TWO
The front door creaked open, announcing my arrival home. My heart sank when I saw Kelly at the bottom of the stairs, wearing a dress that wasn't hers. That dress was mine. More than that, it was a piece of my soul, the only memory I had of my mother before she died. I can still clearly recall the time when my mother fell ill. It all happened so quickly, and I was too young to understand what was happening. My father didn't seem to care much, and whenever I asked my mom about it, she would brush it off and tell me not to dwell on it. She insisted that everything was fine, but deep down, I knew it wasn't.
As I looked at Kelly, my anger surged. She had altered the dress in ways that completely changed its style. It had been a long gown before, but now there were cuts and additions that made it almost unrecognizable. My blood boiled as I realized that she had ruined something important to me.
"Kelly," I said, my voice trembling with emotion, "that's my dress. You have no right to be wearing it."
Her lips curled into a sneer as she looked me up and down. "Oh, this old thing? It's not like you ever wear it. Plus, it looks way better on me." Growing up, my step-sister Kelly had always been distant and cold towards me. I never understood why she seemed to hate me so much. My father had married her mother when I was only 12 years old, and Kelly was a year older than me. Despite the fact that we were now part of the same family, she never treated me like a sister. Instead, she made it clear that she despised my presence in her life.
Anger surged through me, overriding any sense of caution or restraint. "You went into my room and took it from my private luggage! How dare you!"
Kelly scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You're just jealous because you know I'm right. You've always been so possessive of your things, Freya. It's pathetic."
"Enough!" I shouted, unable to contain myself any longer. But as if on cue, our parents walked in, their expressions a mixture of surprise and disapproval.
"Girls, what is going on here?" my father asked, his brow furrowed.
"Freya's just throwing a fit because I borrowed a dress," Kelly answered with feigned innocence, her eyes wide and guileless.
"Is that true, Freya?" my stepmother asked, eyeing me with skepticism.
"Mom gave me that dress before she died," I whispered, trying to hold back tears. "It's all I have left of her."
"Freya, we've talked about this," my father said, his voice strained. "Your mother is gone, and we need to move forward. It's just a dress. Kelly is your sister and you must treat her as such."
"But--" before I could respond, my stepmother's hand came down hard against my cheek, the slap echoing through the room. "How dare you speak like that to your sister!" she hissed, her eyes cold and unforgiving.
"Elaine," my father interjected weakly, but she cut him off with a glare.
"Your daughter needs to learn some respect for her family," she spat, turning back to me. "You will not cause any more trouble with Kelly, do I make myself clear?"
Numb from the shock of her slap, I could only nod, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
"Good," she said, her tone icy. "Now go to your room."
As I turned to leave, my father caught my eye. For a moment, I thought he might say something in my defense, but instead, he just sighed and looked away. My heart sank as I realized that he would never stand up for me, not when it came to his new wife and her daughter.
The door to my room slammed shut behind me, and all the emotions I'd been holding back came flooding out. Sobs wracked my body as I collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow. Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't my mother still be here, to hold me and tell me everything would be alright?
In between gasps for breath, I whispered into the damp fabric, "Mum, I miss you so much. I didn't even get to say goodbye properly. They took your body away to the morgue before I could see you one last time. It's not fair."
I knew that life was never going to be the same after Mum's passing, but I never imagined it would be this painful, this lonely. As the tears continued to stream down my face, soaking the pillow beneath me, I made a silent promise to my mother: I would find a way to be strong, even if it meant facing the cruelty of this new family alone.
The door creaked open, and the unmistakable sound of Kelly's high heels clicking against the hardwood floor made my stomach churn. I quickly wiped away the last remnants of my tears and sat up, bracing myself for whatever cruelty she had come to inflict upon me.
"Freya," she drawled with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Since you're not doing anything useful right now, I've decided that you can wash my bags and clothes for me." She tossed a pile of designer clothing onto my bed, wrinkling her nose as if my room was some sort of repugnant dungeon.
