The Abused Hybrid She-Wolf

Alana.

“Hey monster! Catch!”

I opened my hand in an instinct to try to catch the mongrels and scraps of food thrown by Sophia from the hole in my prison in the basement.

It was a half-bitten stale bread with molds all over it but instead of throwing it away, my mouth began watering and I devoured the bread like a hungry beast that I am. It's my first meal for the week. They only gave me half a glass of water for the whole day and that was only yesterday. Now, I have nothing but a growling stomach and since this morning, I've been throwing up acid because I haven't eaten for days.

“Yuck! She really ate it!” Sophia laughed loud and invited her friends to take a peek at my sorry state below.

Sophia is my step-sister, a daughter from the marriage my father had with a young single mother when my mother died after giving birth to me.

“Didn't she know it was my dog food? Hey Alana monster! You are just like a mutt! A mutt!”

All of them laughed in chorus but I was too hungry to mind it. I need to eat because I am famished. I need to survive no matter what, even though I don't know what purpose I have to keep on living.

Everybody in the pack resents me. Nobody even wants to look at me every time I am paraded in the streets like a criminal to mark my mother's death anniversary.

“Hey Alana, did you know that the alpha prince is coming to the mansion for dinner? He will be attending the ceremony. All of the girls are invited so he could pick a future wife from all of us,” Justine, one of Sophia's friends and the daughter of our pack's beta, said. “And you're the only one who can't go there.”

I didn't reply and just continued munching with my food.

I already heard it yesterday when Minerva, my stepmom, boasted to me that the son of the alpha king is coming to ask Sophia's hand for marriage and that my father prepared a sumptuous festive dinner for them.

“I… It's okay,” I said, trembling in hunger when the scraps barely fill my stomach.

I don't want to see whoever that is. I just want to eat real food. It's been a year since I tasted meat and vegetables. And it came from a guest who took pity on me.

“Of course you cannot be there! I'm sure the alpha prince won't look at you twice. You are the most horrendous-looking person in the entire world!”

“I know,” I said while getting back into my curled position on the dirty floor. I'm sure he won't even want to look at me.

I don't know what bath is and I haven't changed my clothes since last month. I stink in contrast with the alpha prince whom I imagined to be a handsome, strong alpha.

All I know is that I have to endure more of this just so my father would accept me. He said he will accept me back as his daughter if I behave well according to his standards.

One of Sophia's friends regurgitated food out of her mouth and threw it at me while the other one was recording the scenes on her phone.

“Here you go mutt! Eat this too!”

The squad laughed again when I took out the wet undigested bread that's stuck in my hair and smelled it and set it aside. No, I can't eat it.

“Eat it! Eat it!” they chanted.

“Damn you!” Sophia shouted from above when she saw that I did not obey her friend. “Why did you throw it away! Didn't you hear what she said? She said you should eat it! So take that again and eat it!”

But I did not move and just stared up at them. Why are they outside while I am rotting here alone? Does it mean their parents do not love them?

“Sophia, I thought she's not a picky eater. Why won't she eat my vomit?”

“Wait, I'll come down and I'll show her what will happen if she won't obey me. Give me the key!”

The guard opened the door of my cage and Sophia, with her dainty and beautifully-made fingernails, dug into my hair as she pushed me into the ground where the vomit was.

“I said eat it!” she screamed while laughing as she held me down towards the ground,d forcing me to eat the vomit on the dirt. “Don't embarrass me in front of my friends!”

She kicked my butt and I lost my balance as I fell directly into the vomit crying helplessly and silently.

“You will obey everything I will say you to do because I am the princess of this pack and I am the favorite of my daddy, you understand me?” she asked in a laughing tone clearly enjoying my suffering.

“N-No,” I said, trying to keep my head from not touching the ground anymore.

I moved my head to free my hair from her gripping tight hold causing some of the food bits to fly into her skin which enraged her.

“Ew! What did you do?! Dad! Dad! Help me! Alana hurt me!”

I looked up, shaking all over when she called for dad. No! He will beat me again!

“What happened?!” My stepmom came in the door.

“She spit on me!” Sophia showed her mom the food on her skin.

I shook my head fervently when she looked at me angrily. No, that's not true, I wanted to say but couldn't out of fear.

She hitched my arm and slapped me on the face. “You fucking monster! Why did you do that?!”

“What is happening here?” the authoritative powerful voice of a man came in.

“Dad, dad!” Sophia ran into his arms sobbing and pointed at me. “Alana here just spat on me for no other reason. I tried giving her food but she did this to me instead.”

“N-No… dad nooo.” I found my voice despite trembling.

I didn't do that, I wanted to say but I know he still won't believe me. He just won't. He always refused to believe his own daughter.

“Hon, your daughter is such a brat. How could she do this to Sophia? Our daughter will face the alpha prince later!” My stepmom walked up to him, caressing his arm.

My father's face is grim and I know where this is going.

“Don't worry. I'll teach her a lesson. Bring me my whip.”

I swallowed the fear in my throat and began shaking more profusely. My feet went cold as sweat trickled out of my body.

