Marked By The Demon Princess

Aurora.

I let out a weary sigh when my eyes met with the huge clock that rested on the wall.

It was past 1am.

Yesterday's chores were heavy. Despite starting them very early before anyone was awake, I finished the next day with no break at all.

Nathalia, the Alpha's daughter was pleased to see me buried in work. She rejected anyone's attempt to assist me and punished them severely...just like she always does.

Her actions pulled people away from me as they were scared of her harsh punishments.

No one dared crossed her or they'll be sorry!

She enjoyed seeing me miserable, it was some sort of entertainment to her.

It pleased her to see that I had no one on my side.

Nathalia and I were born on the same day by different mothers. We shared the same father, but her mother was the Luna while my mother was the Alpha's mistress...or the Alpha's whore.

Twenty years of our existence, Nathalia hates me without a reason. It was understandable, my mother was her father's whore.

She never cease to make my life miserable at the slightest opportunity and also reminding me that I was a bastard who will never get accepted, the daughter of a filthy whore as she calls me.

My mother on the other hand wasn't helping matters. Her role in my life was to add to the miseries that Nathalia created. I thought a mother protects, loves and cares for her child, but my mother did the opposite.

I knew she wished she never had me and she doesn't stop telling me that every day at the slightest provocation. Soon, it became a song that I was used to, a song that never stops. But I didn't let it bother me.

Even though I acted brave and pretended it never got to me...it shattered my heart to pieces knowing my mother hates me.

I had never wronged her in anyway, I was always in my best behaviour, pleasing her even at my detriment...but it didn't change a bit of her feelings towards me.

She love for me was as cold as ice.

Motherly love was something I never tasted...something I long for every day of my life, but I knew i would never get it.

Though my father never showed any affection towards me, he didn't make my life miserable and sad. He never stood up for me when my mother or Nathalia were punishing me, but he didn't add to my problems. On rare occasions, when he was in a good mood, he forbids Nathalia from punishing me. I was grateful for that.

Over the years, I had stopped wallowing in self-pity and accepted it as my destiny, even if it was a horrible one.

I jumped in fright when I heard footsteps towards me, hiding behind a pillar, but relief washed over me when I saw a guard on parole.

Great! I and the guards were the only ones awake.

Thanks to that she-devil for keeping me up until this hour while she snored away on her comfy bed.

My face contorted in a frown as I dragged my weak legs across the hallway, staggering towards my room.

I couldn't wait to crash on my bed...at least, my bed didn't hate me. Every muscle in my body protested as they were sapped out of energy as a result of the work overload. With a long shower and quality sleep, I'll bounce back... except there was no room for quality sleep.

"Shit!" I cursed when I remembered the errand my mother sent me. Horror swept through me as vivid imaginations of what she would do to me flashed in my head.

The air in the hallway shifted and everywhere was suddenly hot.

The weakness I felt earlier disappeared in the blink of an eye as it was replaced with fear. My heart pounded hard against my ribs so loud that I could hear it and my hand began to tremble.

That was it. I was dead!

I hope she doesn't remember. I didn't mind waking up very early before she wakes up to clear the chores. I couldn't imagine being beaten in my current state...I could pass out. Fuck. She hated not being responded to.

"Please, just this time," I pleaded to the Moon goddess, hoping she will hear me, "As early as possible, I'll go to her room and she won't even notice,"

Hope replaced my fear as I walked to my room.