Gisele’s pov

I groggily opened my eyes to the sound of pounding on my door, and I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, letting out a small yawn.

When I finally got up and opened the door, I found one of the maids standing there with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Miss Gisele, your father is back and requesting your presence," she said, her voice cheerful and bright.

My heart skipped a beat at the news, and I felt an excitement coursing through my veins. I couldn't help but smile as I nodded at the maid, already imagining what the surprise could be.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” I replied.

Quickly I showered, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of sleep, and got dressed in a simple yet comfortable outfit - a pair of jeans and a soft white top.

As I brushed my hair, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and smiled, feeling a bit more presentable. I took a deep breath, smoothing out any wrinkles in my clothes, and made my way to the living room, my feet padding softly on the tiled floor.

My excitement grew with each step, and I couldn't wait to see my father and hear about the surprise he had mentioned earlier.

As I entered the living room, I was met with the warm smile of my father, and I couldn't help but run to him, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug, thank goodness my stepbrothers weren’t there to see it.

"Father!" I exclaimed, feeling very comfortable and happy now that he had returned.

When I pulled back, I noticed a beautiful young woman standing beside him, her long blonde hair cascading down her back like a golden waterfall.

Her bright green eyes sparkled with warmth as she smiled at me. My father's eyes twinkled with excitement as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Gisele, this is Maerona, your new governess," he said, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

I studied Maerona's face, taking in her cheerful demeanor and active energy. She seemed nice, and I found myself smiling at her as she extended her hand in greeting. "Hello, Gisele! I'm thrilled to meet you," she said, her voice bubbly and friendly.

It clicked into place - she must be the surprise my father had mentioned earlier. I felt kind of excited to be having a new governess, and Maerona's warm smile put me at ease. "Hi," I replied, shaking her hand, and we exchanged a smile that felt like the start of a new friendship.

As I stood there, basking in the joy of my father's return and the charming presence of Maerona, my brothers emerged from the stairs, their filled with nonchalance.

They obviously liked that the alpha had been away.

Kaelric, Orien, and Raugar, seemed to fill the room with their imposing presence, and I felt my guard go up, my instincts warning me to be cautious around them as I remembered what happened the previous night.

But Maerona didn't seem to notice the tension. She beamed at them with her bright smile, and to my surprise, they responded positively, their faces softening ever so slightly as they greeted her.

“Boys meet Maerona, the new governess.” Alpha Theron said and they took turns in shaking her hand.

As my father introduced Maerona to them, he mentioned that my birthday was just two days away, and he had fought hard to be back home for it.

“I had to cancel on a lot of business visits, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He said and his words filled me with warmth, as I felt a lump form in my throat.

Immediately, Maerona's eyes lit up, and she turned to me with an excited expression. "Gisele, have you ever had a birthday party before?" she asked, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "I think you deserve one, especially since it's a coming-of-age event." She said.

Her words sparked a flurry of ideas, and she began brainstorming party plans with my father.

To my surprise, my father agreed, and the two of them started discussing the details. I couldn't believe it - a party? For me? I felt very excited, and my heart swelled with gratitude towards my father and Maerona.

“Thank you so much, Father.” I smiled.

My brothers, however, seemed indifferent, their faces expressionless as they watched the scene unfold. But I didn't care; for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was going to have something special, something that was all mine.

I excused myself, eager to share the exciting news with my friends.

As I walked towards my room, I couldn't help but feel like I was being followed and before I could step inside, Orien's hand shot out, grasping my arm and spinning me around to face him. His grip was tight, his fingers digging into my skin.

“You’re hurting me.” I whispered.

"Don't get any ideas, little sister," he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Father's doing this out of pity for you, not because he actually cares about you. You're just a charity case to him, a poor, pathetic little girl who's only worth his attention when it's convenient." He spat

His words cut deep, and I felt a sting from his tone. "And as for your little friends," he continued, his voice heavy with disdain, "don't bother inviting them. They're probably just as useless and silly as you are. You don't want to ruin our reputation by associating with such... inferior people."

His eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if daring me to defy him. I felt a surge of anger and humiliation, but I bit back my retort, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing me react.

Just as he was about to say more words, Maerona stepped in, her voice firm but calm. "Orien, that's enough. I think Gisele deserves some kindness and respect, don't you?" She gazed at him with a stern expression.

Orien's face formed a scowl, but he seemed to control his temper, likely due to Maerona's presence. "I was just stating the truth," he muttered, his tone still condescending.

Maerona's expression didn't waver. "I've come to ask Gisele what she'd like for breakfast. Off you go," she said, her voice cheerful once more, as if trying to diffuse the tension. She turned to me, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

As Orien walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and gladness. Maybe, just maybe, I had found someone who would be on my side, someone who would stand up for me and treat me with kindness.

For the first time, I felt like I wasn't alone.