Marked by the Alpha’s Sin: Love, Lust, and Lycan Blood

SVETLANA'S POV Finding myself at the center of the crowded hall, heart thumping in my chest while laughter and whispers of fellow students built all around, it was another regular day in Moonbloom High, and I was already dreading it. The stare of my classmates felt like they were measuring me, judging me, keeping me under their claws for a moment. "You can't simply bully me anymore!” I screamed, surprised at how loud my voice had gotten. The words had managed to snatch away attention from the murmuring for a split second. Clinton, Cleff, and Clyde, my usual tormentors, stood proudly with their smug faces all twisted in amusement just a few feet away. "You think you're tough now, hybrid?" Clinton sneered, stepping closer as his eyes sparkled between arrogance and cruelty. "You're still the same weak girl we all know. Just because you're president doesn't mean we will let it go." I tried to make my hands into fists and control the trembling inside. They had been bullying me since I could remember. A hybrid; half werewolf, half human- was pretty much an open invitation to torment. My father was a rogue werewolf, and my mother was a human; I was caught in a precarious mix: never fully accepted into either world. "Shut up, Clinton!" I spat back, shockingly. I felt some strange confidence building within me. "You can't keep pushing me around. I'm done with it!" Other students poured in, while some observed with interest, others found the situation mildly entertaining. I stared at my classmates, watching them as their expressions punctuated disbelief. They saw me as the meek Student Union president who never quite stood up for herself. I had always been a victim. It had been all my life. They always would laugh, and the laughter would cut into my heart like a sharp dagger. “Look at her! She thinks she’s brave now,” Cleff said, sneering, a mocking grin decorating his face. “Yeah, we will show her bravery when we demonstrate what happens to hybrids like her,” Clyde added while crossing his arms on his chest. I swallowed hard as a heavy sensation settled into my stomach. I wanted to say something back - just to show them I'm stronger than they think. But the fear kept creeping, throwing in doubt to confound my mind. The bell rang at precisely the right moment - signaling a close to lunch. Students began to disperse, and a mix of relief and dread settled upon me as I hurried along to class, heart pounding furiously. My mind drifted back to a place far into the past. I was recalling that first shift. I had been frightened, confused, and alone. The other kids had laughed at my half-shift, calling me a freak. I had run back home that afternoon, tears rolling down my face, desperate to get away from their taunts. My mother, Nina, was no good. She was always busy with her own life, needs, and concerns. I was just a bitter reminder about a husband who had refused to bow to the Alpha King. I remembered her words, cold and harsh: "You're a disgrace, Svetlana. You'll never amount to anything.” Those words kept echoing through my mind and disrupting my focus from the lesson. I wanted to prove her wrong. I wanted to show her I could be more than just a victim. The interminable school day ended, a blur of lectures and social dynamics I barely held on to. And once it was over, I ran out of the building in a hurry, away from the stifling atmosphere of Moonbloom High. As I walked to my parking lot, I saw her, dreadfulness incarnate. My mother stood beside her car, a smile plastered on her face that froze me with fear. Slowly, I walked toward her, my heart pounding. “Mom, what are you doing here?” I tried to sound neutral. She faced me with a growing smile. "I want to introduce you to someone very special, Svetlana." I felt my stomach lurch. I did not like the sound of that. "What do you mean?" I cautiously asked. "Just follow me," she said, beckoning me. For a moment, I considered resisting. Yet, curiosity had other plans. I accompanied her to a nearby small café in front of which stood a tall man, moving with a confident and imposing carriage. Black hair, blue glare- such ferocity in his eyes! "Meet Alpha Mattias," proclaimed my mother, pride dripping from every word. My heart dropped. Mattias. The very man who had killed my father. That Alpha King who had razed our family to the ground. "Hello, Svetlana," he said, his voice smooth but cold. "I have heard so much about you." Against the swelling anger, I held myself back. I couldn't let him see how much of an effect he had on me. "And what is it you want?" My voice was steady, belying my inner turmoil. "I want to be a part of your life," he said, flashing a half-confident smile. "Your mother and I are to be married, and I want you to feel happy about it." "Happy?" I scoffed the word bitterly in my mouth. "You think I can be happy knowing you killed my father?" That smile faded for a single moment as he was caught off guard; but quickly, an ugly grin scoured back on his face. "That is all in the past, Svetlana. You really have to look towards the future." I turned away, refusing to let the tears fall. The future he referred to was dark and filled with dread. I couldn't accept this new reality. I didn't want to be accepted into a life that was a betrayal of my father's memory. "My darling, this is best for both of us, Svetlana. You need to understand that," said my mother, putting a hand on my shoulder. I shook it off, ready to bear my resentment. "You don't care about what I think, do you?" Her eyes turned cold and merciless as she stared at me. "Enough, Svetlana! This is happening whether you want it or not.”