SPURNED YET DESIRED

Adamantem’s POV I “Adamantem; I named you Adamantem because when I gave birth to you, I knew, the heaven, the Moon Goddess gave me the most precious gem in this world.” Those were my Mother’s words when I came to her room one day while crying because my Alpha Father spat at me and told me to get lost as I was a worthless living creature. I was just six years old by then, and I could not understand why my mother said I was her precious gift while my Alpha Father told me I was a worthless she-wolf. I sobbed more as I replied to my mother, “Why would Alpha Father think of me otherwise, Mother? For him, I am worthless. He even said that my name never suits me at all.” She embraced me smilingly, letting me feel all the love that she has for me, and said, “In this world my child, it is your belief about yourself and not of anyone else that will get you through. You are Adamantem, your name itself tells the world that you are the most valuable gem, you are a diamond, the symbol of light and life; the sun. You are an emblem of purity and perfection, of invincible power, brilliant and unconquerable”. I stopped sobbing as I looked at my mother with a smile that suddenly glowed out of my gloomy face. “I am Adamantem, Mother. I will remember that.” My voice was low when I replied to her, but my hope and confidence in my young and innocent mind grew high. I am now in my eighteenth year of existence. Supposedly, today will be my most special day. Today is my birthday. It would be the day that my existence as an adult would be recognized; it would be the day I hoped that I would meet my mate, the man the Moon Goddess, fated me to be with; the name was written across my name in the book of life. The man who will care for me, love me, and who will lift my dying spirit. My mate, who would hopefully help me and my mother escape from this hell. I am still dreamily thinking about meeting my mate when someone knocks on my room’s door. “Adamantem, are you not going to wake up?! You lazy bum, get up and prepare breakfast for us!” I could hear my stepmother’s voice outside. Yes, I have a stepmom now. My Alpha Father declared my Mother as dead and claimed to be a widower already, just months after he announced that my Omega Mother had been missing. I wanted to tell the whole world at that time that he was just lying, that my Mother was alive, but of course, I could not do that. My mouth was sealed just like how my spirit had been sealed inside the darkness clouding my whole being. “Holy s**t Adamantem! Are you going to come out now, or I will get inside and drag you out?!” this sickening voice of Luna Betty echoed all over my ears and brought me back to the present. I scampered down my bed for fear that she would come inside and drag me by the hair, which she usually does. “Coming out now, Luna Betty,” I shouted while hurrying to fix my long, wavy gold hair. Ms. Marta said it is one of my assets that enhances my already beautiful face. Ms. Marta further said that I got some of my father’s features that made me truly beautiful and royal blood-like even when dressed as a maid, always. I got out of my room after fixing my hair and refreshing myself. I was, however surprised when I saw Luna Betty standing nearby. I thought she had gone away already. She was looking at me with fire in her eyes. I know she is mad. “Apology, Luna Be…” But, before I could finish my apology, Luna Betty’s palm already hit my right cheek. I stumbled and felt my right ear ringing because of the impact. I could feel my heart beating so fast as my wolf hurled in anger inside of me. “That’s my birthday greeting to you, Adamantem for being such a lazy bug!” Luna Betty said, smirking at me before she turned her back and went away. II I sat on the floor, tears dripping down my eyes while trying to resist Ada, my wolf, from coming out. She wanted to rip off Luna Betty’s neck. After calming myself, I went to the kitchen to cook. I was starting to prepare my ingredients for a waffle when I heard someone enter the kitchen. “Happy, Birthday, Adamantem!” Ms. Marta, the packhouse’s Chief Maid was in front of me with a medium-sized round cake in her hands, while she sang a happy birthday song for me. “Blow the candle and wish,” she added after she finished singing. With misty eyes, I blew the candles and made a wish; a sincere wish, which I hoped the Moon Goddess would hear. “Ms. Marta, can I ask a favor, please? Could you … could you please bring my Mother a piece of my cake when you bring her food?” I looked at Ms. Marta with my begging eyes and when she nodded, I hugged her with gratefulness. “Thank you so much, Ms. Marta,” I said with tears now in my eyes. I put the cake aside after putting a big slice in a food bowl and gave it to Ms. Marta, which she quickly kept inside one of the cabinets. After hiding the piece of cake, Ms. Marta smiled and looked at me tenderly but suddenly her forehead furrowed. “What happened to your right cheek, Adamantem?” she asked with brows knitting. “It’s nothing, Ms. Marta. I, … I accidentally bumped into my door,” I said, lying as I bowed down my head. Ms. Marta held my chin and looked at me. “Did Luna Betty or your Alpha Father, slap you again?” she asked, pity cast in her eyes. I could not lie anymore. Ms. Marta had seen several times how I have been treated both by my father and his second wife. “It was Luna Betty who slapped me,” I said, in murmurs. “That woman is really evil. She is not even the real mate of the Alpha.” Ms. Marta was angry, and I could see it in her eyes. But, just like me, she cannot do anything. All she could do was to tend to me when I needed her help and to bring my Mother more food and other needed things when Alpha Theodore and Luna Betty couldn’t see her doing it. “Are you done cooking, Adamantem?!” Ms. Marta and I were both surprised when we heard Luna Betty’s booming voice inside the kitchen. “Ahh, yes, Luna Betty, Adamantem finished cooking already. Please have a seat, and we will ask some maids to serve you.” It was Ms. Marta who replied to Luna Betty. I looked at Ms. Marta in awe. I have not even started cooking, but she just winked at me. Luna Betty shook her head and said, “No, let Adamantem serve us. My Alpha husband and my son will also be here in a minute.” Ms. Marta and I looked at each other, fear was evident in my eyes. I am afraid to commit mistakes while serving them, as I know what will happen. I will not be eating the whole day again. Then suddenly, we heard Luna Betty say, “Ohh, that cake seems delicious. Serve it here too.” She was talking about the birthday cake, gifted to me by Ms. Marta. My heart ached as I looked at my chocolate birthday cake. After a while, I saw my Alpha Father enter the dining hall, and my heart started to race, while my knees seemed to weaken. This is me whenever I saw Alpha Theodore, my father, whom I never felt being a father to me, my whole life. I was about to turn my back with the intent of entering the kitchen and getting another dish when my Alpha Father called me, “Adamantem!” I froze and suddenly thought how my mother would tenderly call me such a name and how she prided herself on calling me Adamantem. “Adamantem! Are you listening to me?!” My father’s scary voice made me jump suddenly. “Yes, I am Adamantem! I mean, yes my Alpha father, I am listening,” I said in surprise. “Then, do not turn your back, come here beside me and listen to me well!” my Alpha Father icily said as he sat down on his usual place in the dining table we called cabisera or the center of one end part of the table. I walked towards him and stood beside him with a bowed head, with the hope that he might have remembered that today is my eighteenth birthday. Yes, today is my eighteenth birthday, supposedly, a happy day for me. “Adamantem, I and Luna Betty will go to attend the Wolf Clan Conference. All other Alphas will be there. You need to come with us.” I batted my eyes as I heard what he said. “Does it mean that he will finally introduce me as his heir, now that I am of age already?” I thought, with a growing delight deep inside. “Yes, my Alpha Father. I will come to that Wolf Clan Conference, if you want me to,” I softly replied, not looking at him. I was trained to do that in my younger years. “You need to get the attention of Alpha Eleo, the Alpha of the Golden Valley Pack, and find a way to seduce him and make him marry you in the end!” Astonished, I looked at my Alpha Father with wide eyes.