Ravenblood

Chapter1

The icy feel of cold water splashing my face was harsh and cruel.

Once it touched me, I knew the brain behind the action.

Veronica Winslow. My stepmother.

“Get up!” Her brash voice seeped into my ears as I tried to slip into consciousness. Leaving my beautiful dreamland into the harsh hands of harsh reality.

The reality of being under the mercy of my stepmother.

And guess what? She has no mercy.

Groggily, I stood up from my bed, attempting to banish any lingering traces of sleep from my eyes

Another day of work and abuse, accompanied by insufficient sleep.

Wonderful.

“Morning,” I said flatly, not caring to keep my tone under the disguise of the usual chirpy voice.

It wouldn’t change a thing.

No amount of chirpiness or polite words would be able to fluster her malevolence.

“Monica…” She sang, her voice laced with pure evil, “What says the time, girl? You were supposed to be up two hours ago, tending to the poultry, and leaving my house spotless. But none have been done and you are here sleeping like the dead!”

“It’s five am in the morning.” I whined, “And I have done nothing but be awake from last night to the midnight hours of this morning tending to the numerous chores you laid out for me-“

My head whipped to the side before I could finish. I touched the affected area, feeling the burning stings of prints against my face.

She slapped me. I had done nothing wrong and she slapped me.

But since when did I have to do something wrong before being punished? Just my existence in this world angers her.

“How many times have I told you to be as mute as the night when I talk, huh?!” She takes fast strides towards me and slams me against the wall. “Perhaps you’d like to meet your mother in her lonely, cold grave. You’d be thrust 6 feet into the sand whilst your soul reunite with hers and wallow in continuous misery” She wrapped her slender hands around my neck and sneered “But if you rather want to stay alive, you would be quiet when I talk and do every single thing I ask of you, is that clear?!”

When I didn’t respond, she smacked me again. Harder than the first time, smiling as I cried out in pain.

“I said, Is that clear?!” She yelled.

“Yes,” I whimpered.

“Good” Her tone reduced to an unusual serenity. “Now, attend to the poultry, clean every corner of this house, and before the morning blooms to a full day, I want breakfast brimming hot on the table. Is that taken?” She tightens her hold on my neck.

“Yes,” I choked.

“Good. Very good” She cast me on the floor and walked out of the room with a Cheshire smile plastered on her face.

Something trickled down both sides of my face and connected to my jaw.

Tears. For the umpteenth time, I have cried for this woman.

But surely tears couldn’t be red.

Oh, blood.

She had slapped me not with her hands, but with the mini switch she kept in her inner pockets.

I touched my face again as more blood trickled out of the injury she inflicted.

I recalled a time my stepmother kicked me out of the house to sleep outside for the night. It was winter. She kicked me out without a coat or clothing to protect me from the cold. I forgot to wash her nightgown after working tirelessly all day." why didn't you wash my nightgown"? She asked with her eyes piercing through me

If only looks could kill

I could feel the tension between us

"I...I...I'm sorry," I replied as my voice was shaking, and I could barely form the words. My body was trembling and sweating as my heart kept racing.

"Sorry! Sorry!! Did you just say you are sorry!!!!! You stupid b***h! "she yelled as she threw the knife which she was using to cut oranges at me.

Luckily for me, the blade missed my chest or any part of my body that could kill me. But it flew across my face and left a cut on my left cheek.

"I just escaped death," I said to myself still in disbelief

Honestly, I am not afraid of death. It is better to die than to live a life full of misery. She rushed and slapped me across the face. "how dare you ignore my orders? As she flung me to the wall.

"I swear it was not on pur-"

I couldn't finish my sentence before she kicked me so hard that I screamed and held my stomach in wrenching pain.

"You still dare to speak, right? I can see that you have grown wings, and I will cut them." she yanked my hair and dragged me. She kicked me out of the house

"You sleep outside tonight. I hope you die before dawn," she said as she slammed the door on me and left me outside for the cold to devour. My body shivers as the harsh breeze penetrates my skin like needles, sending cold chills to my bones. "I am going to die tonight. There is no way I will survive this," I quietly sob to myself. Suddenly, an idea lights up in my head: "Ah, the cattle barn!

I gently stood up and started limping towards the cattle barn as my legs could barely carry me. I got to the barn and buried myself in the feeds for warmth. "This will at least keep me alive till dawn," I said, smiling as tears slowly ran down my cheeks.

At last, morning came

I gently opened my eyes only to see a cow staring at me inquisitively. I'm sure she might be wondering why a human would sleep in cattle feeds. "well, sorry for trespassing; I am here because I was kicked out of my human house, but promise I only slept for one night," I said to the cow while trying to get out of the feeds. My whole body hurts, and my left cheek stung. I groaned in pain as I was able to get out of the meals.

"I must tell Alpha Ben I cannot remain silent like this."

Maybe things would not have been this bad if he knew about how his wife had been mistreating me all this while.

