Her Redemption

DANIKA**

"Argh!"

Severe pain shot through my lungs as her feet crashed into my ribs, causing me to topple over, my hands clutching my abdomen where her kick had struck, trying to ease the intense pain coursing through me.

“What are you doing?” came the spiteful voice of Bianca, my elder sister, as she came at me once more, forcefully, not giving a fuck about her initial infliction on me. “Come at me, you sick, good-for-nothing weakling!"

I jerked back instinctively with a loud cry as I saw her feet, accompanied by her hand, barreling towards my face—MY FACE! She knew how much that unsettled me, having a scratch on my face. "Not my face, Bianca!" I managed to snag at her. She scoffed, seemingly unfazed.

I was weak—very weak at this point—and she knew it but didn't care, just to prove her prowess over me and gain my father's approval.

"I'm tired," I muttered, loud enough, hoping she heard me, still bent over nursing my aggrieved ribs. I stole a peek at her in case she decided to lurch at me in unawareness. Oh, she can very well do that.

Her chest was heaving in scorn as she gaped at me with nothing short of resentment in her similar blue eyes, which we had acquired from our mother.

She stumbled forward to me, a retort at the tip of her tongue for me. "Tired?" she began, maliciously. “How can you be tired over something that small?!" As she spoke, her fist balled. I staggered back away from her. "We are having a competition that I need to win, and you say that you are tired?" she huffed menacingly and whipped around to look at the man sitting at the far corner supervising us: my Dad. Right now, he had fury etched in his eyes as he observed me.

As usual, I knew what she wanted to do even before she opened her mouth to speak. "Dad," Bianca forged petulantly, "did you hear what she sa…"

She didn't have a chance to finish speaking before he quickly stood up and rushed toward us, crossing the space that separated us like the wind. Me specifically.

Oh no. It only meant one thing...

Smack!

The resounding echo of his coarse palm across my cheek resonated through the empty space of the training ground. I tumbled to the ground and quickly sat up steadily, knowing what followed if I remained on the ground. Tears were fast falling down my face.

He didn't give a shit about me and how I was feeling. His icy looks bore into me as he motioned to me. "Get back to position. Now!" he roared. "I don't care if you are tired or not, I won't have you disgrace this family any further,” he said, riding on, fury mixed with raw hatred oozing from every word he spat at me.

I was already feeling fragile, as if any attempt to resist would be like volunteering myself as a punching bag for my sister's training – something she'd eagerly embrace, anyway. I trembled from the many body aches I'd endured since this training began, along with the countless beatings I'd received from them.

The severe beating I received yesterday, left a large and unsightly scar on my back. Despite this, he showed no concern and instructed me to participate in today's training session for a seemingly pointless pack competition scheduled for tomorrow. He was well aware that my chances of even reaching the final position were close to nothing. I had consistently been the subject of ridicule in past competitions, and I anticipated that this time would be no different. I tried to get in a position of attack, balling my fist and willing up every strength remaining in me to at least escape this evening's torture from my father—even if I had to get it from my sister. Yet it was nothing compared to that of my Dad.

After stuttering on my feet and falling down numerous times, I realized I couldn't—no need to force it. I was shaking profusely and might pass out anytime soon. “Dad, I can—“

Just as the word 'can't' was about to leave my mouth, stifling air was knocked off my body, and I saw myself flying through the air at a Jackie Chan firefly speed. I tensed, closed my eyes, and prepared to crash against the hard granite ground, but fortunately, it seemed an angel took pity on me, and I felt myself being suspended in the air.

By something.

Magic!

Yeah, I know what you are thinking, and I wished the same too. I peeled my eyelids slightly open to take a peek, and to my greatest surprise, it was no magic but my Dad's hand holding unto my shredded dress collar, with his rimming red hate-shrouded eyes closely peering down into mine as his lips quirked to the side. “I won't say this again, start training at once!" he snarled and flung me off to the ground like some stinking garbage. I knew I stunk, but still, I didn't deserve that from anyone. Not to mention my own father.

