I groan as every step leading to my room causes a wince of pain. I hate life! is the thought that floats through my head while I slip out of my worn-out clothes and into some plain, comfortable black sweats and a black long-sleeved top. Alex is still helping me every now and then, protecting me from Beta Bastian and Mrs. Jasmine as best as he can, the only other ray of hope I have to survive as my eighteenth birthday rolls closer. The thought that I will meet my mate, break free from Hidden Claws, and never see this pack again after graduation and the eleven years of hell I have suffered makes me smile as I lock the door to my room and open the window. It's midnight, and the moon shines down on me while the wind brings a much-needed breath of fresh air. The leaves of the large sugar mapl
