Chapter One

Sophia found herself drooling in the coziness of a properly humidified limousine. The touch of ecstacy and luxury was all over the place. Was this real? She thought to herself. Of course, it was. 

" Would you need something to moisten your throat?" A pretty looking lady who knelt before her asked , barely raising her head to match her gaze. 

" Just a glass of wine will suffice." Sophia replied, leaning back on the limousine's cushion with both hands locked against her abdominal region. " Uhm. I guess the weather here is becoming a little bit cold. Quite chilly for my comfort. Get me something hot. Is there a hot drink with us?"

" Yes. " The lady replied, still not looking up. " There are different brands of liquor here. Which would you prefer to take?"

" Do not ask silly questions. " She crossed her legs. " You know my taste. Be quick about it. " 

 Her lips dissolved in a smile. This was really happening. But for some odd reason she could not place, she could not feel more relaxed. It looked fake. The lady that knelt before her was Jael. There was no damn way Jael would kneel before her. The liquor was served. While she was still gulping down the content of the bottle, she heard the loud noise outside. They had arrived. The door opened and she stepped out to a glorious chant of " all hail the Luna!" 

While she still absorbed the wonderfully crafted scene before her, a man with a big bodybuild started approaching. The waves of fear swept through her lungs as her breathing was becoming intense. It was Ruckus. Why was he approaching her? She found herself retracing her steps with every step the monster took. But the opposite of what she expected happened. On getting very close to her, Ruckus bent his right knee to the ground and bent his head in a low bow. 

" How may I serve you?"  

Sophia's ears could not believe what they had heard. There was no way Ruckus would kneel before her. At this point, she knew this was far from reality. No way! Her life was a miserable and frustrating one. 

" Dumbass!" A familiar voice called. " Sophia dumbass!" 

Sophia turned in all directions, searching for the voice. 

" Who called me a dumbass?" 

No response was coming. The atmosphere of the whole place began to change. The faces that were once cladded with reverence towards her now seemed to be filled with disgust. 

" Sophia! Get the fuck up?" The voice that called her a dumbass continued to harass her. " Get up, you dumb head. You don't want to wake up. You like games, huh? Wait for me. "

Sophia's reality began to creep in. All the while she cruised in the limousine was not real. She was dreaming. She struggled to stay in her dreams. Indistinct voices from the background were now getting to her ears . 

" You don't want to wake up, huh?" The pack member lifted a full bucket of water above her head and turned it upside down, letting all of its contents land on Sophia's rugged body. 

In a split second, a surge of energy coursed through every part of her body as she jolted out of her unending groove. 

" Woahh!!" Sophia let out a scream as she forced herself up. The consciousness of her environment now seemed to settle slowly. Pains were on all parts of her body. 

" She is finally up." Jael said, laughing mockingly. " How do you manage to sleep in this junk of a place?"

Sophia could not respond to any of the bullshit they were spilling at her. Her head still tried to toy with her. A dream? 

" Was… was I dreaming?" She managed to ask, her eyes darting around the attic she had as a home. Being the outcast of her pack, no one had anything to do with her. While everyone rested in the comfort of their exquisite bed chambers, she often curled herself up in the awful looking space. 

" You had better get up. " Jael said. " What am I saying? Drag this damned fool to Ruckus." 

The name resounded. 

" Ruckus? " She assumed the kneeling position, holding Jael by her legs. 

" What is this supposed to mean?" Jael asked , sneering at her. 

" Please, don't take me to him. I will do anything you ask of me in return. " 

" Wow. " Jael clapped her hands. " You know what? I won't take you to him." 

" Really? Thank you. Thank you, Jael. Thank you." 

" Don't thank me yet, outcast. I won't take you to him . You will have to take yourself to him." 

A round of laughter went through the place. 

" And one more thing, Sophia." She smiled and brought her lips closer to Sophia. " You were saying all sorts of things as you slept. " 

Sophia recoiled into herself. No way. She could not have said anything that would cause trouble. 

" Drag this bitch to Ruckus!" 

The mob wasted no time in getting their hands on the outcast of the pack. In a couple of minutes, they arrived in the presence of Ruckus. Being the heir apparent of the alpha throne, every member of the pack did well to be on his good side. Hence, the unending torture Sophia faced . 

" Please, spare me this time. " She sobbed, rubbing both palms together as if saying a prayer to her Lord. 

Ruckus rose from his feet and slowly walked to her. With every step he took, Sophia felt her heart melting. 

" What is your offense?" Ruckus asked, squatting before her. 

" I… I.. " she trembled. " I failed to wake up in time. And could not—" before she could complete the statement, Ruckus' powerful hand grabbed her jaw tightly as if trying to compress it. 

" What is your offense?" This time, his tone was aggressive. Sophia knew he was expecting her to give him a particular answer. But what? There's no way she is spilling her dream. 

" Jael, repeat what you reported to me." Ruckus said. 

" The outcast clearly dented your name. She clearly said something like this.." she paused before continuing. "You don't have to kneel before me, Ruckus. " Jael said. 

Sophia quavered. She knew she was done for. 

" I knelt before you. " Ruckus smirked. " The heir apparent to the throne knelt before a slut like you. Who else knelt before you?" 

No response came from the frightened girl. 

" Answer me!!"

" Ja.. Jael served me .. wine. " 

" Give this girl the worst punishment of her life. And when she's done, send her to the main house. She will be cleaning my father's room. " 

Murmurings could be heard from the people. Most people who went to clean the alpha's room did not live longer than a couple of days. It was obvious Sophia would meet her demise soon. The mob began with the lashings, her teary voice completely masked by the joyful chortles that clouded the whole place. 

Many feet away, an aged wolf, a woman whose skin had wrinkled markedly looked in disgust. Maybe the time had come for Sophia to know who she really was.