Inspirational Short Stories & Alpha Family Emotions Novels

"You're no daughter of this pack," my mother hissed, her golden eyes flashing in the firelight. "If you can't support your Alpha sister, then get out." I should have seen it coming. In the Ashveil Pack, family means everything—unless you're me. Vera Darkthorne, the disappointment. While my perfect sister Eris got the love, the title, even my mate Cain, I got a mating ceremony where nobody showed up. Not even the man who swore he'd always be mine. That night, I ran. Now I've built a new life in Berlin's underground werewolf syndicate, where strength is the only law that matters. I've learned to fight, to lead, to make wolves twice my size back down with just a look. But when a message comes that Eris's dying, the pack demands my return. "Come home, Vera," my father's voice crackles through the phone. "Your sister needs you." I almost laugh. After everything? But this time, I'm not the weak wolf they left behind. This time, I have fangs of my own. And when wolves hunt you down, you don't run—you rip their throats out first.

On the night of the full moon, I lie in the forbidden grounds on the brink of death because of the wolfsbane terrorizing my system. My Alpha mate, Elio Palmer, wrenches my fingers open and snatches the only antidote that I have. "Kelly grew up with me since we were pups. After her parents died, I've been the one who's closest to her. As the Luna, you must sacrifice yourself for her." Then, Elio feeds the antidote to Kelly Giles, who has only gotten infected with a tiny hint of wolfsbane. He doesn't hesitate to abandon me, his dying mate, in the forbidden grounds afterward. He thinks I will accept my death without any resentment, seeing as he's tamed me during our times together. But what he doesn't know is that the thick stench of death doesn't attract any beasts to my side the moment our mate bond is completely severed. Instead, it attracts the attention of Samuel Gray, the Lycan King who drills raw terror into every werewolf in the land. Some time later, Samuel approaches me after slaughtering all the beasts in the forbidden grounds. "Are you planning to die like that after getting abandoned by an inferior mutt?"

The pack threw a massive party for my sister, Aria. She got into the Royal Wolf Academy. My father, the Alpha, pinned the pack crest to her gown. It was the ultimate symbol of Stonecrest’s future. His voice boomed over the crowd, "Aria is a once-in-a-generation prodigy! She showed Alpha dominance at just sixteen. She is our fiercest weapon." And me? His other daughter. I stood in the corner. Completely invisible. No one even offered me a drink. At dinner, my mother—our flawless Luna—bragged about every single achievement, "Aria shifted at ten. She won the Northern Trials at thirteen without a single scratch. She only studied for six months to get into the Royal Academy!" An old elder finally glanced my way and asked, "And Cassian? I heard she got accepted somewhere too?" My mother’s smile froze. My father just looked away in silence. Aria broke the silence, "Yes. Cassian's college is pretty far from the pack..." I got a full ride to Columbia University. The acceptance letter has been on my nightstand for fifty days. But nobody asked about it. My mother quickly recovered, forced a smile, and told the elder, "Cassian is just so independent. She always handles things on her own." Independent. Right. Was I 'independent' at ten? Aria and I both had our first shift. She got a rare elixir from our parents to stabilize her power. I was left to fight my rampaging wolf alone, again and again. Was I 'independent' at thirteen during the Northern Trials? A feral beast attacked. I took every hit to protect Aria. My parents rushed to check on her, terrified. I was left to stitch my own wounds in silence. At eighteen, to make sure Aria got into the Royal Academy, I was her sparring partner by day and her tutor by night. I even did the servants' chores when they were away. Does cleaning up every mess my perfect sister makes mean I am 'independent'? The party ended. The guests left. My mother ordered me to clean up the hall. The gifts were piled high. Every single one wa