Chapter 1At the tender age of ten, my life took a sharp turn when my mother chose to marry the formidable Alpha of the Dark Forest Pack. I had no idea this decision would unleash a storm of cruelty upon me—especially from my new stepbrother, Kieran Astor, the future Alpha of the pack.
Kieran was cruel and violent. When no one was watching, he would kick and hit me, mocking me for being unable to transform into a wolf. "You're nothing but a parasite," he would sneer as he struck my face, ribs, and chest.
I still remembered the day he shoved me down the stairs. I tumbled to the bottom in a painful heap, blood pooling around me. He loomed over me with cold, unfeeling eyes. "Don't think you and your mother can squeeze into the Dark Forest Pack. I'll throw you out sooner or later."
He took pleasure in humiliating me: tearing my homework, scribbling on my dresses with permanent markers, making me feel his disdain every single day. I never fought back, but his cruelty never stopped.
It wasn't until college that I saw a glimmer of hope—Merrick Allen, Kieran's best friend. When Merrick confessed his feelings for me, it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted. For the first time, Kieran backed off and stopped treating me like an insect under his boot.
Merrick became my light, the only good thing in my chaotic life. On my eighteenth birthday, I gave myself to him, believing I'd finally found peace.
But the next morning, I overheard a conversation that shattered my heart completely.
I heard Kieran's malicious voice speaking to Merrick. "Did you get her first time on camera?"
Merrick's cruel, mocking laughter followed. "Of course. Full HD. I'd never touch a girl like her if I wasn't helping you get even."
My hand flew to my mouth, tears streaming down my face. The person I thought saved me was just a pawn in Kieran's twisted revenge game.
I turned away, my heart breaking with every step, determined never to look back.
Inside the private lounge, Kieran smoked with a triumphant smirk. "With her reputation ruined, let's see how she clings to the Dark Forest Pack now."
"What if she can't handle it and gets hurt…" Merrick's voice trembled with concern, but Kieran just glanced at him disdainfully and laughed. "What, getting soft? Don't tell me you actually fell for her."
Merrick quickly backtracked defensively. "No way. I was just playing around. Lope's coming back soon. I don't have time for her."
Standing right outside the door, my heart felt like it was bleeding. The pain was so sharp I could barely stand it.
Lope Omelas was their childhood sweetheart, Merrick's first love. I was just a shadow in their story.
Kieran had always blamed my mother for his own mother's death, and he took all that resentment out on me. Even after Merrick and I got together, Kieran still hated me—though he stopped tormenting me as openly.
I'd naively hoped he'd finally accepted me, that I'd gained a brother. I'd longed for a normal, genuine bond. But standing there, I realized just how foolish I'd been.
They'd been loyal to each other since childhood, and I'd stupidly believed Merrick truly cared. I'd overestimated my worth in a world where I always felt small.
Swallowing the bitterness choking me, I ran, as if my sanity depended on it. The rain poured down, soaking me to the bone by the time I got home.
The first thing I did was text my professor, Aurelius, my mentor in the Pack Science Competition.
[Aurelius, I accept your offer. I'll join you for the international research project.]
He was a leading figure in smart pack technology. For years, I'd tried to make my family proud, only to find no one cared—not my mother, not Kieran.
The project required secrecy and three years of living at the research institute, which was why I'd initially refused. But now, nothing else mattered.
Maybe it was the rain, but I curled into a tight ball, seeking shelter from the storm outside and inside me.
A nightmare jolted me awake, my fever burning like wildfire.
Ever since my wolf failed to appear at sixteen, I'd always been weaker than others, without the self-healing abilities of our kind. I pushed myself up to find medicine when the door burst open violently.
My mother stood there, fury on her face. Before I could speak, she threw a stack of photos at me.
"Fenrisa! You're barely an adult and already sleeping with men? Are you that pathetic?"
Her words cut me like a knife, leaving me crushed under her disappointment.
Chapter 2
The photos—those damning images—had been taken by Merrick while I slept, completely unaware of the chaos he would unleash. A hollow numbness spread through my veins like dark fog, clouding my thoughts.
