Alpha King Late Redemption

Cruel Reality

Olive’s POV

I woke up to the constant, loud knocking on my bedroom door.

“Who the hell could that be?” I murmured to myself, rubbing my tired eyes as I climbed out of the soft bed.

I turned my head toward the window and gasped softly. It was already pitch-black outside. That meant I had been sleeping for hours. My entire body felt weak and heavy, but I dragged my sluggish feet across the cold floor toward the door.

When I pulled it open, my jaw almost dropped. Standing in the hallway were my mother and father. They almost never came to my room together unless I was in serious trouble.

“What took you so long to open the door?” my mother asked.

“I was sleeping,” I replied lazily, staring at them in confusion.

My mother let out a quiet hum as she shook her head. “How nice. That seems to be the only thing you know how to do well.”

Before I could dwell on the sting of her words, she quickly changed her tone.

“Well, dinner is ready. We just wanted to come by and let you know.”

My eyes widened. A wave of panic instantly washed over me.

“I am so sorry, Mom! I’m sorry for not waking up early to help you prepare dinner. I really didn’t mean to oversleep.”

In our house, missing chores usually meant getting yelled at or going to bed hungry. But to my complete surprise, my mother simply gave me a thin smile.

“It’s fine, Olive,” she said softly. “You needed the rest.”

I looked at both of them as though I were staring at complete strangers. They were acting so strangely. They had never spoken to me like this before.

“We’ll meet you downstairs at the dining table,” my father said, speaking for the first time. “Don’t be too late. And… we’re also sorry about this morning. About the harsh way your sister spoke to you.”

The two of them turned around and walked down the hallway together.

I stood frozen in my doorway, holding my breath.

This couldn’t possibly be my parents.

First, they had actually walked upstairs just to call me for dinner. Second, dinner had been completely prepared without me chopping a single vegetable—something that hadn’t happened in years. And now, they were apologizing for the way my sister had treated me that morning?

I slowly raised my right hand and slapped my own cheek.

“Ouch.”

Okay… I wasn’t dreaming.

But deep down, I knew this kindness wasn’t real.

I walked into the bathroom, washed my face, and took a quick bath to wake myself up. After changing into a simple outfit, I made my way downstairs to the dining room. Every step felt heavier than the last. I didn’t want to go down there, but I needed to find out why my parents were suddenly acting like completely different people.

When I entered the dining room, my parents and my older sister were already seated at the long table, waiting for me.

That was another shock.

Normally, if I was even a minute late, they would begin eating without me and leave me whatever cold leftovers remained.

I quietly pulled out my chair and sat down.

“Dad, do we really have to wait for her?” my sister snapped, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms.

“Let your sister be,” my father said firmly, immediately shutting her down. “She’s here now.”

My breath caught in my throat.

I stared at my father in complete disbelief.

This was the first time in my entire life that he had ever defended me against my sister.

The maid began serving the hot food onto our plates, and we all started eating in silence. The heavy quiet hanging over the room was painfully uncomfortable.

A few minutes later, my father cleared his throat.

“Olive,” he called softly.

I slowly looked up from my plate, my fork suspended halfway to my mouth. He offered me a warm but obviously forced smile.

“The pack’s business has been struggling these past few days,” he said with a weary sigh.

I frowned confused.

How was that any of my business?

My father had never discussed pack affairs or finances with me. I was simply the daughter who stayed out of everyone’s way.

So why was he telling me this now?

He continued, his face filled with exhaustion.

“It has been a living hell for your mother and me trying to keep this pack afloat. We had to take out massive loans just to rebuild the pack and keep everything running. And now…” He paused heavily. “Now the lenders have come to collect.”

The loud clang of my fork hitting the plate echoed across the room.

“Dad,” I said, looking directly into his eyes. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

My mother finally spoke.

“Sweetie”The moment she called me “sweetie,” my skin crawled.

It was the first time she had ever used that word with me, and it sounded so fake that it made me uncomfortable.

“We want you to help us,” my mother continued, forcing sadness into her voice.

