Another Chance With My Broken And Rejected Mate

"Devil's spawn!" Winona's mother shrieked, her voice echoing with a grief that was as raw as it was profound. "You've taken my husband from me! Sent him back into the flames and now he's gone!"

The words pierced Winona like a barbed arrow, her mind reeling in disbelief. It couldn't be true, could it? She stared at her mother, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and terror.

"Dead?" she choked out.

The harsh words seemed to physically sting Winona, her heart constricting painfully in her chest as if her mother's hand was squeezing it mercilessly.

"He can't be gone! He promised me! He said he'd come back with Mr. Whale," she murmured to herself, desperately clinging to the hope that her father had merely gone back to retrieve her beloved toy.

But that was the only memory she had left of him.

"I'll end you! You'll pay for what you've done!" Her mother's threats grew louder, more vehement.

A soft whimpering sound and a tug on her mother's dress brought them both back to reality. Hayley, Winona's twin sister, was crying inconsolable, clutching at their mother's dress.

In an instant, Winona's mother seemed to forget all about her and her threats. She let go of Winona and rushed to comfort Hayley, her golden child. Winona watched as they sat on the grass, weeping in each other's arms, oblivious to her presence.

Suddenly, Winona found herself gasping for air. The air was thick with ash and smoke from their burning home. Pain radiated from every part of her body, from her head to her stomach where her mother had kicked her in a fit of rage.

She groaned, a part of her wanting to crawl back into the flames and call out for her father. If she screamed loud enough, surely he would hear her and come out.

"Daddy! Daddy!! Please, help me! It hurts so much! I can't bear it!"

She needed him. She couldn't be left alone with her mother. She might be her mother's child, but she was not her daughter. She needed her father. If he didn't come back, her mother would make her life unbearable.

So, she made a decision. If her father wouldn't come to her, she would go to him. Gathering all the strength she had left, she began to crawl towards the fire.

With each painful movement, she inched closer to the flames. Tears streamed down her face, scalding her cheeks. Or was it the fire? She didn't know, nor did she care. All she wanted was to see her father again. Her determination to reach him overpowered any sense of reason.

As Winona neared the fire, the heat was so intense that she was forced to pull back. She tried again, but the scorching flames repelled her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she berated herself for her cowardice. How could she retreat from the very fire her father had courageously entered?

She attempted again, but the heat was unbearable, searing her skin. Despite numerous attempts, she couldn't muster the courage to step into the flames. All she could do was cry, her tears soaking her already damp clothes. She didn't care. She just wanted her father back.

"Fire, give me back my daddy! You can have Mr. Whale, but please return my daddy to me!" she sobbed.

Her cries were so intense that her throat ached and it became difficult to breathe. She wept for her father, but her tears didn't bring him back. Still, she clung to a sliver of hope that he would return for her.

Looking around, she realized her mother and Hayley were nowhere to be seen. Fear gripped her heart at the thought that they might have left her too. She began to wail, but there was no one around to hear her.

She started walking towards the forest, hoping to find her mother and sister. She couldn't bear the thought of being left alone.

"Momma! Hayley!" she called out. "Please don't leave me alone! Daddy is gone! Please don't leave me alone! I promise to be good, mommy!"

Her cries echoed through the forest as she ventured deeper, unknowingly crossing the boundary of their Pack's territory.

Suddenly, a loud growl echoed behind her. A foul stench filled the air, and a wave of fear washed over her.

"Daddy! Save me!" she cried out as her eyes met the fiery gaze of a wolf.

At the tender age of seven, Winona knew little about rogues, but she was certain this wolf was not from their Pack. The wolf let out another bone-chilling growl, and she screamed in terror.

She spun around and ran as fast as her small legs could carry her. Exhaustion overtook her, and she fell onto the grassy ground with a thud. She saw the wolf lunging towards her.

She braced herself for the fatal snap of her neck, but it never came. Instead, she heard another growl, this one from a young boy. He was in his human form.

She watched in awe as the boy fought the wolf, and within minutes, he had snapped the wolf's head off. The boy approached her slowly, squatting down to look at her.

Not wanting to frighten her savior, she covered her face with her small hands.

"Little girl, why are you alone in this forest? Where are your parents?" he asked.

