Marissa Pov.

“What is this?” Mildred stares at the cup of tea in her hand with disdain.

“The Cinnamon tea you asked for,” I reply to her, eyeing her curiously. Knowing deep down in my heart that I didn't make a mistake with what she ordered me to do.

“Are you dumb? No, I mean I know you are stupid but how can you be outrightly stupid?”

Before I could even process what the problem was, I gasped, shutting my eyes as the hot stream of tea rained down on my face.

My skin burns and itches radically.

“Are you deaf? I asked for peppermint tea! Why can't you just get one thing right? This is why Father and Mother hate you so much, you are such a waste of space.”

“You asked for a Cina…” I try to argue, panic seething through me at the state of my skin, and how bad the seams from the tea may have caused but I'm used to this.

This is what my life is.

“Don't you dare argue with me, Marissa,” She smashes the cup in her hand to the floor and the shatter echoes in the large kitchen, “Do you want to sleep outside the house today? Do you want me to report your incompetence and offending mannerisms to Father? Just shut up your filthy mouth and clean up this place and make me a warm cup of peppermint tea, right now!” She orders and storms off.

I clenched my fingers in a tight fist beside me watching her walk away wondering for a million times why my only sister hates me so much and why my family hates me the way they do.

Do parents bring their children into the world just to hate on them?

I hurried to fix her tea, no time to think. I have to meet Leonardo, my boyfriend, in a few hours. Today is his birthday and I want to celebrate with him so well. He is the only one who treats me like I'm visible in this Pack and treats me with respect as a daughter of the Alpha. Even though everyone else treats me like a deadly disease, like a maid, a slave in my own father's house.

He has promised to be my mate when I turn 18 years old and I believe him very much and I can not wait for him to take me away from here.

I quietly dropped the cup of tea beside her as she was busy speaking with her friends on a video call or something. I nervously ran back to my room to fix what to wear, while applying some ice pack all over my face and neck starting with fixing my hair and applying some make-up to the red skin.

When I finally got myself ready, I rushed out hoping that I look good and beautiful enough for Leonardo but I halted on my feet at the speed of light as I heard laughter and scuttlebutts coming from Mildred’s room.

I know she was on a call earlier but the voice is so vivid and familiar that I couldn't help but drag my feet to her door curiously.

“I've been thinking about you all day, I've been thinking about all the naughtiest things I want to do to you, my love.”

“Don't be a tease, Leonardo…” Her breath is shaky, “You know I have been waiting for you to make love to me.”

That was my last resolve. My heart sank to my stomach as I heard those words, wishing that I was hearing it wrong, that it was not what I was thinking.

I push the door open, my hands immediately flying to my mouth as I watch as Leonardo and Mildred exchange kisses, they kiss sweetly as Mildred settles in his arms protectively.

What?

What the fuck?

I wasted no time and marched forward. Anger rose in me as I pushed Mildred away from Leonardo and stood between them, protecting my man from her evil advances.

“How can you do something like this, Mildred, how can…”

How can she do this when she knows that Leonardo is my boyfriend and my mate-to-be?

Before I could complete my sentences she sent a scalding slap across my face.

“Don't you dare touch my mate, you stupid bitch!”

What?

Mate?

What is she talking about?

I turned to look into Leonardo's eyes to find something, to understand what this is all about.

“Leonardo… What is she talking about…?”

“You heard her, Marissa. Mildred is my fated mate and we have always been in love. Don't act surprised or don't tell me that you actually believe and think that there was something special between us?”

“Leonardo, please don't say that,” I ask him pleadingly.

“You are so gullible, Marissa. Put yourself in my shoes and think for once, use your brain. You are nothing but a neglected daughter of the family, I have a future of frame and money waiting for me and that is only possible with Mildred and not you.”

“But you said frame, wealth and status didn't matter to you, you said you loved me and will never love a bully like Mildred.”

“Don't you dare speak on my mate that way,” Leonardo raised his voice at me, “Who wants to mate with a wolfless witch?”

