Bound By The Alpha's Mark

Chapter 1

DAPHNE

"Useless! Absolutely useless."

My father's loud, terrifying voice sent chills down my spine as he flung the money in my face. I was kneeling before my father and stepmother, trembling — from fear, of course. The last time I earned this amount of money, I was mercilessly whipped for days afterward. My fear now is that I don't know what punishments they'll give me tonight.

Before I could say another word, my stepsister kicked my leg, sending me sprawling. There was broken glass on the floor, and my palms went straight into the shattered shards. I winced. Smiling maliciously, she stood up and stomped hard on my hand. Blood spurted from my palms as she continued to press them firmly against the broken glass with her foot.

"Omega without a wolf — you're just a freeloader in this house. You can't even earn money with those night-blind eyes." She gritted her teeth.

Staring at me, my stepmother sneered and turned to my father, whose face was expressionless.

"Honey, I don't think we should keep this up. What good is she if she can't earn more money? It's barely $100."

"That's right. You're out all day just to make peanuts? Looks like you've forgotten why we let you stay here, huh?" my father yelled.

Tears streamed down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Dad. The market was terrible today. I hardly made any sales, and all my rice cakes went bad."

"Damn it! If the rice cakes aren't selling, why don't you try the brothel? I'm sure you'll make a lot of money there, you pig!" My stepmother snorted.

"Mom, how am I supposed to get the designer Hermès bag this weekend when this good-for-nothing sister of mine can't earn enough money?" my stepsister Chloe yelled.

Silently, I prayed they wouldn't whip me today. My whole body still ached from the beating I'd received the day before.

"There won't be any scraps left for Daphne tonight, and she'll spend the night kneeling in the rain," my father shouted before walking away.

Without being told, I knew I was finished. I struggled to my feet, my palms still bleeding. The thunder was rumbling loudly, and it was pouring rain.

"Out, punk. I want the door locked." Chloe kicked me, and I fell off the balcony.

While I groaned in pain, I could hear her laughing hysterically. Why do they get so much pleasure from making me suffer? What have I done to them?

My name is Daphne Knight. I'm an omega, I'm 22 years old, and my family hates me.

My father is the Beta of our pack, the Black Iron Pack. I'm just his illegitimate daughter — the child he had with his omega slave, my late mother. Everyone in my pack calls me a jinx because my mom died saving me from a fire, and there were rumors that witches were after me. I don't know why. I was brought to my father when I was 10 years old, and my whole life since has been lived as a slave.

My father, my stepmother, my stepsister Chloe, and my stepbrother Andy — they all hate me. They only see me as a money bank. All I do is work hard, hand over every coin, and then starve.

I knelt on the hard floor, groaning in excruciating pain from the shove my stepsister had given me. Tonight's punishment was actually the fairest — other times, when I earned little money, they beat me with sticks and locked me in the dungeon without food. I literally ate the crumbs that fell from their table. Besides working for them, I do laundry for almost everyone in the pack, wash dishes, and receive scraps in return.

The rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon, but I was already soaked and shivering. My vision was blurring; it was past 10 p.m., and I hadn't eaten since morning.

I looked up and saw a figure walking toward me with an umbrella. It was my stepbrother, Andy.

My legs were cramping, but I managed to hold on. As he approached, his gray eyes scanned me from head to toe through my soaked clothes. I realized he was lusting after my body — studying me as if he could undress me with his gaze. Immediately, I covered my chest with my hands, avoiding his eyes.

"Silly girl, you still have the nerve to do that, huh? Well, I like it when you play hard to get." He winked at me seductively.

Ever since I was brought here at 10, he had been trying to get his hands on me — even though he was ten years older than me. I didn't even want to think about what he would have done to me if my stepmother hadn't warned him to leave me alone, since I was the one who brought money home for the family.

He reached out and touched my neck. I got goosebumps and slapped his hand away. He laughed softly.

"Fierce. That's what I like about you."

"Get away from me, Andy. Leave me alone." My voice came out cracked — barely a scream at all.

He threw down the umbrella and grabbed my neck. I could feel his hands moving toward my chest and I struggled frantically to get free.

"You have very soft—"

With every ounce of strength I had, I pushed him away and rose to my feet, despite my cramped legs.

"Get away from me, Andy."

"Oh, Daphne. Do you think you could stop me? It's raining and no one can hear you."

He lunged at me again. I quickly pulled the bobby pin from my hair, letting my long hair fall down my back. I held the pin out toward him and growled.

"Come near me if you dare. I'll stick this pin right in your chest."

He stopped — not because of me, but because a torch beam swept directly across us. Security. He stepped back, picked up his umbrella, snapped his fingers at me, and walked away without a word.

"Moon Goddess… why?" I murmured, as tears streamed down my cheeks.