Chapter 1: A Useless Bitch
***
Every girl dreamed of being treated like a princess. At such a young age, Sariah experienced abuse and slavery from her own family—her father. The family she had left ever since her mother died. All she ever wanted was to be loved. To be treasured like how her mother did to her ever since she was a kid. However, it’s true that when you lose someone or something, people start to change.
Sariah knew that it was a choice. Her father could choose between loving her and hurting her. But he chooses the latter.
People leave, and people come. Her father became worst when he met Esme, her stepmother.
Sariah knew she couldn’t control love, but as an Alpha of their pack, his father had choices, but he chose to accept Esme and her son, Cole.
At first, Sariah thought that when she met Esme, she could feel a motherly love once again. However, cruelty began in her life. She received strong punches every time she made one small mistake, being whipped and even molested by her stepbrother.
These all trigger her emotions and mental health. Sariah even thinks to have suicide when she’s alone in her room, but it seems like someone is stopping her every time she thinks of it. Thus, even if she could feel her body wanting to give up, she still chooses to carry on. Because she knew the moon Goddess always had reasons.
Sariah was about to turn off the small vintage lamp near her bed when she heard a thunder strike into the sky, joined by glimmered lightning. She sighed and closed her window and was about to bring down the curtain. However, she stopped pulling the string when she saw a water droplet fall on the window screen. Then suddenly, her eyes went to the old table near the window and saw the black pouch.
“Damn, I forgot about it,” she whispered.
She then grabbed the pouch, wore her slippers, and exited her room. She ran as fast as she could towards her father when she heard murmurs, making her halt.
She breathed heavily and gasped for air. She could feel muscle cramps in every part of her body, knowing this was bad. She looked at the pouch that she was holding and clenched it tight. It was the money she made this day. Then suddenly, her gaze landed on the bruises on her arm. It’s still in the color violet with green dots on some parts. These could be shown that she received a heavy beating the other day. Her bruises aren’t healed yet.
If there’s one thing that Sariah would be grateful for, it’s her stamina. No matter how heavy the punishment she received from her father or stepmother or to that devil pervert stepbrother, she still wakes up every day and pushes herself to work.
However, deep inside, she knew that there could be a time that her body gave up.
‘Sariah, you’re strong. You can do it!’ These are the words she always let out inside her thoughts to make her move daily.
“Leo, darling, you don’t have to worry about that bitch. We will get rid of her, remember?”
Sariah’s eyes widened when she heard Esme’s voice filled with evil intent. She let out a sigh and shook her head. She’s not dumbed not to know that she was the topic.
Didn’t Esme want her out of the family? So, what’s new?
Sariah had enough, but still, she thought she could perfectly do the art of being numb, but she was wrong. To ease the excruciating pain that she felt within her heart, she tried to get numb and ignore everything, then continue to move on because she believed that sooner, her father would realize her worth.
But hearing those words from Esme again, she knew that the Alpha would choose what his Luna says once again, and Sariah would be nothing—nothing but their slave.
“The important thing is the money, darling.”
Sariah scoffed. Yeah, money!
They should have known that they were living under the same roof, that she might hear their conversation.
Seriously, talking in the living room where there’s a vast space?
Not unless they do it purposely.
“Eavesdropping, are we?”
Sariah rolled her eyes and turned her back to face the man. No other than her stepbrother. She arched her brow.
“Wow, feisty. You can fight me now?” Cole asked as he walked closer to her.
Sariah could feel how her heart reacted every time Cole was near her. It started to recognize danger.
“Don’t you dare?”
Cole let out a devilish chuckle which Sariah knew drew attention.
“Dare what? Dare to touch you? Oh, come on. At least I will have a taste of you first before he takes you.”
Cole’s words made her confused. She knew that his words had a more profound meaning.
She steps backward every time Cole steps forward. “Please, Cole, I had—”
“Save your words when I let you feel what heaven looks—”
“What’s going on?”
Sariah closed her eyes for seconds and gripped tightly on the pouch when suddenly, someone yanked it from behind, making her jerk forward and turn around. Her eyes filled with shock, and fear crossed them when she saw it was her father.
“Father,” she whispered.
Esme arched her brow and met her son’s gaze. “What are you doing to Sariah, Cole?”
Cole let out a soft chuckle. “You’ve seen it, mother. I didn’t do anything.”
Sariah saw how Esme’s gaze landed on her. “So, you’re seducing my son again, you slut!”
“Silence!”
“But Leo—”
“Let me handle this,” Sariah’s father said and walked closer to her.
Sariah was stunned by her father’s presence and didn’t even move.
“Is this all you got?” her father asked, his eyes fuming mad.
She nodded and was about to speak when her face was struck by a mighty blow, whacking her backward and onto the floor, making her sag to the ground, and the ringing in her ears masking her father’s angry roar.
At this moment, Sariah knew that another bunch of beating would come once again. But this time, she didn’t beg, making her father angrier.
As if by a line of lightning, fists descend on her head and back. She clutched her head in her arms, saving it for great damage. The heavy beating made her fall into a catatonic state due to the terrible pain, and her vision began to blur.
Then suddenly, Sariah heard Esme screaming and stopping her Alpha. “Stop it, Leo! You’ll kill her!”
Finally, the Alpha stopped, and Sariah felt a sharp relief, but surely, her head and body hurt big time. She remained in her position and just listened to their conversations.
“Are you out of your mind? If you ruin her and kill her, then you will also destroy everything!” The Luna’s voice roared into the vast space of their house.
“She’s a useless bitch!” Her father growled.
Hearing those words from her father, it seems like her heart has been squeezed, and at any moment, it will explode and end her life.
It’s painful to hear your father despises you. Especially when she didn’t grow up with this treatment, her father used to treasure his only princess, but now… things changed, and she doesn’t know when it will fix.
Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her, probably equaling her height. But she chooses not to lift her face. She doesn’t want them to see her tears.
“You seem different this day, Sariah. I didn’t hear you beg.” It was Cole’s voice.
“Get away from her, Cole,” Esme said. “Bring her to her room and let her get dressed. The guests will be here in a minute. They need to see her in good condition.”
Sariah laughed inside her. Good condition? In fact, she knew that her body would give up at any moment, even if her mind didn’t want it.
“You already speak to their Beta, mother?”
Esme nodded. “Yes, and they will take her today.”
Sariah was shocked when she heard what Esme said, making her lift her head and gaze at her.
“W-What are you—”
“Oh, sweetie. You’ll know it when you meet them.”
“Mother, there’s no point to hide it,” Cole asserted, making Esme laugh devilishly.
“Clever. Well,” Esme walked towards Sariah and knelt to equal her face, “—since you prove that you’re always useless to us. Why not let others test your ability?”
Sariah wiped her tears, clenched her jaw, and pierced her eyes on Esme.
“Fierce, huh?”
Cole laughed beside her. “Yeah, she’s different today. She doesn’t even beg when Father is beating her.”
Esme shook her head as if she saw it as a bad thing. “Then that’s fine since the Alpha of Bane will take her. The ruthless Alpha needs a trying hard, feisty wolf,” she said and burst into laughter when she stood up.
Sariah’s eyes widened upon hearing it. At this moment, she knew that she was doomed.
...