In just one night, those pictures spread everywhere like wildfire.
Only two days before, Merrick had looked into my eyes sincerely and said, "I'll take responsibility. After graduation, we'll get married."
His words had wrapped around me like a warm blanket, promising safety and love. He'd poured drink after drink, blurring my mind and reality. When he looked at me with those deep, charming brown eyes, I lost all reason, drowned in dizzying joy.
Again and again, he pulled me back to bed, overwhelming me with desire. In my foolishness, I convinced myself it was love.
Now I sat in silence, until my mother's voice cut through the fog.
"Say something! Who took these? Did he mark you? If anyone sees these photos, the Alpha family will never show their faces in the Dark Forest Pack again."
Her frantic tone revealed her real concern—not for me, but for her own image as the pack's Luna.
When I finally said Merrick's name, the air froze. Her reaction was sharp and immediate.
"Why would you get involved with the heir of the Wolfspire Pack? We can't afford to offend him. And you agreed to sleep with him! Even with proof, no one will blame him."
I stared at her, disbelief mixing with anger and betrayal. She looked away, as if the truth was too much to bear. "The photos have been taken down. In time, no one will remember."
Merrick came from the powerful Wolfspire Pack, so strong that the Dark Forest Pack never stood a chance against them.
After the door closed behind my mother, I saw Kieran lurking on the stairs, a smug grin on his face, his eyes shining with victory.
He'd expected this. The truth no longer mattered—only my humiliation.
Helplessness crashed over me, threatening to drown me in despair. I collapsed into a corner, tears streaming uncontrollably. My phone buzzed nonstop with notifications.
Dozens of unknown numbers sent me vile messages, each more disgusting than the last, making my stomach turn. My hands shook as I blocked them one by one, desperate to silence the attacks.
My mother said she'd arranged a long leave so I wouldn't have to face school. But the truth was, I didn't want her to know I was leaving, so I had to return alone to finish withdrawal paperwork.
She'd never truly cared about me. I was just a reflection of her ambitions. If I disappeared, she wouldn't even notice.
The photos were erased from the internet, but the damage was done. Everyone already knew. Their stares were full of judgment and scorn, whispers following me like shadows.
"Who would've guessed? She always looked innocent. Turns out she's sleeping around. Who knows how many guys she's been with?"
"Stay away from her. You don't know what she might have."
Shame coiled around me like a noose, tightening every second. My chest felt crushed under their disdain.
I stumbled across campus in a daze when a group of wolves stepped in front of me. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could've sworn I smelled Kieran and Merrick on them.
The leader held up a photo of me on his phone, looking me up and down with predatory eyes. "This is you, right? Nice body."
"Since you like sleeping around so much, how much for a night?"
"Why not have fun with us? I want to know what Merrick's girlfriend tastes like."
A chill ran down my spine, my body stiff with fear. I stepped back instinctively. "What do you want?"
They exchanged twisted grins. Before I could react, they lunged, grabbed me, and dragged me into a dark alley.
Panic surged as they forced me to the ground, pinning my limbs with overwhelming strength. I could only watch in horror as their dirty hands reached for me. The sound of fabric tearing filled my ears, a grim reminder of my weakness.
"Stop struggling. No one's coming to save you. Make us happy, and maybe we'll go easy on you."
I thrashed wildly, heart racing, kicking in desperation—but it was useless. I tasted blood from biting my lip too hard in panic.
As they fumbled with their clothes, I reached into my bag, fingers searching for the hidden blade I kept inside.
Chapter 3
My hand clutching the silver knife trembled like a leaf in a storm. "Don't you dare come any closer," I warned, voice shaking with fear and defiance.
Memories of my first attack flooded my mind. Back then, my mother had blamed me, yelling at me for wearing something too revealing and forcing me to stop wearing skirts entirely.
But today, I wore my school uniform—a sharp contrast to her accusations. If Kieran hadn't intervened that time, I never would've survived. Since then, the silver dagger had been my constant companion, a talisman against the darkness chasing me.