"Excuse me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the anger bubbling inside me.
"Did I stutter?" she retorted, her smile morphing into a sneer. "Wash them. And do it properly, or else."
"Or else what?" I challenged, tired of being pushed around.
"Or else," she leaned in, her eyes flashing with malice, "I'll make your life even more miserable than it already is. Trust me, I have ways."
"Fine," I muttered, clenching my fists at my sides. "I'll do it."
"Good," she said, smirking triumphantly. "Oh, and by the way, I'm auditioning to be one of the Alpha King's breeders. Can you imagine? Me, with all that power and prestige? It's going to be fabulous."
With that, she sauntered out of my room, leaving me fuming at the injustice of it all. As I stared at the pile of expensive clothes on my bed, a spark of determination ignited within me. I couldn't take this anymore – the humiliation, the constant bullying, the feeling of being trapped in a house where I was unwanted and unloved.
If Kelly could audition to be one of the Alpha King's breeders, then so could I. It was a desperate plan, and I knew that there were risks involved – but anything would be better than living like this. For the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope flicker in my chest.
"Alright, Mum," I whispered, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "I'm going to do it. I'll find a way out of this house, out of this life. For both of us."
As I began folding Kelly's clothes, preparing them for the wash, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be free from her and my stepmother's tyranny. No matter what it took, I vowed to make that dream a reality.
I would find my way to the palace and join the audition.
THREEThe zipper of my duffel bag whined as I dragged it across the teeth, securing the sparse contents of what I could call mine. My hands shuffled through the drawer one last time, searching for a cloth that didn't scream neglect or poverty—a task akin to finding a diamond in a coal mine. All I found were tattered jeans and faded shirts, each holding the scent of despair like a stubborn stain. I let out a frustrated sigh.I pulled out a simple, worn dress that had once been blue but now bore the uncertain hue of the twilight sky, dulled by too many washes. It was the best among the worst, and with shaking fingers, I folded it into a neat square, laying it atop the pile of clothes. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat an echo of the fear swirling in my chest. The decision to leave was a wild beast pacing within me, its presence terrifying yet somehow empowering. I would face the auditions to be one of the Alpha king's breeders, a thought that sent shivers down my spine, not
FOUR "Hey miss.. miss?" The continuous tap on my shoulder pulled me out of my short nap. I opened my eyes slowly with a yawn. My body felt so tired and I knew I needed more sleep. "Miss, you are at the palace road. You should get down before the train takes off" My eyes shot open at the mention of Train. "Oh! We are here? Oh!" I hastily pulled my bag from under me and bolted out of the train in excitement. I stood in front of the Crimson palace. My breath caught in my throat at the beautiful sight before me. The palace stood tall and so huge, white marble gleaming in the sunlight. I'd never seen anything like it before. I couldn't help but stare at the beauty. As I made my way towards the palace gates, I noticed that I wasn't the only one here. Women from all over the kingdom have also come to audition to be the alpha king's breeder. everyone was talking excitedly amongst themselves as we all waited for the gates to open. I could hear whispers filling the courtyard as we waited t
FIVE If looks could kill, I would be long dead by now. I stood still and speechless as I stared at my sister who was glaring at me with fire in her eyes. Connor beside me, watched the both of us confusedly. "Do you know each other or something Freya?" He asked me. I opened my mouth to form a response but Kelly beat me to it. "Oh, I would have you know that Freya is my house maid. She must have sneaked out of the house the moment I left to join the auditions." Kelly said, she stepped closer to Connor who was frowning at me. I took a shallow breath, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. "You should send her home Mister. I will make sure my mother deals with her for deceiving everyone." "I seem to remember that the audition is open to every female in the land that is not married or promised to another man. So Miss Freya is just as free as you to partake in this program. If you will excuse me now, I have to be with the king." Conner said, brushing my shoulder lightly with a ki
