CHAPTER ONE.

The taxi rolled to a slow stop at the Thornbrook estate, and I felt my chest tighten. For a moment, I didn’t want to open my eyes, didn’t want to see the place that had always made me feel like I didn’t belong. But I had waited too long for this moment to hesitate now. I was now eighteen, just returned from Europe, and my heart was brimming with hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, things could be different. That Kael would look at me the way he had before I left, that everything I had imagined, every rehearsal of this reunion, could finally come true.

The house loomed ahead, massive and pristine, like a castle frozen in time. Its marble steps gleamed in the late afternoon sun, and the faint scent of roses drifted from the garden. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand tall. My fingers gripped my phone tightly. I had spent the entire flight home replaying this moment in my head. I would walk up, knock softly, and step into his arms. I would record his surprise, capture the raw emotion on his face. I needed to see it firsthand, not through the stories of others, not through hearsay.

This was supposed to be perfect.

I stepped out of the taxi and rolled my suitcase to the front steps, my heels clicking against the marble. Each step echoed in my mind, like a countdown to my future. I had my outfit carefully chosen, a soft cream dress that hugged my frame just enough to make me feel feminine, but not so much to feel exposed. My hair, black as midnight, fell in soft waves over my shoulders. My silver-grey eyes caught the sunlight, and I brushed a strand from my face, forcing a smile. “You can do this, Alina. You’ve waited for this for years.”

I quickly brought out my phone. I was beyond excited and nervous, thus extremely, Kael would be surprised seeing me back here. I heard he was here wondered why he was but figured he would be close to his future in-laws now we were going to get married. I had imagined this in different ways and sceneries. I couldn't dream any longer. Kael had proposed to me before I left I was extremely nervous then and brought him to a halt, he had been faithful, waiting for my love steadfastly, but now I'm ready, I won't keep him waiting any longer. I will get married to him and at least I can finally leave the Thornbrook’s even though they adopted me they've been very considerate to the fact that I am wolfless. It's as if they love Seraphina more but I don't mind. They've really loved me in their own way, sending me abroad to study and to think about my life. Now I won't burden them any further. Even though I'm still in a void search for my real family discreetly but hope still holds me. I would love to catch Kael’s reaction on camera. It would be priceless, I would watch it over again as well as my children. He just loves me so much. 

“Hello guys…”

 I began filming on my phone. 

“ I just returned from Europe and my boyfriend doesn't know about it. I want to surprise him and see the shock and amazement on his face when he sees me in the room. I imagine him running, and carrying me in his arms, so sorry in advance, I might drop the phone unintentionally. Now let's go guys” I said smiling sheepishly as I approached the room.

The front door creaked slightly as I approached. I could hear faint voices from inside, a laugh I knew too well. My heartbeat stuttered. That laugh should have made me warm inside. It should have been familiar and comforting. Instead, a strange chill ran down my spine.

I pushed the door open.

And froze.

They weren’t alone.

Kael. My Kael. Sitting there, tall and relaxed, with his dark brown hair falling just enough to give him that careless charm that had made me fall in love with him years ago. But he wasn’t smiling at me. Not even a flicker of recognition. And then my gaze fell to her, Seraphina. My sister. My supposed blood, the Thornbrook heir in every way that mattered. She was perched on the edge of the couch like she belonged there, her golden hair catching the sun, her green eyes sparkling in a way that made my chest tighten with both jealousy and fear.

My fingers tightened around my phone. It was recording. I had no choice now.

“Alina…” Kael’s voice drifted in my direction, unaware that I had stepped fully into the room. “…I’m done pretending. I don’t love her. I only ever pitied her. She’s… wolfless.”

The words hit me like a thunderclap. Wolfless. Worthless. The label that had haunted me all my life. I had tried to forget it, to rise above it, but hearing him say it, about me, made my knees feel weak.

“I’ve fallen in love with you,” he continued, his eyes softening as they lingered on Seraphina. “And the baby… I’ll take responsibility. We’ll raise it together. I’m done living a lie.”

I blinked. My breath caught in my throat. My phone wavered in my hand. Everything I had imagined, the perfect reunion, the warmth of his arms, the look in his eyes, crashed into this nightmare.

And then, as if sensing the storm brewing inside me, my hand found its voice.

*“Done lying?”* I whispered, low and deadly.

The room went silent.

Kael’s amber eyes widened. Seraphina’s mouth fell open in shock. My heart pounded like a war drum, adrenaline replacing the ache of betrayal with a sharp, fiery clarity. I pressed pause on the recording. Not because I wanted to hide it, but because I needed to see them squirm, needed them to feel the weight of their deception before I let the world know the truth.

I stepped closer, my heels clicking softly against the wooden floor. I wanted to shout. I wanted to scream. But I didn’t. I wanted them to feel the calm before the storm. The quiet rage that had been building inside me for years.

“You.”

 My voice was barely above a whisper, but it sliced through the air.

 “Tell me you didn’t mean it. Tell me you never said those words.”

Kael looked away. He didn’t answer.

I turned to my sister.

