Stolen by her Wolves

I – Tormented Heart

Crystal

The hallways of Crest Moon University buzzed with energy as students hurried to their next class. For me, though, every step I took through that place felt like walking on hot coals. I was an orphaned omega, Crystal Rogers, with a past marred by tragedy and a present filled with torment. The tormentor-in-chief? Zoro Thomson, one of Alpha Zoren's twin sons.

As I made my way to my first class, my heart raced. I saw him again, I could already feel the weight of his presence, the anticipation of what he might do today. The source of all my torment started as a rumor, a cruel lie, something that made me a target for Zoro's relentless bullying.

When I turned the corner, I found myself face to face with Zoro, with his dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked down at me with a smug expression. "Crystal, you b*tch! Do you think you can just spread lies about me courting you, huh?" he mocked.

I shrank back, clutching my books tightly. "W-What? I-I didn't say anything like that, Zoro," I stammered, my voice trembling. I had never dared to confront him, not when he seemed to take so much pleasure in making my life miserable.

He leaned in closer, his hot breath against my ear as he whispered menacingly, "Don't lie, Omega. I don't appreciate false rumors about me. You know how short-tempered I am!"

I could feel the eyes of other students on us, and Zoro's friends chuckled at his taunting. Especially Maurice, my cruel stepsister, I know she started this lie, and it was her pleasure at my suffering that had brought me to this moment. I felt helpless, caught in a web of lies and meanness.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall in front of Zoro. "I-I promise, I didn't say anything," I pleaded, trying to make my voice sound sincere. But it was a hopeless effort, as Zoro's grin only grew wider.

Maurice, who had been lurking nearby, appeared with a wicked smile. "Oh, Zoro, can't you see how she's playing the victim?" she chimed in. "Maybe she really wants you to court her. She’s blushing!"

Zoro's laughter echoed through the hallway, and he shot me a final menacing look. "You're pathetic, Crystal, no one will like to be an omega like you!" he spat before walking away, leaving me trembling and humiliated.

I watched them disappear into the crowd, Maurice and Zoro, the architects of my misery. It was a daily ordeal, one I had endured for far too long. The rest of the day went by in a blur, a distortion of hurtful comments and mocking laughter, all aimed at me. I longed for the Moon Festival, not just because of the Goddess's revelation, but also because it meant a break from this torment.

That evening, as I walked home, Maurice caught up to me. "Crystal, your face is so damn funny earlier, you are blushing like an i***t!" she taunted. "But don’t think Zoro will like you, he could make your life even worse if he wanted to."

I looked at her with a mixture of anger and fear. "Maurice, why are you doing this to me? I've never done anything to you."

She shrugged, the grin never leaving her face. "You're in my way, Crystal. I want to be in the spotlight during the Moon Festival. I want to be Alpha Zoren's favorite, and you're standing in my path."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing them. "What are you saying? You're my stepsister, Maurice. Can't we find a way to get along? I will never compete with you."

Maurice laughed, a cruel and bitter sound. "Get along? I will never like you! I want to be the only daughter of this family!"

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me to contemplate the darkness that had taken root in my own home. I couldn't understand how someone could be so heartless.

Alone in my room, I couldn't escape the reality of my place in this Beta family. Gary, my stepfather, holds the title of Beta in the Crest Moon Pack. Maurice, my stepsister and Gary's biological daughter, is convinced she's destined to be the next Luna. She's got this confidence, fueled by the fact that she's Beta Gary's only child. Everyone seems to think she's the one who'll end up as the wife of either Zoro or Zake, the Alpha's son.

And then there's me, always labeled as the omega, a permanent outsider in this so-called family. No matter what I do, the status quo remains. Everyone believes Maurice is the rightful heir to the Luna's position, while I'm just the perpetual shadow in the background.

I don't understand why Maurice and my stepmother, Marla, treat me with such cruelty.

Perhaps they fear that I might aspire to climb the pack hierarchy, just like Maurice does. But the truth is, all I yearn for is a peaceful existence, far removed from the torment inflicted by Maurice and Alpha's twin sons, Zoro and Zake.

Their actions baffle me. I'm not vying for a position of power or seeking to disrupt the established order. I simply want to live without the constant bullying and taunts that have become an unfortunate part of my daily life.

I find myself yearning for a connection to my roots. I hope, perhaps naively, that one day I'll discover the truth about my real parents. Even if they're no longer alive, I dream of standing by their graves, seeking some sense of closure and understanding. The uncertainty gnaws at me. Beta Gary, my stepfather, claims he knows nothing about my biological parents, leaving me to question whether he's telling the truth or hiding a painful secret. I can't shake the suspicion that there's more to the story than he's willing to reveal.

