Chapter One – Her Birthday
Rihanna's POV
It was the Princess's birthday; she had lived another year to cause hell for me. The decorations of pink and white in the ballroom sickened me. They always had, actually. They reminded me of the worst year of my life, reoccurring.
I was nine years old then, wearing a cute red ball gown, with my head adorned with light jewelry and a gold necklace that belonged to my mom. Princess Vanessa was having her tenth birthday, and the ballroom was filled with white and pink designs. I crept towards the long table where meals of different cultures and origins were laid, alongside cocktails and wines. I raised my legs to where her cake was kept, on the highest table, and gleamed wickedly at it.
My twin brother, Raymond, was in charge of keeping the little pups away from the table, but he was far outside the ballroom, watching the Alpha King invite the guests. I knew my brother would get in trouble for what I was about to do, but I had to do it. Princess Vanessa owed me everything.
I slapped down the cake, spreading it across the table. It made a melting sound, and the high steps toppled to the ground. Inside, I felt bad for ruining it, but this was revenge. I was being petty, but that was all nine-year-old me could think of. Hearing footsteps from outside the ballroom, I envisioned the Luna Queen and the servants coming.
I had shifted early, so I had my wolf. She told me to run away, but I stubbornly didn’t. I didn’t care—I wanted them to see me. I wanted Princess Vanessa to see me. I ruined her cake! But Raymond appeared. His expression went from surprise to anger and then fear. He pulled me by the ear, but I slapped his hands off.
“Serves Princess Vanessa right!”
My voice was small and light, so I made a noise shouting like that.
“And you’ll be served a punishment soon...” he barely finished when our Luna Queen walked into the kitchen.
She wore a smile on her lips, which were also smeared bright red, matching her auburn hair. Her bright green eyes darkened upon seeing the ruined cake.
Slowly, with a glare, she turned to my brother and me. Her eyes rested on my cake-stained dress. I quickly cleaned it off, scared as her strong aura filled the room.
“Rihanna, no!” she tried dragging my hair, but Raymond pushed me aside. She grabbed him and yanked his hair, but I quickly bit her hands.
She flung me easily, and her claws crawled from their place, piercing my brother's neck. I knew I had let her Luna wolf out, and it wouldn’t be easy to control.
I began screaming while throwing cake at her. She was very annoyed that I was ruining her dress, but I still didn’t care. I hated her like I hated her daughter. My mother rushed in, running with her blue stilettos that I felt would break at any minute.
A victorious smirk was etched on my face as all the guests came in, seeing the cake and the Luna Queen. Even Princess Vanessa came in, and my wolf began laughing.
“Raymond, who did this?” my father barked. He was the Beta of our Kingdom, and he looked scary towering over my brother in his black suit. But why did he care who did it? Couldn’t he see the Luna Queen almost killing his son?
The Alpha King pushed my father aside and came forward. His expression changed to something different. The guests came closer one by one, eyeing the melted cake on the ground. I noticed a guest, Duchess Vivian, wearing an impressed smirk.
But then Princess Vanessa burst into a wail. I couldn’t help it and laughed along with Lana, my wolf. Everyone turned to me, and Raymond looked scared. I shook my head hard while laughing so much that a piece of jewelry fell off.
They all must have seen the cake stained on me. I laughed like a mad wolf despite everyone looking at me.
“I pushed Rihanna into the cake. It’s my fault,” Raymond shouted as the Alpha King advanced on me. I stopped laughing.
My mother narrowed her eyes at him. “Raymond, she’s the one with cake on her dress...”
“But I pushed her into it, Mom,” he repeated.
He was a mood spoiler; why was he taking the blame? What would they do knowing I did it? The Luna Queen's hands were tightened on him.
“What did Princess Vanessa do to you?” she roared. Everyone stood watching. She was strangling him, and no one said anything?
I charged at her and headbutted her in the stomach. She staggered and threw me by my hair. Mom held onto Raymond as he dropped.
