From Student Debt to Pack Debt: When My Fake Family Wants to Mate Me Novel – I died. It wasn’t heroic, and I didn’t save a puppy from traffic. I died when a vintage crystal chandelier fell on my head at the Bean Me Up Café where I was clocking in for my second shift. The irony? I had just clicked “submit” on my final student loan payment to Sallie Mae. After ten years of living on dollar hot dogs and sharing a Brocklyn apartment with three roommates and a rat named Pizza, I was finally debt-free.
And then… Splat—dead. … When I opened my eyes again, I seemed to be … alive? I was lying on a mattress that felt like sleeping on a cloud. I ran my hand over the sheets. Thousand-thread-count Kemet’s Silk. This wasn’t right. There was no way I could afford sheets this nice. I shot upright, gasping for air. This was not my apartment. There was no mold on the ceiling—no sirens outside. Instead, I was in a room bigger than my entire apartment, decorated like a lavish princess’s bedroom.
Then the headache hit. Memories flooded in like a tidal wave. Not my memories. Hers—Rhea Ironclaw’s. Oh my God! I transmigrated! I had transmigrated into that trashy werewolf novel I’d been reading on my JoyRead app last night. “The Alpha’s Missing Daughter.”But with my luck, I didn’t become the female lead. I woke up as Rhea. The fake Alpha’s daughter—a vicious villainess, a mere cannon fodder—that was this body’s role.
In the book, Rhea was the spoiled princess who stole the heroine’s life. The real Alpha’s daughter, Selene Ironclaw, grew up in a trailer park eating canned beans. When Selene returned at 18, she reclaimed her family, her status, and her fated mate. Rhea was stripped of her title, thrown in a dungeon, and eventually died from wolf madness. That meant she went crazy, and they put her down like a rabid dog. My breathing turned ragged. No— I didn’t bust my ass paying off student loans for ten years just to die in a dungeon. I had to run. I jumped out of bed.
Wait. I was shorter. My legs were short and chubby. I looked in the mirror. A messy-haired teenage girl stared back at me. Okay, she was only 14 years old right now. I had time. Selene wouldn’t return for another three years. If I packed my bags now, stole some jewelry, and took a Greyhound bus to Clonia… Wait, this was a werewolf world. Did Clonia even exist here? … Ding! A notification chimed from the nightstand. I picked up the latest iPhone. It was a text from Clover Bank. “Deposit: +50,000.00 dollars.
“Balance: 2,450,000.00 dollars.” I froze. I blinked. I counted the zeros again. Fifty thousand dollars monthly allowance. Savings balance of … 2,450,000.00 dollars. My knees buckled. I sat back down on the expensive carpet. Do you know what 2.4 million dollars means to a broke Ucryain millennial? It means never checking price tags at the wholesale supermarket again. It means being able to buy anything without taking out a loan. It means … freedom. My panic evaporated instantly. Run? Why would I run? If I ran, I’d be a homeless teenager with no Social Security number. If I stayed … I’d be a multimillionaire. I did the math. The plot said Rhea died because she tried to fight Selene. So … what if I just didn’t fight her? What if I played the good little sister, saved up my allowance, and when the heroine came back, I handed her the keys and said, “Welcome home, Selene,” then retired to a beachfront villa in Methoburg? I quickly drafted my retirement plan. Keep a low profile. Stay out of drama. Retire at 18 years old. … I was giggling to myself. A manic, greedy giggle. That’s when I heard voices outside the door. “Ms. Rhea hasn’t come out all day and refuses to eat.” A servant’s voice came through. “I’ll handle it.” An icy voice cut through the door. My blood ran cold. I recognized that voice from the memories. The door handle turned, and a man walked in. He was incredibly tall, like a NBA player. Wearing a black three-piece suit so perfectly tailored it was almost offensive.
His eyes were green, cold and sharp. He was Alpha Kallen Ironclaw, my older brother and CEO of Ironclaw Group. And the future executioner of the villainess—me. In the book, Kallen was the representative of “cold Alpha” trope. He despised weakness. He despised Rhea because she had no wolf spirit. He looked down at me. I was sitting on the floor, clutching the latest top-of-the-line iPhone like Gollum holding the One Ring. I swallowed hard. He looked terrifying. He smelled like Ambrosia cologne and pure testosterone. But then I remembered. I had 2.4 million dollars. Even if he killed me in five years, I could live like a queen until then. So instead of cowering, I stared right back at him and said nothing. Chapter 2 The Strange Sister Kallen’s POV: My sister was acting strange today. Usually, when I walked into her room, she would flinch and spread a smell of sour milk and fear. It was pathetic. An Ironclaw should never cower. But today? She was sitting on the floor. She didn’t even flinch. She was … staring at me. Her scent had changed. The sourness was gone. Instead, she smelled like … freshly printed cash? Was that even a scent? “Dinner is ready,” I said coldly. “Stop throwing a tantrum and come downstairs.” I expected her to stammer out an apology. Instead, she nodded obediently, clutching a teddy bear to her chest. “Yes, Kallen.” But that’s when I heard it. A voice clear as a bell—Ucryain accent. Dripping with sarcasm. “Why is he wearing a three-piece suit at home? Is he going to a congressional hearing or a funeral?” I froze. My eyes scanned the room. No one else was there. The voice continued… “But look at that chiseled jawline. He’s like Henry Cavill who needs therapy. Too bad he’s a total psycho in the book.” I tensed. Henry Cavill? Therapy? Psycho? “Whatever. I’ll just smile and nod and not piss off the walking ATM.
