chapter 1

"Maya Brown, what is wrong with you?" Lily shouted at the frail girl who was lifting heavy metals on the floor.

"I'm almost done, you don't need to worry!" Maya said in an indifferent tone.

"What are you almost done? Don't you know that today we are hosting a total of five packs in our territory?" Lily asked angrily.

"So why don't you leave so that I can finish my work." Maya was not fazed by the woman's shouting.

Instead, she found her more and more annoying.

"Hehe Maya Brown, good, very good. I see that now you even have the guts to talk back to me." Lily said.

Maya did not answer her. She knew that no matter what she said, she will always be the one at fault.

Instead of wasting her breath on the spoiled bitch, she decided to ignore her and continue with what she was doing.

Lily looked at Maya who ignored her and left angrily.

As she reached the door, she signaled the guards that were guarding over and they understood her message.

"Do it properly!"

"Yes ma'am." One of the guards said.

Maya who was busy cleaning the floor felt a sharp pain in her back.

It was so painful that her body trembled. As she was about to turn around to look at the person hitting her, she heard a whizzing sound and another whip landed on her back.

She knew that Lily must have ordered the guards to teach her a lesson.

Over the years, whenever they argued, or whenever she did something wrong, this was always her punishment.

But she must have been really angry today to do it in the open.

In the past, they would at least lure her into the woods or the underground tunnels before they taught her a lesson.

In the beginning, she could cry and beg them to let her go but that would only make them whip her harder.

They also warned her never to breathe a word about it or they will kill her.

She had gotten used to the pain and no matter how much they whipped her, she never gave out a single sound.

Maya gritted ever teeth as she endured the pain in her body.

She did not know what she had done wrong to deserve such treatment. She was just an abandoned girl and all she hoped for was a family that would treat her well, but that might never happen to her in this lifetime.

Just as Maya thought that she was going to faint from the pain, a thunderous growl was heard.

The guard who had been hitting Maya lowered his head in submission and did not dare raise his whip again when he saw the person who was approaching.

"What are you doing?" Mark questioned angrily.

Seeing Maya laying on the floor while her back was covered in blood sent shivers down his spine.

When Maya heard the familiar voice, instead of being excited, her heart twisted with so much pain. How she wished that the guard could continue whipping her.

The pain she felt in her heart could not be compared to the mere physical pain of being whipped.

It was way too much painful for her.

"I'm asking you a question?!" Mark growled.

"Alpha… future Alpha.." The guard stammered.

"Has rat eaten your tongue and you can't talk?"

"It was an order from the miss." The guard immediately said. He did not dare stammer again.

"Why?"

When Mark heard the miss, he immediately knew who the guard was referring to.

"I don't know. She ordered me to do it and I could only follow her orders."

Maya, who had gained a little bit of her strength stood up from the floor.

Seeing that she was almost falling again, Mark reached out his hand to help her but Maya pushed him away.

"Maya…." Mark called out.

Maya ignore him and continued with what she was doing.

Although she was in pain, it did not amount to the pain she felt after seeing this man.

Mark looked at her stubborn appearance and said nothing.

He gestured for the guard to follow him after staring at Maya for a good while.

But Maya knew that she had no one to blame but herself.

Who told her to be charmed by the evil bastard? She deserved everything she was going through.

Ever since she came of age, she had been following Mark around. Mark was also fond of her and even took her out to some fun places.

It was Mark who had picked her up from the woods where she was abandoned and brought her to his pack.

At that time, she was only a five-year-old girl and the only face she could remember was Marks.

Mark was ten years old at that time but because he was a werewolf, he was already tall and charming.

When he picked her up from the woods near his pack, there was only a note on her body that contained her name, Maya Brown.

He immediately took her to his house. But because his parents were the leaders of the pack, they could not adopt someone who has popped out from nowhere.

They requested their second in common, Beta Collin, and his wife Melissa to adopt her.

They could not object since it was an order from their alpha and luna.

Collin and his wife Melissa have a daughter by the name of Lily who is two years younger than Mark and three years older than Maya.

So when Maya was brought home, Lily was eight years old.

At first, Maya could not speak and could only lock herself in the room. She feared everyone and the only person she wanted to see was Mark.

Mark was also very patient with her. He could take her out to some beautiful places in their pack.

He also told her stories about wolves and all she needed to know.

Thus the two people grew closer and closer with each passing day until Maya opened up to other people.

Although she has never felt wanted, with Mark's encouragement, she learned to appreciate life and everyone around her.

She also took Lily as her real sister and shared everything with her.

Although she could not remember where she came from, Mark had given her enough sense of security to feel that she belonged in his pack.

But that was until his twentieth birthday.

On the night before the birthday ceremony, Maya and Mark were out rolling out in the field while they poured their heart into each other.

Maya was bothered by something so she decided to tell Mark how she was feeling.

"I heard that on your twenty birthday, you have to announce who your mate is?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, where did you hear it from?"

"Lily told me!"

"What do you think?"

"I think that as the future Alpha, you have to calm your pack down. After all, you will be their leader and you can't lead them without a luna by your side." Maya said.

"But you told me that everyone has their destined mate, I haven't heard you talk about yours."

"Why would I talk about mine when she is right beside me?" Mark said.

Maya did not say a word as she looked at him.

She did not want him to know that she already heard that he will be getting engaged to Lily, she wanted to know if he will be honest with her.

"You know I'm the future leader, it's not a must for me to follow the doctrine of werewolves, I can have however I want as my luna and no one will say a thing. As long as I upheld my responsibilities as the leader."

"So cutie, will you be my luna?"

Although something in her wanted to reject him, Maya ended up nodding her head.

What she never anticipated was that the following day, on his twenty birthday, will be the start of her endless suffering...