“I don't believe you… you…” My voice is stuck in my throat as I'm unable to wrap my head around what is happening to me all of a sudden.

This can't be happening to me.

“This is a lesson to you, Marissa. You can't compete with me. I am better than you and I will always be the first choice and you are not worthy of staying in the same space as me.”

“What the fuck did you do, Mildred? This can't be happening.”

“What on earth is going on here?” My Father scowled, trudging in with my Mother behind him.

Mildred runs to their side, suddenly shading fake tears.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, too familiar with her victim antics.

“I asked you a damn question! What is going on here!”

“Father… I caught…”

“Father, Marissa slapped me and called me names for kissing my mate,” She sobs, shoulders shaking.

Beating me to speak first.

“How dare you raise your hand on your sister?”

“I didn't do that, Father.”

“Shut your mouth, Marissa, I don't want to hear anything from you!”

“I heard your argument from the lobby, how dare you turn my home into a war zone. Is that frivolous brain of yours still working?” My mother yells, caressing Mildred cheeks.

“I'm so embarrassed of you and I regret giving birth to you, you are so useless.”

No matter how many times I hear these words from her my heart still clenches tightly, suffocating me. I didn't ask to be born.

“Marissa, how can you be so shameful enough to want a man who has chosen your sister over you? Leonardo has chosen Mildred, you have to let go of him.”

“Father…” I try to gather my thoughts, “You are being unfair. You and Mother are not hiding your one-sidedness towards me, I'm your child too but you both condemn me like I'm not worth anything.”

“Marissa!” I could hear Leonardo grit his teeth.

“Are you trying to question my parental guidance?” Irritation was clearly evident on my father's face now, tone harsh, “Do you think you have the right to speak now? You should be happy that I'm still father enough not to let you sleep on the street! You should be nothing but appreciative of still having breath go through your lungs because you are not worthy to be my daughter! I can't have a child with no wolf inside them, you are a mistake I should have never made years ago but all that will change now because I will put you to good use.”

Tears had begun to fill my eyes as I stared at my Father, feeling breathless. I could see Mildred in my peripheral eye wearing a sick smirk on her face, no longer crying.

“You are going to marry Alpha Kanan of Grimwood Pack since he asked to marry one of my daughters. Now you should understand that Leonardo and Mildred are mates and I cannot separate them since she was his original choice.”

My breath hitched in my throat, “You can't do that, Father.”

“So you should be the one to marry him. Of course, I know you're useless and wolfless but you are a better choice than to send Mildred to her demise.”

“What about me…? What about me, Father?” Different emotions rush to explode within me, pain, betrayal, rejection, anger. Of course, I have heard of Alpha Kanan, there is not a single soul that worships the Moon Goddess that doesn't know this Man, Legends, News Outlets, Gossip pages, Every damn media. This man is a convicted murderer, not once not twice! He is a psychopath, he is bloodthirsty and so fucking heartless. He has been the Alpha King since when he was young and the entire globe is afraid of him, some even say he is ugly and old… He is an old hag that loves to enslave people.

No!

No!

I won't be a victim!

“You are also sending me to my death, you are sending me to an early grave,” I tell my father, my voice low.

“Don't be dramatic, Marissa. Don't act like you have a choice. I have already made my decision and he will be here in a few days for your hand in marriage.”

“I'm not going to marry him!” I snapped, I could feel their intense gaze burning into my skin but I tried not to quiver and repeated sternly, “I'm not going to marry this predator, I'm not even of age to do that.”

Alpha Peyton, My Father chuckled darkly, “I'm not giving you a choice and if you keep refusing to marry him I will throw you into the ghastliest dungeons and torture you until you agree.”

My heart completely broke at that, my legs threatened to give out weakly from the memories of the dungeon.

My lips wobble from an impending burst of tears. Family? No, I don't have a family, this is not what a family is but thankfully I still have Rue, my wolf inside me and I could feel her comfort.