The Castaways

Chapter 1 - Scarlett

      I got out of my car and headed for my cozy apartment. My limbs ached, I rolled my shoulders to release the tension. I opened the door and threw myself on the couch the moment the door shut behind me. For a second I wished I was still at the family house. Maids massaging my entire body coming and going at my beck and call. I dismissed the thought almost immediately. If I stayed there, I would be 'asked' to find a submissive to continue the Monte's line. I didn't want to get settled down so quickly, I wanted to make a name for myself - not that I wasn't famous.
          Centuries ago - I was told- my ancestor Harriet, a rich beautiful talented she-wolf, got rejected by her mate. She'd been heart broken but accepted the rejection. She'd put up a good front, sadness transforming to anger. She wanted to show him what he'd missed out on. A makeover with some playing hard-to-get did some wonderful magic. She got a letter from a weird rejecteds' club which she quickly dismissed. Her mate came crawling back with some perfect excuse like she had known except she didn't want him anymore. Her wolf still went crazy over him, an eternal bond wasn't so easy to break after all. She'd walked away even emptier. She had thought making him fall for her and dashing his hopes would make her feel better but it had made her heart feel heavier. Harriet had picked up the invitation to the club and changed the life of she-wolves as they knew it.
         With her wealth, she had set up a business organisation for the club that would support rejected wolves. The club members had originated from different packs, the alpha of  founder Vase hadn't taken the fact that The Castaways - as they had bitterly called the club - were encouraging other she-wolves to stand up against the males, insubordination was to be curbed. Founder Vase had been asked to leave the club or risk being thrown out of the pack. She had refused and had been thrown out despite her incessant pleas. One by one The Castaways were turned on some left the club others fought and reaped the consequences. Founder Harriet had been thrown out of her pack with the hope that going rogue would curb them of their delusions.
           The entire werewolf race had been shaken up when The Castaways had declared themselves a race of their own. Many joined and left their packs behind. Many Alphas ignored The Castaways, after all what could a handful of disgruntled females do. In a number of years they woke up to realize that The Castaways were already dominating the business world. They tried to apply damage control but it was too late the handful of women had taken the lead. Any sympathizers of The Castaways were imprisoned and The Castaways were officially declared enemies to the werewolf race. The divide grew and grew. The Castaways mated with less dominant wolves who left their packs to join the new pack. The werewolf race didn't declare war, no, they bid their time...then they struck where it hurt the most.
          Founder Vase's daughter, Amethyst, found her mate. He was a part of the werewolf race. Upon realizing his mate, he'd marked her. They were madly in love. Amethyst begged her mom and the Founders, she wanted to go with her mate. Everyone had their reservations, but deep down everyone wished her only the best. The ceremony was arranged. It was said the couple hardly looked away from each other. Perhaps it was time to bury the hatchet. Amethyst was murdered on her wedding night, her mate died trying to protect her.
           That had signaled the beginning of a new era. The Castaways had been quite a few when compared to the werewolf race, Amethyst had gone without any retaliation. Ever since then, mating with ones mate in the werewolf race became an unspoken taboo. We were taught to find submissive wolves to mate with to continue our lineage. Submissive wolves who wouldn't rebel or hurt us. As a descendant of  Founder Harriet, I was born with a silver spoon. I was respected, envied, loved all because of     My predecessor. I wanted to be remembered as Scarlett Monte not as a descendant of Founder Harriet. I felt my eyelids drop from exhaustion. Just a quick nap. I yawned a  minute...