I looked back and forth between the two of them.

“Then just tell me plainly. What exactly do you want me to do? And what did you even spend all that borrowed money on? Because I don’t see anything new or improved around this pack house!”

My parents exchanged an uneasy glance.

For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.

Finally, my father lowered his head.

“We… used the money to pay for our share of your sister’s lavish wedding,” he admitted quietly.

My eyes widened in utter disbelief.

“What?! She’s getting married?!”

“Yes,” my father answered quickly. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.”

My sister let out a loud scoff as she admired her perfectly manicured nails.

“If you paid even the slightest attention to me, you would have noticed the enormous engagement ring on my finger months ago,” she said smugly. “News flash, dear sister. I’m marrying into one of the richest families around. My fiancé is the CEO of a huge company.”

I simply nodded, refusing to give her the reaction she wanted.

I didn’t care about her ring.

I didn’t care about her wealthy fiancé.

I turned back to my parents.

“Fine. So what exactly do you want me to do?”

My father inhaled deeply before placing both hands on the table.

“Alpha Kingsley came here today.”

My entire body turned cold.

I had heard that name countless times before.

Alpha Kingsley was infamous as the most ruthless and merciless Alpha in the entire territory. Most people didn’t even call him an Alpha anymore.

They called him a monster.

Anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path never remained the same afterward.

That was the kind of man my father had borrowed money from…

Just to pay for my sister’s extravagant wedding.

“He came today to collect his money,” my father continued, his voice trembling. “Since I couldn’t repay him, he threatened to destroy our entire pack. He was prepared to wipe us out before sunset. I couldn’t stand there and let our people die.”

He lowered his gaze to the untouched food in front of him.

“So… I offered him your hand in marriage instead.”

“What?!” I screamed, slamming both hands onto the table as I shot to my feet so quickly that my chair crashed onto the floor behind me.

“Dad! You sold me to that monster?! And you didn’t even bother asking me first?!”

My mother didn’t look guilty in the slightest.

“We’re telling you now,” she replied calmly. “And you don’t need to make such a fuss over it, Olive. That’s what family does for each other.”

“Family?” I shouted, hot tears burning behind my eyes.

“For how many years have the two of you treated me like I was worthless while my sister got everything she ever wanted? And now that you’re drowning in debt because of her, the only person you can think of sacrificing is me? Why didn’t you offer your precious golden girl instead? She’s the reason you borrowed all that money in the first place!”

My sister glared at me, tossing her long hair over one shoulder.

“They only asked you for one simple favor, Olive. Why are you screaming like a crazy person?”

“A simple favor?!” I yelled, glaring right back at her. “Then why don’t you marry the monster yourself? So this was the real reason behind all your fake kindness tonight? You were just trying to butter me up before handing me over to a ruthless beast!”

I stepped away from the table, glaring at every single one of them.

“Well, let me make one thing perfectly clear.”

“I am not marrying him.”

“And that’s final.”

My father slowly lifted his head.

The warm, gentle act had completely disappeared.

His eyes were cold and emotionless.

“Olive,” he said quietly, his calm voice far more terrifying than shouting ever could be, “you don’t have a choice.”

“The agreement has already been signed.”

“And your signature is already on the contract.”

I froze.

For a moment, my heart stopped beating altogether.

“You…” My voice cracked into a million broken pieces.

“You forged my signature… just to marry me off to him?”

I looked at my mother.

Then my father.

Then my sister.

None of them looked ashamed.

None of them cared.

They never had.

“I was so wrong for ever calling you my family,” I whispered, my throat tightening with unbearable pain.

Without waiting for another word, I spun around and ran out of the dining room.

I burst through the front doors of the pack house and into the cool night air. Tears streamed down my face as my feet pounded against the dirt path.

I had no idea where I was going.

I had no money.

No plan.

Nowhere to hide.

But I knew one thing.

I had to get away from that house.

Away from the lies.

Away from the people who had never truly loved me.

I just needed to breathe before the weight of it all completely suffocated me.