I hated being beaten that way. I hated having so many wounds and bruises after. It hurts. It's so painful.

“N-No… dad… no…” I ran to the wall as if it could save me but the first lash came into my back.

I grunted in pain and fell into the ground.

He beats me like I'm an animal. He's whipping me like he is not my father and I am not her daughter.

With every lash I received, his words ringing in my head like it's the gospel truth.

“Do you know why no one loves you? Because you are a disgusting piece of shit that should not have been born in the first place!”

I fell to the floor writhing in pain and crying. Please stop! Make it stop, please!

“Did you know what you did to your sister?! Tell me, you monster!” he released another series of lashes again, not even caring if my eyes are already bleeding.

“I-I'm sorry…”

“Don't tell it to me. Tell it to your sister!”

“I'm sorry Sophia,” I said in a whisper as I coughed out blood crawling towards Sophia's feet to kiss them just as what my father taught me.

Sophia got down and smiled at me innocently, hiding her cruelty behind her smile. “It's okay, Alana. I forgive you.”

“Be thankful my daughter is so kind, Sophia,” my stepmom said, brushing off the hair of her daughter lovingly who was giggling back at her. The act made me wonder how it feels for someone to do that for me.

Will they touch my hair gently too? Lovingly?

“You can go. I still have to discipline her because it seems like she has forgotten who she is in this family,” dad said and picked up his whip on the floor that was drenched with my blood.

And with every moan of pain I let out and his joyful sound he made every time he struck me, I wanted to ask him if he had forgotten about it. Has he forgotten that this is the day that his beloved wife died?

“D-Dad, today is my birthday. Can you please not beat me more today?” I asked barely a whisper when he stopped for a while.

Dad, can't you love me just for today because it's my birthday? It's my 18th birthday today. I should be in the ceremony today receiving recognition for reaching this age.

“Are you proud of the day that you killed your own mother?! Do you want me to celebrate it with you?! Huh!”

He raised his hand again and beat me like he always did while I was silently crying, hoping for this to end.

I did not say anything more and just covered my mouth to not let a suffering growl. My father hates it that much because, according to him, it only means that I am not wholeheartedly accepting his way of handling and disciplining me.

The beating stopped after my whole body was bleeding all over and I could not stand anymore.

“I hope you learned your valuable lesson, Alana,” he said before leaving me in the same room that had been my cage for my whole life.

That night, while curled up on my side in the corner of my dark cell, I hugged myself and wished that someone would save me from my misery.

“Anyone, please. Just take me away from here.”

William.

“Alpha Prince, your presence is highly requested in the hall of banquet. The food is ready and so are the girls, they lined up for you to see tonight.”

Lucas, my personal guard and the son of our pack's omega, said after knocking on the door of the lavish room the alpha of the small pack of the BrookeFields pack provided me. This pack is under my father and the alpha king's domain that I need to visit as he instructs me to. It's part of the training, he told me but I know the real reason deep down.

I did not respond and just puffed out the smoke of my cigar while looking out at the view from my window. I don't know but I felt queasy in my stomach the moment I stepped onto the land of this pack.

“I told you I do not want any of this shit, Lucas! I can find my own mate! No need for these alphas and betas to offer me their wives and daughters.”

This is the real reason my father wants me to visit as many places as possible because he wants me to settle down as early as now.

“But our prince, this is a direct order from your alpha king father.” My best friend walked to my side, worried in his face. I know my father told him to convince me to marry already even though I haven't even met my mate. “They are just obligated to do what the alpha king wishes.”

“I know better than to fall for that trick.” I stood up and brushed a hand over my long hair and went into the table to get myself a bottle of wine. I vow never to cut my hair until I find my one mate. “They are not helping me find my mate, they are taking advantage of the selection for their own gain.”

“But alpha prince, you still have to see the girls so we could have something to report to the alpha king,” he kept on convincing me. “This is a crucial part of the trip, William.”

I sighed and put the bottle back on the stacks of delicacies. “Fine. Show them to me but I know I will not be able to find my only mate among these thorns.”

I know because I should have sensed her immediately.

“Okay, come on.”

The banquet is being held on the huge lawn of the mansion, where I am welcomed with music and ladies who seemed to be worshiping me.

“Alpha prince, please accept this welcoming gift I got for you. It's a perfume I made with my own hands.”

“Alpha prince, this is the finest ring my jeweler father made specifically for you. There is no one in this world who has this but you.”

I ignored them and sat on the furthest chair and took a sip from my glass. Even now, I can feel the boredom already. I don't want to talk to these women who practically sell themselves to me and to my power as the alpha prince.

“Alpha Prince William, I did not bring any gift because I am here to offer myself to you.” An overconfident woman in her provocative red dress approached me. “Sophia Egret is the name, the only daughter of Alpha Killian of Brookefields pack.”

My brows moved. Only daughter? I know Killian has two daughters but the other one died. Is this the one who survived? They should have disciplined her properly at least.

“Only daughter?” I did not look at her anymore. I am more curious about the liquor on the table. “I know he has two.”

