*Short Story* It is difficult to stay with the people who look down at you like you are some kind of disease. It hurts when they don't want to acknowledge you for the good things you have done. It hurts when your family rejects you only because you are quiet and weak saying you are good for nothing. Annie Ryan was nothing but a quiet, innocent teenager waiting for her mate to save her from the dark hell she was living in. She had only one dream, she wanted to feel loved, she wanted someone to tell her that they care and would love her no matter what happens. But little did she know that she was just another unfortunate soul whose mate had different plans. Caden was an young alpha. He had everything but where everyone was eager to meet their mate, he wasn't. He had already given his position of alpha female to his girlfriend. But after she left him, he turned cold and ruthless. But when he met Annie, his mate, one thing was clear. He wanted nothing to do with her. He asked her to leave but when she declined, he paid her no attention like she never existed. Annie was broken. Her dream was just a dream. Every night she closed her eyes, she realized she was going to die alone with no one to care. She wanted to end her life but not before setting everything right, not before her destined alpha mate finds his happiness. Caden didn't know what he was missing until he lost it. Maybe that's how life works. Maybe that's why it is called cruel.

❝I, Caleb Dominic Asher, reject you, Scarlett Rose Davis.❞

In a freezing cold winter day, Promise never thought that she would end up having her car tire pop right outside her old pack's border line. She would never imagined that she would once again see the people who have caused so much pain and sadness in her. She would never imagined that her parents and siblings would fall down onto their knees, trying their best to make amends. She would never imagine that she would come face to face with her ex-mate who broke her. But she knows that no matter what they do, they can't fix one thing. And whats the one thing? Cancer that is spreading like a forest fire.

Here's a bombshell for you: I have eight brothers. Eight extremely attractive, smart, mischievous, crazy overprotective brothers. Well, step brothers. Trust me when I say that it didn't start out that way, with me having eight step brothers. My father got remarried when I was sixteen. Another bombshell for you: I had no clue that the marriage was happening until about three months before, and I only found out because we were moving from Texas to New York in a week. Yeah, my father wasn't huge on the whole 'sharing' thing. But, that's not what you opened up this book to read, now is it? Well, I should probably start telling you the legitimate start of the story. (Heads up here, guys. This book is about abuse and will have occasional swearing in it. Okay, that's my warning. Have a nice day!)