ONE

JASMINE’s POV

There were loud bangs and crashes everywhere. I was already familiar with the chaos, which meant only one thing.

We were under attack again!

"They are back," Lyria, one of the pack housemaids, whispered in fear.

"How many this time?" I asked worriedly.

"Can't tell. But they're armed," she replied, the fear in Lyria’s voice evident.

“Come, we have to find somewhere to hide until the fight is over,” Lyria urged.

“Where is my father? I can’t leave him to fight alone,” I said worriedly.

“The alpha has ordered that we protect you by all means. The intruders are out for blood this time,” Lyria warned.

After my mother’s death, things started going downhill here at Red Star Pack. My mother, the pack’s Luna, has been the one keeping the pack in order.

Since her death, my father failed to manage the pack properly and started borrowing from other packs, leaving us in a debt we had no means of paying.

Attacks from the three other neighboring packs were the order of the day.

“I’m going out there,” I said with finality and ran out of my bedroom.

“No, please don’t. You could get killed,” Lyria called after me, but I paid no attention to her.

Outside, Claws clashed with swords, and fangs met flesh. The air was filled with the sound of growls and the scent of blood.

“What are you doing here???” My father, Alpha Kane, yelled at me as soon as he sighted me.

He pulled me outside from the battlefield and took us to hide behind the pack house.

“You could have gotten yourself killed! What is wrong with you??” He shouted angrily.

“I was-“ I tried to defend myself, but I was quickly interrupted.

“Alpha, they are retreating!” Nile, the pack’s beta, announced.

“Huh? Why?” My father replied; he looked shocked but very relieved.

“Some men are here to make a deal with you; they are from Eclipse pack,” Nile said.

My father simply nodded, and they both walked away, going to my father’s office.

I tried resisting the urge to follow them, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I walked silently behind them to my father’s office.

His door was shut, so I perched at the corner, trying to eavesdrop on them.

“We have a peace deal to offer you,” I heard an unfamiliar voice say.

“Go on,” the faint voice of my father resonated.

“The Lycan Kings has offered to pay off your debt.”

My ears perked at the mention of the lycan kings.

I had heard so many rumors of the lycan kings who ruled over all three neighboring packs, including ours. They were said to be very cruel and dangerous and had no ounce of empathy in them.

“What do they want in return?” my father responded, the worry evident in his voice.

“Your daughter”

A loud gasp escaped my lips on hearing the insane request. My father had only one child, which was me- his daughter!

My gasp must have announced my presence since the office door was abruptly opened by Nile, making me fall flat in front of everyone present in the office.

I quickly stood to my feet and brushed the dust from my clothes.

“How dare you come here and make sure stupid requests,” I snarled to the unfamiliar man who I believed was the one talking earlier.

“Shut up, Jasmine,” my father scolded, glaring at me.

“Sorry for her behavior,” my father apologized to the man.

“So what do you say? Are you taking my master’s offer?” the man asked, his face devoid of emotion.

“Yes, of course, I’ll gladly take it. Thank you so much,” my father replied with a huge smile.

My heart felt like it was about to explode as I watched my father happily sell me away.

“Wh- what?” I stuttered.

“This is a joke, right? I mean, you can’t be serious,” I asked, my eyes getting blurry from my tears threatening to spill.

I couldn’t believe my father would sell me away for money in a heartbeat.

“When can the deal be finalized? She can go today if you want,” my father said hastily, completely ignoring my presence.

“Once you sign the deal, I’ll be on my way. Together with your daughter, of course,” he replied, handing over a contract to my father.

“Stop!!” I yelled and rushed to snatch the contract away from him.

“You can’t just sell me away like I’m some object!!” I shouted.

“Hand over the contract,” my father ordered coldly, staring at me in annoyance.

“No!” I retorted.

My father’s hand shot out, delivering a stinging slap across my face.

My tears, which I’ve been struggling to hold back, dropped freely down my cheeks as I stared at my father in shock and so much hurt.

“Stop being a spoiled brat! At least this is something you can be finally useful for,” my father deadpanned and yanked the contract file away from me.

I watched in shock as my father scribbled his signature on the contract and handed it back to the other man.

“You belong to the Lycan kings now, and that’s final!”

“Give us a minute,” my father said, and Nile and the other man exited the office.

“Dad- how could you?” I whispered.

“This is for the betterment of everyone; stop being selfish,” my dad said irritatedly.

“Now listen, don’t you dare reveal you haven’t gotten your wolf yet and can’t shift,” my father warned darkly.

I flinched at the painful reminder of my misfortune. Even though I turned 20 recently, way past the age of every werewolf shift, I had yet to meet my wolf and was unable to shift.

My weakness had become a well-guarded secret that only me and my father knew. This was because anyone above 18 without a wolf was seen as very weak and unworthy to be a pack member and was usually cast away to become a rouge.

To avoid damaging my father’s reputation and for my safety, this was kept a secret.

I could tell my father feared that if the Lycan Kings found out, they might not want me anymore and would deny paying the pack’s debts.

“I won’t tell them,” I replied, already accepting my fate.

Well, I had no idea how long I could hide my secret before the Lycan Kings eventually found out.

“Now leave,” my father said coldly.

I was trying to believe a part of him regretted what he was doing, but the greed evident in his eyes quenched my hope. How could my father turn into a monster in the blink of an eye?

Heartbroken, I exited his office. Ready to accept my new fate.

It was a new beginning…