I saw my sister's feet appear before me, and slowly I looked up at her with teary eyes, pleading for her to take pity on me and go easy this one time.

She snorted and bent to yank me ferociously. “Get the fuck up and fight me, weakling," she whisper-yelled, with enough venom in her voice.

I accepted my ugly fate this evening and braced myself for further assault from her. My head slumped in defeat. I should have known she wouldn't listen to me. What was I thinking?

The sound of her feet padding across the ground as she ran to me in attack, was the only cue I needed to get into position, to get another round of lethal beating from her in the name of training.

I know that by now, you must be wondering who I am and why I felt so weak and listless. Well, I've often wondered the same thing about my own clumsiness, but it all boils down to one simple reason... My name is Danika Michaels, a seventeen-year-old she-wolf, and a very powerful one for that matter. At this point, I know you would probably be more confused about how I could be powerful and had my ass whooped by my sister. Yes, this is my story.

I was close to turning eighteen, and at this moment, I couldn't be more excited about what lay ahead. Tomorrow was the day I had been eagerly waiting for ever since I discovered that I would finally get to meet my Wolf, find my mate, and, with any luck, he would accept me and rescue me from the constant pain and suffering I had endured from my family and fellow pack members since the day I was born. They had blamed me for my mother's death, and I yearned for a fresh start. A long time ago I had sought answers from my grandma, after wondering for so long why everyone hated me so much, why the very people who were supposed to care for me were the very ones tormenting me. In my pack, Diamond Dwellers pack, I was treated lower than an Omega, and most times, even the Omegas spit at me when I appeared in public.

My grandma had after so much pleading and prodding from me informed me how my mother, who was a very powerful warrior of our pack and a peace-loving woman, had breathed her last the very day I was born. She confided in me how much my Dad had loved and adored her, and how he had changed from the very day she died to become a direct opposite of who he used to be.

I had cried so hard and wished I had the power to bring back my Mom and instead be the one that had died that very day in her place. I didn't want this. It wasn't my fault that this happened and yet I have to suffer all the consequences. Grandma had consoled me and told me I had to endure all of his indifference until I found my mate and left. And to be frank with you, I have been having this gnawing feeling at the pit of my stomach that this very escape method was going to go awry for me. Unless my mate came from outside this pack, because technically, everyone in this pack despised me.

They said being powerful was supposed to be a blessing as you could be a resource to your pack, but mine was nothing short of a curse as it brought me nothing but grief, suffering, more agony, and hatred from my own kinsmen.

I swore from the day my grandma told me everything, that I was never going to use my power against anyone come what may. This was why most times even when my sister got on my last nerve, I would choose the diplomatic way and walk away, thereby making a fool of her.

I had gone through a lot in my life because of this very decision of mine. Firstly, everyone in my pack made a mockery of me and spit in my face, calling me very awful names that hurt really bad hearing them. Secondly, my Dad got easily provoked by everything I do, and brought out his anger at me at every slightest provocation, just to get back at me for supposedly killing his wife, who happens to be my mother.

Petty if you ask me.

Have I talked about my sister, hers was something else that I loathe talking about to anyone. I was all by myself in this cruel world. Every time, she brought her likewise ill-mannered friends home to taunt me and gang-beat me if I did anything that irked her.

Oftentimes, she would bring them over to litter all over the house and mess everywhere up knowing I was the one that was going to clean up her mess which I would never dare to hesitate to do if I still craved to have my bones holding me up. My Dad supported all of her stunts at me and encouraged every one of them.

However, that wasn't my problem at all. The worst thing she did to me was steal my powers. Now, every full moon, she with the support of my father, would tie me up at the back of the house in a sand dune that was directly facing the moon, and at exactly 12:00 midnight when the other pack members transformed and howled to the moon in the worship of our moon goddess, Atreides, she would perform some form of magic which I sense she got from a dark means and steal as much power as she wanted, leaving me drained and weak throughout the season.

