"Now where is that girl when you need her to be here? Olexa!" Victoria called out angrily, looking for her stepdaughter.

She had a lot on her plate for the past two days and needed all hands on deck to make this happen. Her daughter was to be married to the werewolf prince.

It was a scheme of her's to bring her family and herself, to more power and influence amongst the werewolf packs of the four kingdoms. Her lust for power was insatiable.

"Where is Olexa?" Victoria asked a maid randomly.

"I do not know where she may be, my lady," the maid replied, a bit jittery. Victoria was a fierce Luna of one of the most powerful packs in the four kingdoms. She had a terrifying aura, which made her subjects fear her.

Victoria sighed frustratedly, with a note of anger written all over her face.

"Go find her," she ordered a guard. He speechlessly nodded in acknowledgment, and walked out briskly.

"And Vonni. Where is she?" Victoria asked.

"She is in her room getting ready, my lady," a different maid answered, bending slightly. No one dared to make eye contact with her.

_______

"Whoa! Get him. Finish him off!"

The crowd cheered at the gruesome fighting pits. Spectating folks cheered as one of the fighters had the upper hand against his opponent.

Both individuals fighting had transformed into werewolves as they fought. Their blood was splattered around the pit.

One of the excited and enthusiastic spectators was Olexa, disguised as a commoner, to blend in with the crowd.

She loved everything about being a warrior. The rush of adrenaline from combat was unusually appealing to her. But being a Vanderholt, a royal bloodline, and female at that, it was expected of her to be a diplomat, and not a warrior.

Against her father's wishes, she periodically snuck out to visit the fighting pits.

The guard sent to locate Olexa arrived at the location. He was accompanied by another guard. He was sent because he knew his way around with the commoners. Both guards blended in with their disguises also.

As the crowd cheered, he heard a compliment from someone in the crowd. It was Olexa's. He turned towards the direction of her voice, and spotted her. Pressing through the crowd, he reached her, grabbing her hand, firmly.

Furrowing her brow, Olexa turned, trying to break the grip of whomever it was that held her, wondering who it was.

"Let go of me." Olexa struggled, but to no avail.

The guard pushed back his hood, revealing who he was. Seeing him, Olexa knew who it was, and refrained from struggling.

The guard let go of Olexa, and she walked on ahead, with a gloomy demeanor. Not long after, they got to the Vanderholt's palatial residence. Olexa was led to the Vanderholts' great hall.

Seated on a throne-like chair ahead was Victoria, glaring at Olexa as she walked towards her. "Mother, you sent for me?" Olexa asked, unexcited.

"Where were you?" Victoria asked.

"Let me guess, she was at the fighting pits. Wasn't she?" Victoria asked, as she stood up and walked towards Olexa.

"Yes, my lady," the guard answered, bowing slightly.

"I was jus-"

Out of nowhere, Olexa felt a sharp pain across her face. Victoria had slapped her.

Olexa held her face, wincing in pain, as she heard a buzzing sound in her ears. She turned, glaring at her stepmother, sulking, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh, does it hurt?" Victoria asked mockingly. "Now you'll how to be around when you're needed the most."

Olexa glared hatefully at her stepmother, but did nothing.

"Are you jealous of your sister's marriage to the prince? Did you leave the palace out of spite and jealousy?" she said, trying to demean Olexa.

Hot tears ran down Olexa's cheeks, as she glared at Victoria. She then ran out of the great hall sobbing.

"Pathetic." Victoria scoffed, feeling accomplished.

Olexa ran past some guards and servants, who were quite familiar with Olexa being treated this way. All they could do was feel sorry for her.

Olexa ran out to a juniper tree, her usual spot where she goes to whenever she's hurt and needs to cool off, or cry out her heart.

This was her place of solace and tranquility, ever since her mother died when she was little. Olexa cried her heart out, as she laid on the leaves and shrubs beneath the tree.

Olexa wondered why was she being maltreated constantly, and her father barely intervened. Olexa wondered what had happened to her fierce and courageous father who would defend her against even her mother.

His marriage to Victoria had caused a depletion in his power, control, and fame over the years in their pack. Victoria had been the one running the affairs of the pack, a few years into their marriage.

Olexa wondered what had made Victoria change so radically towards her in a negative way. She wondered what she ever did wrong to be treated in such a way by her stepmother.

Olexa lay there sobbing, until she pulled herself together, wiping her tears. She sat upright, enjoying the cool evening breeze, which gently caressed her soft skin.

Her attention was suddenly drawn towards the sounds of metal clanking, from a barn that wasn't too far from where she was.

The breeze caused the sound to be blown towards her. She was puzzled as to who would be there now, as folks barely ever went there. It got her curious.

She stealthily walked to the barn, following a path that no one would easily notice her. She was familiar with her way around there.

As she got in through the back, she heard the moans of a female. The voice was way too familiar to her not to accurately guess who it was.

Then she heard the lady moaning call out a name that was even more familiar to her. As a result, she emerged to have a clear visual.

She saw her fiancee, and her stepsister, Vonni, secretly having sex.

Olexa was shattered at the sight before her. She felt like a sword was pierced through her heart. The duo caught sight of Olexa and stopped what they were doing, as they quickly got dressed.

"Khris? Vonni?" A daze hit Olexa, and she stumbled backward, placing her hands across her chest.