I prided myself on being ruthless and unfeeling.
At seven years old, I lured my gambling-addicted father to the local betting den. I urged him to keep gambling, losing again and again until he was drowning in debt. I watched with satisfaction as the enforcers broke both his legs, leaving him writhing in pain. I left without a backward glance.
By ten, my mother found him on the streets, reeking of filth and on the brink of death. The look she gave me was a mix of terror and disbelief.
At eleven, I witnessed my neighbor, Xizi, break the leg of the stray wolf pup I’d adopted, Shadow. I held Shadow close and said coolly, "He took one of Shadow’s legs, so I’ll take one of his hands. Fair is fair." My claws extended as I made good on my promise.
That’s when she decided to sell me. For fifty dollars, she tried to hand me over to a widower in the next town, a man in his forties. She tied me up, but I turned the tables, wrapping the rope around her neck instead. Her eyes widened in fear as I kicked over the candle by the window. The flames roared to life, and I walked out of the inferno with Shadow in my arms and the fifty dollars in my pocket.
At twelve, I saw a dress I wanted. The shopkeeper offered it to me in exchange for a night with him. I smiled and said, "Sure." The next day, he was found suffocated under a pile of clothes.
By fourteen, my beauty had blossomed, and men of all kinds flocked to me like flies. Some swore they’d mark me; others brought jewelry, trying to make me their chosen mate. It was disgusting. I was meant for more than these lowlifes. I was destined for power, for the high ranks of the pack.
I knew what I wanted, and I always got it. Born an Omega, I was determined to rise. If I couldn’t mate into a high-ranking family, I’d create one myself.
I found Greyson Hunt, a rogue who showed potential. He was sharp, disciplined, and had the drive to climb the ranks. I played the part of the gentle, vulnerable girl, pretending to fall into the river one day. He saved me, and we grew close. We faked a mate bond, and I became his Luna.
For three years, I cared for him, supported him, and when he rose to become an Alpha, I was pregnant with his pup. I had planned it all perfectly. I handed him a glass of whiskey laced with a potion that would ensure he could never have another heir. Our pup would be his only bloodline.
I thought I was untouchable, but I underestimated him. The man who couldn’t even kill a rabbit turned out to be far more ruthless than I imagined.
The icy river water engulfed me, and the current dragged me under. Hatred burned in my chest, fiercer than the cold. I shouldn’t have just made him sterile. I should have poisoned him instead. I should have ended his life.
But I didn’t. And now, I was the one drowning.