 “And you…”

 I breathed.

 “You sat there and let him, let *this* happen? Did you even think about me? About what this would do?”

Seraphina swallowed hard, trying to form words, but nothing came. I could see the panic rising in her green eyes. That spark of superiority, that arrogance, was cracking, and it made my chest tighten with a strange mix of satisfaction and sorrow.

“ Oh Alina please did you really expect Kael to marry a wolfless bitch like you. Look at you. I'm the perfect fit the perfect Luna for the Alpha. Kael is an Alpha, My Alpha. Mum and Dad only arranged this marriage because they thought you'll be a wolf Luna to stand beside him and merge our companies and families but I bet you haven't even gotten your wolf yet. “

“Is that what you really think of me… Seraphina?”

“ You don’t really have to look at it like that Alina, see I can still be with you, you see just not you being my Luna “ Kael trying to calm me down projected 

I lowered my phone slowly, my mind racing. 

I’ll show them all. I’ll make them understand. They’ll regret underestimating me.

“ You know what?, fuck the both of you. You've not only betrayed me but shattered my heart. Why didn't you tell mom and Dad that you want to be together. Well I'll save you the horror. So occasionally, I happened to be filming every thing that transpired here, Mom and Dad will definitely here of it. Enough of this!”

I pivoted and stormed toward the door, grabbing my suitcase. I needed space. I needed air. I needed to think.

But Seraphina wasn’t done. Her hand shot out, slamming against the car door as I tried to open it.

“You’re not leaving!” she hissed.

“I said, get out of my way!” I snapped.

I made my way through the car trying to get through Seraphina’s grip, it was like she wanted to fight with me to protect her remaining dignity, her evil, her guilt. I didn’t care, I got on the steering wheel and set the car to motion. Seraphina , still with her futile attempt to stop me joined me.

“ Wait, Alina,... let me tell you something, wait… you can't drive this car. Mom and Dad can't know yet “

“ I don't care Seraphina, let me go”.

It began lightly, Seraphina wasn’t letting me drive, she began struggling the steering wheel with me we were now on the road. From adamant, I became scared.

“ Seraphina, stop we're on the road let go”

It was as if she didn't hear me as our words clashed no body was hearing each other, a heated argument ensued as we both struggled the wheel . If i can at least make a turn to the road side i could brake and save us from this mess. The car began moving in different directions as it was performing remotely or on its own. I continued to shout to her to let go as she became adamant she wanted me to stop the car but now I was interested in stopping, she didn't care.

I struggled, I struggled. And then, the world tilted. Metal screamed against metal. A boy lay motionless on the street. My chest froze.

The engine was still running when I stumbled into the driver’s seat, my hands shaking so badly I knocked the gear twice before getting it right.

My chest burned, like my heart had split open and forgotten how to beat properly.

I slammed the door.

Locked it.

For a few seconds, I just sat there breathing like I was drowning — in air.

Then the door handle on the passenger side jerked.

I turned.

Seraphina.

Her palm hit the glass hard.

“OPEN THE DOOR!”

“Get away from my car!” I shouted.

Her face twisted with fury. “You think you can just walk away? After everything you heard?”

I fumbled for the key and started the engine.

She screamed , and before I could react, she ran around and yanked the driver’s door open.

She grabbed my arm.

“YOU ARE NOT DESTROYING ME!”

“Let go of me!” I cried, shoving her back.

My foot slipped onto the accelerator.

The tires screeched.

Seraphina lost her grip and stumbled backward , but not away.

Forward.

Toward the road.

“ALINA STOP!”

I tried to slam the brakes.

I swear I did.

But everything happened too fast.

A shadow crossed my headlights.

A body slammed into metal.

The sound 

God.

The sound wasn’t human.

It was bone and steel and silence all at once.

“No… no… no…” I whispered, panic clawing at me. My hands shook uncontrollably. My phone slipped from my grasp, clattering to the ground. I immediately came down from the car to see the lifeless body on the ground. Oh my God, it was a boy, a young boy, covered in blood. I immediately resorted to CPR. That was my immediate thought. Thank heavens I learnt that abroad. I was scared, nervous, still going through but no response. My sister was still out of the car roaming around, her screaming and wailing had no effect on me at this moment. She was always a scared cat , pray me it doesn't fire on us at this injury time.

The car jolted to a stop.

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t scream.

I just stared through the windshield at the shape lying in the road.

“No…”

My hands fell off the steering wheel.

I stumbled out of the car, my knees barely working.

The boy 

He was young.

My age maybe.

Blood pooled beneath his head like spilled paint.

“No… please…” I dropped beside him, touching his face with shaking hands.

“Wake up…”

Nothing.

His eyes were open.

But empty.

Then Seraphina screamed.

Loud.

Unnatural.

“They’re dead!” she cried. “Oh my God! YOU KILLED HIM!”

I whipped around.

“I did not! You grabbed the wheel … you were fighting me!”

“YOU WERE DRIVING!” she shrieked.

My heart was beating so violently I thought it might split through my ribs.

“I tried to stop! I tried!”

