Amber’s POV:

  I sat in the dimly lit living room, the weight of

my stepfather's words hung heavy in the air. "You're getting

married," he declared, his voice devoid of any warmth. The news hit me

like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless and stunned.

 "But why?" I managed to choke out, my voice

trembling with a mix of disbelief and anger. "How could you do this to

me?"

 My stepfather John, clutched my hair tightly and I

hissed in pain, his gaze cold and calculating. "It's for the good of the

family, you ungrateful bastard child" he spat with contempt, his tone

laced with a twisted sense of obligation.

"You're nothing more than collateral, a means to secure

our future at least you're useful in some way mutt"

 I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Sold off like a

pawn in a twisted game of power and alliances. All because my step-sister Emily

was supposed to marry the not only cursed and ruthless alpha, but he was a

manwhore and known for his notorious womanizing who even owns a harem and I was

nothing more than a convenient substitute for them.

 I retreated to my cramped basement room, and waves of

uncertainty crashed over me. The space was minimal, furnished only with a

tattered mattress, a weathered oak bedside table, and a wardrobe holding my

clothes.

 “What a great way to start my birthday” I inwardly

rolled my eyes expecting nothing enthralling on this not-so-special day because

I believe I might have wronged the moon goddess in my past life and she’s

punishing me with an ill fate in this one.

 Today was supposed to be an incredibly thrilling day

for me. But truth be told, I couldn't muster up much excitement because I knew

deep down that my potential mate might reject me due to my lack of a wolf and

to make matters worse, I was sold off by the people whom I call family in a

blink of an eye.

 I am twenty-five already. Majorly, people find their

potential mates at the age of eighteen but here I am, growing older and

lonelier. With every passing year, my hopes of finding my soulmate wither like

a dandelion on a chilly breeze.

 How did I end up in this nightmare? I glanced at my

reflection in the mirror, my heartache etched on my face. With long, flowing

locks and piercing eyes, I possessed a beauty I couldn't fully comprehend. And

yet, I couldn't help but wonder about my true origins. Who was my real father?

What secrets lay hidden in my past?

 John never misses an opportunity to unleash his anger

on me, treating me like his personal punching bag, a target for all his

frustrations.

 I am really scared of him. He is an absolute monster

in disguise and he made sure he unveiled himself to me, showing me how deranged

he is, raw and unapologetic. He made sure I knew monsters did not exist just in

folk ware and fairytales but rather they existed amongst us, just in better

clothing and smiling faces.

 An abomination is what I am to them, he said I was

born out of wedlock. Not like it was my fault or anything but my mother said my

dad had forced himself on her and if that's the case, it explains the amount of

disgust they have for me and the anger is justified. I looked nothing like my

mother at all.

 My heart is devoid and sad because I do not know who

even my father was or if he is still alive or not. I don't even know if he was

a wolf or human given the fact that I am still wolfless. I am super fast and

strong, possessing the senses sharper than an average human. But I could not

blame them at all for hating me, I also loathed my so-called “father” because

no matter what he ruined our lives all at the end of the day or so I was made

to believe. I longed to know my roots. I have so many questions. All my life

John has been the father figure in my life. Heck, I thought he was my father at

a point but the more I grew up the more obvious his resentment was. I learned

he wasn't my father when I was seven because he constantly told me how he hated

my guts and how they didn't just let me die.

 I guess I’m the replica of my father, from my ocean

blue eyes and silver hair that glows now and then which remains a mystery to

me, down to my round full pink lips that attract punishment to me. I think this

explains the pelt-up loathe John has for me because every time he looks into my

eyes, he becomes agitated. it was as if he was staring at the spitting image of

my father. And whenever I asked my mom she always snapped at me and her eyes

filled with tears.

 I wake up each day to the echoes of silence,

surrounded by the cold walls of neglect. My step-family, barely notice me.

Loneliness wraps around me like a suffocating cloak, reminding me of my

insignificance. It's as if I'm invisible, forgotten in the shadows of their

affection for each other. At times it felt like my mother wasn't truly mine. I

feel a disconnection from her. I have so many unanswered questions. The more I

age, her eyes told a different story. She never looked at me how a mother looks

at her child. There was no warmth in it. It always felt like I was a burden she

couldn't get rid of. After all, the eyes never lie.

 The ache in my heart grows with every passing day,

yearning for a connection, for love. But amidst the disappontment, a flicker of

hope still managed to emerge. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance for me to

find my light, to rise above the despair and discover my worth but I'm not so

sure about that either.

 Because even the little “hope” I had was snatched away

from me just a few minutes ago just like how my dreams, passions, and better

still, my identity were all snatched from me. It was too much for me to bear on

my little shoulders.

