Chapter one

Ariella’s POV

“Oh little freakkkkk.”

Snide laughter reveberated through the thick woods sending birds and small animals running helter skelter.

“Im coming for you little freak. Run. Don't let me catch you!” Goosebumps ravaged my skin once I heard that croaky masculine voice that I was all but familiar with from somewhere behind me. My heart raced violently in my chest as I swallowed and picked up the pace - well as much as my one limping leg and bruised body could allow me to.

I kept stumbling over tree stumps and broken twigs but I dared not stop. I knew that it was of no use because it wouldn't be long before they caught up to me. Before he caught up to me.

He always did.

No matter how fast I ran or where I hid, he was always behind me. The worse thing was that I knew that he could have easily caught me as he was stronger and faster but he never did.

Instead, he stalled for time. Stalking. Lurking and herding me like cattle to wherever he wanted me to go. Like predator to a prey, he enjoyed the thrill of toying with me before he took the final bite.

And I couldn't do anything but allow myself to dance to his tune.

Pushing strength into my legs, I willed my body to go faster and soon I found myself getting closer to the academy.

My heartbeat spiked but this time it was because of hope.

No matter how audacious him and his gang were, they never did anything on academy grounds. Instead, they waited until I was out on my own before surrounding me.

Today was one of those unfortunate days. I happened to have been assigned by a teacher to find a particular herb deep in the woods.

I had originally been assigned a partner which had made me drop my guard but who knew that the person turned out to be one of his people. I barely did anything before I was being chased down.

Maybe. Just maybe, this time I would be able to get back to campus and I would be free.

After this, I would refuse if anyone - even the headmaster - sent me out. I would hide away in my room till I graduated in two years.

I shouldn't have hoped. I should have known that I could never outrun him because just as I stepped a foot out into the clearing that was the academy grounds, I felt a strong hand snake around my waist before yanking me back harshly.

I opened my mouth to scream but a hand was clamped on my mouth almost immediately.

No. Please no.

I began to struggle violently but it was to no avail. I could only watch in despair as I was dragged even further away from the academy and safety.

“Hmmmn” he groaned above my ear and I trembled as the hairs on my skin stood on ends. “Just keep struggling like that. It gives me immense joy.” As he said that, he pressed into my backside and I froze, my eyes widening like saucers when I felt his hardness touch me.

He licked at my earlobe startling me back into reality.

“Hmmmmphhhhh!” I groaned into his hand as I began to struggle anew. More violently this time.

I was no fool. I knew what he was hinting at. Never. I would never let it happen. I would never let someone as disgusting as Raymond touch me intimately. Never.

With that thought, I bit his hand with all the strength I could muster.

Thankfully, it worked as I could soon taste the metallic tinge of blood.

“Ahhh. You bitch.” Raymond screamed as he threw me aside harshly.

I tried to use my hands to break my fall but it didn't end well as I wanted as I ended with a hand bent in an odd direction.

Beads of sweat rolled down my head from the pain and tears blurred my vision but I couldn't let it fall. At least not now. Not when he was still here.

I but my lip till I tasted blood and then I turned in the opposite direction from where he was still screaming profanities as I tried to push myself to my feet.

“You bitch. Where the hell do you think you're off to?”

My lips parted as I let out a silent scream when I felt his hand around my hair so tightly it felt like my hair would be uprooted any moment.

My hand shot to my head to try and pry his hand off but it was of no use. His grip was iron like.

“Look at this bitch. You don't know what's good for you. With your dirty background, you ought to be bowing in thanks to the goddess for the attention Raymond here is paying to you.” A snarky female voice said from somewhere near me, her tone tinged with mockery.

Laughter. Then Footsteps. Then shadows surrounded me. Shadows I knew well to be this monster's gang.

They never did anything to me but they sure took pleasure in watching Raymond toy with me. They stood there and jeered at me from afar everytime.

