The Forsaken Daughter

Heather’s POV

Panting heavily, I pressed myself into the dark corner, desperate for a moment to catch my breath. The wounds from battling Raven’s minions burned fiercely, and my strength was waning. Damon, always the relentless fighter, had taken down several of the minions before being struck by a wolfsbane dart. Now, he lay unconscious on the ground. It was Colt’s doing—he stood off to the side, watching the chaos unfold with a cruel smirk on his face, clearly savoring the destruction.

“Heather, my little scared kitten,” Colt sang mockingly, his voice dripping with malice. “Don’t hide now. My soldiers deserve a real fight from you.”

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to focus. Channeling the power of my wolf, Whitney, I summoned the magic of her healing to seal my wounds. The pain lessened, replaced by a surge of determination.

“Come on, Heather,” Colt taunted again, his tone turning cold. “You were supposed to be the strongest of the batch, but look at you—pathetic. You’ve barely managed to kill any of my men,” He sneered, kicking a lifeless Raven wolf out of his way. “You see, I put Damon to sleep just for this—so you could finally show me your true strength.” His dark eyes glinted with sadistic delight as he spoke.

I silently pleaded with Whitney. “Heal me faster—I need you.”

Colt continued pacing, his voice a cruel melody in the dark. “Still hiding? Do you think you’ll walk out of here alive? I should kill

Damon right now, and then Stella and Kayden will believe you were the one who betrayed them.” He chuckled, the sound venomous. “I’ll relish your misery.”

His words made my blood boil. Why was he doing this? What had I ever done to make him hate me so much? As if sensing my thoughts, Colt’s hands began to shift, his claws extending and tearing through the sleeves of his suit. Thick fur covered his arms, and his transformation sent a ripple of energy through the room. Slowly, he approached Damon’s unconscious form, his claws poised over Damon’s throat.

“Three… two…” Colt began counting, his sinister smile widening.

Before he could say 'one,' I launched myself at him, moving with superhuman speed. My hand closed around his wrist just as his claws hovered an inch from Damon’s throat. Our eyes met—his dark and malicious, mine burning with defiance.

“Ah, there you are,” he said with a smirk, yanking his arm free. He swung at me in an instant, and I barely managed to dodge the blow. He moved faster than I anticipated, forcing me to retreat just to avoid his strikes. His attacks were relentless, his speed unmatched. I was struggling to keep up, but I refused to back down.

“Come on, Heather—you’re boring me! Where’s the strength of the ‘superstar fighter’ in our batch?” Colt mocked as I ducked another attack.

I gritted my teeth, frustration bubbling inside me. What is wrong with Colt? Why is he toying with me? His strength and speed were overwhelming, far beyond what I could counter. He wasn’t even taking the fight seriously—his amusement was clear in his eyes.

“You played me, bitch,” he growled suddenly, his voice laced with suppressed rage. Before I could react, he landed a blow that sent me flying backward. My body slammed into the wall, and pain erupted through me. Groaning, I pushed myself to my feet, though my legs were shaky beneath me.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“Don’t play dumb!” he snarled, his red eyes blazing with fury. Red—the mark of a full Raven wolf infused with dark magic. Only the strongest could achieve that transformation. I swallowed hard, the sight of him striking fear into my chest.

“I know why you’re here,” he hissed. “You came looking for the key to stop us.” His words were like a slap to the face. How had he figured it out?

Before I could respond, his claws raked across my side, and I cried out, coughing as the taste of metallic blood filled my mouth. He slapped me hard across the face, yanking my hair to force me to look at him.

“You think I’d rely on just one spy?” he sneered, his face inches from mine. “You were nothing more than a distraction—to keep Kayden focused on you while we stole the keys to free the Ravens trapped in the Abyssal Vortex. You’ve ruined everything!” His slap stung, and I barely managed to stifle a groan as his grip tightened.

“I… I don’t understand,” I gasped, the words catching in my throat.

“Of course you don’t.” His voice turned sharp and mocking. “You’re just a tool—a pawn we used to buy time. Just like that bitch Kate. She delayed my plans, but not for long.” His grin widened, his anger flashing hot and fast. “She was an adopted traitor, just like you.”

