Darkness

Daniel.

“Daniel, we will be heading back to the pack today,” the prince announced with a smile, knowing how much I had missed my little sister.

“I know you must be missing your little sister,” he added, with a hint of empathy in his tone. “Sometimes, I find myself wishing for a sister of my own.”

Everyone thought of him as a cold and arrogant prince, but no one had ever witnessed his sweet side. He was a very sweet young man, and I was blessed to have him as my friend.

“You should ask the king and queen for a sister,” I said with a smirk.

“What!” he exclaimed, hitting me slightly on the chest. “Are you joking?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” I replied, furrowing my brow. “Why would I joke about that, my prince?”

“I am sure you must be joking, Dan. I love to have a baby sister. Someone who is going to miss me while I am out of the kingdom,” he asserted. I could feel the sadness in his tone. “Someone who will be eagerly waiting for my return.”

I gently tap his arm. “My sister is also your sister.” I smiled.

He ran his hand through his hair, staring at me as if I were speaking nonsense.

“I’m also glad that I didn’t have a brother or a sister,” he stated. I was shocked by what he said. I thought he was jealous of me having a sister.

“I don’t understand.” I grinned. “What are you trying to say? I thought you wanted a baby sister.”

“Yes, I do, but at the same time, I don’t want my baby sister to experience the same hardships I endure at the hands of my parents.” My jaw dropped. I was speechless and wide-eyed in shock. I couldn’t get what he was trying to say.

“Well, I don’t know what you are going through. I understand that your father is strict with you, but at least you have a mother’s love.”

“Hehe.” He chuckled darkly. “Listen, Daniel. I consider you a friend, and I’ll be honest with you.” He glanced around before continuing. “None of them truly care about me. They don’t love me.”

“What!” I couldn’t hide how surprised I was to hear him say that. “What are you saying, Finn? None of them like you.”

“Yes, my father buries himself in his work, while my mother always acts coldly to me as if I didn’t exist. She doesn’t give me a chance to come near her.” He trembled. “The icy glare she gives me whenever she looks my way fills me with despair.”

“Oh, my goddess. I didn’t know this was happening to you. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I don’t care anymore,” he responded. “I don’t need them to give me the attention I want.”

I gazed at the prince before me, the same prince that everyone envied. Who could have thought that we were both passing the same thing? I could tell from the way he spoke that he yearned for his parents’ love. He claimed he didn’t care, but his voice betrayed him.

“To tell you the truth, Finn, we were both in the same situation. My mother hated both me and my sister,” I explained. “Especially me. Her hatred for me is beyond words.”

He could not say a word. He gazed at me as I explained all that my mother did to us.

“She subjected us to different tortures.”

“Why don’t you report her to your father?” he asked.

“Do you think I didn’t want to?” I groaned. “I wanted to, but I am scared. I am scared she is going to take it out on my sister.”

“This is terrible. You don’t have to think about it. You will be free soon. It is our coming of age, and that day our parents will step down from their position,” he said. “We will have the power and authority.”

“I will be able to protect my sister then,” I responded with a smile.

“Yes, she will be under your protection. Pack your bags. We will arrive at the kingdom by tomorrow morning.”

“Yes,” I replied as I bowed and left for my room. We had been away from the kingdom for years, as the king kept sending us to different Lycan packs for training, both the prince and me. We had visited several places, and we would soon complete our training.

My name is Daniel, the beta’s only son. Growing up as a child, I was subjected to many tortures by my mother. She hated me for reasons unknown to me. Despite her cruelty, I had a lovely sister whom I dedicated my life to. My love for her knows no bounds, and even though I may appear cold to others, I could never be cold to her.

I had passed my upcoming age without meeting my Lycan wolf or mate, and I hope that this coming age I will be able to find my happiness, or else I could be subjected to bullying. The pack members could think of me as good for nothing, and, of course, they wouldn’t choose a wolfless guy as their future beta.

Bianca was on my mind as I walked through the silent hall, wondering how she would feel when she saw me. I couldn’t wait to see my baby sister. I pushed the door open and walked in, only to find someone unexpected in my room.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice laced with anger as I confronted the unwelcome intruder in my room. I wondered what had come over her. Why was she always acting like a bitch?

She stood up from my bed and walked majestically to where I stood. I could smell her unpleasant scent, which filled the room. I covered my nose, not wanting to inhale it.

“Why are you doing this?” She purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness, as she advanced toward me. “Daniel.”

“What do you want from me, Anna?” I asked, pushing her away.

