Chapter 2

My mother went for my gown and tore apart the top of it, locating my heart clearly, as that was the easiest way to kill a werewolf. All my pleas fell on deaf ears, as she had completely lost her mind.

It was then that the sudden power appeared from within me, and I was capable of pushing her away from my belly, where she sat. I quickly stood up and noticed my body was suddenly getting hot; I also felt like I was about to spit fire. There was really something wreaking havoc in me like it was trying to break away from confinement.

I guess it succeeded, as I suddenly lost my mind and became controlled by the strange beast, making me extremely strong.

When I stared at my mother that moment, I couldn't see her face anymore, but instead, I was seeing a demon and could also smell the potent scent, which triggered so much raged from me.

I felt the greatest impulse to end her life and couldn’t wait any longer before attacking her.

She tried fighting back, but with my new strength, I was able to violently slit several parts of her body. I brutally gouged her eyes and jutted the joints in her hands and legs. At the end, I ripped the heart from her ribs and ate like a vampire.

That was at the same time the Beta’s mate kicked the door open and barged into the room.

She saw me killing my mother and screamed.

Everyone rushed in and caught me in the act.

But why had no one come when I almost died in her hands?

All the wounds around my body didn't convince them that my mother attacked me, instead, they all concluded that it was when my mother tried defending herself.

The powers of that strange beast that suddenly took over me vanished and never came back again. I was 15 years old when this happened, and since then, my world has been miserable.

They termed me a demon, and countless times, they invited many sorcerers to check on me, and the sorcerers would give me a concoction to drink that would only burn my organs with excruciating pain.

Some would force me to bathe in a bowl of wolfsbane, which would injure me so badly that it would take a month to heal, yet they wouldn't decipher anything inside me except my miserable wolf.

It had been three years since it happened, and no one believed my story when I said my mother had turned into a demon and was bent on killing me, instead, my torture was increased for accusing the late Luna wrongly.

My world became entirely hellish this year when my father chose another woman as his replacement mate. Her name is Laura, a woman who became my stepmother as well as a devil reincarnation who despised my breath.

She only wanted to see me in pain and heartbreak, and I couldn't pinpoint what I had done wrong to her.

Since Father brought her into the royal pack house, I have faced the worst moment of my existence. Our Betas lost their lives in a war a few months ago, and dad took in their daughter. I'm 18 years old, and she's 17, but it doesn't matter because she also treats me like a slave. I do all she orders without hesitation, as a little disrespect would cause my father to give me a deep cut on my skin.

~

"Ella!!!" My stepmother's voice broke in, jerking me out of my thoughts and sending me leaping from the bed, where I had sat back without knowing when.

Fear gripped me so that my brain went numb as I groped my way out of the room with a blurred vision as hot tears filled my eyes. I needed no soothsayer to know I was going to be beaten by her again for overstaying in my room.

Even her tone could attest to that.

I had been so lost in my sadness that I didn't realize how long I had stayed after the alarm blared.

"Ella!!!" she yelled again, but I needed to sneak into the kitchen before replying, so she won’t find out I had been in my room after the alarm. But just as I got to the sitting room, I was faced with the devil, who seemed to be waiting for me over there. My whole body froze as I saw her standing tall right there with the most menacing face I had ever seen.

Her brown eyes were glinting with pure rage and resentment as she sneered at me while gritting her teeth. I quickly lowered my head in terror, not knowing what to do or say. But one thing was for sure, she was going to beat me again, and as always, my father wouldn't do anything about it.

"You ignored my call?" Her tone spoke volumes about how much she hates even my shadow.

"I'm sorry, I..." my voice caught in my throat as her sharp slap burned my cheek, stinging every part as if it had been pierced by a thousand needles.

"You turned off the alarm and went back to sleep after it rang, right?" She gritted her teeth and wouldn’t wait for any word from me before kicking my stomach so hard that I fell heavily on my butt.

"No, I...I.." I couldn't talk properly because of the burning pain in my stomach.

I yelped and clutched my belly with one hand while rubbing my butt with the other as tears prickled my eyes and streamed down my cheeks freely.

"Please, ma’am, spare me this once. " I begged in a shaky tone as I trailed my eyes back to her only to see her stalking forward again.

The agonizing pain that overwhelmed me made my entire body shake as I breathed heavily, whimpering and pleading with my eyes movement and shivering lips as I seemed to lose my power of speech from the pain.

"If you are tired of living, kill yourself." She growled and kicked my head with her boot; I felt like life was leaving me. It was like I would die as my head clanged like a bell. I shut my eyes and began crying bitterly as more pain consumed me.

Just then, I heard her footsteps coming after me again, and that made me sob harder, even when I knew it was useless as no one would come to my rescue, instead, they would end up joining hands to beat me for waking them up with my cries.

She squatted down in front of me, scanning my face resentfully, before saying what made my heart drop into my stomach.

"I wonder how you escaped being killed by your demon-possessed mother. Remember what she told you about the demons, right?" She asked, and I could see the smug smile on her lips.

Confusion twisted inside me, and my limbs felt heavy. I could only stare with my lips apart, but no sound came out.

What does she mean?

"Laura, are you..a demon?" I stuttered in a loud voice out of fear, panting as I stared at her, bewildered and brooding on what she just uttered.

My mother, who was possessed by demons that day, had told me that I had to die so the demons would rule. How the hell did Laura know she mentioned something like this to me?

Laura's eyes scanned my face for a few seconds, and she let out a snicker before rising to her feet.

"Who did I hear you call a demon? My Luna? Are you calling my mate a demon the same way you claimed my fated mate was, so as to justify killing her?" My father's voice suddenly thundered in as he hurried down the stairs, forcing me up from the floor as the hairs on my skin rose in fear.

When did he get here?

His face grimaced in anger, emphasizing the scars on his face that gave him a dangerous look. His dark green eyes were glinting with hatred and disgust as he peered at me.

"I...I...didn't...I was just ask...ing..." My lips trembled as I spluttered every word, frightened at his menacing glare at me.

"She had been calling me that because I yelled at her to begin her house chores. You can't believe I woke up to find her still sleeping even after the alarm had rung," Laura whined, wiping her eyes, which were suddenly wet with tears.

This woman is really unbelievable!

Dad got enraged and charged at me like a predator, not minding if she was lying. His huge body drew closer, creating a shadow of horror that towered over me, darkening my world with fear and sadness. My eyes snapped shut as I anticipated his hit on me.

Just as expected, a hot slap lashed my cheek, sending burning pain through it like raging fire.

I screeched and held my cheek as clots of blood formed and spurted out of my lips. My body was shaking as I whimpered and went numb from the heart-wrenching pain I was feeling, but he didn't seem satisfied as I saw him attack me again.