He was not just alpha Ben to me but a father I never had. I knew he would not be happy to hear all that had happened to me, or so I thought. As I approached the house, I heard his voice. I hurried my steps and eagerly matched to the house. To my greatest surprise, Veronica was ten steps ahead of me. I saw her crying on the floor with her face bruised. "She did this to me," she said, pointing at me as her eyes were red and filled with tears. " I only asked her why she didn't tidy up her room, and she said I wasn't her mom and beat me up."

"All I ever did was try to correct her like a mother who loves her daughter; I don't deserve this," she wails.

I have never seen Alpha Ben look at me with so much anger and hate. " how dare you raise your hands on my wife?"

" I.... i..... I didn't- " I found myself descending. As I landed on the floor, air forcefully escaped out of my mouth, and my head hit the floor so hard that I started feeling dizzy. Alpha Ben attacked me, slapped me several times, and threw me across the room. l turned my head only to find my stepmom smiling menacingly at me. "Oh, no, Ben! You will kill her. Please have mercy; maybe it was my fault. I guess I was too harsh on her," Veronica says as she looks at me with an evil smile on her face

"This will not be tolerated in my house, Monica," Ben roars. He dragged me by my hair and threw me to the dungeon, where I stayed for a whole day without food or water, based on Ben's order.

I sat in the dungeon numb, hurt, and cold. I didn't know if I was feeling pain because of the wounds and numerous beatings or of the fact that the man whom I considered a father and only hope had turned on me.

"Mom, why did you leave me?"

"Please take me with you."

I want to rest with you in peace," as I sobbed loudly.

Then it dawned on me…

This is how my life would be. Trapped under the reins of my callous stepmother and feeble stepfather. Reliving the same brashness over and over till I die.

No one would save me. No one even knew of my existence. And if I did die, no one would care.

I broke into uncontrollable sobs as that reality hit me.

************************

Many a time, I often reflect on the contrasting chapters of my life. Dating back to the idyllic days of when it was a bed filled with roses down to the dystopian hours of my present life.

In the beginning, it was just me and my mother, Zara. Two souls, both young and cheerful, trying our best to deal with whatever fate throws our way.

Reveling in her warm embrace and tender kisses. Our time spent together in the market square, selling provisions and then walking back home together with the amount we made from the sale.

In happy days, we created a bond, and in dark times, our bond would be unbreakable.

Then the annual mate hunting; A time when wolves of each pack in Carvidol would lurk the entire city in search of their mate. A voice directing them into the path of chosen one’s location.

It was on my ninth birthday and my mom had already set the cake, and we were singing the usual birthday song when a large, black wolf barged howled, the sound nearly ripping out the tiny cottage from its roots.

Absolutely terrified, my mother dashed across the room, locking all the doors and windows before grasping the gun she kept by the back door in case of any intruders. Like the wolf howling on the outskirts of our home.

“Get behind and hold onto me, honey. Don’t let go” She warned, aiming her gun at the wolf who scanned us with its piercing red eyes.

Then…

Crack!

The sounds of multiple bones snapping echoed in the still night and the black wolf was no more in sight. Instead, a broad, 6-foot man stood in its place.

With the same piercing red eyes.

“Alpha?” My mother questioned, bringing down her gun slowly. “What brings you here?”

I clutched her dress tightly as the man approached us and muttered a single word.

“Mate.”

A lot happened after that.

My mom’s reluctance at the beginning. Then his countless visits and gifts. I am oblivious to the romance building between my mom and him but enjoying his company. Then finally, my mom’s marriage to the Alpha of our pack, Cardery.

And that Alpha is Ben Winslow, my stepfather.

Now, Ben was everything a youngling could ask for in a father. Unconditional love, a series of Bedtime stories, guidance and support, a provider and a protector.

He was there when I needed him. Every time, Anytime. Holding my hand in whatever emotion that engulfed me.

So two became three and we were happy and content.

Then we became four but nine months later, we were reduced to two on that tragic night.

A night that ended my chapters of life in tragedy. It took a piece of me, alongside Ben’s as soon as my mother and my unborn baby brother died. The baby had been breech and my mother lost a lot of blood in the process of bringing him out via cesarean. A few minutes later, he died, and all efforts went to waste.

We mourned them for three years, our world shattered by the grief and loss. Then Veronica came into the picture, her betrothal to Ben as a result of the pressure laid upon him by the Royal Court on getting a Luna.

On the day of the wedding, she pranced around like a peacock in her white dress, embellished with various ornamental beads. Waving to the crowd with the smile of an angel. As if the harsh words she whispered to me two hours ago were non-existent. A promise to make my life miserable

And she did. For seven years as my stepmother, she has done a splendid job in ensuring not a day would go by without me in pain.

What hurt me the most is that the man who once doted on me witnessed this and did nothing. Just watched all she did to me feebly.

I have to make it out of here or die trying.

I can’t survive-

“Monica!” A voice snapped me out of my reminiscence. Once again, my happy place went away in a single poof.

I looked up, noticing the scullery maid in front of me. “Yes?”

“Your father calls for you”

Panic arose within me. It has been ages since Ben sent for me and now that he did, it could only mean one thing…