CHAPTER 1 - FAMILY LIFE - MADELYN'S POV
I heard loud banging on my bedroom door and I slowly and sleepily opened my tired eyes to the bright light of my small room.
I was still exhausted, having stayed up late into the evening fixing Sky's dress for the upcoming ball tomorrow night.
Skyler was the Alpha's daughter and the most putrid girl alive. Admittedly, she was gorgeous, most children of alphas were attractive and she was no exception. Long curly black hair, gorgeous brown skin and big brown eyes with thick lashes and her body was tall and curved. But as pretty as she was, she was ugly on the inside. She tortured everyone and got away with it because of who her father was. She had him wrapped around her disgusting finger.
Her older brother Scott was the same, he was our future Alpha and a bigger pig had never been born. He flirted with everyone and slept with whomever he desired and if a girl refused his advances he would have them tormented or get his father, Alpha Troy to throw them out of the pack under false pretenses.
He had hit on me for years now, but two years ago, his advances had increased. Every time he saw me alone, he would try his luck. I refused every time which would send him into a rage, but he couldn't really do much to me. I was already tormented by most of the pack and his father wouldn't kick me out. I was his slave... no sorry... maid or at least that's what he liked to tell people when they asked.
I had been found as a baby in the woods and the Alpha had taken me in, a gesture he said I should be grateful for.
''If it wasn't for me, you'd have been eaten by wolves.'' He would say when I was little ''Be grateful for my mercy, now go clean the kitchen.''
''If I hadn't saved your miserable life, you'd have frozen to death in those woods." He said another time, 'Be grateful now, go do the laundry.
''If it wasn't for my protection, you'd have nowhere to live and no pack!' He liked to say, ''Be grateful you're not a rogue, and go cook dinner.''
I hated him just as much as his children, and he was one of those Alphas that thought, because they were an alpha, they could do anything to anyone and suffer no consequences for it. I was often hit by him for refusing his orders, but I wouldn't let him bully me into doing things I found morally wrong, no matter how much it hurt when he punished me.
His wife, our Luna Morgan, on the other hand, was extremely sweet, and I often felt sorry for her to have such a monster for a mate, not that she knew who he truly was. He never showed her his violent side, and she thought he was a sweet kind man who took care of everyone, but boy was she wrong.
When I had turned 16 and didn't shift, the torment from the pack increased, but the Luna would always stand up for me and scold anyone who did anything to me of that only made it that much worse when she was gone.
I did eventually get my wolf at 18, but the name ''Wolfless'' still stuck.
I was sneaking away at the time. I'd always planned to escape at 18 when I was an adult, but when I was nearly off the land, I shifted, and the patrol guards found me and brought me back to the pack house.
The Alpha's attitude towards me changed again after my shift, and he was angry that my wolf was nearly as big as his, and he'd forced me to wear enchanted shackles around my wrists in order to stop me from shifting without his permission. Static was everything to an alpha, he couldn't have another wolf standing at his height.
Though when our Luna asked why he'd put them on me, he told her it was to help bring my wolf out, a last ditch effort on his part to help me shift.
What a joke. He even ordered me to go along with his lie.
The loud knocking echoed again, and I glared at the door.
"Get the hell up, wolf less!" Kia, an omega maid in the pack shouted ''And go get breakfast ready for the family, I have enough to do today with all the packing. We leave in an hour!'
I growled and threw my pillow at the door ''I'm coming, p*ss off!''
I was glad Kia wasn't driving with us. She was going with a group of her friends, she was as bad as Sky, and I couldn't stand her.
Kia hit the door angrily again before I heard her marching back down the hallway.
My bedroom was on the side of the pack house near the kitchens, and no one ever came down here, which I liked. I preferred solitude.
I quickly went into my small closest-sized bathroom. There was a toilet, a small sink, and a shower, but I didn't really need more than that.
I washed up and dressed in a blue singlet dress I'd brought last month from the second-hand store and pulled up my long blonde hair into a pigtail and left the room as I pulled on my slip-on shoes.
I headed into the kitchen sleepily and began breakfast, and I was nearly finished when Scott came downstairs holding his girlfriend Brianna's hand. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the stove, switching off the flame and transferring the eggs from the pan to the large bowl.
''I will see you when I get back, baby ''I heard Scott say sweetly and I gagged internally ''Don't miss me too much''
"I still don't understand why I can't go with you." She complained.
"You know why." He countered ''You're not 21 yet, and those i***t Lycans don't let anyone in unless you're of age''
''But how would they know?''
Brianna had been begging Scott to take her for weeks now, but he wasn't in a position to give in. The Lycans were very clear about their rules for attendance, one being, no one under twenty-one.
"They just would" Scott countered. What an intelligent response. The boy was a regular rain man.
Brianna growled grumpily, and I heard her stomp her foot on the carpet.
"It isn't fair!"
"I know, angel." I heard Scott say in his fake sad tone ''I'm sorry, but I will bring you back a present. Would that help?''
"I guess'' She responded. “While you're away, are you going to tell your father that you're taking me as your chosen?''
"Of course, baby." He answered, and I frowned. Great, I couldn't wait to have that b*tch as my Luna ''Now get that sweet ass home and rest, you must, just tired after last night''
I rolled my eyes again and began moving things to the table.
The family often ate in the kitchen, only bothering with the dining room when guests were over.
I heard the back door close and the sound of footsteps getting closer.
"Morning, wolfless." Scott sneered as he came into the kitchen, pulling on a shirt.
