The Alpha’s Bastard Daughter

Sacrificial Offering

For several seconds, I could only stare at my father, a mock laugh escaped my lips.

“Me?” Christy rolled her eyes.

“Who else?” I looked between them.

“But…why?” Angelina stepped closer to the bed, her expression almost amused.

“Because my daughter has been chosen.” My gaze shifted to Christy; she smiled, and suddenly I understood.

“No.” The word left my mouth before I could stop it, Christy’s smile disappeared. “You don’t get to say no.”

“I won’t go.” My voice shook, but I forced myself to sit straighter despite the pain.

“I’ll work, I’ll serve in the inner quarters for the rest of my life if that’s what you want. But I won’t go to him.” Angelina laughed softly.

“You misunderstand your position.” She leaned toward me. “You aren’t being asked.” My fingers tightened around the blanket, I looked at my father.

“Is that why you saved me?” He didn’t answer and that silence was enough, it told me what had happened in those few hours of my blackout.

My chest tightened, all those years I had secretly wondered whether there was a piece of him buried beneath the hatred.

Perhaps seeing me die had awakened something and saving me meant he finally regretted abandoning me.

‘Perhaps..’ I almost laughed at myself.

‘How stupid could I be?’ I mumbled, he hadn’t saved his daughter, he had saved a useful body.

“Your mother needs surgery,” Charles said, and my head snapped toward him.

“You know?” I asked.

“Of course.” Hope sparked before I could kill it.

“Then please…” I whispered. “Please save her too.” He studied me for a moment.

“If you do what is required, her treatment will be arranged.” My heart began pounding.

“What is required?” Christy stepped forward.

“You will go to the Alpha King’s territory in my place.” I froze even though I was already expecting that before she landed cleanly.

She continued, her voice dripping with contempt. “The Pearl Pack has a long-standing obligation to provide a woman for the King’s private chambers.” My stomach turned.

“And you were chosen.”

“No.” This time my refusal was immediate, Christy laughed.

“Still pretending you have a choice?”

“I won’t do it.” Angelina’s expression hardened.

“Then your mother dies.” Everything inside me went still, I stared at her.

“You wouldn’t.” She raised an eyebrow.

“Wouldn’t I?” She sneered. I looked toward my father and stayed silent; that hurt most of all.

“You said you’d save her,” I said, breaking the silence that had lasted just a few seconds.

“I said her treatment would be arranged.” His voice remained emotionless. “If you fulfill your obligation.” My eyes burned.

I had survived nineteen years of being unwanted, surviving insults, hunger, beatings, and being treated like something that should have never been born.

However this was different, they weren’t threatening me, they were threatening the only person who had ever loved me, my mother.

I lowered my gaze, my heart going cold. “When do I leave?”

Christy’s smile returned. “Tonight.”

Perfect, they didn’t even give me time to breathe.

Angelina turned toward the door. “Get her prepared.” The healer followed her.

Christy remained, she came closer until she stood beside my bed, for a moment neither of us spoke.

She leaned down. “You know what’s funny, Amy?” I looked at her.

“I’ve spent my whole life embarrassed that we share a father.” Her eyes hardened.

“But tonight, for the first time, I’m grateful.” I frowned, but her smile deepened.

“Because you look enough like me to fool him.” My blood ran cold.

“What does that mean?” Christy straightened.

“You’ll understand when you meet the King.”

Saying that she walked toward the door, and threw me a glance

“And Amy?”

“Yes?” I answered, hoping for a change of mind.

“Don’t come back.” The door closed, my world crashed as I sat motionless.

I slowly looked down at my hands, they were still trembling, my father’s blood was inside me and my mother’s life was hanging over my head.

Somewhere beyond the Pearl Pack waited the most feared Alpha in the wolf territories.

The man I had been chosen to deceive, I swallowed hard, a strange thought crossing my mind. ‘What if the Alpha King discovers the truth?’

My gaze drifted toward the window. Outside, the moon hung above the Pearl Pack, cold and beautiful, as if it was watching over me.