"My Papa was taken by the fire, and I can't find my momma and Hayley," she replied, her face still hidden.

"I'm sure your momma and Hayley are looking for you right now. Are you from this pack?"

"Yes. I lost my way. I don't know how to get back," she answered.

"Come, I'll take you to the palace. The alpha will find your momma and Hayley, okay?"

She nodded, but still refused to show him her face.

"Why are you hiding your face, little girl?"

"Because I'm a monster. A black-eyed curse. I don't want to bring you bad luck. You're my savior," she replied.

She heard him chuckle. He gently removed her hands from her face, but she kept her eyes tightly shut. She didn't want him to see her eyes.

"Open your eyes, or I'll get angry," he warned.

Not wanting to upset him, Winona slowly opened her eyes. She braced herself for his reaction, expecting him to either curse her or run away. Instead, she was met with a warm smile. He was incredibly handsome.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"My name is Winona, Winona McKellen," she replied.

"Listen to me, Winona. You're not a monster or a bearer of dark eyes. You're unique and beautiful in your own way," he reassured her. "Someday, your true beauty will be recognized by someone who truly deserves you, okay?"

She nodded. "What is your name, savior?"

"Just call me the Celestial Alpha," he said, grinning at her.

As he carried her back to the pack, Winona found herself wishing upon the Moon Goddess that she would be his mate. He truly seemed like he was from heaven.

Many years had elapsed since the fateful day that had seen the demise of Winona's father. It was a day steeped in sorrow, a day that had left an indelible mark on her young heart. Yet, paradoxically, it was also the day that had sown the seeds of hope within her. The words of her young savior, the Celestial Alpha, had taken root in her heart, nurturing a belief that she would someday find a mate who would cherish her and see the beauty that lay within her.

However, as Winona grew older, she was confronted with a bitter truth that was hard to swallow. Her mother, Divina, harbored no love for her. In fact, she was the object of her mother's disdain. Winona was the child Divina had never wanted.

"Bearer of the darkness curse!" Divina would often spit out, her words laced with contempt.

Divina's animosity towards Winona was never concealed. While Hayley, Winona's twin sister, was allowed to mingle and play with the other pups in the pack, Winona was often relegated to the confines of the basement.

"I don't want you spreading your curse to the other children," Divina would say, her voice cold and devoid of any maternal warmth.

Winona was acutely aware of her differences. She was unlike anyone else in the pack. It was as if the Moon Goddess herself had conspired against her existence, burdening her with all the adversities life had to offer.

Physically, Winona was smaller than Hayley and the other werewolves. Her hair was a deep, dark shade, unlike the others. While most children had eyes that mirrored the hues of the sea or the earth, and hair that ranged from blonde to dark blonde, Winona's eyes were a deep, dark abyss. It was a trait that was unheard of.

Hayley, on the other hand, was the darling of the pack. She was taller, with eyes as blue as the sky and hair that shone like spun gold. She was often referred to as the golden girl, her radiant beauty illuminating every room she entered. She was the moon, while Winona was the darkness that surrounded it.

Wherever Winona went, she was met with scorn and derision. At school and during pack gatherings, she was treated like an outcast. She was often alone, subjected to the relentless bullying of her peers who were bigger and fairer.

"Hayley, you're so beautiful! You look like a princess from a fairy tale."

"That's true. I wish I could have skin as radiant as yours! The goddess must have spent all her time creating you!"

"I can't believe you share the same blood as that cursed girl! She's so repulsive!"

Such harsh words were a bitter pill for Winona to swallow. She bore them in silence, never retaliating, never defending herself. Instead, she sought solace in the cherished memories of her father.

Her father had been the only beacon of acceptance in her life. He didn't just tolerate her differences, he celebrated them. He was a constant source of encouragement, always reminding her that her uniqueness was a blessing, not a curse.

"My beautiful Angel," he would affectionately call her.

Whenever Divina, her mother, would lock her up, denying her the basic necessity of food, her father was there to ensure she was fed. When Divina would vent her frustrations on Winona in his absence, he would console his little girl and admonish Divina.

Despite the relentless cycle of beatings, the barrage of harsh words, and the cruel starvation, Winona clung to the hope that her father would always be there to pick her up and dust off the dirt.

