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Chapter 2

Mirabella

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Stacy was right behind me, as we swerved through the busy streets of Town 6.

My heart galloped in panic as I thought of how much misery my mother must be feeling. She was bedridden with a fever that had refused to go away after I was born. And now I feared any day might be her last.

I zipped through another alley, one I used as a shortcut to cut down long distances, and soon I was at our compound.

I ran past the opened gates and made my way inside, going straight to her room.

When I got there, Stacy's mom, Gertrude, was already attending to her.

"Mirabella, you are here." She automatically stepped aside, letting me take her place.

My mother's eyes were still closed, but she tensed as I moved closer. Her forehead was covered in sweat and her lips were quivering badly. The fever had returned with a very fervent effect.

My mother and I didn't have a regular relationship as parent and child. She detested me with everything in her. According to her, I was the one who destroyed all her dreams and why she ended up sick.

"Does she have to do this?" She asked Gertrude like I wasn't in the room.

"You know she has to. It's the only thing that can provide you with a little relief from the pain." Gertrude answered patiently.

"Then do it and get over with it." She hissed, turning her face to the side and clenched her teeth as I touched her. Her skin was hot, so hot that I almost took my hand away. Her fever must have increased drastically.

I had to come to realize over time that my touch helped provide relief to people in pain, and it had helped my mother over time.

"Hmmn." She sighed as the tension flowed out of her body.

Gradually, her temperature reduced to a manageable degree and I removed my hand. This was the only remedy we had for now. We had no other way to treat it as the clinic here in Town 6 didn't have the expertise to treat her, and we were referred to The King's City. The capital city, to which only wealthy and affluent people had access.

"Get her out of here." She hissed in disgust.

I stood up resigned to the fact that my mother, Pearl, would never acknowledge and appreciate me.

"Thank you," Gertrude whispered as I walked past her.

I simply nodded and left the room. Stacy was waiting right outside the room.

"I'm sorry about that." She looked down, clutching her arms tight against herself.

"It's no problem. You don't have to apologize or feel sorry for me. I will be in my room if anything comes up." I waved off her apology.

Right now, the exhaustion of the day was getting to me and I needed to take a nap.

Our house was among the finest in the neighbourhood, mostly due to my late father's hard work.

He was a government official before his untimely death. He died in an uproar because of a young, unstable Alpha who was on the loose. He succeeded in stopping the Alpha but paid with his life.

Gandalf Weatherwood was different from my mother's. While she hated me, he loved me and took care of me.

I missed him so much that it hurts just thinking about him.

I turned a corner and came in contact with my stepfather groping a Numb girl.

The Numb looked uncomfortable with my stepfather pressing and grinding into her, invading her personal space. I disliked my stepfather, Cornelius, to the point of hatred. I wondered what Pearl ever saw in him before getting married, as he was half the man my father was, a weak and shameless Alpha. He was notorious for always manhandling and harassing the Numbs that worked for us.

Most of the Numbs had no choice but to tolerate this because our household was one of the few that could employ a large number of workers.

The Numb's eyes flashed with relief when they landed on me. I sighed, contemplating whether to intervene or pretend that I didn't see them, as I was too drained to deal with Cornelius. I could count the number of Numbs that I had rescued from his hands, but I couldn't save them all.

The Numb, which I vaguely identified to be Kelly, whimpered as Cornelius whispered something disgusting in her ear. He probably was too distracted with the thought of conquering his latest conquest that he didn't smell that I was there. With the rise of the dynamics, came a new and improved heightened sense of smell. Alphas were the most dominant and could sniff out anyone if they put their mind to it. Omega came a close second, but their sense sensors were heightened during their estrus cycle. Betas and Numbs came out last. They can barely pick up any smell except when their body is being flooded by adrenaline.

"Kelly, Madam Gertrude needs your assistance in my mother's room," I spoke out, startling Cornelius, who now suddenly faced me. He was not too pleased with my interference and suspected that I did it deliberately.

"Thank you, Miss." She scampered, not looking back.

"Look what the cat dragged in." Cornelius sneered at me. Another thing that made me dislike him was that he had the body of a full-grown Alpha but the mind of a teenager. I think he's mentally retarded.

"Who, Cornelius. Look who the cat dragged in. That's the right way to say it." I corrected him but only made him angrier. I knew calling him by his name would piss him off. I refused to call him Dad and Alpha. I stuck with Sir and as I grew older, I used his first name.

"You little brat. You think you are so much better than me, right?" He reached for me and dragged me against his body hard. A muffled grunt escaped my lips as my body collided with his.

"Get your filthy hands off me." I hissed, my voice filled with disdain. Even though I was feigning bravery, my heart was beating very fast. One thing that I have learned over time is to never show a predator your fear.

"Shut up." He slammed my back against the wall and I bit my lip to stifle another grunt as sharp pain burst through my back.

"Can't speak again. Cat got your tongue?" He sneered close to my face. I winced at his stale breath wafting from his mouth. He was definitely drunk! At this time of the day, it was just mid-afternoon.

I didn't bother trying to struggle against him. I knew he would do nothing, just bark and no bite.

"What is going on here?" Gertrude boomed. Kelly must have alerted her that Cornelius was on the premises roaming loose.

"You think you have all the power. One day, no one is going to save you from me. Not even that old witch." He stormed off.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, breathing shakily. I needed to take a nap.