My head spun as he continued, his words unraveling a truth I wasn’t prepared for. “Oh, right—you wouldn’t remember. Your memories are blocked, after all.” With a flick of his finger, he sent a spark of magic into my forehead, and suddenly I was no longer in the room.

I found myself on the cold, unforgiving ground, my body weak and trembling. My vision blurred as I took in the scene before me—Kayden lay motionless nearby, his body hit with wolfsbane. In the distance, I saw Kate standing with my parents. Their hushed voices carried over the silence, each word cutting into me like a blade.

“So, you’re with the Ravens?” my father asked, his tone filled with surprise.

“Yes,” Kate replied, a sly smile playing on her lips. “But please, keep this secret. I’m here to position myself next to Alpha Kayden—to become his Luna in the future.” Her voice was laced with confidence and obsession. “That’s why I’m supporting you.”

I wanted to scream, to hurl every insult I could muster at her. Traitor! Bitch! But my body refused to respond. My limbs were too weak, my voice too strained to call her out. I could only watch helplessly as the scene unfolded.

“We are grateful for your help,” my mother said, her tone almost reverent. “Because of you, the mate bond between Kayden and Heather has been severed. How did you manage it? What spell did you use?”

“My master gave it to me,” Kate answered, pride swelling in her words. “It’s a spell of immense power. I’ve proven myself loyal to him, and in return, he granted my wish. I must bear Kayden’s child and become his Luna—that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

My mother tilted her head, her curiosity evident. “And you’re certain this magic will erase Kayden’s memory? What if he regains it?”

Kate’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “It’s ancient magic—the strongest of its kind. No one can undo it,, the spell weakens only upon caster's death. Not only will Kayden forget his bond with Heather, but everyone who saw them together, or knew of their connection, will lose those memories as well.” She spoke with an almost chilling confidence.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I couldn’t stop listening. My father’s voice broke the moment of silence. “There’s one more favor we need from you.”

Kate crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. “We’re allies in this crime. Speak.”

“Can you forge a fake mate bond for this useless girl?” my father asked coldly, gesturing vaguely toward what I assumed was me.

“We need her to mate with Clive Coye. Once that’s done, we can sell her and finally get our freedom from the Coyes—they’ve worked us to the bone long enough. We want out.”

“Yes,” my mother chimed in bitterly. “We want to keep the money from our business for ourselves. No more giving it away. We deserve to enjoy life for once and support our real daughter—the one living in the human city, far away from all this nonsense.”

Kate raised a brow. “Coye asked for your daughter’s hand in marriage, didn’t he?”

My father nodded. “Yes. Luckily, our real daughter was never in the pack. Heather was staying with my mother in the human city from the day she was born, as we couldn't afford to keep in a pack with the money we make to give our real heather a lavish lifestyle. So we brought this orphan girl here naming her heather. She was always just a tool—a way for us to buy our freedom and leave this pack behind.” His words hit me like a physical blow, and suddenly, so much of my life made sense. The distance, the neglect, the constant feeling that I didn’t belong… it was all true. I was never their real daughter.

“So, will you help us?” my mother asked.

Kate’s sinister smirk returned. “I will. But there are a few conditions to ensure the spell remains intact. First, you must act as though you care for this girl. Any harsh treatment could trigger her memories, and we can’t have that—not with her raven blood.”

“We’ll do as you say,” my father replied. “We’ll act as if we care.”

“Good,” Kate said, nodding. “Give me a week or two. Let her join the soldier training—I can keep an eye on her there.”

I wanted to scream at them, to confront the lies and betrayal I’d been blind to all these years, but the tears burned too hot in my eyes. The vision blurred, then shattered, and I was thrust back into the dark reality of my present.

My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim, oppressive light. The opera house was gone, replaced by the cold, damp walls of what could only be a Raven stronghold. My wrists ached, bound tightly in iron shackles. Across from me, Colt stood with a smug expression, his smirk carving deep lines of disdain into his face.

“Where am I?” I croaked, my throat dry and raw.

“You’re in the Raven base. Technically, I abducted you,” Colt replied with a mocking laugh. “And trust me—you’re in for a show you’ll never forget.”