The Rare She-Wolf: Twice the Power, Zero Forgiveness Chapter 01

The Rare She-Wolf: Twice the Power, Zero Forgiveness Chapter 01

My mom told me ever since I was little that I ate my brother inside her belly.

She only got to become the Luna of the Ironfang Pack because she carried twin wolf pups sired by Alpha Elias Draven.

Everyone said she’d give birth to the future Alpha heir.

But in the end, I was the only one born.

Wolfless, weak, stupid, totally useless.

She got kicked out of the Ironfang Pack because of me.

To punish me, she made me play two roles growing up.

One week I wore a wig, and I was her daughter.

The next week I got a buzzcut, and I was her son.

Whenever I even slightly disobeyed, she’d scream at me hysterically.

“I was carrying twin wolf pups! You ruined my entire life!”

“Why wasn’t it you that got eaten! Give my son back to me!”

Every time that happened, I froze up completely, letting my mom do whatever she wanted to me.

Mom was right, I owed her. I had to pay her back.

Growing up, every kid called me a freak.

I didn’t want to be a freak, and I didn’t want to make Mom sad.

So right after I came of age, I worked up the courage to ask her for the first time.

“Mom, I don’t want to play my brother anymore.

“Can’t you just let my brother eat me?”

…

Mom always said it would’ve been better if I’d been the one eaten.

That way she could’ve had an heir.

She could’ve stayed by Alpha Elias’ side as his honored Luna.

“It’s all because of you, you useless thing. That’s why Elias left me,”

Mom said to my reflection in the mirror as she shaved my head.

Her fingers were so rough, yanking at my scalp until it burned.

“Do you have any idea how powerful the Ironfang Pack is?

“Their main manor is dozens of times bigger than this crummy little border cabin we live in.

“If your brother had lived, I’d still be living there now.

“Not like this—”

She suddenly grabbed a fistful of my hair.

I flinched from the pain but didn’t dare make a sound.

In the mirror, Mom’s eyes were bloodred.

She stared at me like she was looking past me at my brother.

Mom always said if I didn’t behave, she’d send me back, let my brother eat me, and bring him back.

She said I owed her, and I had to pay her back for the rest of my life.

That was why I always thought to myself, “Once I awaken my wolf, I’ll become super strong.

“I’ll let Mom live in comfort for the rest of her life.”

Every time I said that, Mom just laughed at me.

“If you had that kind of ability, would we even have gotten kicked out in the first place?

“You’re just a worthless mutt. Your wolf’ll be useless too, even if you do awaken it.”

Today was no different.

She cursed me as she wrenched my hair up and brought the razor down.

The blade pressed cold against my scalp.

Tomorrow, I had to play my brother again.

Mom said my hair couldn’t be longer than half an inch.

Otherwise I wouldn’t look like a male pup.

Even though every haircut left me heartbroken, it didn’t matter what happened as long as Mom was happy.

I used to think I’d always feel that way.

But everything changed after I enrolled in the Pack academy.

Last week I wore a dress to school.

Everyone said my dress was pretty, and the teacher even braided my wig into cute little pigtails.

I was happy the whole entire day.

But this week, I took off my wig, kept the buzzcut, and wore the male academy uniform.

All my friends stared in shock.

“Are you a male pup or a she-wolf pup anyway?”

I opened my mouth but didn’t know what to say.

“She was a male pup yesterday, now she’s a she-wolf pup!”

“Neither boy nor girl, what a freak!”

The other kids joined in jeering.

They formed a circle and trapped me in the middle.

“Freak! Freak! Freak!” they chanted, clapping their hands.

I tried to run, but they shoved me back and forth.

I fell, my knee scraping against the concrete, bleeding all over.

It hurt so bad.

When I got home that day, I hid under my covers and cried for hours.

I started wishing I could be like the other she-wolves, wearing pretty dresses every day, doing cute braids, not having to get buzzcuts.

But I knew I didn’t deserve it, because I ate my brother.

I owed Mom.

So, I should just give my brother back.

I’d give my brother back to Mom.

Then Mom wouldn’t have to suffer like this anymore.

And I wouldn’t have to be sad anymore.

That thought sprouted like a seed in my chest, growing bigger and bigger every day.

Finally, a month before my coming of age, I worked up the courage, my voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

“Mom.”

“Mm?”

Mom answered absently.

The razor kept clicking away.

“I… I don’t want to play my brother anymore.”