ZoeyYou would think being born the beta’s daughter would mean something. You would think it would mean protection, respect, maybe even mercy. You would think wrong.The dirt is cold against my cheek when I hit the ground, the taste of iron flooding my mouth before I even register the sound of my ribs cracking. Someone laughs nearby. Someone always laughs.“Get up, Zoey.”Reagan’s voice slices through the morning air, sharp and bored, like he’s already disappointed in me before I’ve even failed again. I spit blood into the dust and force my palms under my shoulders, my arms shaking so badly I almost collapse again.“I said get up,” he repeats, louder this time. “Or are you done already?”I drag myself upright, my vision swimming as pain detonates through my side. Something inside me shifts wrong, grinding instead of bending, and my breath comes out in a wet, broken hiss. I don’t scream. I learned a long time ago that screaming only makes them try harder.“I’m up,” I manage, forcing my
Last Updated : 2026-01-26 Read more