Lyra “Happy birthday to you!” The crowd chorused, waving their flashlights up in the air.
It was the most beautiful thing I had seen.
It also left a bitter taste in my mouth.
My sister stood right in the middle of the ballroom, the center of attraction.
She had a naive little smile on her face as everyone sent hugs, kisses, and gifts her way.
“It’s your day, Selene!” Mom squealed behind her.
“My little girl is now grown up.” “I could never have asked for a more perfect daughter.” Alpha Ronan added, pulling Selene for a hug.
Another twinge of pain hit my chest and I pulled at my dress trying to stop the tears that welled up my eyes.
I was not weak.
I was not going to dissolve into tears in a room filled with werewolves who would love nothing else.
They all wanted to see me crack.
“Happy birthday, Selene,” I murmured, holding up my gift.
The ballroom went dead quiet.
My parents whipped around, their eyes widening as if they just remembered that I existed too.
“Oh, you’re still here.” Luna Isolde said, a displeased look on her face as she took in my appearance.
She leaned forward to Alpha Ronan to whisper.
“When are we making her move out?
We can’t have her shadowing Selene all the time.” Whispers filled the air, low at first but then gained momentum.
My jaw clenched but I slipped on a blank face.
They could not know they affected me.
It would only make it worse.
“What’s the witch doing here?” “OMG, she’s a total bad luck.
How dare she show up to Selene’s birthday party?” “I know, right?
Who would believe they’re sisters?
They’re total opposites.” They were vicious but they weren’t wrong.
“Thanks, Lyra,” Selene mumbled, flicking a strand of her caramel brown hair.
I tried not to think about how she had simply snubbed my gift, a necklace I had picked, and shoved it into the pocket of her dress.
“Can I go open the gifts now, Mom?” “Of course, my princess.” Luna Isolde gushed, leading my sister to the tower of presents some meters away.
Two years ago, on my eighteenth birthday, all I had received was a hastily wrapped chocolate bar—from my grandmother.
She died not long after.
“Da…” Alpha Ronan growled, his eyes blazing down at me.
“What have I told you about calling me that?!” I pressed my lip in a flat line, the bitter taste filling up my entire mouth.
“I’m sorry, Alpha.” He scoffed, following Selene and Luna Isolde.
The pack members moved along with him.
Some evaded my presence like I was death itself.
Others were a bit more terrible with their approach.
“Move aside, Witch!” someone spat, pushing me down.
My wolf, Winter, snarled in anger.
I knew exactly who had pushed me down.
I could track their scent in the crowd and make them pay.
They had no right to treat me like this.
I was the Alpha’s daughter.
His first daughter, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Selene was like the sun, bright and beautiful with her popping blue eyes and those soft smiles.
I, on the other hand, was the mirage of doom and death to my pack members.
Black hair, dark as night and just as twisted.
My eyes terrified me sometimes.
They were dark, looking like bottomless pits that one could lose themselves in.
Looking like a witch; a species all werewolves hated; was hard enough, but being neglected by my parents made things much worse.
I was the outcast.
A daughter they never wanted.
And it was a good thing because I didn’t want them either.
I got another shove to the side, that woke me out of my thoughts.
I glared at the girl who had shoved me.
She jumped in fear and scampered off, joining the crowd as they oohed and aahed when Selene opened a present.
My phone vibrated with a text.
I retrieved the device from my purse and grinned when I read it.
My delivery was here and despite the gloom and all, I had one good thing to hold on to.
My relationship with Marek.
Marek was the strongest warrior in our pack and the only one who didn’t flinch at the sight of me or hate my appearance.
We had been dating for a year and a half now and I wanted to surprise him with a proposal tonight.
We would get married, move away from my parents, and raise happy kids in the countryside.
It sounded perfect.
My parents did not need to worry about me moving out, I already planned to.
I walked out of the party to pick up the ring I had ordered and spent a while outside to calm my nerves and think of the best way to propose to Marek.
When I walked back to the ballroom, Marek wasn’t in the center of the hallway anymore.
My parents were off discussing with dignitaries they had invited.
Everyone seemed excited, laughing and cheering with the music on.
I searched the faces of the people for Marek.
He had promised he would show up.
I sniffed the air, picked up his scent, and followed it down a hallway.
A giggle reached my ears and I froze.
Just at the end of the hallway was my sister in the arms of the man I loved.
Kissing him!
“What the hell is this?” I snarled, storming over to them and yanked them apart.
Marek shot me a fierce look with those baby-blue eyes and pushed me aside.
