The Luna's Journey

Miracle In the dimly lit room, a sharp slap landed on my face. The broom I clutched slipped from my fingers and skidded across the floor. My hand instinctively shot up to my numbing cheek, feeling the fiery imprint left by the forceful blow. Slowly, I raised my gaze to meet my mother's, her eyes filled with unbridled anger. Her bloodshot eyes bore into mine, lacking mercy, as she seethed with fury. Her aura felt like déjà vu. I knew too well how this would end. This wasn't the first time. "What did I tell you, Miracle?" Her words were a low, ominous growl, delivered through gritted teeth.I dared not answer, fear gripping my heart like a vice. "What did I tell you?" she reiterated, growing angrier. My hands shook by my sides as I confronted the woman who was supposed to be my mother. However, she felt anything but. The silence hanging between us only fueled her rage. In a cruel display of dominance, she reached out, grabbing my sideburns with a vice-like grip that sent fresh waves of pain coursing through me. "Mum, please..." I whimpered, my voice trembling with agony, "...it hurts." But my mother remained resolute, unmoved by my pleading. She shoved me with a brutal force that sent me crashing to the cold, unforgiving floor. Pain shot through my body, radiating from the spot where I had made contact with the unyielding ground. "You knew guests were coming earlier, and yet, you went out? For what? To sabotage me?" she yelled. I shook my head in disagreement. I've always been obedient to her. I always followed what she wanted. I consistently did things to satisfy her, but she never saw any of it. She only saw my mistakes, and it hurt me. "Mum, I didn't mean to," I stammered, my voice shaken with the desperate need to explain. "I just wanted to get some water, and I didn't know..." Before I could finish my sentence, she silenced me with a cutting interruption, unwilling to lend an ear to my side of the story. "Shut up!” “The next time you won't obey me. I'll make sure you regret it," she hissed, her face contorted with a hatred so intense it seemed to scorch the very air around us. “You ungrateful, conniving brat!” Tears streamed down my face, a river of despair, as she turned away from my tiny, crumpled form. My mother's loathing for me ran deep, an unrelenting torrent fueled by the sins of my father, sins I had no part in. I couldn't contain the anguished sobs that escaped my quivering lips as I clung to my trembling thighs, the only solace I could find in this torturous world. Amid this heart-wrenching darkness, all I ever yearned for was the impossible—a mother's love. I am the unwanted child of the pack's Luna, born by accident. My own mother is ashamed of me, and deep down, I can't help but understand. My existence is a living nightmare for her, but isn't it cruelly unfair to me? I know nothing of my father's deeds, and if only I had known that merely existing would be this painful, I would have chosen not to exist at all. The next day, I awoke early, determined to carry on with my usual routine, disregarding the confrontation I had with my mother from the previous night. I joined the omegas in their tireless efforts, helping prepare meals for the pack officials and later pitching in to clean the packhouse. My task was to clean the window opposite the dining area, granting me a clear view of my mother's radiant smile as she sat there with the Alpha and her sons. Her happiness was infectious, but the moment her gaze landed on me, her smile faded. I let out a heavy sigh, choosing to redirect my focus toward the task at hand. "Did the Luna scold you last night? We heard her scream," Milly inquired. She was my partner in cleaning the towering windows, and among the few in the pack I could truly call a friend. “Yeah,” I nodded. “I did something yesterday that triggered her anger.” “What’s the problem?” “I disobeyed her,” I replied shortly. Milly cast a concerned glance my way. "You know how much she resents you, right? Please, just be extra cautious," she urged, her words tinged with worry. However, before I could respond to Milly, a sudden, painful yank on my hair nearly sent me tumbling to the floor. The shock was so intense that I couldn't help but hiss softly through the pain. "Who gave you permission to speak when your chores aren't finished?" The voice was all too familiar, and I knew instantly who it belonged to. Milly promptly lowered her head and humbly sought forgiveness, while my mother's grip on my hair remained tight. “You’re such a bad influence, Miracle!” she said accusingly. "Do your work properly, you foolish girls!" Mum commanded before finally releasing my hair. How much torture must I endure to win her affection? I'm drained in every possible way – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yet, the courage to escape this living nightmare of a pack eludes me. My mother is the sole blood relative I've ever known, and since before I can remember, I've been tethered to this pack. She's kept me in the dark about her own family, leaving me feeling like an outsider among the Stormfang Pack, despite her being the Luna. ‘She's not worth all the sacrifices, Miracle,’ my wolf, Light, suddenly whispered into my mind. Light had been unusually quiet lately, a silence that mirrored the disagreements between us over the past few days. She longed for us to escape, to seek solace in the peaceful depths of the woods, but I couldn't bring myself to agree. Life beyond the pack's boundaries might prove even harsher than the one we currently endure. And, above all else, I couldn't bear to leave my mother behind. "I'm sorry, Miracle. I shouldn't have asked you," Milly apologized, and in response, I offered her a warm, understanding smile. It's not her fault, nor is it mine. My mother is just … unfair.