Marked by the Alpha

CHAPTER 1 - THE PAINFUL BETRAYAL

Celene's POV

The cold splash of water on my skin jolted me awake.

I sat up with a gasp, my heart racing, as I frantically wiped the cold droplets from my face. And that's when I saw her, Ella, standing over me with a wicked grin, the empty glass still clutched in her hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hollered angrily.

She sneered in derision. "It's quite irrational to scream like a lunatic so early in the morning. Don't you think so?"

I exhaled slowly. "Get out of my room, now!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Your room?" She said this as she moved closer to me. "Okay, let's see how cocky you can get when you get wheeled out of the pack today!"

Suddenly, I caught a whiff of her musky scent. Only it wasn't her usual scent. I sniffed again, and this time, the scent was more pronounced.

In the whole Violet pack, only one person had this scent. My boyfriend, Christoph! Why did my bitchy stepsister have his scent all over her?

My gaze darkened as I watched her face closely. Maybe I was overthinking it. Christoph was away from the pack at the moment, so it couldn't be him. For all I knew, Celene liked to whore around a lot. It might just be another man's scent.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Just get the hell out of my room and mind your business. Don't you have something to do today?"

Her lips curled into an evil expression as she clicked her tongue. "Actually, I do. Packing your load for you. Dad's sending you out of the pack! He has ordered me to call you to the pack's palace now!"

Before I could say anything else, she bolted out the door, her chuckles reverberating in the corridor.

Panic settled in my guts as I paced my room. What did she mean? I was going to be sent out of the pack.? And from her tone, I knew she wasn't joking. Ella would be the last person to enter my room on a normal day. Something must be up.

I freshened up quickly and walked the road that led to the palace. As I approached the door, I could hear hushing voices.

"We can't just marry her off to the Lycan king. You know his reputation."

My heart stopped dead as words drifted out, and so did my legs. Who were they marrying off to the Lycan king? Surely it couldn't be me. I shook my head as I pushed the door open.

"What took you so long, Omega!" My stepmother, Valerie, hissed as she fixed me with a disdainful glare.

I ignored her and shifted my gaze to Dad, who sat beside her, wearing a complicated look as he avoided my gaze.

"Dad, I heard you summon me!"

I saw him swallow hard in his throat as he turned to Valerie. "Your stepmother has something to tell you!"

He went all silent again, just as he'd always been since Mom's death. He was only the alpha by title. Valerie did all of the Alpha's duty, and she made the call.

Anger boiled in me. "Dad, you're the Alpha, and I request to speak with you. I will not receive any orders from this woman!"

"How dare you!" Valerie growled as she sprang to her feet and lunged towards me. "I'm your Luna, you insolent Omega!"

I saw through her attack and managed to duck, but she was smarter. She smacked me across the face with her left hand, and I staggered backwards from the impact.

My face burned with the sting, and I grabbed my hurting cheeks, turning to face her in time to catch the menacing look on her face.

"You useless omega runt! You are a stain on the pack's honour; how dare you address your Luna in such a manner!?"

I grunted. "Luna, my foot!"

A slap was what I got as a reply; this time it was harder, and it snapped all the air out of my guts as I struggled to maintain my balance.

"It's so funny seeing a pathetic excuse for a wolf acting out. Shall I throw you into the cold throat of the dungeons like last time?" She gritted out, and panic seized me.

Seeing the terrified look on my face, she sighed in satisfaction. "The Lycan king is visiting us today, and you can't ruin it for us. Go get yourself changed out of these rags you call clothes!"

"No! I will not!" You can't just sell me off to a monster who I know nothing about. I won't act according to your wishes!"

"Celene!" Dad growled. "I'm your Alpha, and you shall obey me! Get ready to meet the Lycan king!"

Oh, now you're the Alpha? I sneered inwardly.

"Guards, get her out of here!" He ordered

Almost immediately, the guards lurched at me and tackled me to the ground while I struggled against their grip. They threw me to the cold floor of the hallway.

Different thoughts competed for attention in my mind as I shuffled back to the royal villa. As I approached it, a car suddenly pulled up in front of the villa.

It looked ever so familiar. It was my boyfriend Christoph's car.

He was in town. I hadn't received any calm from him. He was probably trying to surprise me.

A smile grazed my lips as I started towards the car, but I hadn't taken more than one step when the car's door yanked open and Christoph climbed out, his face looking as handsome as ever.

However, when I saw the face of the woman who climbed out after him, my mind emptied. It was none other than Ella.

My heart skipped multiple beats as I froze in my tracks. What was my bitchy-ass stepsister doing with my boyfriend?

I killed the thought as quickly as it came. I and Christoph have been dating for close to three years now. There was no way he was cheating on me.

He was beaming at her as they held each other's hands as they entered the villa. My pulse quickened as panic balled in my guts.

I all but raced in and doubled up the stairs, listening carefully for the slightest sound. Just as I reached the last landing, I heard the sound of Ella's room's door clicking shut.

With my heart thudding in my chest, I walked stealthily to the door. Almost immediately, I heard a chuckle, low and throaty.

"You're so sweet, Ella!" Christoph's voice broke out hoarsely, and my heart clenched.

"Sweeter than my sister?" Ella asked.

"Yes. Sweeter than her."

His voice was muffled as though he were trailing kisses all over her face and the nape of her neck, just like he used to do to me. Ella's moan grew louder, and my throat bittered at the thought of what was happening.

I shook my head in disbelief. There was no way this could actually be happening. I was probably hallucinating. I bit hard into my lips till it bled, but Ella's loud moans never stopped.

"Fuck me like you're a man, Chris!" She moaned, and I heard Christoph groan in response.

I wiped my face as I sniffed back the emotions that were gnawing at me. How could he fuck my sister in the same house I was living in?

They didn't only do the abomination; they even rubbed it in my face, challenging me to do my worst if I wanted.

How could I even cry for them? I could continue listening to the door. I had to see it for myself.

"Oh, Ella. I'm so close now. So close!" Christoph groaned.

"No, dawg. Not so close!" I said this through gritted teeth as I pushed the door open.

"Celene!" Christoph's voice trembled as a look of shock registered on his face.