The Wolf Spirit

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella. It's been told over centuries of a poor girl being raised by her stepmother with her step sisters. They treat her like a maid, and from there, they focus on becoming the next princess of the kingdom. Well, you know how the story plays out. Here is my story of the fairytale. Yes, I am the Cinderella of this story, but mine is much more grim than that of the Disney princess you know and love. *Stormy POV* My mom was Luna of the pack. She was beautiful and shined like the sun. The whole pack loved her. The children just followed her around like little ducklings. All was good in the world. So I thought. My mother was suddenly hit with an illness that no healer could heal. My father, the Alpha, once was happy and full of joy turned dark and cold. My mother slowly died. The pack that once had life slowly faded away. I was only 6 at the time. 6 months had passed, and in an instant, my father remarried. She was my mother's sister, Lorraine. Lorraine on the outside showed love and light like my mother did, but it wasn't the same. she was cruel and mean. The pack didn't thrive like it did when my mother was Luna. The children feared her, and my half-sister, Lora, was just like her mother. She would seem nice at first, then in a second play tricks on you. As we got older, they became more wicked. I was 6 when I fell in love with Beta Jackson's son. We would play from sunrise to sunset and get into some trouble. Jacob was my best friend who promised me that after my mother died, he would marry me and take me away from there. As we got older, it became clear that Jacob's feelings for me turned. He started following Lora around like a lost puppy. Of course, he would. Why wouldn't he fall in love with the future Luna of the pack? Lora became more beautiful as we grew up. She was given the title of future Luna because she was born first. Before my mother and father mated, he had been dating Lorraine. Once you become 18, your wolf appears, and then the mate bond becomes strong. As a future Luna or future Alpha becomes 18, they can pick a mate without the mate bond or with their mate bond. Since there were no male heirs, the Luna would pick her Alpha by their ranks. Even if she had a mate, if he was lower rank, she would reject him and pick a higher rank. That is where Jacob comes in. Coached by his parents to be at the highest levels in grades and combat. Alpha runs the pack, Beta is his right-hand man, he is the second strongest and runs the fighters of the pack, Gamma is in charge of the dirty work, they are the ones you call to clean up the mess. They are strong but are more behind-the-scenes kind of person. They also have an aura that can calm the inner wolf in others. It is very useful when the Alpha upsets the Luna. Omega is the last rank they keep the lower ranks in their place. The Luna is the highest rank of all. She is on the left of the Alpha, which is the heart of the Pack. When her Alpha is away, she runs the pack. Her job is to make the heirs of the pack. The only time the heirs lose their position is because they are challenged or killed during Rouge attacks. Lora turns 18 tomorrow, and then I follow the next day. So she will be picking her future Alpha soon. She has been playing the hard-to-get card with all the higher-ranking boys who are about to turn 18 as well. I hate my birthdays because they're never celebrated anymore. Lora's birthday lasts three days. First is the showing off of the Future Luna, then comes the party for the pack, she is then given presents by every pack member. The ones who give the best presents are usually the ones that get to move on to the next party day. My stepmother made it to where on the third day if you gave the best presents, you would live in the Pack member house for the entire year and be treated with respect. This helped figure out the ranks. That's how Jacob's family became betas. They gave glamorous gifts and were given special treatment, including training, which made them strong. Watching the pack lower themselves to my half-sister's wants, and needs made me sick to my stomach. The real reason why I hated birthdays was because of my birthday. I'm locked away and beaten till I black out. I'm given no food, and dirty water, and left in an exclusive cell made just for me. It's my birthday present from my stepmother and half-sister. It's to remind me who is in charge and for me never to shine like my mother. The other days are normal. I got to school where I was talked about and teased by Lora's followers. They enjoy making her happy, including Jacob. When I got home, I was to stay out of sight of them. So that's rather in my room or in the woods in my special place where Jacob and I made a promise. I missed him so much. I hated that I lost him to Lora. He was my only chance for hope. Yet I was about to find out how my hopes for that promise would turn into a reality soon. I snuck out the day before my sister's birthday to avoid being caught by Lorraine or Lora. My scars from last year still stung. My anxiety is up dreading what will happen. I rather sleep in my cold cave than sleep in a cell where I'm beaten, whipped, and starved for three days. I hurried out the back door of our servant corridor. Everyone is distracted by the preparations for the party. I was almost halfway to the cave when I feel massive pain in the back of my head. "f*ck" I said knowing that I was too late, I knew I was caught. I could feel the warm liquid dripping down my face and I lay on the ground. I could hear the approaching footsteps get closer. Yet before I could make out who I was the pain took over and I surrendered to the darkness.