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

The Return

SVETLANA'S POV

Years had gone by since that crazy night, and I was no longer the scared little girl who got bullied into exile.

At twenty, I was someone stronger, fiercer, and undeniably beautiful. Years of training had toned my body, and I had learned to fight with skill and grace. The seal was broken: I had embraced my hybrid nature and gone on to master both sides.'

I was stripping for a living now, my beauty and strength opening the door to money. I danced for those men as a way to mesmerize them with my moves—almost like empowerment. I set boundaries, though, of never allowing any of those men to have s*x with me. It was all about reclaiming my power-now on my own terms.

I had received an invitation to Moonbloom's mansion for a very lavish party on a certain evening. The moment the entrance had been made, the atmosphere was alive with energy, loud music, and laughter. The red dress I had chosen perfectly wrapped my curves, and I felt confident and fierce.

As I roamed the room, the sight of my mother and Alpha Mattias across the hall stopped my heart. They were surprised to see me, eyes wide as if refusing the truth. The shock on their faces made my heart swell in satisfaction. I had transformed into the woman they could never underestimate.

But before I could make my way towards them, three men surged forward from the hall. "Look who we have here," one said with a smirk. "The hybrid queen. You really have outdone yourself."

I narrowed my eyes, bracing to stand my ground. "What do you want?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

"Come on, Svetlana," another man coaxed, stepping closer. "You can come back home. We forgive you for what happened. You're one of us now."

A storm of fury was rising up inside me. Did they really think they could win me back into their lives after all that had gone down? "Forgive me?" I laughed bitterly. "You think I want anything to do with you? You made my life a living hell!"

The men looked at each other, surprised by my response. "We were just kids," one of them protested. "We didn't realize what we were doing."

"That is not an excuse!" I shot back, my voice loud. "You bullied me and made me feel worthless. I worked hard to be who I am now. I don't need your forgiveness or your pity."

The men were taken aback, but I didn't care. I turned and walked away with a feeling of empowerment; I was no longer a victim. I fought back and found my power.

As I walked through the crowd, I caught glimpses of some familiar faces. Some of my old classmates looked at me in shock. They couldn't believe the change in me. I felt a surge of pride. I had worked really hard for this life and would not allow anyone to take it away from me.

Later, I saw my mother and Alpha Mattias smoking the peace together, chatting with some honored guests with lifted eyes and smiling faces. Then, upon seeing me, their faces would turn pale with shock. I saw my mother's eyes narrowing, and then I felt a myriad of emotions. Part of me wanted to confront her, to remind her of all she had done.

But I just turned and headed toward the garden for some private thinking. It was lane bathed with alluring moonshine. I breathed in deeply to calm my racing heart.

"Why did I come back here?" I pondered aloud. "I should be out there plotting my revenge. I should be out there making them pay for all they did to me."

Suddenly, footsteps approached. When I turned around, there stood Clinton, Cleff, and Clyde----their expressions filled with surprise. They looked a little different now, more mature, but their eyes still carried that familiar glint of mischief.

"Svetlana?" Clinton murmured. "Is that really you?"

I crossed my arms. "What do you want?" I could feel anger, confusion, and maybe distrust in my voice.

"We didn't expect you to come back," Cleff said honestly, stepping closer. "You look- I mean, strong."

"Why are you here?" I asked, forcing myself not to tremble. "Did you come to gloat?"

"No, we just want to understand," Clyde replied, shaking his head. "Why did you come back after everything?"

My body shook with fear, looking at them. They had been making my life miserable for such an extended period, and now they were asking some genuine questions of me. “I came back here because I have unfinished business,” I stated firmly. “And I want to take revenge against what they had done to me.”

The three shared glances; surprise was written all over their faces. “Revenge?” Clinton asked, his brow drawing downward. “What are you referring to?”

“I’m not that weak girl that you once used to bully,” I shared firmly. “Now I am strong. I know how to fight and I am no longer afraid of you. I am here to show you what I have become.”

They seemed to be taken aback because of my confidence. I could see their faces change into an expression of astonishment but there was something else that I could not quite put my finger on.

“Maybe we were wrong about you,” Cleff did say at last, in a tone softer than I had anticipated. “Maybe we can help each other.”

I narrowed my eyes at them. “Help each other? After everything? Why would I trust you?”

“Because we’ve changed,” Clyde said, stepping forward. “We want to make things right. We don’t want to be your enemies anymore.”

I had an abstract crash of feelings inside me, full of wanting to believe them; yet another part was still angry. “You think I’ll just forget the past?” I challenged.

"No. But we can start all over," Cliff said, maintaining eye contact. "We can work together. You have power now, and we want to help you use it."

I took a step back as I was not sure what to think. All the memories of the past swept my mind, yet I felt almost drawn to them. "I don't think I can trust you," I said at last.

"Just give us a chance," Cleff urged. "We want to see you succeed. We want to help you get your revenge."

I found myself standing under the light of the moon, feeling the weight of their gazes on me. Deep inside I knew this was only the beginning. My journey was far from over, and I had to decide what to do moving forward.

But one thing deep inside told me for sure: I was back and ready to take control of my life and destiny.

The road for revenge was laid out before me, and I would let no one block my way.