Sense My Silent Alpha's Heart

Chapter 1

Evelyn’s POV

My head hung low, hiding a yawn with the crook of my elbow as I placed the last of the ribbons on the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. I wanted a moment to properly stare at it, but I was awfully tired and my eyes were heavy with sleep after a long day of running around, preparing meals after meals until the Luna was finally satisfied only to give me another task of decorating the Christmas tree.

I stared at the complicated design I’d managed to bring to life and finished at the cost of my aching back. I needed that sleep more than anything now, and even my wolf pushed me to leave, but just as I turned around, ready to head out, I heard a sudden crash.

And as I turned back, my eyes widened in horror when I saw the Christmas tree I’d just decorated lying on the floor, every piece of work I’d done on it destroyed.

My eyes trailed up to the culprit who stood there with a wicked grin on her face, and I struggled to hold back the angry fumes of my wolf.

“Oops… I didn’t see it there. Did I startle you, dear sister?” Briar said as she stepped closer, and I swallowed a lump in my throat, forcing back whatever retort I’d thought of. She definitely saw it there and purposely crashed into it.

I bit my lips hard, forcing the tears back as I started to pick up all the fallen items that had been on the tree. I tried to pick up a fallen bell only for Briar’s heel to press down on my hand, pinning my fingers to the floor as pain shot through them.

“You didn’t answer my question, sister. Did I startle you?”

“N-no, Bri… miss Briar. You did not startle me.”

“Too bad I didn’t.” She hissed. “I should’ve completely broken it so you’d have to make another tree from scratch.”

She stepped away, and I knew this was far from over when she threw her bag and heels and then tied up her hair, obviously in a shitty mood and ready to take it out on me.

A shudder went through me when I thought about what was about to happen. I was Briar’s sister, yes, but it was in name only. I was told my parents were criminals who tried to flee after embezzling the pack’s funds. They took me with them in the middle of the night, trying to escape the pack, but the hunters shot them dead before they could successfully escape, and I was in the middle of it all.

I was only four years old, a child who had just turned into an orphan. The Alpha and Luna decided to keep me, especially since they didn’t have a child of their own. I remembered how I had come to love my new family. They provided everything for me despite my parents' wrongdoings, and I felt so grateful for their love, but everything stopped when Luna conceived a year later and gave birth to Briar.

I was no longer cared for. They gave the new child everything they had, and Briar grew up hating me despite how much I’d tried to show her care. She’d treat me like a maid until I finally became one for her, and every time I thought about her, I couldn’t understand why she hated me so much.

The Alpha and Luna never said anything about her abuse. They’d do anything for their precious daughter, including turning a blind eye to whatever she did to me. They would even pluck the moon from the sky if she ever asked for it. Now I was nothing more than a servant in a home I once thought was mine.

Before I could prepare myself for what was coming, Briar caught a fistful of my hair and pulled me up with it. I cried out in pain as I felt the hot tingling sensation on my scalp. Her palms connected with my face hard, and she’d put so much strength in that hit that I thought the ringing in my ears was a sign of me going deaf. Tears streamed down my face, but I didn’t dare fight back, or it’d only get worse.

“You think I didn’t see you scowl just now?” She yelled and angrily kicked the huge Christmas tree she’d fallen. “My family provides a roof over your goddamned head, feeds you, and even clothes someone as wretched as you are. The least you can do to pay it back is work your ass off without complaining like a spoiled chicken.”

“I’m sorry, Briar. I didn’t mean to—“

“Shut up!” She snapped, grabbing my hair again as she slammed me into the wall. “Perhaps you really think you can take my place in this family. You think you’re really my sister because we share the same surname. Is that what you think?”

Her face was red with anger as she raised her hand to my face again. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to land on either side of my cheeks, when I heard a voice ring out.

“Stop it, Briar!”

I opened my eyes slowly to see the Luna hurrying down the stairs. There was a slight panic in her eyes as she approached us. But I didn’t feel relieved at all. She’s never stopped Briar before, so why now?

“You can’t hit her on the face. Didn’t I tell you?” She cursed angrily, pulling angry Briar away from me. “Have you thought about what would happen if she has even a single bruise on the day of the wedding? How is she going to take your place and marry the shadow pine Alpha?”

I stared at the Luna in confusion, wondering what the f**k she meant by that statement.

Briar sighed heavily. “You’re right, mom. We can’t have Alpha Gideon rejecting her because of her face. I’ll try to control myself better next time.”

I looked between the two of them, utterly confused. “What... what are you talking about? W-who am I marrying?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” Briar smiled cruelly, stepping closer. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Alpha of the shadow pine pack.”

Dread ran through me as I remembered the rumors I’d heard about him. Alpha Gideon. He was mute. Yes, I mean mute. He was unable to speak, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous. He was someone who was rumored to have killed his own father in cold blood. That made him ruthless and wicked. No one wanted to cross a man like that. And those who did never lived to tell the tale.

“I was supposed to be engaged to him.” Briar continued, and her shoulders shook with laughter. “Can you imagine me marrying a mute Alpha? I’d sooner find a beggar on the street.” She said, lowering her voice to a whisper. Of course, even she was afraid of being overheard talking about him like that.

“For obvious reasons, this engagement cannot be broken, so instead of marrying a man like that,” She smiled sweetly, like she was telling me how beautiful the sky was today. “We have decided to have you take my place.”

My mouth dropped open as she continued, absolutely enjoying the look of dread on my face. “I mean, only a wretched woman like you can marry a man like that, right?”

She eyed me, her eyes lighting up with excitement at the thought of destroying my life like she’s not done enough yet.

“But…” my lips quivered, trying to find a way out of this. “I’m not even your blood. It’s going to backfire.”

“Father already has that sorted out. As long as you carry the family name, you’re a part of us, which means you can definitely marry in my place.”

My fists were balled so tight, and my legs were shaking at the realization of what she was implying.

I’d heard about the alliance between both packs. It was a promise that was forged with blood by the previous leaders, promising to marry their offspring to each other to form an alliance that’d benefit both. And Briar was that person. No matter how much she was against this marriage, she couldn’t call it off, so she decided to find a way out of it using me as a substitute?

“And oh, don’t you love Christmas so much?” Briar said just before she left with the Luna, whose hand she was holding sweetly. “Mother and father decided it was a good idea to hold the wedding ceremony on Christmas Day. It’s going to be a double celebration. Aren’t you excited?”

Christmas was the only day I enjoyed in my wretched life, and she was about to make even a day like that unbearable for me.

The idea of me taking her place, marrying Alpha Gideon. It was so absurd, and I wouldn’t have seen it coming in a million years, so now I didn’t know what to do.

Her words continued to ring in my ears even as she left. And I collapse to the floor, hearing my wolf utter curses at them and urging me to get back to my room before they decide to return.

I’m not sure if all of these were a dream or if they’ve truly decided to replace the bride and marry me off to Shadowpine Alpha. If that was what they truly planned, then I guess my hell was just about to begin.