Chapter One

Aria Pov

“Answer the question, you prostitute!” I shuddered as my stepmother’s angry voice cut through my messy thoughts.

I opened my mouth to speak but not a single word came out of it. I was dumbfounded. My shaky fingers kept curling into the fabric of my faded blue mini dress.

“Aria,” My father’s voice followed hers. The coldness in his voice was enough to send more shivers through my body. I looked everywhere…the horse paint on the wall, the ceramic center table that was behind my step mother, the vastness of our living room…everywhere, but him.

“Who is the father of the pup you are carrying? Don’t make me ask twice.” He took a step closer and I took one back.

When I didn’t respond, he exhaled a sharp breath. I knew I was doomed.

“Did you lose your tongue? Who owns the bastard pup you are carrying!?” My father

spat, his eyes scanning my petite figure like he could hit me if he asked for the third time.

“I…I swear, father, I’m not pregnant.” I was telling the truth. I wasn’t. I had no mate because my wolf is crippled. No one wanted to be with me not to talk of lying with a loser like me that no one liked.

But somehow, my stepmother had managed to make my father believe I was pregnant just because Beta George talked to me this morning. And the crazy part is, he always believes whatever she says.

In her words “I caught her seducing the Beta”

”Well, you won’t waste my damn time. Whether you are pregnant or not, a test will save me from the stress of having to do this all day.”

Nice. Why had I not thought of a test? “That’s perfect.” I responded, my voice barely audible.

His eyes lingered on me for a few seconds, as if wondering how I could be confident to go through a test if I was really pregnant.

My stepmother didn’t look pleased. She wanted this to end badly.

“ Just pray to the Moon Goddess that it doesn't come out positive, I will have your body fed to the vultures to feast.” My stepmother hissed, her eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.

She was enjoying this wasn’t she? Every single second of my humiliation.

“ Take her to the pack hospital and ensure you report every single thing back to me. I can’t let my daughter be an epitome of disgrace in this pack.”He commanded the gamma, his jaw clenched, he flickered his eyes briefly in my direction.

“Change that slutty dress now!” He barked without glancing at my direction.

He had rejected me as his daughter two months ago, now suddenly am his daughter?

“ Yes Alpha.” The gamma replied with a curt nod.

I was going to prove that my stepmother has been feeding him lies all along.

***

“ You are two weeks pregnant, Princess.” The pack doctor announced with a sinister smile on his face. What was funny about a pup I don't know about?.

“ There must be a mixup somewhere sir, I haven’t been with any male in this pack.” I explained, clutching my dress with my trembling hands.

“ But the test shows that you are two weeks gone, Princess. It's good news isn’t it?” His smile grew wider.

My stepmother was telling the truth, I was indeed pregnant. Maybe for Beta George. Maybe he had taken advantage of me without my consent.

“Pl….ease.” I felt my words choke in my throat as tears flowed down my cheeks. “Don’t tell my father.”.

“ The Alpha is already on his way ma’am. And if you will excuse me.” He stood up walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.

I ran towards the door looking for an escape route, but it was too late. He had locked it from outside.

“Plea……se,” I cried but no one responded.

“Where is that cursed creature?”

“Open the door.” My father’s cold commanding voice pierced through the room. He must have believed my stepmother at first. I guessed he wanted to kill his curiosity.

Buried in shame I prayed for the ground to swallow me just as the door burst open, revealing my father’s angry face.

Then, there was silence.

“Torture her till she speaks the truth.” My father commanded the gammas, casting a disgusting look at me.

“You have to believe in me, father.” I pleaded. He was supposed to hear from me, wasn’t he?. How was I suddenly pregnant with a pup and no mate or even a father.

“ You have been a disgrace from day one.” He yelled. These were the same words he had said two months ago during my eighteenth birthday. When I awakened Carissa- My crippled wolf.

“Whip her until she confesses the truth about that bastard pup in her stomach!”.

I was dragged out of the pack hospital not as a princess but as a criminal.

“Strip her naked!” My step mother commanded. I could see the satisfactory smug smile on her lips.

She was happy. My father hated me now because of her.

Soon the clothes covering my body were yanked forcefully.

My body on display for the whole pack to see.

“Make sure she counts every one lash until she speaks the truth.” Her voice filled with fury, her lips curled with immense satisfaction as she ordered the gammas.

“Please.” I sobbed.

I looked around my surroundings, I was in front of the pack— Naked, for whoever wanted to feed their eyes.

“Let me help us.” My wolf–Carissa muttered weakly.

This is the first time I heard her talk. After my eighteenth birthday. And now she wanted to save us but she was weak. She wanted to save me.

“You can't, you are weak,” I tried to shut her out, but she insisted.

The last time I let my wolf take over I was humiliated in the presence of the whole pack.

“Okay,” I close my eyes, letting her take control over me.

My body twisted, my bones broke and reshaped.

I felt my skin tearing and stretching.

I opened my eyes, only to find everyone looking at me surprisingly.

Staring directly at me.

Like they had seen something—something monstrous ,something terrifying.