I wouldn't have bothered —call me stupid —but I was furious because after stealing my powers, she would use them against me and even walk around the pack posing as powerful to the others. She would get their admiration and praise, while in return I got their scorn and hateful spite.

Back to the present.

I landed butt flat on the ground and squirmed as she came on top of me, with her fist balled to slam on my face. I closed my eyes and waited for it, gathering all my wits to withhold the scrunching bones somewhere in my face that I noticed she had suddenly decided to destroy today.

"Enough!" I heard my father's voice reverberate and opened my eyes to see my sister's aggrieved face muddle before she cursed at me and hefted off me, kicking me as the last mark.

"Danika, go and prepare dinner and make sure for your own good it is tasty," my Dad slurred and started walking away. He paused at the door and whipped around to glare at me. "Whatever you have to do, Danika, make sure that you develop magic to make it to the third position tomorrow or..." He huffed and stormed inside.

I let the tears flow in tides down my face because I knew what he meant by that. He didn't need to finish the statement for me to know what would happen. And as it stands I wasn't close to ready for the blasted competition.

“Somebody is going to be buried alive tomorrow," the evil bitch, Bianca, sang glamorously as she stood from the seat she had been resting on and started making her way inside. She stopped to give me a victorious smirk. “Hurry up with the dinner, I'm fucking hungry," she sneered the last part and vaulted in, ignoring my menacing glare at her, wordlessly.

I stood and started wobbling to the door, all my body aching badly. I wish they would postpone the competition at least for another two weeks, but I knew that was impossible since it was used to mark the full moon occasion that was coming in a few days.

As I unsteadily limped into the house, my heart thumped as I thought of what would be my fate tomorrow at the pack’s arena. Maybe I will have to try to use my power in order to bypass tomorrow's punishments that I will earn if I ever came last in the competition like the other ones.

The question was how could I use a power I had only heard of but never used before?

…

DANIKA**

"Danika!"

I shot up from the bed as I heard my name being shouted from downstairs.

Shit! How did I sleep in so long?

I jolted up from the bed, wincing at the pain that registered in the lower part of my body. How did I manage to not hear the alarm go off?

"Danika!" My father boomed again with more intensity than the first.

"I'm coming right down...Dad." I staggered almost to the floor as I forced on the shredded gown I had discarded last night, tamed my bouncing red hair; the only thing I was proud of in my body. It never waned, always looking bouncy despite not taking good care of it.

I ran my hand through my face and without bothering to check it out in the mirror, ran out of the room. I didn't need to look at the mirror to know I was looking like a mess which was why I didn't bother to look in the first place. The less I knew how I looked, the less I didn't feel irritated about my appearance.

I got down at the speed of light, running into the kitchen to see Dad pacing with his hands to his waist, and his face rumpled in fury.

"Where is breakfast?" he asked once his lethal eyes met mine.

"I..i..." I shifted on my feet, fumbling with my hands. "I will prepare it very fast, Dad, I...I—”

He advanced at me menacingly with me backing off. The beating of my heart against my ribs was the only sound audible to me. I couldn’t take any beating this morning before going for the competition. The little strength I had gathered from my little respite might dissolve, leaving me vanquished, even before the start of the games.

"Danika, give me one good reason why I should still acknowledge you as my child?" he asked in a cold voice, void of emotions.

My eyes teared up. I was quivering from his icy glare as he appraised me not-so-kindly. "I'm sorry Dad.'' I finally broke down, unable to bear it anymore. I couldn't believe he would actually think of saying that to me.

"You are useless in the pack, useless in using your powers, useless in everything, and now the only thing that you seem to hold together you can't do it well?" He surged further, pain at every word he said to me, cutting through my heart.

"I promise it won't happen again, Dad." I ran to the sink and started washing the dishes instantly.