"Good morning, pig." I commented as I picked up the hot metal spoon out of the porridge.
Scott growled as he grabbed my arm and spun me around.
"Get off me!" I ordered and tried to rip my arm free, but the bastard grabbed my throat instead and shoved me against the skin.
"Don't act like you don't like it!" He said aggressively, and I cringed back ''You love it when I put my hands on you. Admit it, it gets you wet''
“You wish!''
His eyes swept down my body, making me feel sick.
"I bet you wish you were on this c*ck last night, don't you?" He commented and pressed up against me ''Is that why you're being a b*tch so early in the morning, because I can take you upstairs and shove it in, we both know you could use a good f*ck''
"True" I snapped ''But judging by all the fake orgasms I've heard Brianna give you over the years, I wouldn't get that from you''
''I should fill that mouth of yours to teach you a lesson on how to respect your Alpha''
"Fill my mouth?" I snapped, “What you have couldn't even fill an ant's mouth!''
"F*ck you b*tch." Scott growled and tightened his grip on my throat as his hands ran up my waist and over my chest ''Maybe we should go upstairs and have some fun before we leave''
"Get off me!" I snapped and hit him with the hot spoon, burning his skin.
"You b*tch!" Scott snapped and hit me across the cheek.
I gasped and held my cheek as it stung, and I hated that my eyes filled with water from the pain.
''SCOTT!''
We both turned to see Luna and Sky walking into the kitchen, both already dressed in comfortable but high-end sweats for our long 5-hour drive to the Lycan territory.
“EXPLAIN YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!''
''Ha,'' I linked him, ''Lie your way out of this one pig!''
Scott glared at me before looking at the spoon still firmly in my hand.
"She burnt me!" Scott defended himself.
Oh, two could play the innocent game here, you mutt.
I turned to Luna and gave her my best puppy dog eyes.
"It was an accident, Luna, I swear." I told her sadly ''I turned around holding the spoon and didn't realize Alpha Scott was so close. I didn't mean to burn him, but the spoon wasn't even that hot and he's an alpha. I'm surprised it even hurt him. I didn't deserve to get hit for an accident''
"No, you didn't." She said angrily and hit her son up the back of the head ''What is wrong with you? Is this how I raised you, to hit women!''
"I didn't mean it, mom" He said back, looking down in fake shame "It was just a knee-jerk reaction to the pain, I would never hit her otherwise. You know how much I care about her. I am so sorry, Maddie." He said seriously, if I didn't know better, I'd have believed him. “Please forgive me''
''Beat that b*tch'' He linked me back.
"There now." Luna Morgan said softly as she grabbed an ice pack from the freezer ''What do you say, dear? Do you forgive him? It was just an accident after all''
"Of course, Luna'' I said sweetly and took the ice pack she offered and pressed it to my cheek ''Thank you''
"Why don't you go sit down and eat?" She told me 'I will bring the last of the food over''
I quickly sat down and pulled my plate closer while Sky and Scott sat down on either side of me.
I glared at Scott, who winked at me and picked up a glass of juice.
"Are you both packed and ready to go?" Luna asked as she placed the porridge on the table.
"Kia's packing my stuff now" Sky commented as she began to eat "I lost track of time and didn't finish, so I asked her to do it''
"Kia has enough to do without packing your clothing, Skyler!" Her mother said sternly ''Honestly, you will most likely be a Luna in another pack one day. You have to learn to manage your time better'
"I'm sorry, mommy" She pouted ''I will try harder, and you know what, daddy thinks I might be mate's to one of the King's sons''
I rolled my eyes, the King and Queen had two boys, twins I believe, but they hadn't found their mates yet. Their parents threw a ball for them every year to help find their mates, but with no luck.
This would be the first year I went, and I would turn twenty-one tomorrow on the day of the ball. I was thinking of it as a birthday present, something I'd never been given, and I was really looking forward to it.
I'd even sewn my own dress for the occasion, a long silk, royal blue dress with silver beading around the waist. It took me weeks to save up enough money for the material, but I managed to get it done, and it was safely packed into my brown duffle by my bedroom door.
"Let's hope so" Scott commented and shoved some sausage in his stupid mouth ''Would be good to get rid of you''
"Scott!" His mother said in amusement, not knowing that her son was probably being serious.
Alpha Troy entered the kitchen wearing jeans and a loose shirt. He very rarely dressed casually like this, preferring his suits, but I guess he was dressing down for the road trip.
"Morning, daddy" Sky greeted him.
"Good morning, baby" He kissed her on the head before going over to his mate.
"My Sweet" He said and kissed her gently.
Luna Morgan was his only redeeming trait, he treated her with such love and respect, and it was a pity he was a monster to everyone else.
"What happened to you?" He asked in annoyance as he looked over at me, still holding the ice pack to my cheek.
"Nothing to worry about" Luna Morgan commented ''Just an accident between the kids, are you packed? We leave in half an hour''
"I'm ready." He kissed her cheek and picked up his plate, as Sky started going on about being mated to the twins again.
How great would it be if I found my mate tomorrow night, then I'd be free to leave this place and not even Alpha Troy could stop me.
I looked down at my wrists where the cuffs were. Would he take these off me if I got to leave, or would he leave me to suffer?
I always felt a constant stinging over my skin and through my bones, I felt trapped in my own skin and I missed Ava. She couldn't even speak with these cuffs on, though I would often talk to her, thinking she could hear me, made my life a little more bearable…