Rise of the Bullied Luna Queen

The Invitation

~Ruby~

TWO MONTHS AGO,

"You are invited!" The words gleamed from the thick, ornate parchment of royal purple and teal blue in my hand, its edges crisp against my fingertips. I couldn't believe it; I had received an invitation to the prestigious Academy, 'Eclipsia Royale.'

That morning, I awoke to the persistent ringing of the landline phone beside my bed. It was a call from my stepmother, and due to my late-night activities, I had missed a few of her calls. When I answered, she angrily screamed at me.

"Ruby! Wake up this instant!" The sharp voice of my stepmother blasted through the receiver, causing me to wince and hold the phone away from my ear. "I need you in my room this instant, or I will make sure that you starve throughout this week!" she threatened.

Responding quickly, I leaped out of bed, fully aware that she wasn't bluffing. I had gone days without eating, confined to the basement of the house and the rooms she had "generously" allocated to me. The mistreatment began when I was just five years old, grieving the loss of my mother. I vividly remember how she locked me up for an entire night, introducing herself as my stepmother. That day, I discovered I had a half-sister. My father, who had been unfaithful to my mother before my birth, continued to deny my existence after her death, leaving me at the mercy of my stepmother.

"I can't be late," I muttered to myself, rushing out of the basement, up the stairs, and through the hallways until I reached her room. Rubbing my hands nervously, I pushed the door open. She stood in front of the mirror with Anastasia, my half-sister, who was admiring herself in a purple dress.

"I'm sorry for being late," I blurted as I stepped into her room, my breaths labored from the rush. Both pairs of hazel eyes turned toward me, and my stepmother left her daughter's side, walking briskly in my direction.

"You're sorry? How dare you ignore my repeated calls!"

"I… I slept late because I was trying to make sure that…" Before I could finish, a stinging sensation across my cheek halted my words. Shocked, I staggered back as my stepmother's hand connected with my face.

"Shut up, you stupid wolfless girl," she yelled at me, her eyes flashing with anger as she grabbed me by the throat. "You knew what today is all about, and yet you pretend as if you're doing us a favor when you're just doing your job."

My job? I didn't sign up to become a slave to my own family. I didn't sign up to be used repeatedly and treated as if I wasn't part of the Peters.

"She's probably jealous because she's not eligible to apply to Eclipsia Royale," Anastasia commented. "I mean, who would accept a fat girl with no wolf to a prestigious academy!" She tutted.

I raised my head to face her, wondering how I couldn't be her. She had everything from a young age—love, care, and support from her parents—while I've been a slave to her for so long. The Peters, my family, was known as one of the influential families in the forsaken realm, yet compared to the Big City Realm, home to powerful families, we were nothing.

Anastasia applied to the royal academy and got picked—the first werewolf ever selected from the forsaken realm. I should have been picked too since we were sisters, but my stepmother made sure I couldn't apply. And because I had no wolf, I didn't meet the requirement. Everyone gets their wolves at eighteen, right? But when I turned eighteen, all I got were beatings and marks on my back. There was no wolf. And now, at nineteen, I still haven't gotten mine, which is rare.

"Get everything ready, you useless girl," my stepmother pushed my head backward before walking back to her daughter. "Make sure there's no mistake in whatever you're doing," she warned.

"Yes, ma'am," I bowed my head and rushed out of the room. Once I was out, I placed my hand on my chest and heaved a deep sigh. There was no time to cry because I had done that in the past, and it didn't change anything.

My life remained the same.

I rushed downstairs and began preparing for the party my stepmother was throwing for her daughter. Walking past my father seated on the couch, staring at the TV screen, I tried, "Good morning, Dad," receiving the usual silence.

I can't recall the last time he spoke to me—it's been years.

In the kitchen, I took out the cake I'd spent the whole night baking and placed it on the table, reading the writing with a smile.

"Congratulations on getting admitted, Anastasia."

I didn't know how long I stared at the cake, imagining myself in my sister's place. It wasn't envy, but rather, what I'd always wanted. I knew my life wouldn't be like this if my mother were alive.

"The Royal Family has decided to pick one random werewolf for the prestigious Eclipsia Royale this year to celebrate the Alpha King's birthday," the voice sounded from the loud TV my father was watching. Remembering my stepmother's warning, I focused on setting the table.

"The Alpha King picked a special person, which comes as a surprise to everyone," the voice continued, but I didn't turn. My stepmother forbade me from watching TV for years, considering it a distraction. "Ruby Peters from the forsaken realm!"

My eyes widened at the mention of my name on the television. The plate in my hand crashed to the ground with a loud noise. I turned to the television, surprised to see an old picture of me at ten, taken by my best friend Lydia, displayed on the screen. I stared, wondering how I'd made it to the Royal Academy when I hadn't even applied.

A shrill shriek erupted from my right, and as I looked, I saw Anastasia rushing toward me angrily. Before she reached me, the doorbell rang, and her mother intercepted her.

"Calm down, it could be the royal messenger. We don't want them to know that anything is happening in our home," she said, heading toward the door, and putting on a fake smile.

"Hello," she greeted cheerfully, gesturing inside. "You must be the royal messenger."

A middle-aged man in a purple and teal blue uniform, representing the royal academy, stepped in. My eyes focused on the emblem on his left side, displaying the academy's name. "Please, may Ruby and Anastasia Peters step forward to receive the letter from the royal family," he announced.

My stepmother laughed and beckoned for us to come. "Please, come, my dear daughters," she said.

I hesitated but her smile directed me forward. I moved toward the messenger, and once in front of him, he handed over the letter to me. "Congratulations on being admitted to the prestigious royal school, Ruby Peters."

"Thank you," I managed to say as I received it.

"Congratulations, Anastasia Peters." He handed over her letter. Three men walked in without saying much, holding our school uniforms and luggage. "This is from the royal academy presented to you. Tomorrow morning by 6, we shall come to pick up the two sisters. Congratulations once again," he said before leaving without much exchange with our parents as if their visit was merely a formality.

As they left and my stepmother closed the door, Anastasia dropped her uniform and letters, turning toward me. "How can you be invited!" she yelled, shoving me backward toward the stairs.

I winced as my back hit the staircase, dropping the uniform and letter. I tried to pick them up, but my stepmother stepped on my hand. "You despicable girl, you lied to everyone and applied behind our backs!" she yelled, pressing the sole of her heel harder against my hand. "I shall make sure you don't enter that school."