Chapter 0002

BRUNA’S POV

After forcibly taking my consent to return to the pack house, Patrick put me inside the car, and off we went to the place I once thought I would never see after I ran away—the Blue Moon Pack’s pack house.

Seated beside me in the backseat, Patrick gruffly said to the driver, “Drive as fast as possible! Alpha Kenneth is furious!”

The driver nodded and rashly drove the car on the road that took us far away from the forest and toward the pack house. I tightly gripped the armrest to prevent myself from falling as the driver went recklessly.

We arrived at the pack house in no time, and as the car pulled up at the entrance, a chill ran down my spine. Dad was up in his arms, and I was scared of what would be done to me next! I am sure it would be worse than the punishments I had ever faced.

I sat still in the car as I couldn’t muster the courage to step out. Sensing my hesitation, Patrick swiftly disembarked and, in a single sweeping motion, approached the side of the car where I was seated. He deftly opened the door and held it for me. Despite my initial reluctance, I remembered that my grandmother’s life was at stake and knew I had to follow their instructions.

Patrick grew increasingly frustrated by my slow pace as we walked inside the pack house. In response, he forcefully seized my arm and began to pull me along. The sudden movement caused me to wince in pain as I struggled to break free from his grip.

“It’s hurting me! Please!” I whimpered, but he paid me no mind and kept dragging me.

The doors of the council room were wide open. Patrick took me inside, made me stand before my dad’s throne, and said gently, “Here’s Miss Bruna, my Alpha!”

Witnessing the intense fury etched across my father’s face sent chills down my spine. With a swift hand gesture, my dad motioned for Patrick to depart.

I could see my dad before me, and from the corner of my eye, I could catch Regina and Linda standing to my left side. Like Dad, they were disgusted by my move, and their faces threatened me as though they would eat me alive.

I was breaking out in cold sweat as a few seconds of silence emerged until a resounding slap landed on my cheek, and I was almost going to knock down on the floor.

“Aah!!” I cried as I pulled my face. My cheek reddened as my dad’s tight slap vibrated over my face.

“How could you do this, huh?” Dad snarled at me.

I trembled as he grabbed my face and made me face him.

He continued with his same sharp tongue, “How dare you run away?”

His thumb and his index finger mercilessly grabbed my cheeks as he said gruffly, “It’s your honor to marry Alpha Silas, the Great! How dare you run away one night before your wedding ceremony?”

What?! Is it my honor to be married to a disabled, ugly Alpha? I might consider it for a chance, but how the heck was it an honor to marry your step-sister’s fiance?

He harshly released my face, averting his hand from me as if I were trash. Despite the overwhelming urge to cry, I fought to regain my composure. This was not the moment to succumb to weakness.

I retorted, “Alpha Silas asked for Regina’s hand! Why are you asking me to marry him when he should be marrying Regina?

My question boiled my dad’s face further, and he scowled, “Regina is my dearest daughter. How can I let her marry that ugly bastard?! You also have the alpha blood, so they will not find out! To top it all, they agreed to offer us a million dollars!”

My heart broke into pieces when I heard my dad’s harsh words. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore, and they rolled down my cheeks. I didn’t hold any value in his eyes?!! I was fully aware of my dad’s deep hatred towards me, but I never expected him to sell me off to a ruthless Alpha as a replacement for Regina in exchange for money.

This was heartbreaking and unnerving, and I shrieked, “Dad, so all you care for is money? Don’t you care about how your daughter will be able to lead her life with that cruel Alpha?”

I halted briefly to swallow the bile that had surged up my throat and then proceeded to deliver my verdict. With unwavering determination in my tone, I announced, “No! I am not marrying him!”

Nevertheless, my step-sister, Regina, tackled my decision with another slap.

I hissed in pain, “Ouch!”

I gently stroked my cheek to alleviate the stinging sensation caused by the burning feeling.

Raising my gaze, I saw her shooting daggers through her black-beaded eyes. Her blonde hair was tied in a high bun, and she was dressed in an expensive night suit in contrast to my flimsy, worn-out nightwear that offered little protection against the harsh cold.

Through her wide eyes, Regina tried to scare me. She blasted out at me in her scratchy, high-pitched voice, “How dare you deny our order?”

Her eyes narrowed as she sneered at me, “Did you forget that you are a f*cking ILLEGITIMATE child? An illegitimate, wolfless child doesn’t deserve high treatment! Instead, you should be treated like a thing, and that’s exactly how we treat you!” Do you think you are as precious as me?”

Folding her arms against her chest, Regina said, “Initially, I was open to the idea of marrying the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, but considering his current disability resulting from an unexpected injury, I have decided against marrying a man in such a condition. Fortunately, I have not met him, and he certainly will not discover you are not me.”

No! I can’t let them rule over me. They can’t marry me to anyone for money! I am a she-wolf and not a thing, for Goddess’ sake!

I tried to stand my ground, and with tears streaming down from my eyes, I sobbed, “Dad, Alpha Silas has asked for Regina and not me, so you shouldn’t be marrying me to him! That’s wrong!”

I tried to walk up to my dad, but Regina grabbed my hair from behind, and I screeched in pain. Grabbing a fistful of my hair, she pulled me behind and said through her gritted teeth, “We were wrong all this while to raise you for free, but no more! We have raised you for a year, and finally, we can get something in return!”

“Aahh! Regina, leave me! Leave me!” I groaned in pain.

Regina mocked, saying, “Does it hurt, sis? Or do you think it will hurt more when you witness Dad killing your grandma?”

My eyes widened, and I shook my head, “Please, please don’t do anything to my grandma!” I begged her profusely.

Seeing me in pain and helpless brought a wicked smile to her face, and she let go of me. She poked my left cheek, wincing in pain from the two harsh slaps, and said, “Don’t forget your grandmother’s life is in our hands. So, you have no option but to marry Alpha Silas tomorrow!”

I squeezed my eyes shut in pain. What was my fate doing to me and my grandma? I would do anything and everything for her.

Regina turned to my stepmother, Linda, and said in a high-pitched voice, “Mom, looks like this b*tch doesn’t adore her grandma! Why don’t you order the maid to poison her?”

What? How could she be so heartless? My eyes immediately went open, and I instantly begged, “Please, don’t!” With my palms outstretched, I continued, “Okay, I… I agree to marry Alpha Silas!”

I folded my hands and begged, “But please continue to provide good treatment to my grandma!”

I could see Regina and Linda’s faces plastered with wickedness and viciousness! Regina rolled her eyes at me and said recklessly, “Fine! That will be done!”

Our attention returned to my dad, who had just called for a maid. One of the she-wolf maids rushed inside the council room and bowed at my dad, Regina, and Linda.

My dad rose from his throne and ordered, “The wedding ceremony will be held tomorrow. Take the lady to get some rest!”

As my dad uttered those words, he strolled past me. At the same time, Regina purposefully bumped into me forcefully and grinned wickedly, saying, “Bruna, consider yourself fortunate that you have a wedding ceremony tomorrow, so I’ll cut you some slack.” You know what I would have done for you, right?”

She whispered in my ear, “I know you caught a cold, and I had prepared an ice bucket shower for tonight’s punishment, but you are lucky not to face it!”

After passing an evil smirk, the mother-daughter duo walked off from the council room, leaving just the maid and me behind.

Grabbing my arm, the maid said politely, “Miss, let’s go!” With that, she walked me to my room.

The thought of tomorrow’s wedding was scaring me out already. I have never felt so powerless before in my life! Like any other female wolf, I had imagined fairy tales about my wedding ceremony with my mate! But all that would end tomorrow when I become Alpha Silas’ Substitute Bride.