Maya

Late at night, my mother stormed into my room, shattering the peace I had managed to find while gazing at the moon.

"What the fuck happened at Alpha's office today? What did you do this time?" She loomed over me, blocking my view of the moon.

"Mom, nothing really happened. It was just—" I began to explain, but before I could finish my sentence, her hand made sharp contact with my cheek, the echoing slap reverberating throughout the room.

"Didn't I tell you to maintain good relations with Maximus and Leonardo? They're going to be the future Alphas, and for us to retain our position of power, you need to keep your head down until we achieve our goals!”

I gingerly touched my stinging cheek. Her harsh treatment was far from unusual—she was accustomed to raising her hand to me, and I had grown accustomed to enduring it.

"What are our goals, Mom?!” I gazed at her, my eyes brimming with tears. "What do we truly want? Because I... I want none of this. I detest being treated like a servant, an outcast, and, most of all, your daughter. Have you ever considered that everything you've done has only made my life more difficult? Everything!"

"Lower your voice, you ungrateful brat!" she hissed, pointing her finger at me, her eyes ablaze with anger. "I don't want to hear your complaints. This is the best you can hope for, alright? I could have abandoned you on the streets after your father Edward died, but I didn't. So, be grateful for the roof over your head, these expensive clothes, and, above all, the Sterling surname. Do you even comprehend its significance? You were nothing as the daughter of your father, who was a failure, a hapless warrior who died defending a pack that no longer exists. As my daughter, you are a member of this powerful family. I shaped you into what you are today!"

Shaped me? She had to be fucking kidding me!

"But I never wanted to become this, Mom! In this pack, I'm nothing more than a slave. I didn't want any of this. I'd rather be on the streets than here with you. You've destroyed my life! I don't want this name derived from the title of the fucking mistress's daughter."

"Shut up, Maya!" She delivered another stinging slap, causing me to tumble onto the bed. Tears streamed down my face.

Why wouldn’t she just kill me and end this?

She seized my arm, forcing me to stand, and then grasped my face in a painful grip, her nails digging into my skin. A sob escaped my lips, tears flowed down my cheeks, and my breath came out in heavy, labored gasps as I stared at her. How could a mother be so cruel?

"Listen carefully, Maya. You'll do everything the Sterling Twins ask, alright? And you'll be at your best. Whatever they require, you will comply. Most importantly, you'll keep them occupied so they can't seize the Alpha’s position. You know very well that if they do, they'll throw both of us out of the pack and they might even do worse!”

"It's better that they throw us out, and no matter how much you hit me or put me through, I won't be part of your plan."

"You will, and you will do as I say. Do you understand? And if you don't, I'll arrange a marriage for you with one of the renowned, older widowed Alphas. You won't even have a chance to meet your mate, and if you do, I'll still marry you off to someone else. Do you fucking get that?"

A sob escaped me, "You just can't do this to me..."

"I can, I absolutely can, because no matter what they say—I am the Luna of this pack!” she spat. “And I don't need a daughter who doesn't even bother to listen to me. So, be prepared for the consequences if you choose to disobey me." With that, she pushed me onto the bed and turned to leave. However, as my night top rode up, revealing the fresh wounds I had just covered with ointment, a frown crossed her face, causing her to halt.

"Who did this to you?" She leaned in to inspect the wounds, her gaze lingering as she lifted my top further. The marks stopped just beneath my breast.

"Why are you even asking?" I tried to cover myself, moving away while wiping a tear with the back of my hand. "It's not like you care."

"Just tell me who did this." The glint in her hazel eyes was not born of concern or anger; it merely revealed the faintest hint of a sinister idea forming in her mind. "Was it the twins?"

My silence served as her answer.

A smirk tugged at her lips. "Hide them so no one sees. Finally, you're becoming useful to me," she chuckled before walking out of the room, leaving me in tears and turmoil.

I had no idea what she had planned, but I didn't care. I was exhausted from all of this. All I wanted was to find my mate and escape with him. My birthday was just three days away, so I guessed…

My mate is just waiting for me, and soon I can get rid of them all! I don't appreciate being her daughter.