The Alpha’s Bastard Daughter

The night my father finally saved my life, I discovered he had never intended to let me live. “Please, Alpha Charles.” My knees were numb against the cold stone floor, but I refused to move. “My mother is dying.” The words came out barely louder than a whisper, rain clouds gathered above the Pearl Pack estate, turning the sky almost as dark as my future. The wind tore through my thin servant’s dress, but I barely felt it anymore, all I could think about was my mother, Bianca. The woman who had spent nineteen years suffering because of me, the woman who had never once blamed me for being born. The woman who was lying in a tiny servant’s room, struggling to breathe while I stood outside the Alpha’s residence begging the man whose blood ran through my veins. “My mother and I have served this pack our entire lives,” I continued, lowering my head. “Please. I don’t need much. Just enough for the surgery.” I said through the rain but silence answered me, it always did. Behind the enormous doors was the world I had never been allowed to enter, the world of silk, gold, power, and wolves who believed humans existed only to serve them. Outside those doors was me, Amy Moonstone, the Pearl Pack Alpha’s bastard daughter, half wolf and half human, entirely unwanted. I tightened my trembling fingers. “Alpha Charles…” My voice cracked. “Please save my mother.” A servant carrying a basket of linens passed behind me, she glanced at me, pity flashed across her face and as quickly as she looked at me she turned away. I couldn’t blame her, everyone knew what happened to people who showed sympathy toward me. My mother had taught me one important lesson growing up, never expect kindness from people who benefit from your suffering. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that lesson tonight, I was desperate. I had counted my savings three times before coming here. It only contained three coins, that was all nineteen years of my life had earned me. Three useless coins against the cost of my mother’s surgery, therefore I had come to the one person who could help, my father. I had never called him that aloud before, it was forbidden. The Alpha had never publicly acknowledged me, and the pack had learned to pretend I didn’t exist. However, tonight, desperation has made me reckless and I don’t mind the outcome. “For the sake of the bond between father and daughter…” My voice trembled. “Please.” I cried. The doors finally opened, my heart leapt instantly, the Beta stepped outside and for one foolish second, I thought he had come to call me inside. Instead, he looked down at me, his expression twisted with disgust. “You’re still here?” I swallowed hard. “Please, I need to speak with the Alpha.” “He has no interest in speaking with you, are you that slow?” He turned, leaving the door slightly open behind him. My gaze shifted to the door, I stared at it intently and slowly moved my gaze back to him. In a flash something snapped inside me and before fear could stop me, I lunged forward, crossing the threshold, however, I regretted that decision immediately. In a flash, a hand seized my hair, pain exploded across my scalp, a fist struck my cheek, I stumbled feeling fuzzy. Another blow landed against my stomach, snapping the air out of my lungs. I couldn't breathe. “Get her out! She’s trespassing!” “Filthy bastard!” I hit the floor and in the next minute boots surrounded me. I crawled forward anyway. “I need to see him…” A kick struck my ribs, I gasped. “Please…” I muttered, but it was followed by another blow, my vision blurred, but through the haze, I saw something that made my blood run colder than the rain outside. At the end of the corridor stood three people. Alpha Charles, Luna Angelina, and Christy, my father watched me without expression while Christy smiled as though this were the most entertaining thing she’d seen all evening. My father’s gaze met mine, for the first time in nineteen years, I had his full attention and there was nothing paternal in his eyes. Nothing warm or human, only calculation, without hesitation he turned away. That hurt more than the beating, slowly my body finally stopped fighting as darkness swallowed my vision, one thought burned through my mind. ‘Goddess…If you give me another life…’ My fingers curled weakly against the floor. ‘I won’t spend it begging anyone to love me.’ Saying that, everything went black, when I opened my eyes again, the first thing I smelled was blood, not mine, but wolf blood. I tried to sit up, pain tore through my body, a healer stood beside the bed, holding a bowl of dark red liquid, and standing behind him was Alpha Charles, my father watching me. I stared at him in confusion. “You’re awake.” I couldn’t speak,I just stared as he approached the bed. For nineteen years, I had dreamed about standing this close to him, imagining him looking at me and finally seeing his daughter. Instead, he looked at me as though I were an unfamiliar weapon. “Do you know why you’re alive?” I shook my head, he reached toward my wrist, his claw pierced his own palm, and a drop of blood fell onto my skin. The moment it touched me, something inside my body exploded, my spine arched, and a scream tore from my throat. The healer stepped back, Alpha Charles watched calmly. “Tonight, Amy Moonstone, you will repay the debt of your blood.” I stared at him confused. “What…debt?” He didn’t answer, however, the door opened at the time, Luna Angelina walked in, behind her was Christy, my stepsister she looked at me and at the blood running through my veins, a slow smile appeared on her face. “She’s alive.” Angelina nodded. “Yes.” Christy crossed her arms. “Then we can send her.” My stomach tightened. “Send me where?” Nobody answered immediately and that silence frightened me more than the beating. Finally, my father looked directly into my eyes. “To the Alpha King.” My heart stopped, everyone in the wolf territories knew that name. The most powerful Alpha alive, the ruthless king whose women never returned unchanged, some returned broken while some never returned at all and now my father had brought me back from death only to send me to him.