Chapter 1 A Dangerous Werewolf

[Aimee] My name is Aimee Hale, and I’m a werewolf. However, I’m a werewolf who cannot shift on the night of the full moon. Due to my inability, I became the joke of the family. My father, Adrian Hale, who was also the baron, banned me from attending any parties. Although many knew that the baron had a daughter who couldn’t shift, few had ever met me. Right now, I was being held captive in my room with heavy security outside. That was because, three hours ago, I discovered that my father and stepmother intended to marry me to the duke's only heir, Alger Mandi. I argued with them for the first time in eighteen years. My inability to shift had been a source of shame for the family, and Alger rarely appeared in public due to poor health. Perhaps because of that, we had been close friends since childhood. We were both weak, but not in the same way. Alger was the only heir to the Mandi family and would inherit the duke title. I wouldn’t have retaliated so strongly if it was only to marry him. However, my father was after the Mandi family's wealth and power. I had overheard the entire conversation between him and my stepmother. They believed that Alger would eventually succumb to his health when his father, Matt, passed away from old age. Then, as Alger’s wife, I would inherit all of the family's assets. It meant that everything that belonged to the Mandi family would be in my father’s possession. I covered my mouth to stifle a scream and ran away, but they saw me and locked me in my room. I wasn’t allowed to leave my room until my eighteenth birthday party. “Aimee, we’ve raised you for eighteen years, and now it’s your turn to give back to the family. Mind your language. You’re a lady of the Hale family.” Although I couldn’t see my father’s face through the door, I could imagine his scornful and disgusted expression. I had known since I was a child that my father did not like me. However, I wasn’t secretly disposed of like other werewolves who couldn’t shift, and it made me grateful that I had a face to compensate for my shortcomings. Growing up, I would often overhear the servants whispering about my beauty. They would never do so in front of my father for fear of angering him. He believed that my looks were the only thing going for me. As a werewolf, I couldn’t do the most essential thing, which was shifting, and I was a disgrace to the family. As the days passed, I sat on the windowsill and looked out at the waxing moon. My heart was shattered. If I could shift — if I were a normal werewolf — would my life be different? I opened my eyes and watched the moon descend and the sun rise. From a distance, I could see Alger’s figure emerge in the garden. Tonight was the night of the full moon, and on the night of every full moon, the nobles would celebrate the night away. This time, the Hales were hosting the party. The full moon parties were always lively, but I was never part of the hustle and bustle. The howling began late into the night. I buried myself under the covers, trying to muffle the sound, but a rhythmic knock came from the door. It was Alger. “Why are you here?” I murmured, glancing around. The guards on duty at the door were missing. “Ahem… I’m here to release you, Aimee.” Alger cleared his throat before suppressing his cough. He was dressed formally at my door, which made me think I was dreaming. “Alger, I–” I wanted to explain the reason why I wouldn’t marry him, but I was at a loss for words. After all, my father was trying to tear Alger’s family apart. “I get it, Aimee. That’s why I’m here to save you. Don’t worry about it. You should leave while they’re partying.” Alger took my wrist and led me down the stairs. Everybody was having too much fun in the hall to notice me and Alger. Alger walked me to the front door. He smiled faintly under the moonlight, and his eyes were shining. “Take cover for a while, Aimee. Soon, this will all be over.” “I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. Alger shuffled my hair. “We’re best friends, aren’t we?” I gave a nod before turning around to run into the woods. “Please take care, Alger…” The woods in front of the castle were called Moonlit Pines, a romantic name. I sprinted into the woods, surrounded by sparks of light that were fireflies. Slowly, I regained my composure and remembered Alger's and my secret base as kids in the woods. It had been many years since we had been there, and the fear of being discovered for escaping made it difficult for me to figure out the right direction. As if the moon high in the sky had some sort of magical power to guide me, I hesitated for a while before choosing a direction. “Aooooo!” The shrill howling of a wolf made me weak in the knees, nearly causing me to tumble over. Before I could wonder if someone had come to catch me, I saw a flash of a shadow. I shrunk back and slammed into a tree. The sight of the big werewolf robbed me of my voice. The werewolf was covered in silver-gray fur that rippled in the breeze, and I could smell the stench of blood on him. His vertical slit pupils were fixed on me as he growled warily. I had seen my father and the others shift before, but none of their transformations were as mind-blowing as this werewolf’s. He had a towering build. My gut feeling, a survival instinct born of my weakness, told me he was dangerous. I made sure not to make any sudden movement until I knew what he was up to. With that, I leaned against the tree, trying to steady my shaking body. After some time, he twitched his nose and arched his body as if ready to pounce. It was my cue to run. However, as I turned to run, I heard a roar that made my blood turn cold. I looked back and saw the werewolf sprinting toward me. The gust of wind carried the stench of blood, and I could no longer keep my composure. “Ah!” I let out a scream and went limp. This time, I didn’t have a tree to lean on. Therefore, I closed my eyes and waited for the worst to come. To my surprise, the pain didn’t come. I opened my eyes and saw the attacking werewolf clutching his head in agony and howling at the sky. His screams made me forget to run, and my mind went blank. The big werewolf collapsed to the ground, his last howl echoing through the silent woods. All I could hear was the wind blowing through the trees and my heart beating.