Sophia made a forced gentle laugh.

“The other one died, alpha prince so she is irrelevant in this conversation.”

“I am the only one who can tell if it's irrelevant or not.” I stood up feeling annoyed at these fake gestures. I know what they really want and that is to be married to me when I don't want any of them. “Enough of these gifts. I would tour the whole mansion. I would conduct a surprise inspection.”

“Surprise inspection?” the beta of the pack, Simon asked in surprise. I wondered what was wrong with what I said. They will not react this way if they are not hiding anything from me. “But alpha prince, you did not come here to do that. You came to this banquet to pick your wife.”

I put the glass down on the table in a harsh manner and looked at the older man coldly. “Only I know what my real responsibility is, Simon. I don't have to pick my wife because I will find my mate on my own. Now if I want to inspect the place, I will inspect it.”

He put his gaze down, trembling in fear. “As you wish, alpha prince.”

Everyone in my father's domain knows how cruel I can be with people who don't obey my orders.

“But alpha prince, you cannot just leave the banquet,” Sophia blocked my way as if she could do something against what I wanted. “You haven't touched any food or drink. Please, eat with me first and I could accompany you myself around our mansion.”

Annoyed, I glared at her.

“For an ordinary subject, you sure have a disillusioned mind. Stop thinking the world revolves around you. I can tell just by looking at you now that you have nothing to offer but your body. You have no substance,” I insulted her.

Her mouth opened to say something but she was only reduced in her own red face and unshed tears. I turned my back no longer interested in what she's going to tell next.

“Alpha prince, Alpha Killian will not be with us for a while so Omega Hephaestus will accompany us,” Lucas introduced me to a fair young man that I reckoned to be too young to hold such a position.

“Alpha prince, at your service.” He bowed his head at me.

“Come on.”

We began touring the third floor down into the first floor where I saw the history of their pack imprinted into the walls.

“Alpha prince, this mansion was built a century ago during the war. The layout of the place has not been changed since,” Hephaestus explained and opened the door towards the yard to show me the garden.

A mansion built a century ago. Hmm… and yet he hasn't shown the part where I am always excited to see every time I inspect a house.

“Why are we going there when I haven't seen the basement?” I asked and stayed firmly on my feet in front of the opened door.

I saw the hesitation in his eyes as he gulped his saliva and forced a smile on his face.

“Our basement in the mansion is filled with garbage alpha princes that a man born out of nobility and royal blood should not see.”

His aversion about me going to the basement only fueled me more to see it with my own two eyes.

“It's my prerogative to decide what I should see or not. Show me the basement.”

A force is pulling me into a certain place deep beyond the walls that I need to see no matter what.

Hephaestus saw that he couldn't change my mind so he reluctantly nodded.

“Sure, our majesty. This way please, alpha prince.”

As we walked down the stairs into the dark alley where only a stalk of light is guiding the way, I heard someone singing in a tune that I remembered when I was young.

When we reached the basement, the nagging feeling inside me intensified, reminiscent of the times when I was young and waiting for the presents from my beloved mother.

“Alpha prince, this is the basement you wanted to see,” Hephaestus said and opened the door.

The stench of the garbage immediately assaulted our nostrils. He is telling the truth. It's nothing but a garbage disposal site.

I sighed. The unexplainable feeling I felt also disappeared.

Surrendering, I turned my back to go back to the banquet. I was kind of disappointed that my gut feeling is just it, just an empty gut feeling.

I was about to go back when my right eye caught something.

“No, wait. What is inside that room?” I asked, pointing to the door on the floor just hidden by a pile of huge trash.

I am sure it's a door because there is a knob and I can see that it has been opened a few hours ago.

Hephaestus quickly came in front of me to block the door.

“Alpha Prince, that is just another room where the infectious garbage is kept until the day of disposal. Nothing really worthwhile to see.”

I stared right into his eyes gauging the truth. The second he blinked, I knew that he was hiding something.

“Really? Then I have to see it. Open the door.”

“Uhm alpha prince, I do not have the key in this door as it was used to keep the trash and garbage. There is really nothing important to see inside the room, our majesty.”

I clenched my jaws. Fine. There is no key to open it so I'll make my way inside.

“Then say no more.”

I kicked the door open.

“Alpha prince!” Lucas shouted.

The room was empty but on the far end was another door waiting for me to explore.

I glared at Hephaestus, cold rage pulsating through my veins. “Open it. I want to see what's inside.”

“But alpha prince…”

I did not hold back myself and hitched his neck in annoyance. “Do it if you don't want me to cut off your head.”

“Alpha Prince…” he said, struggling under my gaze.

“Do what I said and you will be compensated. Have the courage to disobey me again and you'll see your head rolling on the floor.”

“I'm sorry, alpha prince. I am going to open the door now as you wish.”

I let him go and put my hands back into my pockets. I cannot wait to see what's inside or who is inside.

And when the door of the small dark room was opened, I was greeted by the most fragrant scent that I have ever smelled in my entire life.

“No way…” I whispered growling under my breath. “There is no way…”