“Daniel.”

“Don’t come near me,” I warned, my friend trembling with anger.

But Anna persisted, her words laced with a desperate longing that made my skin crawl. “Don’t you get it, Dan?” she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. “Don’t you like me? Or am I not beautiful enough?”

My patience was wearing thin as I struggled to contain my anger. I stared at the monster in front of me. “Get out.”

“Why should I do that when I know you will be leaving today?” she spat, moving closer to me. I stood there without saying a word. “So hard.” Her hand roamed around my chest as I burned with rage. “I love what I am touching.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, and my hand curled into a fist. I was trying hard not to kill her, keeping my anger at bay.

“Why are you not interested in me? I am Alpha’s first daughter,” she declared. “If you marry me, you will no longer be under anyone’s command. You will be the alpha of my pack.”

“Oh,” I smirked, watching her drama.

“Marry me, and everything will be yours,” she whispered, her eyes expectant. “Isn’t my offer tempting?”

I yanked her hand away. I could no longer take it. “Enough of your nonsense, young lady. Stop acting like a bitch in front of me.”

“I won’t get angry, even if you call me a bitch. I can be your bitch and your woman.” She smiled. “I like you, Daniel. Please be mine.”

This wasn’t the first time this had happened to me. I am sure the prince could be going through the same thing right now since she had a younger sister who was in love with the prince.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered politely. “I am not interested in you, Anna.” I moved away from her, not wanting to waste my time with her. I was packing my clothes in my bag when she suddenly hugged me.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“What do you think, Daniel?”

Without hesitation, I grabbed her hand and shoved her on the floor.

“What the heck!” I exclaimed in shock. I didn’t expect to see her naked. “Why are you naked?”

She groaned and stood up. “Do you like what you see?” she moaned, playing with her breasts. The first time I saw a woman’s body was at the Red Moon Pack, where the beta’s daughter forced herself into my room naked and wanted to sleep with me.

“No,” I grinned. “I hate what I see. Please, just get out.”

“I know you like it,” she purred, licking her lips and seducing me. “You’re going to enjoy it because I am still a virgin.”

I looked at the silly woman in front of me. I was angry. I needed to pack my clothes, but she was in my way.

I grabbed her hand. “I want you to listen carefully; I’m not interested in you. I’m searching for my mate because she’s the only woman I want to be with. The only woman I want to share my bed with.”

“What if I am your mate?”

I scoffed. “You can never be my mate. The goddess wouldn’t be stupid enough to mate me with someone like you.”

“Why?” She grabbed her chest, tears spilling from her eyes. “Why do you hate me so much? Why can’t you see and feel my feelings? I have loved you since the first time I set my eyes on you.”

“If I am to accept everyone’s feelings, you could be number twenty-five,” I sneered. “Everyone claims to love me when they are not my mate. Only my mate could love me unconditionally.”

“What!” she screamed. “I won’t take no for an answer. I am the most beautiful girl in my father’s land. I even went as far as to go naked in front of you. Why can’t you accept me? I can be your mate, Daniel. I will do anything for you as long as you make me your wife.”

She was too desperate.

“Imprint this in your brain, Anna,” I warned. “I don’t love you. I can never love you or make you my wife.”

“I will wait till you meet your Lycan wolf. I am sure your Lycan wolf could recognize me as your fated mate.”

I shoved her to the ground. I could see that she wasn’t ready to listen to me.

“I’m already old enough to decide who to be with or not.” I glanced at her. “The coming of age is just to know who my mate is.”

I was already hundreds of years old. Lycans are different from wolves, who meet their wolf at the age of eighteen. I had been training all my life, and even without having my Lycan wolf, I was still very strong—stronger than a wolf.

“I don’t like you, and I will never love you. Please dress up and get out.”

She glanced at me before picking up her dress and putting it on. She groaned. Her hand reached for the doorknob as she turned around. “I will have you sooner or later,” she declared. With that, she opened the door. “Mark my words, Daniel. You will be mine.”

I was about to speak when the door was slammed shut. What the heck! Without giving much thought to her words, I started packing my bag. Once I was finished, I opened the door and made my way to the prince’s room.

I knocked on the door.

“Who’s there?” A voice answered behind the door.

“It’s me, my prince,” I replied. I knew the voice I just heard didn’t belong to the prince; instead, it belonged to Anna’s sister, Cassie.

“Come in. The door is open.”

As I reached for the doorknob, someone suddenly grabbed me, covered my mouth, and pulled me into the dark shadows.