SIX I scooped up the apple pie sitting beautifully on my plate and ate it generously, savoring the sweet taste as it melted in my mouth. I closed my eyes, feeling so content in that moment and even nostalgic. When I was smaller, my mom used to make pies like this. I remember how excited I always was whenever she announced that we would be having Apple pie for dinner. If only... "Hey, Freya. That's your name right?" Addy whispered to me as she shifted her seat closer with a cheerful smile on her face. I nodded. "Where are you and your sister? Hope you don't mind me asking" "Not at all. We stay at the western part of the kingdom, Not too far from the border. What about you?" "Oh I stay in the kingdom city. My house is only a 30 minutes drive away from here." Addy replied enthusiastically. You just know she was from a wealthy family and she has been showered love her whole life. Unlike me, who had been maltreated for as long as I can remember. My gaze turned to Kelly who wa
SEVENI awoke with a dry throat, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. I wondered if the ladies were still waiting outside my door. Now I wish I had just told them to get me some water before going to bed last night when they had asked if I needed anything. It was past midnight already. "I need some water or else I might die." I whispered to myself as if taking permission from myself. What could happen? The highest was that I would get caught by a staff member or the guards. I decided I would find my way to the kitchen and try as much as possible not to get caught. Though I knew I shouldn't wander the werewolf palace alone at night. Our guide had mentioned that we should never step out of our rooms without being called for. But I couldn't wait inside my room when I was dying of thirst could I? "There goes nothing.." I said as I gathered my dark long hair into a braid and slipped on a modest nightdress before creeping to the door. Stepping into the shadowy hallway, I shu
Eight "Rise and shine miss!" "Good morning miss!"I groaned as the cheerful voices of my maids woke me up, followed by the curtains being drawn, revealing the early morning sun that brightened my whole room so much that I had to raise the thick duvet over my head. "Ughh.." "Miss Freya, the orientation begins in an hour. We must get you ready as soon as possible." It was Grace speaking now. She slowly pulled the covers over me and smiled at me despite my scowl. I had never been a morning person even though I always woke up early to do the house chores back at home. But then I had Gerard who sometimes allowed me to sleep in. But now, I had no choice but to obey my maids. "Okay, okay, I'm up." I huffed as I exited my sweet soft bed. I couldn't believe how soft it was. It was like I should never get up from the soft tresses again. It was so unfair that the rich and privileged got to enjoy this every single day of their life and there was some of us that has never known what
NINE I couldn't figure out why Kelly was being so nice to me. It was so unusual of her. Kelly had never hugged me before, not even when I'd gotten her Christmas presents hoping to make her like me. I had given up trying to create the love between us when she had crushed the chocolates and tore out the fur of a pretty pink teddy bear I had gotten her 3 years ago. She had said to my face that my gifts were fake and useless and it should be the last time I ever got her any gifts. I had spent the whole evening crying in my room and feeling sorry for myself. Why did I desperately want my stepsister to like me? Maybe because I missed my mom so much and i just needed to fill the void that she had left when she died. But I had to learn the hard way that I couldn't make anybody like me. I just had to be myself and whoever wanted to like me will do so without being forced. My gaze trailed over to Addy. As if she sensed me looking, she also turned to me at that moment. We shared a know
TEN He was still staring at me. His gaze boring into the tiny pores on my skin, eliciting goosebumps that betrayed how I felt inside even though I was trying my possible best to keep a straight face. I simply could not believe it. He couldn't be that Wolf I saw last night. He would have mention it to his guide by now and asked them to throw me out of the palace for attempting to trespass. But then again, maybe he wanted to keep me here only to torture me slowly? I couldn't be sure. I straightened my spine and turned away from him. I focused on Aramatha who was still addressing us. I didn't hear much as my attention had been on King Rafe. "Ladies, you each have the opportunity to curtesy to your king and ask him one single question. He will answer you and whichever one of you he wishes the continue the conversation with will sit and have lunch with him. Miss Jessica, please step forward.." Aramatha said to Jessica who was first in line where we stood in front of the king.