He’s the one who signs the allowance checks. “Fifty thousand dollars a month. Hehehe. I love him. I love Alphas.” I stared at the girl sitting on the rug. Was that voice coming from her? Her lips were pressed shut. She gazed up at me with wide, innocent eyes, like a bewildered puppy. But the voice in my head cackled like a lunatic. “I wonder if I can invest that money in an foreign index fund. Or crypto? No, crypto’s a scam. I’ll stick with bonds.” I felt a vein throb at my temple. Foreign index fund? Bonds? She was 14 years old. She should be thinking about boys on the football fields and TikTok videos, not … diversified portfolios. “Zeus,” I called to my inner wolf, my mental shields snapping up. “Did you hear that? The voice.” “I smelled it,” Zeus growled, confusion lacing his tone. “She smells … happy. Greedy-happy. It’s … confusing. But I prefer this than fear.” I eyed her suspiciously. “Rhea, is there something you want to tell me?” She shook her head vigorously. “No, Kallen. I’m just … happy to see you.” “That’s a lie, obviously,” the voice in her head said, “I’m happy to see your wallet.” I’m sure now. That was the voice inside Rhea’s mind. I steadied myself quickly and delved deep into my consciousness. I called to Zeus. “Is this a new talent?” My inner wolf yawned inside my head. “I don’t know. Maybe the Moon Goddess subscribed us to her private podcast.” I ignored his sarcasm. Typically, wolf talents like strength, command, and speed were set by age 18. Hearing someone’s thoughts, especially my 13 year-old sister’s? Unheard of. I decided to take a moment to compose myself and turned toward the stairs. But soon, her voice echoed in my mind again. “That’s it? He’s leaving? I thought he’d give me a lecture about ‘family honor’ or ‘Alpha duties.’ Thank the Moon Goddess. Now, can I order food delivery to the Ironclaw Estate?” I stopped in my tracks. Food delivery? Ironclaw Estate had three Michelin-star chefs. “She smells … hungry,” Zeus noted, perking up. “And lonely.” I hesitated. My relationship with Rhea had always been … distant. She was wolfless—soft and fragile. In our world, strength was everything. I never knew how to talk to someone who might crumble if I raised my voice. But if I could hear her thoughts … maybe things could be different now.
I turned around and tried to soften my voice. “Would you like to … have dinner with me?” Rhea’s eyes went wide. She looked like a startled chipmunk. I forced a smile. “I’ll wait for you in the dining room.” Chapter 3 Kallen’s Tragic Ending Kallen’s POV: In the dining room. I rarely had dinner alone with Rhea. Today was truly special. The long mahogany table stretched between us like a canyon, the only sound being the clink of silverware. I cut into my steak. It was medium-rare. Seared on the outside, cool and bloody in the center. Just the way wolves liked it. Across the table, Rhea stared at her plate like it was a crime scene. “Disgusting.” Her inner voice again. My hand paused. “It’s literally bleeding. If I poke it, will it moo? “Oh gosh, I would die for a In-N-Out double-double right now. Or some popeyes. I need grease. I need carbs. I need Cajun fries, not this bloody slab of meat.” Fast-food double cheeseburger? Fried chicken? What were those? She cut off a tiny piece and forced it into her mouth with a strained smile. “Tastes like rust and sadness.” Was it really that bad? “You don’t like it?” I asked, setting down my knife. Rhea stiffened. “No! No, Kallen. It’s … delicious. Very … protein-rich.” “Lies. I’m going to throw up. I miss seasoning. Do werewolves have different taste buds? Or are they just allergic to flavor?” “If you don’t like it, don’t eat it,” I said bluntly. “I can have the chef make you … whatever ‘fried chicken’ you want.” Rhea’s jaw dropped. “Whoa. Why is he suddenly snapping at me? And being all passive-aggressive about it?” Snapping at her? “Did I snap at her?” I asked Zeus. “No,” Zeus grumbled. “But you sounded like a CEO firing an intern. Soften up, you idiot. You’re scaring the puppy.” Rhea pouted and shrank into her chair. “You don’t have to be so mean, Kallen…” “I wasn’t trying to be mean.” I tried to make my voice sound gentler and forced a smile. “He’s totally being mean. Look at that face. He looks like I just told him his stock portfolio crashed.” Rhea’s inner voice came through. My expression stiffened. “Whatever. I’ll sneak into the kitchen later and find some instant mac and cheese. Rhea’s inner voice.” I sighed internally.