One

Chapter One:

Donna’s POV

There’s a limit to what one could endure, and my limit had gotten really close.

I looked at my stepmother and my step siblings discuss my marriage plans with their guest while I stood in front of them, yet my opinions weren’t sort for.

Maybe it’s because I was an orphan after my father’s death and my mother’s assassination, but I was still part of this family and more eligible than they were to answer Draven.

The eldest, Chris, walked into the room and handed a file to his file to his mother. She grabbed it and searched through for eligible young wolves from wealthy homes. It was creepy how they had all the information.

Also, I was an official rogue like my father, yet they were trying to force me into a pack by marriage. A low ranked wolf like me wouldn’t survive it.

My expression was straight, and I stayed quiet while watching this. What was I to do anyway? I still held the broom and mop I had used to clean her room before I was called to the living room. I was only her servant.

“There is no man in your life, right, Donna? I keep checking all these men but most are Betas, Deltas or Warriors and none of them would be interested in you.”

The way she tried to sound like she cared yet she downgraded me in any way possible. I was a living Cinderella working my bones in my own house at all times. I didn’t even have friends, so how would I get a boyfriend?

“I’m only twenty-one, step-mother. I’m sure I’d find someone when I’m less busy.” I said ‘someone’ because it could be anyone, especially one not from a pack.

My father would roll in his grave, if I ever return to a pack after they were the cause of my mother’s assassination.

My stepmother’s guest looked at me with obvious disgust on her face but I’ve been used to that for five years now.

My stepmother hummed and closed the catalogue, she said something in her native language to her friend and they chuckled.

I turned to leave since it seemed they had finished what they wanted me for, which was to ridicule and curse me at the end. They only looked for a man to marry me off and lessen expenses, not that I took even one-tenth of it.

“Donna!”

I froze and turned back to my stepmother. Her eyes had become slanted and annoyed. “Did I say you should leave?” She gave me a file. “Sign before you leave.”

Sign? That sounded serious and the file seemed to have the emblem of a pack. “Can I ask what it is?” I couldn’t just stupidly sign it no matter how intimidating she sounded.

“The cost of university and the cost of your mother’s burial that you owe. Sign here and it’s over.” My stepmother said.

My eyes widened and I took the file hurriedly. This woman made me pay my own school fees and when I couldn’t, she made me owe her.

My lips stretched to a smile. Did she finally get a conscience and wanted to free me from all that?

There was a knock on the door and my joy was interrupted. My stepmother pointed at the door and retrieved the file. I eagerly hurried as I could imagine myself out of the house and living my own life. I kept the broom and mop on the wall and rushed to the door when a second knock came.

Who was that impatient person that couldn’t wait for a minute? I would bet it was one of my stepsister’s friends who acted like they owned the house.

I opened the door and my frowning flattened. There was no one, only a letter on the ground. I picked it and looked around. Then my heart nearly burst from my chest when the loud whirring sound of a power bike sped drove past.

I couldn’t even see it pass because I jumped back in fright. Our gate was opened because of my stepmother’s visitors.

The gateman came running out when he heard the loud whirring sound. He turned to me and tilted his head. I shrugged, I also had no idea what or who that was.

We didn’t have any teenager in this estate. My stepmother had made sure they were only young families with children under ten, for it to be ‘lively yet safe’.

“So what’s that, girl?” my stepmother’s friend asked. I turned to her and she was slightly shivering. “Close the door, please. The air is cold.”

I closed the door, grabbed the broom and mop and left the room for them. The letter was hidden perfectly inside my apron. I had to make sure of who it was addressed to.

I distracted my thoughts with my duties, and forgot about the letter in my apron. By the time I finished my duties, it had gotten soaked with my wet dirty apron.

A big sigh left me. The hierarchy in my house was messed up. It was neither by work or I’d have been the highest; or my age, or I’d be higher than my stepsister; or by bloodline or I’d be the highest again as the only true blood of Draven.

My stepmother was married into the family after she and her kids lost their pack. Yet they had forgotten all that.

The door open downstairs, my stepmother must be back from escorting her friends home. “Donna! Get down!!”

My hand accidentally hit the kettle from being startled and I quickly raised it up after it spilled all the hot water on the ground. Another mess I had to clean.

“Yes, ma!!”

I wiped my hand and rushed down the stairs, while hoping Priscilla didn’t get into the kitchen or she’d see the mess I did and tattletale.

My stepmother’s expression changed to the tolerant face she always kept when she saw me. She took out the file from her bag and handed to me.

I opened it with a broad smile on my face. Then I paused. I reread the heading and the names attached to this file. “A... marriage?” A scowl came to my face that I didn’t try to hide.

Chris looked up from his laptop. “Any problem?”

My eyes scanned the clauses written. It was a contracted marriage to a Mr. Smith. Wasn’t that the name of my mother’s old boss? I turned to my stepmother for answers.

My step mother folded her arms. “I finally found a way to pay your debt, and the man is willing to marry you. There’s nothing you can do but accept this, Donna. Sign it.”

My heart was pounding wildly inside of me and my fists clenched. There was a limit to what one could endure and I think I’ve reached that limit now.