Alpha's Hunter: Reborn as the Hybrid's Vengeance

“Look who finally decided to show up! Princess River, do you need a red carpet now?” A sarcastic remark echoed through the weak walls of the house. River, with her head lowered, rushed into the kitchen. “Sorry, aunt Cheryl. I-I'll make breakfast now. Give me ten minutes.” “Shut up!” Cheryl hit the pan on her arm, making her hiss before she caught it with the other hand. “All you do is sleep and eat! Look at all the fats in your belly! I wonder if you were a pig in your previous life!” “Agh! My life's so pathetic!” "The packhouse dinner ran late last night, so I was late,” River muttered, already starting to work, swallowing the bitter lump rising in her throat. No one had noticed the tears in her eyes. "I don't give a damn!" Uncle Thomas barked as he stormed into the room. “Look at the size of you! Costing us fortune just to feed a pig like you! And don’t even get me started on that useless, crippled sister of yours sitting in the room doing absolutely nothing." The mention of Moon made River’s chest tighten, a sharp pang pierced her soul. "Moon isn't useless," she whispered, her knuckles turned white around the handle of the spatula. "What was that? Speak up, freeloaded hybrid!" Thomas barked, leaning over the table, his face flushed with anger. "You think you can talk back to me under my roof? I’m telling you, fat pig, you need to start bringing in more money! The packhouse kitchen pays well enough, and I know you’re hiding tips.” “If you don’t bring home more money by this week, I'm dragging Moon out. She can clean toilets down at the pack barracks!" A fierce rage ignited deep within River’s soul. She spun around to face them, her eyes flashed dangerously that made Cheryl take a half-step back in surprise. "You leave Moon out of this!" River shouted. When it came to her only family, she couldn't take it anymore. "You want to talk about money? It was all my parents' money! You took every single asset they left for us! You spent it all away on your debts and kids! We don't owe you a single penny!” For a moment, everything turned silent with the shock of her defiance. And Just for a second, River thought she might have actually gotten through to them. But she realized how wrong she was when a sudden strike hit her cheek, instantly making her stagger back from the force. "How dare you!" Cheryl shrieked out. "You worthless half-blood!” “We have sacrificed for you ungrateful brats! We took you in when nobody else wanted you! We could have left you on the streets to starve, but we opened our home, and this is the disrespect we get? Thomas, do you hear her? She’s completely evil!” Thomas stepped forward, “I'll make sure to eliminate the mistake!” He unbuckled his belt and started hitting River aimlessly. Anguish shot through her body as silent tears slipped down her eyes. This had been her life for the past thirteen years. Ever since her parents died, they had been practically living in hell on earth. "Please! Please stop!" Moon cried weakly, trying to hurry to her sister with the support of a crutch, but her aunt pushed her away, making her fall to the ground. She felt so devastatingly helpless that she couldn't help her sister at all. "Uncle, Aunt, I am so sorry," Moon pleaded, her voice cracking as she dragged herself to Thomas's feet. “Ple-ease! River didn't mean any of it…” Thomas finally stopped and yanked his feet. “Take this bit*h out of my sight!” Seeing her little sister begging like that, River couldn't bear to watch anymore. Using her last bit of strength, she rose to her feet and rushed out of the home. River didn't know how long she ran; she only stopped when her feet gave out and she fell down. Ever since her parents died, her aunt and uncle had made sure River felt every bit of their anger toward her, always threatening her with Moon. They hated her soft, fuller body, always calling it “lazy” instead of understanding it came from her rare hybrid nature. In a pack full of slim, well-trained wolves, River stood out—but not in a way they accepted. Her status as a hybrid disgusts them, and her half-witch identity was a thorn in their eyes. To them, she was always “too much,” always “wrong,” and a dark-tainted blood. Each second reminding her that she didn’t belong in the same bloodline at all. And it only worsened when, a few days ago, she turned eighteen but didn't get her wolf… River cried for who knows how long, only realizing it had been a long time when her body healed, except for the new scars. Although she has no wolf, she heals, but slower than other wolves. River stood up weakly and gazed at the sky. It was already turning dark; the feast would start soon in the packhouse. She must hurry! When she reached the grand entrance of the packhouse, it was beaming with a festive mood. A very different world from hers. But she never felt envious. After all, tonight was Alpha's nineteenth birthday. Alessio Bennett... He was also River’s secret crush. When everyone bullied her, he helped her once, and since then she had kept him in her heart. And no matter how her life is, she wouldn't let her misery ruin his night. "Do I take this gate?" she asked herself before glancing to the left. If she took the back entrance, she would be late and punished. Her body couldn't endure another course of brutality, so she chose to take the risk, only hoping no-one sees her. But just as she took a step across the threshold, a heavy leather boot suddenly thrust out from behind the stone pillar, catching her ankle. River didn't even have time to gasp as her balance stumbled, and her body flew forward, making her crash face-first onto the hard floor with a loud thud. The laughter exploded around her, and immediately she knew who they were. ‘I fu*king hate my life!’ She muttered in head. “Wow, did you feel it? The entire packhouse just shook!” Anna's tone rang with sarcastic remarks. “I truly wonder how she even moved with that body of hers. She even dared to show up at the front entrance!” Melody scoffed. A kick landed on her leg, making her hiss slightly. She looked up at the girl. It was Karina, standing with her two minions, Anna and Melody. Karina is the Beta's daughter and the future Luna of Alessio. “How dare you cross our path, you trash?” Karina glared at her. “Who let you in through this path?” River only clenched her fists. The three of them were her nemesis. Since childhood, they had bullied her at every chance. She hated them with everything in her but couldn't speak against them. "What’s with her clothes though?" "Did she even take a shower this morning?" "Her clothes are so dirty! How can she even wear it!?" "Ewww. I’ll kill myself if I was as dirty and fat as she was!” — These were words she used too. Words she heard every day. River swallowed hard and gazed up, “I-I'm sorry… I was late, so…” “Shut up, you filthy blood!” Karina again landed a kick, this time to her waist, making her writhe in pain. Karina couldn't stand River at all. Her blood boils each time she sees her face. She wished to strangle her. “How dare you talk back against me!? You bloody s**t, I'll kill you!” She left her leg to kick her again, when— “Karina, stop it.” A deep male tone fell, freezing Karina's feet, and the kick never landed on her. The voice had River almost numb. Her eyes instantly snapped towards that direction, only to make her heart flutter involuntarily. It's Alessio! River’s heart fluttered involuntarily. She looked up, her eyes widened as Alessio stepped into the light of the grand entrance. For a moment, the agonizing burn in her faded, replaced by a surge of hope. “Seriously? You're now supporting this half-blood?” Karina was enraged. All she wanted to do is strangle the pathetic bit*h. Alessio walked over, throwing a mere glance at River. He stood near Karina. "I don't want any unnecessary scenes tonight. Royals will be arriving soon, Karina. You should focus there.” The bond within her throbbed, sending a violent, electric spark through her veins. He was her crush, but no one knows that he was also her fated mate… The night she turned eighteen, under the full moon, they had recognized their bonds. Although she had no wolf, a part of her surprisingly caught the scent. She knew a wolf-less hybrid had no future with a future Alpha, but the mere existence of the bond had given her a tiny, fragile bubble of hope. He hadn’t rejected her yet. That had to mean something, right? “Get your ass up and go back to the kitchen.” Alessio's cold voice snapped her out of thoughts. “Stop causing a scene at the front door.” “I-I’m sorry,” River whispered, scrambling to her feet. She didn't look at Karina’s murderous glare as she hurried past them, rushing toward the back entrance of the massive packhouse. The moment she entered the kitchen, she was hit with a pot. “Have you lost your mind, half-blood!” the head governess, Mrs. Gable, barked. She marched over, her eyes scanned River’s disheveled appearance with pure disgust. “You are fifteen minutes late!” “With a stomach that big, I’m surprised she managed to appear at least.” An omega girl chimed in, and others burst out in laughter. “Enough!” Mrs. Gable snapped. “Now move your ass and start cooking!” River swallowed the bitter lump of humiliation, keeping her chin down as she tied a stained white apron around her waist. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Gable. It won’t happen again,” she muttered. She tuned out the whispers and the cruel giggles, focusing entirely on the task at hand. Cooking was the one thing she truly mastered. Her hands moved with practiced ease. Even though the kitchen staff despised her hybrid blood, they couldn't afford to lose her talent; without her, the feast would be a disaster… When the final platters were finally sent out, River quietly scraped the leftover into a small plastic container, hiding it deep in her worn backpack. It was for Moon. Her sister loves meat. By midnight, the kitchen work was done. The other omegas packed up and left, laughing about the party upstairs, but Mrs. Gable caught River just as she reached for her bag. “Not so fast, fat-blood,” the governess sneered, pointing to three overflowing bags of garbage. “Take the trash out before you even think about leaving.” River sighed, her muscles were aching, yet she couldn't risk losing the only job. She hoisted two heavy bags and pushed open the back door, stepping into the cold, dark alleyway behind the kitchen. She walked toward the wooden fence near the edge of the woods, dropping the bags into the dumpster. But before she could turn around, a pair of strong arms slammed into her from behind. River didn't even have time to gasp before she was violently spun around and pinned roughly against the brick wall; the rough stone harshly bit into her back. But the moment her gaze caught the sight, terror seized her lungs, freezing her on the spot. “A-Alessio!” A gasp tore through her throat…