“Leave the freak. She thinks she's all that just because she is the daughter of Yuri… oops.”

They all laughed but at the mention of my father's name, my chest grew tight as it felt like my heart was being squeezed. The teras I had tried to hard to hold in started to fall freely now.

“Awwn. The little bitch is crying. How sad.” One of them mocked and they all laughed. Including Raymond who was still holding me by my hair, his grip getting tighter by the minute.

I struggled unwilling to let them see me this way but it was to no avail.

Raymond tilted my head so I was now looking into his eyes.

He crouched till I could feel his smelly breath on my face. If I wasn't so scared, I would have flinched in disgust.

“Why? Does that hurt? Who asked you to be born as a bastard and a freak? I never asked you not to be able to talk neither did I ask you not to get your wolf like a normal person. So bitch, don't blame me for your pathetic fate.” He whispered and each word sent a shard of pain into my chest. He leaned closer. “Instead, blame your father for giving birth to you and then leaving you here. Blame for tossing out the position of strongest warrior in the pack to die for such a weakling like you.”

I opened my mouth to refute but at the end of the day, I wasn't able to let out a single sound.

“What? Do you want to say something? Say it. Talk. Come on now, talk.” With each sentence, Raymond shook me, his lips curved into a sneer.

They all laughed and echoed his cruel words.

I bit my lips and closed my eyes as the tears poured out of me.

A mute. A jinx. A freak.

“That's what I thought. Now stop struggling and be a good sport, will you? Not that I mind anyways. A bit of excitement is quite nice. It'll be so boring if you don't fight back.”

With that, he shoved me backwards and I fell on the floor.

The fight had left me as my eyes remained shut and my body sagged.

Soon, I could feel his filthy hands crawling all over me. I didn't fight back. I withdrew into myself and gave up. His hands soon began to crawl underneath my gown slowly.

The image of my smiling father suddenly flashed in my mind and normally it would have given me comfort but right now, all I felt was immense despair. I even felt a bit of blame.

Why? Why did I have to suffer such a fate? Why did I have to be labeled a jinx because my father had died while protecting me from rogues? Why did I have to be labeled a bastard because my father brought me home from God knows where? Did I ask to be born? Did I ask to be brought here? Why did I have to suffer like this, unable to even voice out my grievances?

Maybe father put me here because he hated me and wanted me to suffer.

“My little fawn. You're my everything. I know that you'll show them all when you grow up that you're special.” A memory of my father from when I was young suddenly surged into my head.

Hearing his voice again, recalling that warmth and love he poured into me, the negative thoughts immediately disappeared. Instead, courage and a will to fight filled me.

My eyes shot open and I grabbed Raymond's hand which had almost touched me between my legs.

My heart had begun to speed up once again, this time from a mixture fear and all sorts of complex emotions. The most prominent though was a fierce resistance.

I panted as I looked up at Raymond who was now glaring at me with both shock and fury.

“No.” I mouthed and he narrowed his eyes for a moment before sneering.

“No? As if that will change anything. Since you don't want to do it the easy way, I don't mind taking you by force.”

With that, he signaled to his lackey and they all grabbed at me, pinning me down.

I screamed silently and struggled as fear and terror like no other attacked me.

No. I don't want to end like this. I don't want it.

Raymond's hand grabbed my gown and he began ripping it.

No!!!!!!!!!

I screamed in my head and almost immediately, a bright white light flashed in my head stunning me for a while.

When it dimmed, I blinked constantly as I tried to focus my vision.

When I eventually did, what I saw terrified me down to the bones.

I was standing right there in the middle of the woods, my hand soaked in blood and all around me, the barely breathing bodies of Raymond and his gang were scattered.

Raymond laid weakly on a tree stump, his eyes wide in terror as he stared straight at me.

“M..monster.” he spluttered weakly, through a mouthful of blood.

I stared down at my bloody hands.

What the hell happened? What have I done?