ALETHEA'S POV
"Granny, what are you doing sitting in the dark?"
"Alethea Grey, where have you been?"
I am doomed. My grandma never calls me by my full name unless she wants to beat me.
"I was at the—"
"You went back to the pack house despite my warnings!" she yelled.
Oh wow, she is angry. Her face is red with rage.
"I am sorry, but we needed something to eat," I argued. "They don't even give you food."
"Thea, baby," she said, her voice shaking, "I warned you that it is dangerous for you to leave this house. You will get killed if your father ever finds out you are alive, or worse… I could be killed."
Walking up to her, I held her shaky hands and guided her to the kitchen stool. I knelt in front of her.
"I promise that I won't ever go back to the pack house again. If that will make you happy, then so be it."
She smiled and patted my head.
"I stole your favorite. Mac and cheese."
She scowled at me, so I hurried to prepare it for her.
A YEAR AND SIX MONTHS AGO
After my brutal rejection from my darling ex-mate, I walked back home crying, clutching my chest as the pain burned through me.
He is sleeping with her.
"Fuck you, Blake!" I screamed as I wept so hard that my door swung open.
There stood my dad, Beta Raymond of the Moonlight Pack, watching his daughter in pain and still doing nothing.
My darling mom came in not long after to enjoy the show.
"Just die, you Forsaken," she said.
The distaste and disgust I felt were enough to make me cry again.
Maybe I should just die.
Letting the darkness consume me, I closed my eyes. The last thing I saw were the eyes of my parents. They were happy.
I don't know what happened, but the next thing I knew, I was thrown onto the floor like a sack of potatoes.
"Serves you right," a guy said.
"I hope the rogue that finds you eats you ruthlessly," another added.
"I curse you, Forsaken child."
Can't they at least let me die in peace?
I slowly passed out again.
This time, when I woke up, I wasn't in the stomach of a wolf but in my grandmother's house.
Turns out everyone thought I was dead, and if I managed to survive, they planned to kill me or drag me to the Alpha.
END OF FLASHBACK
"Thea, do the dishes and meet me in my room. I have something for you," she said before walking away.
"Yes, ma!" I replied, laughing at my own joke.
After doing the dishes, I went up to my grandma's room. I hardly ever enter it because there isn't anything fun—just old books, and I hate books.
"Sit down, my child."
She entered her closet and brought out a white box that looked at least centuries old.
"This belonged to my great-grandmother," she said. "She gave it to her daughter, and her daughter gave it to hers, until my mom gave it to me. Now, I want you to have it."
I gave her a confused look.
"You're probably wondering why I didn't give it to your mom. She wasn't meant to have it. She is not worthy."
She opened the box.
I was beyond stunned when I saw what was inside. A silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. It was beautiful.
"Granny, I can't take this—"
"Thea, I want you to have it. Please."
I nodded.
She hooked the necklace around my neck. It was cold, and goosebumps rose on my skin.
"It looks good on you," she smiled.
Later, she told me there was a meeting at the pack house and that she was needed.
"So go ahead and eat, okay?" she called out.
"Okay!" I replied as I heard the door open and close.
I jumped out of bed and went to the bathroom to stare at the necklace resting against my skin. It really was beautiful.
After a quick shower, I changed into black underwear, basketball shorts, and one of my favorite sports bras before falling asleep the moment my body hit the bed.
"Thea! Thea!! THEA!!!"
I jumped out of bed to see my grandmother packing things into a bag.
"What is wrong?" I asked.
She looked pale, like she had seen a ghost.
"You need to leave now," she stammered. "They found you. They are coming here. The meeting was a lie. Run… don't look back."
"Granny, what the hell—"
The front door burst open.
A white cloth covered my nose, and I passed out.
They poured water on me—water that smelled like it was used to clean the floor.
"Today we will execute the Forsaken child and the one who helped hide her for so long."
I watched as they dragged my grandmother like a criminal.
"Watch the way you handle her, or I will kill you," I spat.
Pain burned across my right cheek.
I turned and saw him.
Blake Moon.
My dear ex-mate looked at me with pure disgust.
"Don't you have any other look?" I mocked. "That one is becoming boring."
I laughed so hard that the two men holding me loosened their grip.
I took advantage of it.
I stepped on one guard's foot, kneed my ex-mate, twisted the arm of the other guard, and broke free.
Everyone froze in shock.
I punched the guard beside my grandmother and sent a flying kick to the other's face. I grabbed her hand, and we ran.
"Get her!" Blake yelled behind us, his voice filled with pain.
I heard them shifting and howling as they chased us.
Shit.
We reached the border.
"Thea, baby, you have to go," my grandmother cried.
"No freaking way. If you stay, I stay."
A brown wolf slammed into me, sending me to the ground.
I knew that wolf.
My dad.
Beside him stood my mom's ash-colored wolf.
"Sister," a voice said mockingly.
I turned.
"I've been good, Ava," I said. "Thanks for asking."
Her lips curled in anger.
I charged at her.