I stood up, backing away from the body like it might burn me.

My phone.

I dropped it earlier.

I turned, heart slamming, searching the asphalt.

There.

The screen was cracked.

The video was still there.

I rushed for it

And blue lights exploded across the street.

Sirens screamed.

Police.

No.

No no no no

Two squad cars screeched to a halt in front of us.

Officers got out fast, hands already near their weapons.

“STEP AWAY FROM THE BODY!”

I froze.

Seraphina dropped to her knees like she’d been struck by lightning.

She sobbed.

Loud.

Convincing.

“She did it!” she wailed.

“She tried to run me over and hit him instead!”

I spun to her. “WHAT?!”

“That’s not true!” I shouted at the officers.

“She attacked me! She grabbed the door — she caused it!”

One officer raised his voice. “Ma’am, keep your hands where we can see them.”

Seraphina crawled to his leg, clutching it like a child.

“She hates me!” she cried.

“She found out about my pregnancy and went crazy!”

“THAT’S A LIE!” I screamed.

The other officer was already moving toward me.

I backed up.

“Please.” My voice broke. “Please listen to me. I have proof… I was recording…”

I turned.

The phone was gone.

My breath caught.

I spun toward Seraphina.

She was holding it.

And smiling through her tears.

Then …

She *dropped it*.

Hard.

The screen shattered.

“I found it like this,” she sobbed.

“You bitch…” I whispered.

One officer snapped, “Miss, you need to calm down.”

“She’s lying!” I cried.

“She’s lying to you. She caused this , not me!”

Seraphina collapsed harder.

“I was just trying to protect myself…” she whimpered.

My wrists were grabbed.

Cold metal snapped around them.

Cuffs.

“No…NO…WAIT!” I struggled.

“You’re making a mistake!”

The officer pushed me into the back of the squad car.

I banged on the glass.

“She murdered him too! She’s framing me!”

Seraphina watched me with eyes like polished glass.

Empty.

They took us to the Thornbrook estate.

Together.

But not side by side.

I was escorted like a monster.

She was led like a victim.

The doors opened.

My parents were waiting.

Thomas Thornbrook’s face was thunder.

Eliza stared at me like I’d dragged disease into her home.

Seraphina collapsed into their arms.

“Daddy… Mommy…” she wept.

“She tried to kill me…”

I fell to my knees.

“No.”

“Please. She’s lying.”

Thomas turned on me like a judge.

“WHAT DID YOU DO?”

“I didn’t kill anyone!” I cried.

“She destroyed the video! She fought me she caused the crash!”

Seraphina sobbed harder.

“Then why were you driving?” she whispered.

Eliza looked at me with disgust.

“She’s always been unstable…”

“No!” I begged.

“I loved you people … I never”

Thomas’s jaw clenched.

“She had a motive.”

I shook my head violently.

“She slept with Kael … she betrayed ME!”

Seraphina gasped dramatically.

“She’s trying to destroy me now too…”

Eliza touched Seraphina’s cheek.

“You poor child…”

Then she turned to me.

And slapped me.

“You were never one of us.”

My ears rang.

Thomas faced the officers.

“She is not our daughter.”

I started sobbing.

“She’s wolfless,” he continued.

“She’s always been dangerous.”

I stared at him.

Broken.

“Dad…”

He didn’t blink.

“She killed that boy.”

Eliza nodded.

Seraphina whispered, “She tried to kill me too…”

The officers turned toward me.

I screamed.

“I AM INNOCENT!”

No one cared.

The cuffs tightened.

And just like that

I was no longer Alina Thornbrook…

I was an inmate.

Interlude*******

Red and blue lights cut across the asphalt. Sirens wailed. The boy’s stillness screamed in my ears. I was suddenly shocked, and quickened my respiration .

Seraphina’s voice pierced immediately through the chaos. “It’s her! She did this!”

I spun toward her, disbelief crashing into me. My own sister… my own family… turning on me like this?

“I didn’t…please… I didn’t do this!” I cried, tears spilling down my cheeks. But the police were already moving. They took control of the scene before I could breathe properly, before I could explain, before I could fight back.

And then my family arrived.

After a long dying time but finally, Assuredly 

I ran toward them, pleading, desperate. “Please, you have to believe me! I didn’t…”

Thomas Thornbrook’s eyes were cold, hard, like stone. He didn’t even flinch.

“Wolfless. Useless,” he muttered, almost casually. “Lock her up before she destroys everything.”

Eliza’s expression was pristine, untouchable. No motherly concern, no hint of doubt. Just pure, calculated disdain.

And Seraphina? She collapsed into tears, an angelic act of innocence that I knew was venomous.

The officers moved in. I struggled, tried to explain, tried to fight for the truth. But no one listened. No one cared. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

The girl who had come home with hope, who had imagined love and warmth and reunion, was gone. In her place stood a girl betrayed, humiliated, and powerless.

And somewhere deep inside, a storm was beginning to rage. A storm that would not be silenced.

*This isn’t the end.* I whispered to myself as they led me away. *This is just the beginning.