However, life took a turn for the worse after his death. She felt like a soldier on the battlefield, stripped of her armor and weapon, left defenseless against the harsh realities of life. She was bruised, battered, insulted, and trampled upon by everyone around her.

The curse that seemed to have been cast upon her soon spread beyond the confines of her household, permeating the entire pack. Everyone began to refer to her as the bearer of the darkness curse.

Every day, she was forced to tread a solitary path to school and back home because Divina refused to drop her off or pick her up, unlike with Hayley. She dared not risk walking with her peers, for they would spit at her and laugh.

Her school days were a living nightmare, and she had no one to turn to. She found herself yearning for the comforting presence of her father and the Celestial Alpha who had once saved her.

————

After a long and exhausting day, Winona's hands throbbed from the relentless work. As she struggled to finish the dishes, she heard Divina's icy voice echoing from the living room.

"Winona, have you washed those clothes I gave you?"

A wave of dread washed over her. She was only human, not a machine. How was she expected to juggle multiple tasks at once? But she dared not voice her thoughts.

Divina's animosity towards Winona didn't wane with time; instead, it seemed to intensify as the years passed. In the absence of her father, Winona had learned a harsh lesson - to accept her mother's cruelty as a part of her life.

One particular night remained etched in her memory. She was on her knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor - a routine task before retiring to bed. Divina approached her, pointing out a spot she claimed was still dirty. Winona didn't utter a word, knowing any response would only fuel her mother's ire. She crawled to the spot and began to scrub it, but Divina picked up a broom that lay nearby and struck her on the head.

Pain throbbed in her head, and her eyes welled up with tears. She had thought she would grow accustomed to the pain over time, but who could ever get used to being treated like a lowly servant by their own mother?

She didn't bother questioning Divina's actions. She knew her mother didn't need a reason to treat her harshly. She did it simply because she could, and because she wanted to. After enduring the verbal and physical abuse, Winona was instructed to finish her chores and sleep in the basement without dinner. A sharp pain pierced her heart, but she hid it behind a bitter smile.

The following morning, as she was preparing breakfast and washing dishes simultaneously, Divina approached her, her expression predatory.

"Why are those dirty clothes still there?" she growled.

It was barely seven in the morning. Winona had risen early to start her chores. It wasn't as if she hadn't done them the previous day, but this was her routine.

"Are you deaf? Didn't I just ask you a question?" Divina's voice snapped Winona out of her thoughts.

"Mother, once I finish making breakfast, I'll wash the clothes," Winona replied, lifting her head to meet her mother's gaze.

But all she received in return was a murderous glare. To Divina, she was nothing more than a repulsive piece of trash.

"Look at you! You're the spitting image of your father! Just like him, you've come into my life and ruined everything. I'm stuck in this godforsaken suburb because of your father!"

And so, the barrage of curses would commence, a relentless downpour of harsh words that Divina seemed to never tire of repeating. Winona often found herself wondering if her mother ever grew weary of uttering the same cruel words time and time again.

"I could have ascended to greatness, even become a Luna! But no, your father, a lowly Gamma, claimed to be my mate! As if being his mate wasn't degrading enough, he committed an even more abhorrent act!"

"He brought you into existence! I would have been consumed by shame if not for Hayley. At least I can find solace in her. She's beautiful and graceful, a mirror image of me, her mother. But you?..." Divina scoffed with palpable bitterness.

Winona closed her eyes tightly, steeling herself for the final onslaught of venomous words that were sure to escape her mother's lips. She fortified her heart, bracing herself for the inevitable.

"...you are nothing but a failure, a mirror image of him! A blight on my life... I wish you had never been born!"

With those words, Divina kicked Winona to the ground, drenching her with a bowl of soapy water. Having vented her fury, she spat at Winona and stormed off. Winona curled up on the wet, soapy floor, her cries echoing through the desolate room.

She was only fifteen at the time, but she clung to a sliver of hope. She held onto the belief that once she turned sixteen and underwent her shift, she would have her wolf as a companion. Her wolf would share in her pain, and she wouldn't have to face her trials alone.

That's what wolves were meant to be, right? Her wolf would stand by her side, and she wouldn't feel so isolated anymore.