The Next Day — Saturday
So many hours have passed, but I'm still in pain. My mother is trying everything to help me, but the more she tries, the angrier I get.
"Please, let me apply this healing balm to your back; it'll help promote the healing process." She tried to touch me, but I slapped her hand away.
She did nothing when I was being tormented by her stepdaughter. She stood by and watched Madison's abuses, and now she wants to help?
I hate her.
I hate her for putting me in this ugly situation; she is the reason I look the way I do. My mother is the epitome of beauty. I remember looking a lot like her when I was younger, but as I grew older, my looks changed drastically—and not for the better. My beauty began to slowly fade, my skin started drying up, and I became wrinkled at an early age. People look at me with disgust; they want nothing to do with me because of my appearance.
How can a seventeen-year-old girl look like a dying grandmother? It doesn't make any sense. Some people claim I carry a curse.
Yes, I started to believe that, too, but that belief disappeared last week after I stumbled upon the truth.
I don't look old and wrinkled because of a curse, but because my mother made me this way. Yes, she did this to me for her own benefit. When I was seven, my mother gave me an elixir she claimed would give me youthful skin and help me live longer than most people. Trusting her, I took the elixir regularly for years—until I discovered the truth.
I stopped taking it and immediately confronted her. I expected a reasonable explanation or at least an apology, but all I got were tears and excuses. She even begged me to keep taking the elixir. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was tempted to curse her or even disown her, but where would I go? I have nowhere else. I don't even know where my father is.
My father left when I was four and never returned. Whenever I ask my mother about him, she never gives me a real answer. I don't even remember what he looks like; I could see him on the street and not recognize him.
I have no relatives here, no aunts or uncles. I have no one.
Even if I wanted to leave the pack right now, the Alpha wouldn't allow it. Only those of age are allowed to leave. I'll be of age in two days. Two days! I've been secretly preparing for it.
I don't care what anyone says; once I'm of age, I'll leave this hellhole. Not even Madison can stop me.
Maybe there's a whole new world waiting for me out there—maybe I'll find my true mate…
Oh, wait, I've given up on that. I used to hope Celeb could be my mate, but I've let go of that, too.
"Your phone is ringing; answer it." My mother brought my phone to me, but I refused to pick up.
"Please answer; it's Madison. She'll be angry if you don't." My mother kept urging until I reluctantly took the phone and swiped to answer.
"Why couldn't you answer the fucking phone earlier?!" Madison's voice blasted through the speaker. "Are you trying to get on my nerves?!" she yelled. I stayed silent. My mother kept whispering for me to apologize, but I ignored her.
"Come to the Alpha's house. You know where to find me," Madison said, then hung up.
What? What does she want now? Why is she calling me there? I don't want to go. I don't want to see her.
"What are you doing? Get dressed and go to her. I don't want to see you in pain again," my mother said, pulling me up despite my pain and anguish.
She forced me out of bed and went to get my clothes. She picked out a large gown and handed it to me. "Wear this and go to her. I know you don't like her, but you must do this, Linnea. Help me—help your poor mother. I hate seeing you hurt." When I couldn't stand her presence any longer, I snatched the gown, put it on, and left the house.
I headed to the Alpha's house, arriving about five minutes later. The Alpha's and Beta's houses were close by.
I walked to the separate building behind the Alpha's house—the triplets lived there on their own.
The front door was unlocked, so I opened it and stepped inside. The soft voice of Madison reached my ears.
She sounds like an angel when she's with them. She tries so hard to make them like her, and I think she's succeeding, judging by the way the triplets are all over her.
"You're here." Madison approached me and dragged me to the triplets. They were sitting together, chatting, but stopped and focused on us.
"Sweethearts, let me introduce her. I realized I never did," she said with a smile, glancing briefly at me. "Her name is Linnea, and she's my stepsister."
"She and her mother came to live with us when I was seven, and I still remember the first thing her mother said to me. Can you guess what it was?" She gazed at the guys, her face alight with joy, then looked back at me.
"Her mother said, 'Hi, Madison, I'll be your stepmother from today. This is my daughter, but you don't have to see her as your sister. You can see her as a pet—something to play with when you're bored.'"
"I didn't understand what she meant, so I asked for an explanation. Do you know what her mother did next?" Madison paused and laughed. "Her mother walked over to her and pressed an invisible button on her forehead. The minute she did that, Linnea started to dance."
She paused to laugh again.
"She literally started dancing! I was so shocked. That was my first time seeing anything like it, so out of excitement, I repeated what her mother did: I went over and pressed her forehead."
"Guess what happened next?" She laughed again. "Linnea started to dance. She danced so hard, I thought she was a dancing machine." After laughing yet again, she turned to me.
"Hey, Linnea," she called, "show off your dance skills. You still have them, right? Show them. I'm sure they're curious. Dance like you used to." She waited, but when I didn't move, she grew frustrated and immediately turned on me.
She walked over and nudged my shoulder. "Are you trying to embarrass me in front of them?" she whispered, but I stayed silent.
"Hey, I'll kill you once we get home," she threatened, nudging my shoulder again. She was about to do it a third time, but one of the triplets stopped her.
"It's okay. Don't waste your energy on her; she's not worth it," Logan said as he approached, holding Madison and kissing her on the lips.
After the brief kiss, he made a suggestion: "Let's go shopping. We'll bring her along—she can carry the shopping bags as her punishment. What do you think?" He cupped Madison's cheeks, softly caressing her.