Chapter one

Raven’s Pov

Raven’s Pov

“Don’t go”.

I ignored my older brother and moved to our small dresser, and began spraying a black hair dye over the part of my hair that was filled with specks of white hair, concealing the hues.

“Dorian, that bastard wouldn’t hesitate to kill you if he finds you in his packhouse…”.He never addresses Alpha Dorian by his title, but that was less of my concern at the moment. We need money

Alpha Dorian was celebrating the birth of his pup. It’s a good opportunity.

“I will be fine, you worry too much”. Sometimes I wish he wasn’t older than me, so I could have the upper hand in my life decisions.

“I hate all of this, I hate the fact that we are hybrids. I wish I wasn’t stuck here like this, I just… I fucking hate everything”. He rattled out in frustration, as he gestured towards his injured left leg that was rotting away due to lack of proper treatment.

I couldn’t help It as I moved to where he laid on the bed, he always acted tough, but not today, because I saw right through his mask.

“I also hate this, more than anything, but it would kill me if you don’t get to walk again. Just this once, we need the money”. I whispered, the my last words.“

“But it’s still early”. He muttered tiredly and I knew he had agreed even though he didn’t say it.

“I need to go now, unless the patrol officers will notice me, when it begins to get brighter. I will be back before you know it”. The promise was for myself rather than for him. We were each other’s backbone.

I left our isolated home, which was in the middle of the woods, outside DarkValley. I made my way through the path that led to the unknown border line of the pack. Ever since Riev was shot, I frequently visited the pack to look for work, or we would die of starvation.

I made it to the packhouse. It took me a while, before a maid was nice enough to show me the way to the kitchen area. The cooking was already in full swing, young girls like me, scurrying from one place to another doing their designated work.

“Hey! What are you doing here?”. A middle aged woman screamed at me. Deep frown settled on her face as she glared at me.

“I’m…I’m here to work”. I stuttered, my eyes moved to the floor avoiding her eyes.

“Work?”. I nodded my head in response.

“I don't need anyone else, leave at once“. She said, and began to walk away.

“Please…give me any job…anything will do, I will work. Please”. I ran up to her, and fell at her feet immediately.

She became quiet for a few seconds, before she ordered I follow her. I was to carry the bags of flour needed for the cooking from the storehouse to the kitchen.

Just as I dropped the heavy bag of flour I carried into the kitchen, I first saw some of the girls in the kitchen , giving me a scornful look, then I felt a gaze behind me. I turned around and my eyes landed on the kitchen head, her expression more fiery than a beast.

“You wench!”. She bellowed at me, and I instinctively flinched backwards. She sauntered towards me, her eyes were filled with rage. Her left hand shot forward abruptly, startling me and before I could understand what she wanted to do, she backhanded me across my cheeks.

I held my tingly cheeks, my vision blurry, as I gazed up at her face. I saw two girls moved to my sides immediately and grabbed my arms.

“I tried to help you, but you dared to steal!”. She continued, her eyes blazing with fury. Steal?. I saw the opened bag of flour, which I had brought in, but it wasn’t flour that was in it. It looked like…it was sand!.

“That’s…that’s not true…I didn't steal…”. I stammered, shaking my head vigorously. She was definitely mistaken, I’ve gone to bed on an empty stomach countless times, but the thought of stealing had never for once sprung up in my mind.

She slapped me hard again, as if aggravated by my words, and I could taste the blood in my mouth.

“You have the guts to lie to my face, when the truth is glaring!”. She spat to my face, and slapped me once again, the hit more rougher than the previous ones. Tears sprang instantly from my eyes, my head was reeling from the slaps.

“I should have known better than to allow filth work here!”.

“Why would I steal when I’m here to work?, please believe…”. Then it happened in a blink, my entire body was covered in sand.

“Yeah, I would believe you If this sand turns into flour”.

I coughed voraciously, and I even found it more difficult to breathe. It felt like I was being suffocated.

“You will surely pay for…”.

“What is going on here?!”. I heard another voice as the whiff of the person’s perfume hit my congested nose, through my disoriented state.