Chapter One

Amelia's POV

"At least you could have sought my permission first before you agreed to my marriage with him. Whoever he is. Don't I deserve to know before my marriage was arranged even if you wanted me in an arranged marriage?" I yelled in anger at my stepfather who sat on his sofa, with an indifferent expression on his face. He seemed so not bothered about my life at all. 

He knew how much it drove me crazy to have him ignore me when we were having a very important conversation. It was a normal conversation, I don't care even if he didn't acknowledge my presence just like he hadn't since my mother died.

"Like I said to you already, you have no say in this. I have taken care of you enough and it is time you pay back the favor." He finally said, making me turn my head with a scoff. 

"Really? You are selling me off in the name of marriage, father. What kind of father does that to his daughter?" I asked him, my hatred towards him skyrocketing. 

"You don't even deserve the title, you have never been my father. You've always shown me if not because of my mum, you wouldn't have taken me in as your daughter. You've never once cared for me or cared how your decision would affect my life. Just tell me you hate me."

"That's all I have to say, Amelia. The wedding will be in three days, so pack your things too." He stood up from his seat, walking out like he didn't hear what I just said. 

He didn't fail to show me daily that he still blamed me for my mother's death and I was nothing but his stepdaughter. I will never forget either because he kept the scar printed on my heart and it bled every time I never felt the fatherly love I deserved. 

****

"Hurry up, Amelia! Goodness. How long does it take you to put something on?" 

I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time. Why he decided my spoiled, stuck-up stepsister, who also hated my guts, would be the perfect person to help me get ready for the wedding I wasn't even interested in was beyond me. 

She couldn't care less about who it was I was marrying and if he had the authority to make her life miserable. She thinks her husband is the best in the world and the most powerful. 

Although 'helping' is an exaggeration. So far, she had just been using the opportunity to boss me around and make my life even more miserable than it already was. 

I ignored her and continued to dress up. I was ready on the outside but my heart wasn't ready at all. I didn't want to do this and after protesting for days, I knew my father had already made up his mind and I just had to get married to the alpha with the worst reputation. 

My dress was gorgeous. The only thing I had ever received from my stepfather since my mother died and it wasn't the most intriguing because I didn't want to make it feel that way.

"Will you just stand there and stare at yourself?" Anna asked as she finally chose the dress she would be wearing for my wedding, which always showed she wanted to outshine me. 

"Wearing red at your sister's wedding is quite inappropriate." 

"You mean stepsister? Do I look like I care? I can wear anything I like. Unlike you, I would be pardoned for it because I am much better than you in every single way. Everyone sees it and you just have to deal with it." She scoffed before walking towards the door. "And I am not a tool like you."

Anger surged through me but I kept my cool and just ignored her. Anna was the same age as me and my stepfather had her with his ex wife who died a few months after Anna's birth. My mother had taken care of her along with me when she mated with my stepfather.

My father died the day she found out I was pregnant and a few months after, she met my stepfather and they became romantically entangled. Then they realized they were second chance mates.

My background was pretty complicated but after everything, Anna grew up to hate me just like my stepfather because they all still blame me for my mother's death. 

My mother died saving me from a rogue wolf, since then, my father didn't fail to show me he would have traded me for my mother any day and any time. 

Anna used the opportunity to show me also that she was jealous of how I had a perfect mother and she had none to take care of her. I wondered how heartless she could be to think that way after all my mother did for her. 

My stepfather never actually loved my mother that much, I knew he just wanted her to stay because of the effort she put into growing his pack. I took that away from him by being the cause of her death.

Over the years, I've just learned to stay away from everyone as much as possible. When it wasn't possible, I just kept my mouth shut and never contributed to anything but when it comes to standing up for myself, I would. 

I straightened my dress and stepped out of the room, walking down the hallway. Memories of my mother telling me I was the best thing that ever happened to her and no matter what happened, I was loved came back flooding my mind and I tried hard not to cry.

Now I was being sold to an alpha to bear him a child which would be taken away from me. They never said to whom exactly I'd be getting married, and they never gave me the option to say no. 

All they said was they were getting more for my hand in marriage than I was worth. Although my stepfather didn't say it out loud, I knew he was glad to finally get rid of me. I couldn't say I was unhappy about the prospect of leaving this pack, but I was scared of marrying an unknown man too. 

Lost in my fears, I finally reached the grand double doors of the hall where the mating ceremony was being held. Voices were coming from the other side and I didn't know why I felt dizzy all of a sudden. Fear gripped me very tightly and I haven't felt that fear in my entire life. 

I suddenly started to feel lightheaded like I was going to faint. I knew it was that fear. My worst fear is now coming true.