"I give you just five minutes to prepare breakfast, Danika, or I swear to the goddess, you will get what you are looking for," he threatened behind me.

I was bouncing my head vigorously as he said that. "I will be right out, Dad," I assured him even though I was wondering how it would be possible to wash the dishes and prepare breakfast in five minutes.

Our attention was drawn to the door as a familiar dragging footsteps approached. Bianca soon emerged with her hair spiked out of her sleeping bonnet, and her eyes still foggy from just waking up.

Her eyes expanded as she took in the scene before her. "Breakfast is still not ready?"

My father made a noncommittal sound down his throat but didn't say anything as he walked out of the kitchen leaving the two of us to ourselves, which was a bad idea.

"Danika, did you wake up late?" She came further into the kitchen, going to the fridge to pick out a bottle of water which she gulped down. She wavered when she noticed I didn't reply, her face creasing. "You little twat!" she cussed. "Did you just ignore me?"

I continued washing the dishes, calculating the time. I knew this would happen after Dad left. She would try to rile me up so as to get me into trouble.

"Danika!" she screamed and vaulted forth in urgency, picking up a spatula with which she spanked my back, hitting me directly at the same spot I had the fresh wound from the day before yesterday. I shrieked from the spasm and wriggled about as raw pain seared through my body. Tears poured from my eyes down my face as I folded myself on the ground and cried out so hard and loud.

"What's going on here?" Dad soon materialized in the kitchen door, his eyes running from me to Bianca who wasn't one bit moved by what she did to me.

She shrugged and dropped the bottle of water on our kitchen's brown glossy counter and trudged carelessly out of the kitchen.

"Why are you squatting there doing nothing rather than making breakfast?" My Dad questioned with an arch of his brow. If he noticed me crying, he didn't give a fig about it. He knew she hurt me which was why he didn't say anything concerning it. If I had been the one who said something hurtful to her, he would likely have unleashed a barrage of kicks and slaps on me by now. "I wi...I will finish immediately." I rose from the ground, biting down my lip to hold back the distress as I went ahead to finish my task.

He scowled at me before storming out like an angry bull.