“What does it look like, Lyra?” I gaped, shocked at his words.
What on earth was happening?
And why was Marek looking at me like that?!
“Oh I’m sorry, Lyra,” Selene said in her sing-song voice that made my skin crawl.
“It seems the Moon Goddess thinks I’m a better match for Marek than you are.” My brows rose in disbelief.
This couldn’t be happening.
Something struck my chest.
Pain.
“Y-You’re mates?” “Yes!” Selene squealed, kissing the man who had spent the past eighteen months doing the same thing to me.
“I am so happy, Marek.” “So am I,” Marek echoed, stroking her face lovingly.
No!
Winter pushed against my will, threatening to surface.
“No,” I hissed, trying to blink back the tears, as well as the rage and anger that followed.
“No, this cannot be happening!” “Would you relax, Lyra?” “You’re my boyfriend!” I snapped at him, irritated by his nonchalance.
“How can you readily just abandon me for her?!” Kill them both!
Tear them to pieces.
Selene giggled.
“Have you looked in the mirror lately, sister?
It’ll be a shame if Marek has to wake up to that scary face for the rest of his life.” “There won’t be a rest of your life, you bitch!” I bellowed, shifting in an instant, and lunged for them both.
How could they do this to me?
How could he?!
I’ll kill them… “Stop!” Alpha Ronan’s roar slammed right into my wolf, restraining me just in time for Marek and Selene to step out of the way.
“Shift!” I tried to break free from his order.
But he was my Alpha and I was way younger than he was.
I snarled, rubbed my snout, and bared my fangs at him but eventually shifted.
Alpha Ronan kicked me to the ground and I groaned in pain.
The cold wind nipped at my naked body.
The sound of rushing footsteps told me the crowd had noticed the uproar and were rushing to the scene.
“How dare you attack Selene?!” Alpha Ronan bellowed.
“Have you lost your mind?” Ignoring the shame that coursed through my veins, I rose on my feet.
“But Marek’s mine.
Everyone knows he’s mine.” “Don’t be silly.” Luna Isolde hissed.
“The Moon Goddess blessed Selene with Marek.” “I don’t care!” I shouted, barely holding back the tears.
The jackass that I had dedicated eighteen months to, stood behind Alpha Ronan with an unsympathetic look on his face.
“Get dressed.” Alpha Ronan seethed.
“The living room, now!” I stormed to my room, shoved on a dress, and met my parents in the living room of the pack house.
Marek sat with Selene, a smug stupid look on his face.
“You will give your blessing, Lyra.” Alpha Ronan ordered.
Luna Isolde backed him up.
“It’s the only right thing to do.” “And since when have any of you cared so much about doing the right thing?!” I spat, earning a glare from Alpha Ronan.
“You will bless their union!” he yelled.
“I don’t care what had happened between you and Marek in the past.
He’s Selene’s mate now.
Selene is worthy of him.” I wiped the lone tear that slid down my cheeks swiftly.
“I am your daughter too.” “That’s not the point.” “Then what is the point?” I sniffed.
“That because I’m not your precious little Selene, I do not get to be happy?
That I don’t deserve Marek?” “Oh, don’t be dramatic.” Luna Isolde said, a look of disdain on her face.
“I won’t bless their union.
Over my dead body!” I spat, turning on my heels to walk out of the living room.
I didn’t need them anyway.
I would leave.
Anywhere was better than here.
I had thought I had Marek, but it turned out I had only fooled myself into thinking so.
The bastard ditched me the minute he got the chance to.
“Get back here.” Alpha Ronan snapped.
“I am not finished with you.” Grudgingly, I halted in my steps.
What else could he possibly say?
“Your mother and I have been discussing your future.” I turned to face them, eyes flashing.
“I know you want me to move out.” “Good.
Since you already know, I won’t be beating around the bush.
You will be participating in the Wolf King’s bride selection.” My jaw slacked in horror and for a minute, I had a flash vision of giving in to the rage within and tearing every single one of them apart.
The Wolf King’s bride selection?
“Over my dead body!” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS osaze0053 Okay so I just want everyone to know that I did NOT plan for Lyra’s life to be THIS tragic in chapter one.
I sat down, I started writing, and somehow the universe said “let her suffer first.” Don’t worry though.
She will eat…eventually.
Maybe.
Just between us?
Lyra thinks she’s the most forgettable person in the room.
The universe is about to make a liar out of everyone who agreed with her.
I wrote this chapter with one goal, to make you feel everything she swallowed.
If your chest is a little tight right now, good.
That means it’s working.
See you in chapter two.