day she will never be up to it.
"Hey momma." I say playfully as I burrow my face in her embrace, my mother doesn't care that I'm a runt. She's the only person who loves me unconditionally in this world.
"You alright my pup?" She murmurs as she twirls a fiery curl between her fingers.
"I'm ok, although father threatened to starve me to loose weight for the alpha meeting."
I can feel my mother frown against my forehead before she pulls away slightly. Looking up into her eyes, the green has golden flecks that fade or glow on different days. Today her eyes are alive, today she is strong.
"He didn't, did he?" I merely nod and shrug my shoulders.
My mother purses her lips in discontent for a moment, I can almost sense the cogs of her brain whirring behind her eyes.
"Com'on then Immy, let's get you stocked up with some food."
Grabbing me by the hand, my mother gently leads me into the kitchen where she carefully selects food from already opened packets that won't be missed.
"Thank you." I whisper, accidentally slipping into my submissive stance as I thank my mother for her generosity.
"Sweetie," my mother takes my chin in her hand and tilts my face up to look at her, "don't do that with me." She leans down and kisses both my cheeks before playfully swatting at my bottom causing a giggle to waft into the air.
Our tender moment is shattered by the sounds of heavy boots stomping the cold out onto the doorstep. The testosterone is back.
Hello my lovely readers,
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my book. I'm very excited to write this story so I hope you liked it.
If you have come from my previous books you know already how grateful I am for all your support, but if you're new here thank you too!
