Plagued by a destiny she never asked for, Lyla finds herself in the heart of a supernatural storm. At the tender age of 15, she discovers her ability to shift, only to be treated as a mere toy by her fated mate. Tired of his cavalier attitude, she seeks rejection, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Just when she's on the brink of despair, a glimmer of hope emerges in the form of her second-chance mate - the enigmatic Lycan Prince. He offers her a path of defiance, a chance to reject the man who saw her as nothing more. Will Lyla seize this opportunity, or will she be forever trapped in a life she never wanted?

CHAPTER 1

LYLA’S P.O.V: A FEW MONTHS AGO

“Where do you think you’re going Lyla?”That's what I heard when I was on my way home from school.

I had kept my head down and my books close to my chest. I walked like a woman with purpose, each step quick, measured and hurried. All I wanted was to get home quickly before anyone saw me, and before anyone decided what they wanted to do to me.

All through the day I had managed to evade them under the guise of classes, having lunch in the library and unnecessary runs to the admin and nurse’s office. But now, at the end of the day, it was free game and we all knew it.

I was almost at the corner of the school when I heard my name being called and I heard hurried footsteps make their way over. I didn’t stop- hoping, no, praying that I would get lost in the crowd but I felt a strong arm clamp down on my shoulder and I had to stop in place.

“Where do you think you’re going Lyla?” Alexis sneered.

Alexis Woods is the Gamma’s daughter