Death

Ruby O'Malley POV

"Hey, mouse! Hurry up and get me some chocolate jam!"

"I'm on my way!"

My quick steps echoed down the hallway. My fingers were busy putting an apron on my body. The few servants I passed stopped their steps for a moment to bow in respect.

It's me, the eldest daughter of the Alpha Wildfire pack who has no wolves. Alpha is indeed my father, but I'm awkward to call him father. He and I only see each other once a year, and even then it's a silent dinner.

The servants here did respect me because they were paid to serve, but not my family and pack members. They didn't like me because I was weak and didn't have a wolf, even though I was Alpha's eldest daughter.

"Hurry up! Are your feet snail feet?"

I rolled my eyeballs. Hey, snails don't have feet! I felt like yelling that at her. But what could I do? My mother didn't like me being weak, my sister who liked to play tricks on me and incite the pack members to hate me, and Alpha who never showed any concern for me. I don't have anyone I can rely on here.

I stopped with my head down. Pain shot through my heart. My body didn't want to move and my hands felt stiff. My eyes stared down blankly, neither blinking nor shedding tears.

Right, what purpose was I born for? It's not my will if I don't have a wolf after all. That's beyond my ability!

Two stiff objects crashed into my head, bounced off, and fell at my feet. I straightened my gaze, finding my sister, Arora O'Malley, looking at me with a hostile glare. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she was angry with me now.

My hand reached out to pick up the two pieces of bread that were on my feet and threw them in the trash. I moved, but my mind was still at a standstill.

That's right. Arora always hated me and was angry at everything I did. I don't know why, but I feel like I've done nothing wrong.

She has everything. Arora had a strong wolf, a mother who doted on her, and recognition from the pack members, in stark contrast to me. There shouldn't be anything that could make her hate me.

I let out a long breath. I turned my head to look back at Arora. There was no time for me to lament my fate. I should already be grateful that they only take me as a slave when they want to, even when there are many servants here. It's fine, at least I wasn't kicked out and became a rogue.

"Quickly prepare my bread again! I want chocolate jam. I'm going to school soon, I don't want to be late." Arora folded her arms in front of her chest. The expression on her face was still the same. And as usual, my mother, Luna Wildfire pack, Marlowe O'Malley, was stroking Arora's hair with affectionate movements. She was calming Arora down.

I turned back to the machine in front of me. I put two buns in there and when the 'click!' sound came, I quickly picked up the two browned buns. With a graceful motion, I smeared chocolate jam on them.

I turned around. Stepping carefully towards the dining table. I was so focused on the plate in my hand, that I didn't notice my footsteps. I tripped over my own feet. My eyes widened at how hard the floor was that I was about to slap with my body.

"Aaa! What is this?!" Arora's scream pierced my ears.

I straightened my gaze. I was lying face down with my right hand stretched out in front of me. I winced softly as the servants walked up to Arora and accidentally stepped on my hand. My palm which had been decorated with blood was now bathed in blood from the broken plate.

I pulled my throbbing body to sit up. My gaze was fixed on my palm. Every time a small breeze hit it, an electric shock seemed to come through my skin.

Before I could see the situation of the frenzied mob before me, a palm flew up and slid quickly against my cheek. I was made to turn my head to the side. My cheek throbbed, but my distant heart ached.

No, I'm used to it. I was fine.

"What did you do to my daughter, Ruby O'Malley?!" Mom shouted with me still staring off to the side.

Aren't I your daughter too, Mom? Why are you only worried about her?

"You've soiled her school uniform! She'll be late and get a bad score because of it. You've messed up her life! She has to be perfect without any ugliness, you should understand that!" Her shout was thunderous. It was so loud that it could break my heart with just the slightest touch.

My life has been ruined. Do you not care about that? Ah, no. You just don't want to see and realize it. I'm just a disgrace in the perfect Alpha Wildfire pack family.

My mother was about to open her mouth again to scold me, but her flame-red lips were clamped shut again by the arrival of Beta. The man with square glasses and blond hair lowered his head. Although I could only see a little, I could catch the sadness in his eyes.

Where did the man who was so confident in all his accomplishments go? Where did the intimidating gaze that seemed to suggest I was at the bottom go?

"Luna, Alpha is dead."

My eyes widened. A strange rush ran through my chest. I suddenly forgot how to take a breath. My hands clutched my chest as I felt claustrophobic. I bit my lower lip as my thoughts got out of control. Sadness and loss, I feel those feelings right now.

Do I feel sad for that guy? For Alpha Wildfire who bears the status of my father yet never cares about me?

I turned my head. Staring at the reactions of my mother and sister. A second later my body stiffened. A faint smile appeared on my mother's lips. I was sure I saw it. My eyes weren't lying.

***

One week had passed since Alpha's funeral. I didn't know what to express when I escorted him to his final resting place. I couldn't shed any tears at that time, but when I got to my room and I was alone, my tears broke out. I roared out with a sobbing cry that hurt so much.

I didn't understand what love was. But he, Alpha Wildfire pack, once poured water for me because I was choking while eating. He also once placed the side dish I wanted right in front of me so I could reach it easily. At least he had sprinkled flowers in my heart when he did those two things.

So, I couldn't expect that there would be any other flowers sprinkled with dronedarone during dinners.

That one question kept swirling in my head for a week. But today was an exception. As all those condescending gazes seemed to pierce my body, I broke out in a cold sweat and kept muttering two sentences in my heart.

Don't pay attention to me! Treat me like I don't exist!

Currently, at a very long table, sat the important people in the Wildfire pack. It consisted of Luna, the two daughters of Wildfire pack's Alpha, Beta, the leader of the warrior pack, and the elders. Their gazes were all fixed on me and Arora.

I understand they don't like me, so why don't they just stare at Arora? Why do I have to be here just to get that look from all of them? I'd rather help in the kitchen to cut the ingredients!

"Should we change the decision made by Alpha earlier?"

"Of course. The strongest one will be our Alpha. There's no way a werewolf who doesn't have a wolf will be our Alpha."

"So, will Princess Arora be the next Alpha of the Wildfire pack?" The question in a tone like a statement from one of Luna's family elders invited all eyes to stare at his grinning figure.