CHAPTER ONE

Raven’s pov

As I lay in bed, my eyes fluttered closed, but my mind refused to rest. The darkness was suffocating me as it mostly does at this time of the year, the deafening silence eating into my soul. Suddenly, I was transported back to that fateful night, the night that changed my life forever. From being a sweet loved girl to being a sadistic loner.  

I could see my mother's smiling face, but it was distorted in agony as she lay on the ground, surrounded by flowers which was mostly used as a hideous hideout for games. The flowers no longer look bright as they deemed along as her life was slipping away. My brother, Karl, was by her side, his eyes filled with tears as he held our mother's hand. This moment made me feel the same helplessness I had felt that night, the same powerlessness to save them.

But as the scene unfolded, it twisted and contorted, almost like a reflection in a broken mirror. My mother's face began to fade, replaced by an empty void while Karl’s eyes turned cold and dark, as he whispered darkly, "You should have saved us, Raven."

My heart raced as I tried to run towards them, but my legs were heavy, unresponsive. The garden floor dissolved as I found myself in a much younger state, running about while being chased by my brother as I had taken a piece of his sweet after eating all the candies. My eyes widened in horror as a rogue jumped in front of me but was immediately yanked aside as my brother stood in front of me protectively, assuming a fighting stance. 

I flustered my eyes open as I felt my skin wet, I looked up to meet my stepmother gaze as she smirked down at me.

As soon as our gaze met, my head felt hot as she yanked my hair harshly, pulling me up with it. 

I had expected it but it still hurts as bad as usual. Well, sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Raven, I lost my mother and brother when I was much younger and had to live with my father who is a beta and his newly married wife. The irony was that she promised to take good care of me like I am her child. Seems my angel could not help it and had placed a curse on her as she had never taken in for once which made her hate my whole existence more than ever.

“The time is half past five and you are still asleep, dreaming about your wretched mother as usual hmm?” She smirked 

“I’m sorry ma’am” I stood up, mentally rolling my eyes at her words as I bowed. I am aware of this technique of hers, she would make me angry and exchange words with her before pulling the table around and make my father punish me. She’s just trying to get me into trouble as she knows how tensed that statement always makes me.

Pulling my wet clothes away from my body, I scowled inwardly as I felt her gaze on me. She always does this since she knows it makes me uncomfortable. I can bet getting me angry and uncomfortable are her favorite hobbies. 

“Hey”

I looked up back at her, making sure to avoid staring at her straight up 

“I am going back to bed, make sure to do the things you are meant to do. You know the rules and consequences of not obeying me” she spat smiling devilishly. By the moon goddess, she looks like a slug, probably more worst than a frog that I often wonder what my dad saw in her before marrying her.

…

My skin burned harshly against the sun as I held a huge stone above my head while kneeling down on a ground filled with thorns. I have been in this position for the last three hours. I had washed the clothes I was meant to wash and other necessary things. I had then gone to my little office which was given to me solely on rewriting important scrolls and other things in the pack making me know a lot about packs. 

Before going to bed last night, my father who is the beta of our pack had given me a large quantity of scrolls and asked me to rewrite them into more but unfortunately, I had dozed off while writing and only woke up with my ear burning hotly as my dad pulled on it harshly. 

“Get here!” I quickly stood up, my legs shaking a bit at the relief before rushing to meet him.

“I’m here sir” I bowed

“You need to go over to Sofia, she has a package for Bella. Anyway, she also wants to see you happy birthday in advance, might be too occupied to remember tomorrow.”

My eyes widened at his words. Does he remember my birthday? Like he really does! Oh my goodness, I could not help but laugh at my situation. If he remembers my birthday then he should remember my mother’s death date. 

“Father, do you remember mother’s death date?” I blurted out before I could hold myself.

I held my breath as I watched his eyes slowly expand slowly before gripping his aura back.

“Just go over to Sofia’s place”

I stood rooted at his front, still waiting for a reply to my question but his stoic looking face told me it is better to just go over to Sofia’s place. 

“I am off to her place sir” I bow as I drag a little sack I was also told to drop at her place.

The journey from my home to Sofia’s home is about thirty minutes on feet and the fact that I am extremely tired must not hinder me from arriving past the required time as my stepmother might call to know what time I got there so as to get me in trouble. 

I had only spent about ten minutes on the journey and I could already feel my legs shaking. I had not eaten anything since the day before and was not chanced to hunt.

I held to my sack tightly as my body went limp, “jack” I mind linked my bestie as I lost consciousness.