Chapter 3

Wren POV

Alpha Charlie holds me close to his chest while I cry. Why does everything have to be so difficult? He is my fated mate. Destin is supposed to love me unconditionally, and as far as I can see, he despises me. All because I am not am not Macy. Then I realize this is one final fuck you from the Moon Goddess. She chose Destin for me because she knew he would reject me. I am being punished for the actions of every werewolf that fought against her. Awesome.

"I can't do this," I whisper into his chest. "I am a mess."

Alpha Charlie pulls away from me. "Just make it short. Your mother doesn't have to know, and I will be by your side the whole time."

"My make-up…" I cry.

"You look beautiful," he whispers.

I suck in a sharp breath and hold my head high. "I can do this."

I let Alpha Charlie lead me inside and find the whole Gravestone Pack waiting for me. All eyes are on me, and everyone looks eager to see what I have to say. I step onto the podium and clear my throat. Here goes nothing.

"Hello. I am Wren, and I wanted to extend my gratitude to the Gravestone Pack for welcoming me here this summer. I know it is Saturday night, so I promise to keep this short. I am sure everyone has better things to do than to listen to me prattle on about packs and togetherness."

Everyone laughs, and it puts me at ease. I had planned to cut my speech short after my run-in with Destin, but everyone is so attentive that I don't have the heart to do it. I cover all the points my mother wanted me to, and when I finish, everyone is cheering and clapping.

I hang around after it is over and mingle. Just like my mother would have wanted me to do. But as I expected, pack members file out quickly. They have better things to do than to entertain a Princess.

I am about to retreat back to my room to sulk when three girls cut me off. They have identical blonde hair and blue eyes. I can only assume they are related.

"Princess," one of them begins, but I cut her off.

"Please don't call me that," I groan. "Call me Wren."

"Right," she continues. "I am Sadie, and these are my sisters Sophia and Scarlett."

I offer them a smile. "It is nice to meet you."

"We were wondering," Sadie twirls her hair, and Sophia pushes her out of the way.

"Goddess, you take forever," she snaps at her sister. "We are going out, and we wanted to invite you along."

I glance around me stupidly. "Me?"

"I told you she wouldn't want to come," Scarlett scoffs.

"I didn't mean that I didn't want to come," I interrupt. "I am just not usually invited places."

Sophie wraps her arm around mine and leads me toward the pack house door. She keeps glancing over her shoulder like she is expecting someone to stop her. Right before we walk out, Alpha Charlie steps in front of us.

"No," he growls at the girls.

Sadie pushes her lip out in a pout, and Scarlett scoffs loudly. But Sadie is determined to get around him. "We are just going out for a few drinks. We will bring her back in one piece."

Alpha Charlie turns his attention to me. "The triplets are trouble. You should just go to bed."

I pat him on the shoulder. "I am sure they will take good care of me."

"This is a bad idea," he groans. "I am coming with you."

"Ew," Scarlett hisses. "No offense, Alpha, but aren't you kind of old to be going out at this hour."

I snort, and Alpha Charlie shoots me a dirty look. "I will be fine, Alpha. I am a big girl."

Sophia beams at me, and she pulls me out of the pack house. She is walking so quickly that I have to run to keep up with her. We approach a flashy pink sports car, and Scarlett pushes me into the back with Sadie.

"Quick," she snaps at Sophia. "We don't want him to follow us."

"I don't understand," I laugh as the car kicks up gravel.

"Isn't it obvious," Sadie giggles. "Alpha Charlie is going to follow us because he is in love with you."

"What?" I laugh nervously. "He doesn't."

"Oh, my sweet summer child," Scarlett sighs. "You are blind." She twists around in her seat and looks me up and down. "You are a virgin. Aren't you?"

Sophia smacks her sister. "You can't ask the Princess these things."

"It's okay," I reply nervously. "I am not."

"Spill," Sadie perks up beside me. "Who was he?"

"It was a long time ago," I mutter. "I was barely eighteen, and he wanted to make me his mate. I said no, and that was that."

"Yawn," Scarlett says rudely.

"Sorry, I am not more interesting," I grumble.

"Whatever," Scarlett says, applying lipstick. "We are here."

I look out of the window and see a flashy nightclub. It isn't what I was expecting when the triplets asked me out for drinks. There is a line of people waiting outside to get in.

"It looks busy," I whisper as I climb out of the car.

"It's okay," Sophia smiles. "I am fucking the bouncer."

I choke on air. "Oh."

Scarlett wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Don't turn into a prude now."

"I wasn't…" but I am unable to finish my sentence.

As we approach the line, everyone is looking at me. Or maybe they are looking at the triplets. Nope. They are definitely looking at me. They are whispering about me as we walk by.

'They are right,' Jasmine growls in my mind. 'This is no place for a princess.'

'Hush,' I snap at her. 'If it were up to you, we wouldn't have any fun.'

'These girls are trouble,' she continues to whine. 'They will be a bad influence.'

I push her to the back of my mind. I don't need to be lectured by my wolf along with everyone else in my life.

Sophia smiles at the bouncer and blows him a kiss, and he ushers us inside. My nose is immediately assaulted by the smell of alcohol and lust. Werewolves are grinding against each other on the dance floor. I have never been in a place like this before.

"I am going to need a drink," I groan.

"Say less," Scarlett says, guiding me to the bar.