“Sam, what’s wrong with your children?” the Alpha King screamed at my father.
I wanted to yell back at him, about what was wrong with his wife. Trying to overpower the Luna was effortless, so I bit her hand numerous times. I was an animal, I knew. But her daughter was a witch and a bully.
The servants fought and dragged me away from her, panting breathlessly.
“Please, let her go. I messed up the cake, not her!” Raymond stuttered; his small suit was already stained with dirt. His dark hair had sand mixed with it. I glared at him and the Luna Queen.
“Shut up. I did it. Princess Vanessa, I am so happy to see you cry!” I screamed to everyone's horror.
Raymond pushed me down, and I fell on the cake. He repeated his claim of messing up the cake. What was he so scared of? Why was he protecting me?
“Raymond? Rihanna? Who messed up this cake and why?” my father asked calmly.
With Raymond behind me, he gave me a sign with his fingers not to speak. I grumpily obeyed.
“I did, Dad. It was an accident. Rihanna annoyed me, so I pushed her into it. That’s why she had cake on her body…”
“And not on her hair? And everywhere on her hands? You’re lying!” Princess Vanessa cried.
Her little eye mascara was drooping with her tears, staining her white ball gown. Her mother sighed and dragged her away from us.
My mother looked at me disappointedly. They surely knew it was me. Raymond was never reckless; that’s why he was asked to watch the cake. I was the little witch around the house. But since Raymond agreed to the crime, he was punished. And I didn’t know that could happen.
Why was Princess Vanessa's cake so precious?
My brother was given fifteen strokes for it! Who dared give the Beta's son strokes? Of course, the Luna. I was so upset, but when I heard it was the Alpha King himself, I slid low. I hated everyone here.
Princess Vanessa had earlier annoyed me by calling my father a stupid dog who only listened to her father without having a will of his own. I reported to the Delta, but she wasn’t punished.
The Delta’s excuse was that it was her birthday, so no one would be punished. Yet my brother was flogged before the celebration began. My hatred for Princess Vanessa increased, but in return, the whole pack hated me. They didn’t like my confidence to stand up for myself or my mischievousness.
They cursed at me, saying I was the reason for my brother’s scarred back. And no one played with me; I didn’t mind until I finally began to. My mother hated me, and I became an embarrassment to my father.
All I wanted was payback to Princess Vanessa, who insulted my father. I revenged in the most painful way I could think of as a child, but my actions kept on haunting me. Princess Vanessa occasionally spread lies against me, claiming I destroyed one thing or another, and people believed her, hating me more. I became timid.
I had cooled down, but the name and hatred never left me. I was now diminutive due to lack of love and care. I didn’t have any confidence left. I was the most hated in the pack, all thanks to Princess Vanessa.
Her birthday had come again, and suddenly I felt a rush of energy, confidence, and mischievousness. My wolf, Lana, was with me, so I wouldn’t be beaten down so easily. I always remembered my sad story on all her birthdays.
Today, she was to find her mate, and that smelled like more trouble for me. I stood far away. We were at the open field and not the ballroom—Princess Vanessa's friends couldn’t fit. I stayed far so I wouldn’t get accused of something again.
All the guests gathered around her, including some important members of our kingdom. Our kingdom was a group of packs, with ours, Black Hills, being the most powerful, hence our Alpha being the King. I always felt like he didn’t deserve it.
The guests were from different packs, and more were to come. They sang songs to the Princess and gifted her precious stones from their land. Duchess Vivian gave her a bracelet with a supposed wishing gem that granted one’s deepest wishes.
That was a dangerous gift to give someone like Princess Vanessa.
I stayed up at the hill to ensure I didn’t spoil their mood or appetite. I hadn’t worn a formal dress—just a long-sleeved jacket with jeans.
“Rih, what are you doing there?”
I expected to see my brother Raymond, but I turned to see the Alpha King’s son, Prince Chris. My cheeks flushed a little, and I jumped from the tree I was on.