CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

Madelyn’s POV

“Madelyn dear, wake up.” I heard my mum’s voice from a distant dream as she kept jerking my shoulders. “You have to go into your wardrobe and hide.” My eyes flew wide open, and the sleep disappeared in an instant upon hearing the urgency in her voice.

“What is happening, Mum?” She gave me no answer as she helped me up and kept pushing me in the direction the wardrobe was.

“Stay here and don't come out till I come to get you.” She placed her hands on my shoulders and fixated her gaze on me. “Promise you won't come out of here no matter what you hear.”

“No. Not until you tell me what's happening. I…” I argued stubbornly, but she shut me up immediately before I could finish my sentence.

“Madelyn, listen to me for once in your life, will you? She screamed above her voice. “Please.”She begged as she lowered her voice.

“Okay, mummy.” I replied, tears already welling up in my eyes.

“The enemies have reached the gates. Hurry, let's go; we don't have much time to waste. She could stay if she wants.” My mum’s eyes and mine darted to where my father stood resting his hands on the door frame. His face smeared with a look of pure disdain. Hatred. Blame.

My mum hastily shoved me into the wardrobe. Kissing me on the forehead before she left. The door clicked as she closed the door behind her.

I sat in the dark wardrobe, barely fitting in as I squeezed my arms around my knees, tightening my grip as I tried to control the erratic movements of my legs. But it wasn't working.

My ears shot up when I heard loud roars from outside. Followed with loud screams. Next was an explosion that sent the walls of my room reverberating to its impact. It was then that it dawned on me that the war we, no, I mean my father and the other strong pack members, had been planning for was finally raging outside. While I was just here hiding among my dresses like the complete coward that I was.

It was not my fault that my dad refused to let anyone train me. That was one of the reasons I was very weak. There were lots of things that happened in this pack that were not my fault, but my father never thought of it that way. Every bad luck that befell us was my doing according to him.

I hadn't contributed to the pack in any way, and my father never failed to remind me at every chance he got. Whether it was when his beta’s daughter would achieve a new rank in the army or when there was a mating ceremony for the wolves of the Moonstone Pack and I was exempted because I didn't have my wolf. He'd always show me how much of a failure I was.

The only valuable thing I had in my life was the blood of the Amenadiel’s running through my veins and the Alpha's daughter title, of course.

I huddled myself tighter as I covered my ears, trying to muffle the sounds.

My father’s regular remarks echoed loudly in my head: “Weakling. You are too weak. It should've been you, not him.”

The moon goddess bore me witness that I wanted to make up for my brother's death. I wanted to fill his shoes in any way that I could.

I was hurting like him too. Could he not see? Losing a twin was like losing a piece of yourself. But despite that, I tried my best. I tried to be the perfect daughter. Obedient to all his commands. I just wanted him to love me like a father would love his daughter.

I didn't care about living my own life; anything I did was to please him. I was Damon Amenadiel’s daughter, Alpha of the Crimson blood pack, but due to the way he treated me, the other members, even the ones that were supposed to worship the very ground I stepped on, treated me like dirt. Reporting to my father was useless. I knew exactly what he’d say to me. ‘You’re incompetent.’

My face shot up when I heard a loud thud on my door. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest as my brain was in a wreck trying to determine whether or not I should go out and open the door.

I jumped out of the wardrobe, scanning the room as I picked the nearest flower vase. I held it in anticipation, taking a stance as I put one leg forward and the other backward. I was ready to throw it at whoever would come through this door that was not my parents.

The door opened and it was closed again immediately. Behold, it was my mum. I watched as she slid down the door, her hands putting pressure on the side where blood was dripping profusely.

“Mum.” I exclaimed as the flower vase dropped from my hand, crashing on the floor.

I scampered to her side as my eyes glared at every inch of her body, not knowing which wound to tend to first. I ran to my bathroom to bring out my first aid kit. My father didn't let me get involved during combat training, but I had joined the pack doctors and I learned a few things.

“Stop.” She finally uttered as she straightened her back, sitting up straight. “When did you become a doctor?” She said as she chuckled.

This was no time to make jokes, but yet here she was. Trying to make jokes so it would reduce the weight of the situation. She knew me too well. Considering that I was already crying uncontrollably as my shoulder shook up and down, matching the rhythm of my cries.

My hands were shaking as I brought out my bandage to wrap around one wound to stop the bleeding. But another wound was already bleeding, and then another, and then I saw it: an arrow stuck in her thighs. I knew better than to remove it.

I sniffled, cleaning my eyes as my tears blurred my vision. I was so frustrated. I needed to save my mom. It was as if I suddenly remembered that she was the strongest female wolf in this pack. Why was she not healing?

“Mum, why are you not healing?”

“Wolfsbane.” She uttered. Your father's condition is worse.

“Where is he?” I questioned. “What should I do to help you heal.?”

“Mountain ash. but it's too late. No Madelyn. They are already here. Quickly help me up.” I crouched, and she leaned over my shoulders.

In all the years while growing up, my mother had never taken off her pendant, not even when she was showering. It was always hidden under her dress. It was our family's heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

But here the emerald stone was, sitting pretty in the exact position my mother had placed it. It’s coldness seeping into my tiny palms.

“Mom, open up, please, I cried as I banged and kicked against the door. I was hurting, but I didn't care. “I can't leave without you.”

“I love you, baby, but now you have to be strong for the pack. You are the only one strong enough. Take the straight path from here; it leads straight to the woods.” She coughed and wheezed before she continued, “Take that route and don't look back, and don't let them take the stone from you.”

My mom was the one person in this pack that treated me right. Compared to how my father, the Alpha of the Crimson Blood Pack, had treated me. She still loved me despite all the warnings she got from my father.

Was it intentional that I didn't live up to his expectations? He once told me that he wished I was the one that died instead of my twin brother. He said it a good number of times, enough for me to finally believe it.

I was only twelve when it happened. We wandered into the woods to play hide and seek as we’d usually do. I didn't know what else to do when a rogue attacked him other than run back home to inform my father. But we got there to see his body lying lifeless and slashed in various places as he lay in his own pool of blood.

Maybe if my late brother were here right now, he would’ve been strong enough to save his mother, not hiding cowardly behind a door like I was doing. I had always wondered where this door led, and today I finally found out in the most tragic way.

The door swung open with a loud bang as the wood hit the brick walls and three tall men with huge muscular frames walked in.

“Is this where you came to hide?” The voice thundered, sending shivers down my spine. “Where is it?” He questioned, narrowing his eye at my mom, who was leaning on the secret passage she had shoved me in.

I could see him as I peeked through the crevices in the door. He got to where my mom was and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up in the air.

I didn't know when the word escaped my mouth. “Mom.” I screamed, and he averted his gaze to the door, dropping my mom roughly on the floor.

No matter how hard he kicked on the door, he couldn't break it down. He kept kicking, and soon he got tired. But my gaze was fixated on my mom who was lying lifeless on the floor.

“She is in the walls. Find her.” He commanded.”