‘Why am I born to suffer goddess?’ I sighed softly.

I had spent my entire life believing I was the weakest person in this world, yet tonight, they were sending me into the lion’s den.

Perhaps they had forgotten one thing, even a frightened creature eventually learns how to bite.

By sunset, they had transformed me from a dying servant into a sacrifice, two maids entered my room carrying a black gown.

I stared at it from the bed. “I’m not wearing that.” One of them hesitated, the other avoided my eyes.

“We were ordered to dress you.”

“By whom?”

“Luna Angelina.”

‘Of course,’ I pushed myself upright, ignoring the ache spreading through my body.

“Leave.”

They exchanged nervous glances.

“Miss Amy..”

“I said leave.”

Something in my voice must have frightened them because they placed the gown on the chair and hurried out.

The door clicked shut, I stared at the dress, it was beautiful, far too beautiful for someone like me.

Black silk flowed from the shoulders to the floor, embroidered with silver threads that shimmered beneath the candlelight.

I let out a mocking laugh, thinking about the fact that they wanted to dress their sacrifice like a queen.

I got out of bed slowly, my legs nearly gave way, and in an instant I grabbed the table beside me and waited until the dizziness passed.

The healer had warned me that the Alpha’s blood had saved my life, but my body was still weak.

I wondered what exactly he had done to me. ‘Why had his blood worked and why had I survived?’

‘Why had my father looked almost afraid when the healer examined me?’ I pushed the questions aside.

None of them mattered, Mother mattered, with that, I changed into the gown.

Shortly, a servant returned and combed my hair in silence and I didn’t break it either. When she finished, I looked at myself in the mirror, I almost didn’t recognize the woman staring back.

My dark hair fell over my shoulders, the dress made my skin look paler, at this moment I looked like someone who belonged in the upper quarters.

However, the moment I noticed the bruises around my neck, the illusion shattered, I was still Amy, the bastard and the unwanted servant.

The girl was sent away because her family was ashamed of her.

“Thud!” A knock sounded and he didn’t wait for a formal invitation as the door opened.

My father stood outside, I froze upon turning my head, he had never come to my room before.

He stepped inside the room, and we simply stared at each other.

“Are you ready?” I scoffed silently, not once had he asked whether I was afraid or how I felt, only whether I was ready.

“Yes.” His eyes briefly moved over my face, an unreadable look flashed across them and disappeared.

“You will not embarrass the Pearl Pack.”

I looked at him.

“Is that all?” His brows drew together.

“What else do you expect?” I swallowed.

“Nothing.” I walked past him, but before I reached the doorway, his voice stopped me.

“Amy.” I turned, becoming hopeful again as it was the first time he had ever said my name.

My heart betrayed me and skipped a beat, meanwhile, he stared at me for several seconds and his expression hardened.

“Do not reveal your identity.” My smile vanished.

“I thought he was supposed to receive Christy.”

“He believes the woman being sent is the daughter of the Pearl Alpha.” I stared at him.

“So you are lying to the Alpha King.” His jaw tightened.

“Be careful with your words.” A bitter laugh escaped me.

“Of course.” He stepped aside and with that, I walked out of the room.

Outside the front door was the vehicle waiting, it was larger than any home I had ever lived in.

I climbed inside and shut the doors, soon the Pearl Pack disappeared behind me as the vehicle began moving.

I looked through the window until the familiar compound vanished into the darkness.

Mother was still there, waiting for me to save her, I pressed my palm against the cold glass.

“I’ll come back for you,” I whispered, not knowing whether I was making a promise or a prayer.

Hours later, the vehicle stopped, I lifted my head, and outside stood an enormous black gate.

Beyond it stretched a city unlike anything I had ever seen, towers rose into the night while thousands of lights illuminated the streets.

Wolves in expensive clothes moved through the palace grounds, this wasn’t merely a pack, it was a kingdom.

Suddenly, a guard opened the door.

“Welcome to the King’s territory.” I stepped down with my heart pounding heavily.

I looked toward the enormous palace rising beneath the moon and took one slow breath.