Chapter 2

The next afternoon, I was inside my cabin, holding a small ceremony for my birth mother, when someone started pounding on the door like their life depended on it.

I opened it to find three people standing outside. Josephine was in the lead, with two Gammas behind her.

She looked at me, a smirk curling her lips. "Told you. I wasn't going to let you off easy."

One of the Gammas stepped forward, face like stone. "You're the human living here? Sophia Miller?"

He looked down at me like I was something stuck to his shoe. "What do you want?"

He pulled out a stack of papers and waved them in my face. "A pack member reported you for illegally occupying pack land. The Elders reviewed it and confirmed the violation. They've decided to reclaim all your assets. "

"I'm here to notify you that your house, your land, and your residency permit have all been reassigned. You need to clear out your things. As of tomorrow, the herb field belongs to Ms. Anderson."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Excuse me? My house, my land, my residency—all approved by the Alpha himself. And you're just handing them over to someone else?"

The Gamma rolled his eyes. "Ms. Miller, you're a human. Under pack law, you may be allowed to live here, but you're not entitled to own property. As for the Alpha's approval, we'll need to verify that. Until you provide proper documentation, the herb field goes to Ms. Anderson."

I stared at his smug face, rage boiling in my chest. "So you're confiscating land that the Alpha gave me?"

My gaze must have made him uncomfortable, because he shifted on his feet but held his ground. "It's not confiscation. It's reassignment. Ms. Miller, don't make this difficult. It's the Elders' decision."

The Elders' decision didn't follow pack law. I knew exactly what this was—they were currying favor with a Beta's mate, stepping on the little human to get ahead.

What they didn't know was that I was the Alpha and Luna's adopted human daughter. I'd kept my identity hidden because I just wanted a quiet life.

I never expected to find so many bullies in this pack.

"I'm not following an unjust decision."

Josephine's face twisted. "So you're refusing to give up the herb field?"

"Refusing." I reached for the door to shut it in her face.

The fake smile dropped from Josephine's face. She waved at the two Gammas behind her. "Grab her. Drag her inside."

Before I could react, they grabbed my arms and hauled me into the cabin. Outside, Sun barked wildly, but he was chained up and couldn't get to me.

The door slammed shut. The room went dark except for the candles flickering by the altar.

One of the Gammas kicked the back of my knee. My legs buckled, and I hit the cold wooden floor with a sickening crack—pain shot through my kneecaps. I gasped, unable to get a word out.

Josephine strolled in with her arms crossed, glancing around the cabin until her eyes landed on the rolled-up herbal tome by the altar.

She let out a mocking laugh, walked over, and flipped through it roughly. "Human junk. What's this garbage doing in a pack house?"

Then she held it over the burning candle.

That was my mother's life's work. I'd memorized every page, but it was the only thing I had left of her.

It couldn't burn. Not that.

"Don't touch it!" I screamed.

She glanced back at me, saw the anguish on my face, and her eyes lit up with cruel delight. Then she dropped the tome into the flame.

Whoosh.

My birth mother's only legacy went up in flames.

"NO—!"

I lunged forward, but the Gammas pinned me down. I could only watch as the last piece of her turned to ash.

Josephine dusted off her hands and raised an eyebrow. "So? Ready to hand over the land now?"

I looked up at her, hatred burning in my eyes, and spat at her feet. "In your dreams."

Her face went cold. She shifted, claws sprouting from her fingers, and drove them into my shoulder.

"AH—!"

My scream ripped through the cabin. Outside, Sun heard me and started barking frantically.

Josephine had enough of it. She threw open the door, marched over to Sun, and grabbed him by the scruff. Her claws pressed against his throat.

"NO!" I lost it. "STOP! If I tell the Alpha about this, you'll all be locked in silver cages!"

Josephine laughed. "Who do you think you are? A worthless human. My mate is the Alpha's most trusted Beta. Killing your dog? Killing you? The Alpha won't lift a finger."

She raised her claws.

"STOP! I'll give you the land! I'll give you everything!"

"Too late." Josephine's smile was pure malice.

And in the next second, my companion of five years was torn apart.

"SUN!" My voice broke. I collapsed, gasping for air, sobbing so hard I couldn't breathe.

But Josephine wasn't done. She walked over to the herb field.

"Pretty little things." She glanced down, a cruel smile curling at the edges. Then she raised her boot and crushed them.

"Stop! Those were for your mate!" I screamed. "I grew them for a month—only two survived. If you destroy them, your mate will die!"

Josephine laughed. "You think I'd fall for that?"

She crushed the last two usable blooms.

She walked back to me and looked down at where I knelt, broken on the floor.

"I'm not done with you. I'm dragging you to the border and throwing you to the rogues."

She bent down, her face inches from mine. "Those rogues haven't seen a female in a while. Once they're done with you, I'll have someone dig a hole at the border and bury you in it. You're just a human. You die, no one cares."

She straightened up, smug and satisfied. "And then the herb field is mine."

Something snapped inside me. The rage surged up, blazing through the pain.

"Try it."

I swallowed the blood in my mouth, forced myself upright on shaking legs, and looked her dead in the eye.

"I am the Alpha's daughter."