If my birth parents are still out there, living their lives without me, I can't help but wonder why they abandoned me. What circumstances led them to make such a heart-wrenching decision? The unknowns create an ache within me, a longing to comprehend the reasons behind their departure.

As the days passed, the torment of Zoro continued. He found new ways to make my life miserable, and it seemed like he took particular pleasure in doing it in front of the entire pack. His friends would laugh and egg him on, making me feel even smaller and more insignificant.

I reached breaking point one afternoon when he knocked my books from my hands, sending them scattering across the hallway. His cruel laughter echoed in my ears as I knelt to pick them up, my face burning with shame.

"You should know your place, Omega," he sneered. "No one wants you here."

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to confront him. "Zoro, why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?"

He looked at me, his expression unreadable for a moment, and then his lips curled into a sinister smile. "You're an easy target, Crystal. And it's fun to bully you."

They had succeeded in making my life a living hell, and I had no one to turn to. My pack mates were either oblivious or indifferent to my suffering. The only comfort I found was in the thought of the upcoming Moon Festival, where everything would change.

The torment at school was unbearable, but there was no respite from it when I returned home. If anything, the cruelty was magnified there. Marla, my stepmother and Maurice's mother, was just as cruel as her daughter, if not worse. She saw me as nothing more than a servant, and the attic had become my makeshift bedroom.

One evening, as I was scrubbing the floors, Marla stormed into the room with a scowl etched deep into her face. "Crystal! You call this clean?" she bellowed, pointing at a spot on the floor that I must have missed.

I dropped the rag and quickly stood up, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll fix it right away," I stammered, my voice shaking.

Marla's eyes bore into me, a fire of anger burning within. "You're always sorry, aren't you? Sorry for being such a burden to this family," she sneered.

Maurice, who had been lounging on the couch, let out a cold, humorless laugh. "It's true, Crystal. You're a burden, and you always will be."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back. I couldn't let them see how much their words hurt me. "I'll do better, I promise," I whispered, feeling the weight of their disdain crushing me.

Marla was far from finished, though. "You'll be sleeping in the attic again tonight. We can't have you stinking up the guest bedroom with your filth."

The attic was a cold, dark, and cramped space, but it was where I had been relegated to for as long as I could remember. It was a constant reminder of my place in the family, as if they were trying to bury me away.

I nodded, my chest tightening with despair. "Y-Yes, Mom."

Maurice laughed again, the sound like a cruel melody in the room. "Don't worry, Crystal. I'll make sure to keep you company tonight, in spirit."

I knew she was referring to the voices she would pretend to hear, the whispers that would make my nights in the attic a living nightmare. She took pleasure in tormenting me in every way possible.

Marla turned and left the room, but not before shooting me one last withering look. "You better have everything spotless when I check again," she warned.

As they disappeared into the main bedroom, I was left alone in the dimly lit hallway. The tears I had been holding back finally spilled over, and I choked back a sob. How did my life come to this? How had I become the target of so much cruelty in my own family?

As I lay on the cold attic floor, listening to the wind howling outside, I heard Marla's voice from the room below. She was yelling again, and this time, the target was me.

"Crystal! Get down here now!" she shouted.

I scrambled to my feet and made my way down the creaking stairs. When I entered the room, I found Marla fuming, her face red with anger. Maurice was sitting on the couch, an amused smirk on her face.

"What is it, Mom?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Marla pointed to a vase on the table that had tipped over, spilling water and flowers onto the floor. "You clumsy, good-for-nothing girl! Look what you've done!"

I looked at the mess and felt a knot form in my stomach. "I didn't do it, Mom. I swear," I protested.

Maurice chimed in with a mocking tone, "Oh, Crystal, always playing the innocent victim, aren't you?"

Marla's voice rose to a deafening crescendo. "I don't want to hear your excuses, Crystal! You're always causing trouble in this house."

I could feel the eyes of the other servant on me, the ones who knew what went on in this household but turned a blind eye. My voice was barely a whisper as I tried to defend myself. "I didn't do it, Mom. Please believe me."

But Marla wasn't interested in listening. She raised her hand and slapped me across the face, the force of the blow sending me stumbling backward.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I held my stinging cheek.

"Get out of my sight, Crystal!" Marla spat, her voice dripping with venom. "Go back to your attic. You're not fit to be in this house."

Maurice laughed again, her laughter echoing in my ears as I turned and fled up the stairs to the attic. The laughter followed me, a cruel reminder of my place in this family.

As I lay on the attic floor that night, the pain in my cheek a constant throb, I thought about the upcoming Moon Festival. I couldn't help but hope that the Moon Goddess would see my suffering and grant me a chance at a better life. The anticipation of the festival was the only thing that kept me going, the belief that change was on the horizon, no matter how distant it may seem.