Alpha’s Slave Wife

Chapter 1

I woke to another alarming chaos in the palace, struggling to stand up from my bed. As I gazed at the reflection of my bruised body in the dusty mirror, I couldn't help but wonder how my life had spiraled into this nightmare. These bruises and injuries were not from some external threat; they were the result of trying to defend myself from my abusive step sisters and, most shockingly, my own father.

My mother had died during childbirth, and it didn't take my father long—barely two years—before he remarried. Perhaps it was because he was the pack leader, and he needed a new mate to secure his position. Little did I know that this decision would lead to the endless torment I endured. My stepmother had joined forces with her daughters, Ana and Isabella, to turn my life into a living hell. They treated me as if I were a servant, or worse, a slave, from the tender age of six. For fifteen years, I had been broken, shattered, and mocked relentlessly, and the worst part was that I didn't have a mate to save me from this nightmare.

"Leah! Leah! Get your good-for-nothing self out here now!" Ana's shrill voice pierced through the thick walls of my chamber, jolting me awake from my painful reverie.

I hastily grabbed a shabby gown and dressed as fast as my trembling hands would allow. Ana was one of my step sisters, and I was certain that she intended to ruin my morning, just as she did every day.

"Ana!!! You called?" I said, my voice filled with forced politeness.

"Of course, I did!" Ana snapped. "You wretched, foolish thing! Why is this dress dirty?"

I examined the gown I had chosen. "This dress was part of the laundry I did alongside Mother's corset dress. Even by looking at it, this dress isn't dirty," I replied, struggling to maintain my composure.

Ana's eyes flared with anger. "Did you just say Mother? She's my mother and not yours, you wretched creature. Your mother is six feet under, rotting away in the garden."

Her harsh words cut deep, but I clenched my fists and held back my tears. Ana could insult me all she wanted, but she would not defile the memory of my dead mother.

"Don't you have any respect for the dead?" I asked, my voice quivering with a mix of anger and sadness.

Ana burst into laughter, her cruel mirth echoing through the room. "Respect? She was just some shabby, unfortunate lady who gave birth to the slave girl who I think should have died with her."

I couldn't take it any longer. The rage that had been simmering beneath the surface finally boiled over, and I raised my hand to strike Ana. But before I could make contact, a powerful force pushed me back, sending me stumbling to the floor. It was Isabella, Ana's twin sister, who had intervened.

"Are you insane?" Isabella seethed as she grabbed me by the arm and shoved me down.

"Was she trying to hit her?" My stepmother, a tall and imposing figure with piercing blue eyes, strode into the room. At this point, I knew I was in serious trouble, but I couldn't stand by and allow them to disrespect my mother's memory.

"She insulted Mother," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

My stepmother's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Insulted? Your mother, as you call her, was nothing but a lowly human who dared to bear the Alpha's child. She's no more important than the dirt beneath my shoes."

I felt a surge of anger and despair wash over me. My mother had been a kind and loving woman, and my only connection to her was the necklace she had given me before she passed away. I clutched the necklace, hidden beneath my gown, for comfort.

As my stepmother continued to berate me, Ana and Isabella exchanged satisfied glances. They seemed to revel in my misery, and it was clear that my suffering brought them immense pleasure. I had no allies in this palace, no one to turn to for support. My only hope was that someday, my mate would come to rescue me from this living nightmare.

Just as I was about to resign myself to another day of torment, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor outside my chamber. It was Alpha Alexander, my father. He was a towering figure with a commanding presence, and his word was law in our pack.

"What's all this commotion about?" Alpha Alexander bellowed as he entered the room. His eyes, the same piercing blue as my stepmother's, scanned the scene before him.

"Leah tried to strike Ana," Isabella said, her voice dripping with false innocence.

My father's gaze fell on me, and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. "Leah, is this true?"

I hesitated for a moment, torn between telling the truth and facing his wrath or keeping quiet to avoid further punishment. But then, something inside me snapped. I had endured enough, and I couldn't bear to let them continue to trample on my mother's memory.

"Yes, it's true," I replied, my voice trembling but resolute. "Ana insulted my mother, and I couldn't let her get away with it."

Alpha Alexander's expression hardened, and he turned his attention to Ana. "Is this true, Ana?"

Ana nodded quickly, her eyes brimming with crocodile tears. "Yes, Father, she attacked me for no reason."

My father sighed deeply, and I braced myself for the punishment that was surely coming my way. However, to my surprise, he didn't seem as angry as I had expected.

"Enough of this," he said, his voice stern but measured. "Leah, I understand that you're upset about your mother, but violence is not the way to resolve your issues. Ana, you should not provoke her either. Isabella, don't get involved in their disputes."

I couldn't believe my ears. My father was actually reprimanding Ana and Isabella for their behavior. It was a small victory, but it gave me a glimmer of hope that things might change, even if only slightly.

"Leah," my father continued, "go about your chores for the day. Ana and Isabella, you will both apologize to Leah for your words."

Ana and Isabella grumbled but nodded reluctantly. It was a hollow victory, and I knew that the torment would continue, but for that brief moment, I felt a spark of defiance and determination. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to break free from the chains that bound me and finally live a life of my own.

As I turned to leave the room and return to my chores, I couldn't help but clutch my mother's necklace tightly. It was a symbol of the love and strength she had given me, and I vowed to honor her memory by finding a way to escape the clutches of my abusive stepmother and sisters. My journey towards freedom had just begun, and I was determined to fight for my own happiness, no matter the obstacles in my path.