Claimed By The Alpha’s Rival

ADIRA. "Coming home after spending the day out ?" Bailey, my overbearing and sharp-tongued cousin, demanded the moment I stepped into the house. “Not really. I didn't spend the day out.” I answered swallowing softly as I stepped backward while she walked closer. “Then care to explain where you've been? I've been yelling your name for hours and there was no sight of you. Hold on, do you have a boyfriend you snuck out to see?” She shot and I shook my head in negativity immediately. "Dear goddess, no. I just took a stroll since I'm done with my chores," I replied, but before I could blink, a sharp sting spread across my cheek. The force of Bailey's slap made my head reel, and I was certain her fingerprint was imprinted on my skin.. "Why did you do that?" I cried, clutching my face as tears welled up. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw nothing but mischief. Trouble was brewing. "So now you're questioning me?" Bailey sneered before yanking my hair and delivering a brutal kick to my foot, her heels digging into my skin. Pain roared through me like an unrelenting fire. No matter how many times she treated me like this, I could never get used to the torment. Yet, I remained silent. Fighting back would only make things worse. "Anyway," she continued, inspecting her manicured nails. "I need you to do my laundry. Make sure it's dry before sunset—there’s an important gathering for all maidens." She smirked, still gripping my hair tightly. "And next time, don’t question me," she warned before shoving me backward. I stumbled and crashed into the glass table, shattering it beneath me. Sharp shards dug into my skin, and blood seeped from the wounds. Bailey scoffed before walking away, muttering under her breath.. I was despised for reasons beyond my understanding, trapped in a life of endless torment. Have you ever felt so unwanted that you wondered if death was a better option? But no—I chose to survive, despite the whispers, the taunts, and the accusations that I was cursed. They expected me to be dangerous, to burn everything in my wake. Instead, I let my spirit wither, smothering my pain within. I was an outcast simply because I couldn't shift into my wolf form. It wasn't my fault—I wasn’t the Moon Goddess who shaped my fate. Wincing, I rose to my feet, careful to avoid the shards of glass. My hands stung from the cuts, but there was no escaping my chores. If I didn’t obey, the punishment would be worse. Way worse than you could ever imagine. I had gone out to take out the trash but as I arrived, I could hear Bailey's voice screeching from a distance. "It's impossible! "I refuse to accept this!" she screeched, followed by the sound of something crashing. Heart pounding, I rushed into the house hoping that, for some reason, something bad wasn't happening to another one of them. As soon as I entered the parlor, all eyes turned to me. A wicked smile curled on Bailey’s lips. Okay, okay I know that look. I definitely do. "Dad, you know Adira is older. She can go in my stead right?" she sobbed. Her eyes were swollen and red, and I had no idea what was happening until she spoke those words. "Yes, my love, Adira can go in your place. She’s useless here anyway," my uncle’s wife chimed in, smirking at me. A sense of foreboding settled in my gut. Nothing good ever came from their decisions. "Adira, you’re getting married tomorrow!" my uncle announced. For a moment, I thought it was a joke. Marrying someone I didn’t even know? My worst nightmare. "You have no say in this! Don’t argue!" my uncle’s wife snapped, her tone venomous as she watched my mouth open My blood boiled. They've always had their say but this time, they would listen to me. I will speak and they have to listen. "Does my life mean nothing to you? I won’t marry anyone. I'm only orphaned, not a walking object for y'all." I shouted, but regret gripped me the moment the words left my mouth. "You dare defy us?" My uncle roared before hurling a glass vase at me. It shattered against my head, sending a fresh wave of pain and blood trickling down my face. Suddenly, agony surged through my bones. My body trembled. I collapsed, unable to withstand the searing pain that tore through me. Bones cracked. Muscles stretched. I screamed as my body contorted and reshaped. "Is she shifting?" Bailey asked, her expression disgusted. "Maybe into a rabbit or the likes," my aunt scoffed. But for the first time, I felt it—my wolf. A white form, smaller than the others, but real. Joy surged through me, but it was short-lived. An uncontrollable rage consumed me, and before I knew it, I was running wild, my instincts untamed. Darkness momentarily engulfed the sky, sending shivers through the pack. Then, just as quickly, the sun returned, and I regained control. It was like my wolf had used that little moment as it's celebration time. I padded home, confused by the chaos within me. As I stepped inside, my uncle and his family awaited me, their smiles unsettling. "I understand that shifting for the first time is overwhelming," Bailey said sweetly. "I prepared a bath for you. The herbs will help with the soreness." Her kindness felt wrong, but I had no choice. I shifted back, stepping into the house uneasy as I shifted back to my wolf form with shreds of cloth covering my skin. My uncle was signing something as I walked in and as he looked up, his expression was smug. "Adira, good thing you’re here. You’ve been sold off to Beta Draven." I closed my eyes, pinching myself softly to ensure I wasn't hallucinating and then opened my eyes hoping that I'll be curled up in my bed but this was real, it was happening. I turned to stare at Beta Draven and he looked like my uncle's age mate. A grand father? That's who I'm getting married to? Oh hell no.