Breakfast was ready in no time, since I had settled for a simple cuisine of chicken waffles and pancakes. I served it at the diner and rushed back to get a gallon of milk and a jug of warm water in case Dad decided to take tea.

~~~~~~

After scrubbing and cleaning the house till it was sparkling as my father liked it, I finally made it to my room. But before that, I had suffered another round of bruises from Bianca to my eyes, leaving me with the bad feeling that today might not really work in my favor at the arena.

The house was empty by the time I finished preparing and made my way to the arena on an empty stomach. Yes, you heard right. It happened just as usual, Bianca emptied the pot, before I would make it down for breakfast.

Now, I'm going with my heart in my mouth, knowing unless a miracle happened today, there was no way I was going to be able to fight. First, I was very weak and feeling sick from all my bodily afflictions and secondly, I didn't train properly which was a direct result of the first, as well as my power draining defect, all thanks to Bianca. And to cap it all, I was going on an empty stomach, every energy sapped from me.

Good riddance to me.

"Just get ready to be punished this night," I told myself as fresh tears pooled in my eyes.

When I got to the arena, everywhere was already filled to the brim and buzzing with wolves howling everywhere. I wove through the crowd, with a few cussing at me for being late and others jeering at me callously. Someone even drew my hair, sending shots of pain tearing through my skull. Pain, a word that was synonymous with me by now.

After enduring that phase of the assault, I finally made it to the place where my age grades were still practicing for the competitions. I looked like an idiot in their midst. Look at them, well clad in their warrior's dresses, practicing tackling moves which were all alien to me.

I thought of running away and never coming back but that would be like adding insult to injury because I knew no one to go to. My grandma, the only person that loved me had already passed away. I shook the thought away and slowly walked into the center to stretch with the rest.

I suddenly heard some group of girls giggling and flickered my eyes in their direction. It was my sister's friends. The helladise like I called them, because they personified hell.

"Bianca, look at who we have here," the one called Audrey quipped loudly immediately getting the attention of everyone around. I looked down my feet and shifted about nervously, not sure I could bear their mockery or their cruelty.

"What form of foolery do you have in store for us today, weakling?" another girl asked and they all laughed.

"She is probably here to make us laugh, as usual, such a curse of a pup," Anastasia, one of our pack girls spurted, making me cringe.

"I will give a special treat to anyone that gets to beat her to pulp today at the arena." My eyes reluctantly met my sisters as she said that, and tears began gathering.

Someone else was about to say something but their attention was distracted from me with the emergence of Liam, our incoming Alpha. He stood at the entrance of the training ground, his eyes roaming around the place with a smug smile engraved on his dashingly handsome face.

"Liam!" my sister cried out and ran across the yard to toss her body at him. He caught her and wrapped his hand around her shamelessly as the other girls gushed and whispered amongst themselves how cute he was and how they would wish they would become his mate.

Liam just turned twenty and would be made the Alpha at the full moon coronation and initiation party that was coming up soon, and hopefully, he was likely to meet his mate on that day since he was yet to find her. In our pack, mates are found once a wolf turned eighteen and upwards. So once you turn eighteen and don't find your mate, it becomes a problem as was the case with Bianca, which was why she seemed desperate, maybe having hopes that Liam would make her his mate. I was disgusted with their behaviors but didn't judge them because maybe if I turned eighteen and don't find my mate, I might do worse just to get away from home and these hostile people.

The competition soon began in earnest, with Liam being the first to fight, since he was the soon-to-be Alpha, and it wasn't long, he subdued his opponent and the crowd broke in cheers; in adoration of his tactical moves on the battlefield. The second was Bianca fighting with her opponent who she didn't take long to suppress and even went ahead as the evil bitch that she is, to claw at her opponent’s face, leaving an ugly scar. Bloodhound.

It went in that order and I was later to find out that it was going in the order of the results that were compiled from our past competitions. In those competitions, Liam has always emerged as the winner, and Bianca, the second place, which I think is the reason why he liked her and both of them, very close friends even in school. Even now, I couldn't help but feel jealous as I saw how he was looking at her with adoration in his eyes as she jumped about showing off.

My heart was pounding as time drew near for me to be called up, as my turn was drawing closer. I was shaking in fear mostly as my Dad was the moderator of the event and at this point, was looking very excited as Bianca had made him proud. Goddess, how was I going to be the one to devastate his happiness? I closed my eyes and prayed to the moon goddess and even my Mom if she was out there, to have mercy on me if only for today; to remove this shame and ridicule from me.

"Danika Michaels and Bentley Jeremy!" my Dad yelled, and to my trepidation, the crowd broke into laughter. The little courage I had worked up was stomped out, leaving me walking shakily to the center of the arena, defeated even before the fight began.

When the bell went off and we commenced fighting, the first punch the girl threw me sent me flying straight to Dad's feet.

Blast me.

I frantically stumbled up, meeting his wrathful promising glare, before preparing myself for another launch from the feral beast, Bentley. She was one of the girls from school who won't stop jabbing at me all the time. This was the right opportunity to beat me shamelessly and maybe win that gift that was promised by Bianca. Tears stung the back of my eyes but I couldn't let them fall.

I was growing sicker and not able to stand properly as my feet wobbled, combined with my blurry vision. Wait, was I going to faint? To worsen it, she was running towards me, or was it my imagination running wide?

"Enough!" came the loud voice of Alpha Derrick, Liam's father.

That was the last statement I heard as the thought of what my Dad would do to me overwhelmed me, following the angry, disappointed hoot of the crowd, before white spots danced before my eyes, and my back hit the ground, darkness reining in.

.