 As for my mother, she always avoids my gaze and I

really wish it is because the guilt is eating her from the inside watching how

John slowly ruins me way beyond repair, taking a piece of me with him each day.

When I first complained to her and asked why John physically abuse me, she only

shrugged it off, not because she didn’t have an answer but rather because the

‘love’ she has for him has blinded her eyes completely, she’d only say “Don’t

be a brat, he was kind enough to take you, another’s man child in and for that,

you should be grateful” how could I comprehend that when I was just a child,

not knowing my right from left.

 She always convinced me that it was his way of

“discipline”. But at that time, I knew something was off. If that was just mere

‘discipline’, why didn’t he discipline Emily the same way since she commits all

sorts of atrocities? The abuse only grew worse gradually, it started from

simple bad-mouthing to starvation, to little shoving, and beatings to

everything overall.

 I felt a sudden intrusion as I sat on the edge of my

bed making me snap out instantly from my daydream. Emily, my step-sister,

barged in with a smirk that could rival the Cheshire cat's.

 "What's got you so gloomy, princess? Her taunt

cut through the air, injecting venom into the peaceful atmosphere. “You deserve

this, I pray feeds you to his beast” “ I hope he ends your life for good, you

don't deserve to live. You're unlovable”

 She then pulled a fist full of my hair and twisted it,

making pain erupt all over my scalp. She shoved me and slapped my face hard

while laughing like a maniac and I just stared at her not having the strength

to entertain her.

 “Bitch who the fuck are you looking it” she spat on me

and snorted. “Ugly bitch”. Before I could retort, Emily let out a piercing

scream. Shocked, I turned to see her clutching her arm as if in pain. John came

rushing in furiously. "What happened?!" he demanded, his eyes

flickering between Emily and I.

 She pointed at me, her accusation sharp as a dagger.

"She shoved me! Look at my arm!"

 I let out a pained groan as John exerted all his

force, landing a brutal kick to my stomach. "You bastard child, how dare

you" | gasped in defiance. Another blow followed, each strike sending

waves of agony pulsating through me.

 “I need to show you where you belong” and without

wasting any much time he unbuckled his belt and lashed down on me.

 “You better start counting,” he said using all of his

might to strike me not caring where he hit.

 “O one” I cried out in pain. I had no choice but to

count and swallow the pain because If there's one thing I learned over the

years, it's that me pleading with him to spare me fuels his anger the more.

“T-wo” lash after lash followed as he brutally assaulted my

back.

 “….. T- t- twenty-seven” My throat was all dry and

patchy and before I could catch my breath. He stroked me in the face “You

better start counting again, starting from one, bitch!!!”.

 After what felt like an eternity, I lay sprawled on

the cold floor with my body sore from the beating I had received, I proceeded

into the little bathroom and squatted under the shower allowing the water to

cascade from my spine down to the floor as I drifted into anticipation of what

was to become of my life when I'm taken away by the Alpha.

Why does he need John’s daughter when he has females at his

disposal, willing to throw themselves at him.

 I shuddered as my gaze scanned through the litters of

scars my skin was decorated with and finally settled on a slash that ran across

my chest, the most prominent and painful one, tears pooled in my eyes as the

memories of how I attained it came crashing on me. I will never forgive John

for the damage he has caused me ever, the sunken skin is a testimony of how he

had brutalized me with a knife coated in wolfsbane. It was the absolute worst

night of my life, I traced it gently knowing this would be my story to tell

someday.

 I closed my eyes not wanting to revisit the bitter

memory and snapped out of my self-hate, the disdain I felt for John increasing

as I gritted my teeth in sheer anger. I promise one day I will make him fall on

his feet before me and beg for my forgiveness and when he is desperate for

life, I will snatch it away for him.

 I exited the bathroom and got dressed deciding it

would be best to stay off their radar for the time being, but when I laid on

the bed the events of earlier came crashing down on me.

 I hadn't realized I had been crying since I was in the

shower. What would happen if I ended it all? What would happen if I had run

away?

 I mean, if I did, would John be forced to sell off

Emily to the Alpha king? What is the worst that could happen?

 All I know is that, what is life without risks? Even

if the outcome is going to end in bloodshed at least I would die trying.

 What if I don't run and am forced to live with that

monster for eternity? That is if he doesn't even kill me? What if life with

John would be far much better than with him?

 But then again, what if I am never to be found? What

if I could find a life worth living for?

 With a surge of courage and a rush of adrenaline in my

veins, I lift my cracked window off its hinges and jumped, sprinting my way

toward the woods. I had never taken a risk like this In my life and now I am

crossing my thuddering heart in hopes that this favors me. Hoping I could

escape…..

 “Maybe life was worth living after all.…”