01

It was twenty-one years ago, the day her misery began. 

The Kresters were a perfect family, so much love streamed between them even tho the Alpha didn't have a son. Blessed with three females, he was satisfied and never kicked up a fuss. 

Jerika was his third daughter and was only six at that time. She was actually the prettiest amongst the three - her rich hair was ebony black and always gleamed with the warmth of the sun; her large eyes were a couple of wandering diamond and always had a way of cracking hearts. She was too beautiful, too perfect. 

On one occasion, she'd asked her father: "What would happen to the pack when you retire, dad? Uncle Kruger told me only a boy can lead the pack."

Her eyes were so bright and innocent when she asked, her smile was so charming. 

Her father had squeezed her hand into his and cooed the words: "Your uncle Kruger is right, but that doesn't matter to me 'cause I'm blessed to have you and your sisters."

Then, Jerika asked. "Why can't it be a girl, dad? What makes it wrong?" 

Her father had simply smiled and tousled her hair, knowing she was never going to stop asking questions. 

Things were going just fine for them, until one day, they decided to go on a little vacation. 

It was mid-day. Jerika's sisters had gone out with their dad to get dinner, while Jerika was left alone with her mum. Mrs Riley was chortling over the phone with a friend and paid less attention to her little girl. 

However, her gleeful moment was cut short when she heard a sudden scream - Jerika's scream. She dropped the phone as she sprang to her feet in fright, and following the terrified scream, she arrived at the door of the kitchen on fire. 

"Jerika!!" She yelled fearfully. She bursted into the kitchen and picked up her little girl, choking and coughing profusely. Flames and smoke filled the air, the mother and child coughed intensely. 

She noticed the fire was coming from the burners. 

"Oh! Jerika, what have you done?" She sobbed, still coughing.

Quickly, she took Jerika out of the kitchen, instructed her to wait, then ran back to make use of the fire extinguisher. She couldn't watch the fire escalate, she wanted to help. 

The young Jerika's head was a mess. From the kitchen opening, she watched her mother try to put out the fire. 

"Mum!" She called out to her, tears streaking her cheeks. 

Mrs Riley continued coughing profusely as she fused the extinguisher towards the fire. Finally, she was able to put it out, but her lungs had already been affected.

She fell on her knees and crawled out of the kitchen to Jerika's feet. 

"Mum," Jerika wept. She couldn't tell what was wrong with the woman. Her cheeks were covered with a smokey burn. 

Mrs Riley struggled and gasped for breath, then weakly, she muttered: "My inhaler."

Jerika knew what that was. She stood up and with her tiny feet, scampered into the living room. She checked round for the inhaler, but couldn't find it. She was sure she knew what it looked like. 

She hurried to the bedroom, flipped the sheets and duvets, but the inhaler was nowhere in sight. The inhaler was always around, she had no idea why it was different on that day. Perplexity dawned on her, she had her heart in her hands. 

As fast as she could, she ran back to her mum to ask where the inhaler was. But getting there, she noticed the young woman was no longer responsive. She called out severally to her, joggled her and cried out, but the young woman gave no response. 

And that was the moment her father and sisters returned.

....

That was the day Jerika's misery began. The day she caused her mother's death.

"I only wanted to make some noodles. Ruby advised me to make mum some noodles," she kept telling everyone, but that made no difference. 

Her father lost a part of himself. He became so cold and developed a certain unlikeliness toward Jerika. Her sisters - Ruby and Sadie - became worst. They hated and taunted her at every opportunity. 

Jerika had that sting with her. Even at school, she got bullied as the child who killed her mum. She started skipping classes, becoming confined in her room at all times. Her father didn't care. He started going out with just Ruby and Sadie all the time, leaving Jerika behind. Slowly, she became a neglected stranger in the family. Their actions traumatized and killed her slowly without them even knowing.

It went on for a very long time, until one day, on a rainy day, the unforeseeable happened. 

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TWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER

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The black Grand Cherokee glided effortlessly across the smooth pavement of the hotel, its tires emitting a soft hum. The sleekness of the car magnated the eyes of the people that stood around. As the the driver pulled to a curb and screeched the car to a halt, they began to skinder and murmur amongst themselves.

A suited man hurried down from the front seat and stood with agility as he opened the back door, and there she was - the one everyone talked about. 

The chatter seized at once, even those who had only been talking business, fell silent as they got caught up in her charms. Her ravishing beauty always had a way of seizing the breaths of others.

Robed in a black sheath dress, on a pair of black heels, it gave her a mean look - like she's always had. Her bag was black as well, it wasn't strange to people that she chose an all-black outfit for that day. 

With Mr Luther in front of her and Reagan behind, they started towards the reception. As they walked by, the people reveled in her beauty. They lowered their heads in respect. Just as much as they adored her, they feared her. 

Her large eyes were the prettiest azure orbs - calm, yet cold; innocent yet guilty. They could sink into a man's soul and crack the iciest part of his heart. 

Her flowing hair was stygian and framed a face that seemed to glow with a natural radiance. It was a perfect match for her skin that was as fair as the sun. 

Many people rumoured she was not human. Of course, she was; they only wondered how a human could be so perfect - so beautiful. Even ladies wished to be her, great men from across had lost their lucidity, trying to get her. Her power as the first Female Alpha also increased the fear people had for her, for she was a ruthless ruler - a very ruthless one. 

Her curved lips were as pretty as her eyes - succulent and tempting. But they'd forgotten what it felt like to stretch in a smile.

Her name was Jerika Krester - the powerful Alpha Queen that was a terror to many.