Cruel strangers
1144 Words
9. Raven
"What do you want now, Morgan? Aren't you happy that everything is going the way you wanted?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady.
I didn’t know where I found the courage to speak up to her, but I silently thanked the Moon Goddess for making me find my voice today. Even though I often hated her for all the misery in my life, deep down, I believed my mother’s words. She used to say, "The Goddess never stops watching, even when your world falls apart. She always has a reason."
"Wow…" Morgan said, turning slowly to face me, her brown eyes sharp like knives. Her arms were folded across her chest, and her lips curved into a mocking smile. "Our quiet Raven finally speaks. How wonderful."
I clenched my jaw, trying not to show the fear rising in my chest.
"So tell me, dear sister," she sneered, dragging the word sister like it was poison in her mouth, "how did it feel? Did you enjoy it?"
Her words confused me. My eyebrows shot up. "I… I don't understand what you're talking about."
I took a small step back as she moved closer, her voice dropping lower but laced with venom.
"Still playing dumb? You always do that. Poor little Raven, pretending she’s clueless. What a pity."
Suddenly, Morgan stepped forward. I flinched, but before I could react, she dropped to the floor with a dramatic thud, landing flat on her back. I gasped, eyes wide. What just happened?
Then, she began screaming like a mad woman, her voice echoing through the room and beyond.
"Rave! Do you hate me that much? You pushed me down just because I told you to take a bath? You smell horrible! You could have just refused instead of attacking me."
My body froze. "W-what? Morgan, what are you saying? What are you doing? I didn't. I did…"
She looked up, tears suddenly welling in her eyes. Her voice trembled with fake pain. "I know you hate me, but this is not fair, Raven. This is too much!"
I stepped closer, stretching out a hand to help her up. "Stop it. Let me help—"
But she screamed louder and rolled on the floor like I was attacking her.
"F-Father! S-she’s kicking me!" Morgan screamed, her voice louder than thunder.
"That's not true! Stop lying, Morgan—"
BANG!
The door flew open, and in stepped Alpha Maddox. My heart fell. His eyes were blazing with fury, his forehead veined, his hands clenched at his sides.
"How dare you, you good-for-nothing!" He roared.
The words stung deeper than a whip.
He rushed over to Morgan and helped her up gently like she was made of glass. She sobbed louder, resting her head against his chest.
"It’s okay, Morgan," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. That small gesture, a simple hug, felt like a knife through my heart. He had never hugged me. Never showed me the tiniest bit of affection.
Morgan slowly turned her head while still resting on his shoulder and looked at me. Her face twisted into a satisfied smile. She mouthed something I couldn’t make out and then winked.
I felt cold all over.
"What do you think should be done to repay Morgan for what she’s gone through?" Alpha Maddox asked as he turned his burning gaze toward me.
That’s when it hit me.
My own father… he was my enemy.
Maybe he wasn’t even my real father at all.
I looked at the two of them, blonde hair, brown eyes. Then looked at myself in the mirror behind them. Curly dark hair. Piercing blue eyes. I was tall and lean, nothing like Alpha Maddox or Morgan.
Am I really his daughter?
"Stop it, Raven. You’re overthinking," I whispered to myself.
But the thoughts didn’t stop.
Morgan's voice pulled me back. "I think it’s better if Alpha Kane comes to pick her tonight," she said sweetly. "Who knows? She might try to kill me next, Father."
My eyes widened. "What?!"
"D-Don’t you care if your dearest daughter ends up dead, Dad?" She added, sobbing again.
"No, never!" Alpha Maddox snapped. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number.
"I won’t allow anything bad to happen to you, Morgan."
Why? Why was he doing this? Why was he so blind?
"I didn’t do anything to Morgan. We were just talking and she fell down—"
"Alpha Kane," he spoke into the phone. "Change of plans. Come pick Raven up tomorrow morning. Or tonight if you can."
My stomach dropped.
"Father, no! I-I didn’t do anything to—"
"Shut up!" He thundered. "You reek. After sleeping around with men, you still haven’t even bathed! And when your sister reminded you, you attacked her?!"
His words hit harder than any slap.
Just then, Michelle entered, arms crossed, wearing her usual smug smile. "Alpha Maddox, if Alpha Kane doesn’t take her by tomorrow, Morgan and I are leaving this house."
With that, she turned on her heels and stormed off, not even sparing me a glance.
Alpha Maddox ran after her. "No, Michelle, please. Alpha Kane will be here early in the morning!"
The desperation in his voice made my stomach twist.
Morgan stood alone now, smirking proudly.
"That’s what I wanted," she said under her breath.
"Why are you like this, Morgan?" I asked quietly. My voice cracked. "What did I ever do to you?"
She walked up, just two steps away, her brown eyes burning with pure hatred.
"You want to know?" She hissed. "Don’t you?"
"Yes," I whispered. "I want to know. Please."
She looked at me like I was dirt. "Because you have everything I ever wanted."
With that, she turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
I stood there, frozen, her words ringing in my ears.
Everything she ever wanted? What do I have?
Nothing came to mind. I had no one. No love. No home. No future.
But I still had one thing. A plan. And tonight was my only chance to act on it, before my life would be taken away and handed to strangers. Cruel strangers.
I quickly changed out of my dress, tossing it aside. I put on the outfit I had hidden beneath my bed, the one I planned to wear the night I ran away. I tied my hair, fastened my boots, and placed the tiny pouch of coins I had secretly saved over the years in my bra.
There was no turning back now.
If the Moon Goddess really did have a plan for me… then tonight, I would find out where that path would lead.
Because Raven wasn’t going to be broken anymore.
Not by Morgan. Not by Alpha Maddox. Not by anyone.
It was time I took my freedom and my life in my hands.
- Writer