Now, facing these boys, dread squeezed my chest like a vice.
They weren't scared at all. Their confidence turned to aggression, and one lunged to snatch the blade from me.
In the chaotic struggle, the dagger's point pierced my own chest—a shocking betrayal by my own hand.
The group leader froze, panic flashing across his face as he realized how far things had gone. He finally let go of me.
I collapsed to the ground, warm blood pooling around me, stark against the cold earth. My vision faded, edges darkening—but I could still hear their whispers as one made a call.
"Alpha, it's bad. She stabbed herself with a silver dagger," the voice trembled with urgency.
Kieran's voice crackled through the line, sharp and cold. "Is she dead?"
Then Merrick's unmistakable roar exploded with fury. "Kieran, what the hell did you do? You really sent people after her?"
Kieran's reply dripped with disdain. "I just wanted to scare her. If she wants to die, that's on her."
"If she's still alive, dump her at the Pack hospital. And make sure she doesn't remember a thing about tonight," Merrick ordered, tone leaving no room for argument.
Pain squeezed my heart so tightly I could barely breathe. This was it. Kieran really wanted to erase me.
My mind flashed back to a chilling comment I'd overheard him say once: "I know my mom's death wasn't her fault. I just don't want her to have a good life."
"My dad might feel guilty toward that mother-daughter pair. But I sure don't."
A tear slipped silently from the corner of my eye, tracing down my cheek.
Then everything went dark.
When I finally opened my eyes, the sterile smell of the hospital hit me. I lay in a bed in the Pack infirmary. Merrick sat beside me, face a mix of relief and anxiety.
As soon as I moved, he leaned closer, voice a desperate whisper. "Baby, thank God you're awake. I was worried sick."
When I didn't respond, he glanced around nervously, searching for something—maybe reassurance.
"I saw the photos. That was my fault. I went out, got drunk, and someone grabbed the wrong phone and sent them. I've already deleted them all. You don't have to overthink it. It won't change how I feel."
I stared at him silently, my heart hollow.
He was the one who caused all this chaos, yet here he was, pretending to be my savior. If he hadn't pursued me relentlessly when I was at my lowest, none of this would've happened.
Before I could reply, his phone buzzed insistently.
The caller's words softened him instantly. Without a backward glance, he slipped out of the room, phone in hand.
He'd barely left when Kieran sauntered in, a smirk on his face as he looked at my weak form. "You wanna know why Merrick left so fast?"
I stayed silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction.
"Lope's back," Kieran said flatly. "She couldn't sleep in Wolfspire Pack, so he went to tuck her in. Don't kid yourself into thinking you can marry into the Pack like your mom did. The Luna of Wolfspire Pack will always be Lope."
His words hit me like a physical blow, making my body tremble.
Lope was the Beta's daughter from the Dark Forest Pack. She grew up with them, forever etched in Merrick's heart as his first love. Kieran's mother often said Lope looked like her—probably why Kieran always indulged her.
I'd tried so hard to be a perfect little sister to Kieran, believing if I did enough, he'd finally treat me like family.
But no matter how hard I tried, one word from Lope erased everything I'd done.
Closing my eyes, a bitter, mocking smile spread across my lips. Finally, I understood the truth: neither Merrick nor Kieran had ever cared about me.
Once, I might've apologized, sought peace, or begged for his approval. But not anymore.
Turning my head, my voice icy, I declared, "Got it. I won't be bothering you again."
Kieran paused, taken aback. "Merrick isn't even here. Who are you putting on this pitiful act for?"
With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him, leaving heavy silence in his wake.
My injuries were severe, and I stayed in the hospital for an entire week. When my mother learned, she just transferred the hospital fees and hurried off on another business trip with the Alpha. She never came to see me once.
Even on the day I was discharged, I left the hospital alone, emptiness echoing in my heart. The house was empty—the perfect chance to pack my things.
Not that I had much I wanted to take. Almost everything I'd once cherished had been gifts from Kieran. But now, none of it meant anything.
