CHAPTER 1: LEAVING HOME

MARIANA'S POV

“Please have mercy on us, Alpha Marion.”

“Please give us more time and I promise we'll pay up the money.” I heard my parents begging in the living room and a part of me was confused. What were they begging for in our home?

I tried to figure what it could be but I didn't get enough time to think because the next sound I heard was that of mum crying and it forced me out of my room. I rushed outside expecting to see what was happening, only to find my parents kneeling and shivering with balls of sweat trickling down their bodies.

“Mum, dad, what's going on?” I asked but as usual, they ignored me like they always did.

“I promise we'll pay the money as soon as I get paid. Have mercy on us sir.” Dad begged so I stepped fully into the living room to see who they were begging.

“Mum, dad, what's the problem?” I asked again but my words fell on their deaf ears. I glanced up and found the guards from the pack house staring down at me.

“Why is nobody talking to me…” I tried to protest but my words were cut short.

“Who is this?” I heard the voice of the most feared man in the Stormcrest pack and instantly fell on my knees.

Shit!

What the hell is Alpha Marion doing in our house? I glanced at my parents for clues but they were too covered in fear to pay any attention to me.

“She's…she's…she's our daughter.” Dad finally responded, forcing the words out of his mouth slowly like he'd been asked to swallow a bitter pill.

“She's your daughter? That's unbelievable.” Alpha Marion replied with a chuckle that sent shivers down my spine. I still couldn't fathom what Alpha Marion was doing in my house and I couldn't bring myself to look at him, I doubt if anyone in the pack can because according to the rumors, staring into his eyes or mere gazing in his direction could get one killed and heck, I loved my life.

“Sir, please, I promise, we'll pay the money as soon as we get it.” Mum begged again, holding back the tears in her eyes but her voice was tearing up faster than her eyes.

The Alpha’s attention diverted from my shivering parents to me and I could feel his eyes boring holes into my back, scrutinizing every part of my body. I should've just used the back door earlier instead of coming to join this mess.

“I have a better idea.” Alpha Marion started and my heart jumped into my mouth. I could tell by the glint of mischievousness in his voice, that whatever that idea was, none of us would like it.

“How about I write off your debt totally? How does that sound?” He said and my parents almost jumped up in excitement but they kept it in and just bobbed their heads instead. I wondered why they took a loan from the Alpha in the first place when I spent every dime I made everyday for our bills at home.

“But under one condition.” He added and the room fell silent. I could hear dad's heart beating fast and after taking a quick glance at his face, he looked worse.

“I'll take your daughter, instead of the loan.” The Alpha demanded and I felt myself going nuts.

“What?” My parents and I yelled simultaneously. For the first time in my life, I felt like they cared about me.

“I mean, it's not a problem if you don't want to hand her over to me in exchange for your debt but I want my money today else your measly son gets killed.” His voice was stern and flat.

Fear creeped into me and my body suddenly went cold as different questions rushed through my mind in that passing minute. A second felt like a year and the more my parents hesitated with their response, the more I prayed to the moon goddess to make all of these a bad dream.

“We'll give her up.” Mum finally responded and my soul crawled out of my body. I glanced at the woman I called mother all my life but she avoided my gaze.

“Yes sir, we'll give her up in exchange for the loan.” Dad reiterated.

“Mum, dad, what are you saying? You don't mean that, do you?” I struggled to find the right words for the pain I felt inside. My chest hurt like I'd been stabbed but I didn't get enough time to cry as one of the guards roughly held me up with one of his hands. I finally got a glance at the face of the Alpha and boy, I couldn't even bring myself to look in his direction twice.

I glanced back at my parents, expecting them to say it was some sort of mistake and they didn't mean it but they look relieved. Dad got one of his knees and helped mum up as they both bowed for the Alpha.

“Mum, dad, what are you doing? Don't do this to me, please.” I begged, tears falling out of my eyes but they ignored me as always. I watched one of the guards pull out a contract, handed it over to my parents and they both signed.

That couldn't possibly be what I'm thinking it is, right? There's no way my parents just sold me to the Alpha.

“Mum, dad, please, I beg you,I'll pay the loan, please don't do this to me. Mum, please, I beg you.” I cried my eyes out but it felt like I was talking to myself because no one in the room paid any attention to me.

The guard pushed me roughly out of the house, forcing a scream out of my mouth.

“Dad, please don't do this to me. I'll do anything you want, please, I beg you. Don't let them take me, please.” I felt my world shattering right before my eyes. It seemed mum had finally had enough she raised her eyes to look at me.

“Shut the hell up and go with them, we never wanted you anyway.”