After My Death, My Alpha Mother Finally Regretted It
My Alpha mother had a mark burned into my heart, a Submission Mark, all to guarantee I'd claim first place at the Ascension Trials.
The mark was simple in its cruelty: whenever my heartbeat dipped below the intensity of combat training, it would scorch the flesh around my heart.
No drifting off. No rest. Not even an extra breath during sparring.
When I passed out from exhaustion, she'd pull out an iron whip soaked in silver solution and lash it across my hands. She called it "awakening the wolf's instincts."
"You're a she-wolf. If you fail, you become the lowest thing in this pack and every male wolf will have the right to walk all over you."
"Every drop of blood you shed is a stepping stone to the top."
"Iron doesn't become a blade without fire. I've already begged the Moon Goddess for her blessing. Why can't you just push harder?"
Today was the first round of the Ascension Trials on the pack's sacred calendar. I was the first contestant to break out of the underground arena, and instantly the pack's Record Keepers swarmed around me.
My mother stood just outside the arena. Flush with pride, she triggered the Submission Mark and pushed my combat reflexes to the absolute limit of my wolf form.
"Look at my daughter move, like she has Moon Goddess guidance. All thanks to my one-of-a-kind Branding Enhancement technique."
But Mom... two days before the Trials started...
Your mark, running at full power, burned my heart to nothing and stopped it cold.
What more could you possibly want?