Un-Broken: A Moonlight Rebirth Story

AVELINE

"The moon goddess cannot mate you with Alpha Johan, he is too good for you!"

I raised my head to take a glance at my stepmother's face and as expected, it was there. The cold, hateful glare, the indifference, the undiluted hatred.

"You are nothing but a low-life bastard," she continued, slapping me hard across the face. "You should have never been born. Just imagine whatever made you think you could be married to the Alpha King's son!"

"But he is my mate, I felt the connection when we stood by each other."

I did not know how I found the voice, but the words were out before I realized it. And before I could take them back, another slap landed, this time on my right eye, blurring my vision.

"How dare you talk back at me!" She screeched, grabbing me by the hair and pulling me with it. "Have you lost your mind! Or do you have a death wish? You have a desire to die a miserable death, like your wretched mother, or don't you!"

I tried to respond, but a thick lump of pain had formed in my throat, rendering me voiceless and hopeless.

The kitchen floor was already soiled with the blood from the wounds I had just sustained. It would be stupid to underestimate what she would do to me next.

She would have killed me if she were opportune to and most times, I wondered what was keeping her from doing so.

Especially when I grew up listening to gossip from the pack servants that she was the one who killed my mother so that she would be able to move into our house with her illegitimate daughter.

"Now listen," Lunar Jillian said, jolting into my thoughts. "The mate bond does not work with poverty and uselessness. Your father and I have discussed it with the royal family, and they are going with my daughter instead. " she inhaled sharply before proceeding.

"Natasha will be getting married to Johan, the alpha prince. Not you. It will be advisable now for you to stay away from the prince. You know very well that it will cost me nothing to take your life and that nobody will question my decision.

"This is a call to actio. It is not an ordinary threat; it is also a warning. Your life is at stake, be careful." With those last words, she pushed me aside and stormed out.

I grew up that night. For the first time in my life, I saw things for what they were. I understood the meaning of hatred, I understood the meaning of privilege.

Understood what little power destiny has. Standing on the porch of our three-story mansion that night, I looked at the stars and cursed the moon goddess.

Every good thing I had was taken from me and despite my prayers, she could do nothing to help me. My mother, my fatherly affection, and now, my fated mate. The only man who desired me and gazed at me with love in his eyes.

As the minutes passed, the cool breeze began to penetrate my skin and tingle the fresh wounds on my face. What if I jumped? Something whispered to me, a soft dreamy voice in the wind.

I could end it all here and find peace in the clouds, and solitude in the world beyond. None of them would mourn.

At least it would be better than having to watch my step-sister marry the man I had planned a future with.

"The Silver Rain pack needed the alliance with the royal family," my father had said, "Natasha has the looks and the standard. You didn't even finish high school."

I didn't. I spent the whole of my high school and college years cooking and cleaning. I schooled with the palace maids whom I was not any different from. I was not up to par, Natasha was the standard.

I could not bring myself to jump, neither could I bring myself to hold back the tears which flooded my face as my sister and my fated mate stood across each other the next morning, gracing the moon temple.

"Is there anyone who is against this union, speak now or forever be silenced."

That was my chance. I could tell the world the truth. Natasha was not Prince Johan's mate, it was me.

My throat began to itch, Instinctively I wiped a tear that had fallen on my cheeks.

"And with the power vested in me, I pronounce the two of you, husband and wife!"

The whole crowd rose immediately, the boisterous sound of congratulations drowning out my contradictory thoughts.

It was already done, gone with the wind. The only appropriate thing for me to do was to pretend to be joyous but I still could not find the strength. Everybody in the hall congratulated the man and wife, while I was lost among them like a pin in the sand.

As the head of the ceremony announced that it was time for the wedding feast, I knew it was my call to duty; this was what I had been hired to do. But I decided to make a stop at the restroom before joining the group of servants.

I lifted the long gown as I walked along to grant my shaky legs freedom. I practically kicked the door of the bathroom open crashing on the table.

I felt so empty that I could feel my insides echo. I leaned on the vanity table, letting the coldness of the mirror relieve the heat in my brain.

I must have been so engrossed in this space of mine that I did not hear the door open.

A thick aroma of perfume suddenly descended on the atmosphere, suffocating. I did not turn around because of this smell, rather, I sensed an additional presence, one which my spirit found familiar.

"Are you going to ignore your sister at her wedding? Is that how losers truly behave?"

I looked up until around instantly, my eyes widened in surprise."

"You're even trying to give the impression of the loving sister. I don't think that is a proper way to behave."

"Please go away, Natasha; I am not in the mood to speak to you.'

"Of course you are not," she sneered. "You find it more consoling to cry over spilt milk, not that, my handsome mate..."

"Alpha Johan is abusive." I completed it for her, sounding as insouciant as I could.

"I was just attracted to him because of the mate's bond. He is arrogant, cruel, and self-centred. He doesn't love anybody. You might enjoy being queen or princess, but I am grateful for not getting trapped."

Natasha looked like someone had punched her in the gut, and I had begun to feel victorious when she suddenly dropped the bombshell.

"I will surely be queen of the werewolf land one day but I will not be the wife of a poor cripple."

She twisted the corners of her lips into a smirk.

"Alpha Kane's family is here. Father will summon you any moment from now."

"Alpha Kane..."

My heart nearly exploded in my chest.

"Yes," she nodded. "You will be getting married to him in a fortnight."

'No! I won't.' I wanted to scream it out my lungs, but before I could even gather up my thoughts Natasha grabbed my chin.

A dirty sly smirk dancing on her lips as she forced our eyes to meet, ready to rip off the last thread of composure holding me together.

"For your sake, I'm hoping you're still a Virgin."