My Cruel Mate

Caliana's POV

I felt the bed deepen on my side. There was someone in my room. I thought it was a dream, but the warm hands on my body proved that I had made a mistake. I jumped up and turned on the light. It was my stepbrother, Vince. He was drunk... again.

"Get out," I growled, but he only smirked and approached me. I shivered when he grabbed my waist and pulled me to him. Vince forcefully plants kisses on my neck, and I fight him, my claws digging into his flesh, but he's too strong for me. Tears flood my eyes when he grabs my neck and throws me on the bed harshly. He gets over me and pins my hands over my head.

As much as I kicked and screamed, no one came to my rescue. In a split moment, my wolf surfaced and let out a mighty growl that made the walls vibrate. Vince froze and looked at me with terror on his face. He jumped out of the bed and retreated to the door.

"You... you... I thought you had no... no wolf," he stuttered. I always had a wolf, but I didn't let them know because they would kill me. Ever since my father died three years ago, my stepbrother and stepmother have taken over the pack. They are hungry for power and will do anything to keep it, even killing me, my father's heir.

"Get out of my room, Vince," I commanded, using my Alpha tone. My stepbrother hurried off, and I sighed in relief, but I knew they would devise a plan to get rid of me tomorrow. I was a risk to them.

"What do you mean you sold me to that cruel Alpha!" I exclaimed, looking at my stepmother in shock. She groans, closing her eyes as if she hadn't dropped a bomb on me. 

"We need money to settle our debts, and you are pretty," she shrugs. 

After my father died, the pack suffered a tremendous financial loss because of my stepmother Evelyn, or evil as I call her. She needs to improve at managing finances, spending her pack's funds on spoiling herself with diamonds. The company also lost partners, and most refused to associate with us because of her proud and uncaring nature. They withdrew their support, making us a target for rogues.

I glared at my stepbrother, who almost assaulted me last night. He doesn't look ashamed of his actions. Vince hates me and will do anything to see me gone, even if he sells me to the dangerous Alpha, Edward Chasia, a powerful Lycan Alpha in the west region. He is said to be the Lycan King's cousin. Edward and his three brothers are ruthless killers and take overpacks that are not strong enough to defend themselves. That is how he earned the name The Cruel Lycan Alpha.

"I'm not doing it," I said solemnly. 

"You don't have a choice," Hisses Vince, glaring at me. 

"You can not sell me; the new law the Queen made forbids it," Not long ago, women were sold to the highest bidder in business deals and alliances, but that was stopped after Queen Anaiah came into power.

"I don't care about the law. Will you seriously let all your dear father's work go down because you refuse to be with Alpha Edward?" She was guilt-tripping me; she knew how much I loved this pack. My parents built it from nothing! 

"It's not such a hard job; all you need to do is satisfy the Alpha's sexual needs, and who knows, if he's pleased with you, he might even make you his official mistress or, even better, a Luna. That's how I got here."

"We'll find a way to save this pack. Just give me some time... I will work harder and-" Vince cut me off. 

"How can you be so selfish, Cali? You should be happy that you are of use to us for once in your pathetic life," he grimaced. I glare at him, and he drinks his whiskey, continuing to go through the terms. The brothers want this pack under them to prevent war with their natural enemies as it is right in the center, and whoever owns it will have an advantage. However, I don't know why they have to sell me when they can make a deal with them. 

'They would have done it sooner or later just to get rid of us,' my wolf barked. She hated these two, but we couldn't do anything. Vince was the Alpha of this pack, and I could only obey, even if it were against my wishes. 

"Now that Chasia has paid off our debt, invested in the company, and we will be under their protection, things will be easy," 

"I'm proud of you, my son," Evil praises him, looking smug. 

"And her?" 

"One of the brothers will be here to pick her up, and she will cease to be our problem," he answers as if I'm not there. Tears streamed down my face as I ran to my room, locking the door behind me.

After hours of crying, I texted my friend, Levy.