Chapter 18 Beginning to Fight Back


    Aubrey’s POV


    FB Pears


    When she saw me, Aurelia arched her slender brows and sneered. “Well, well; look who it is—our distinguished young miss! You sure made quite the scenest night. What now; nning <i>to </i>show off again today?”


    Then she noticed the change in me–my bangs swept back to reveal a smooth forehead; the fitted gown from the Miguel family gracing my figure.


    Her carefully made–up face twisted in an instant. “Who told you to wear your hair like that? Dressed like a little tramp at your age–who are you trying to entice?”


    I stood beside the sofa, face cold, listening to every barbed word. Aurelia had always been like this–two- faced, one mask for the world, another at home. I’d heard far worse when I was younger.


    Once, a Beta–ranked female wolf at school had cornered me in the bathroom; she tore my dress into a miniskirt, drenched my clothes with water. But when I got home, instead offort, I faced Aurelia and Bailey, gleefully piling on lies: “Your daughter ripped her own skirt to seduce the male werewolves!”


    My father’s motto had been simple–the whip speaks louder than words. He’d lock me in the basement and teach me how to “dress properly” with a wolfsbane whip.


    Afterward, he would call in sick for me; only when my wounds had healed would he let me return to school.


    At home, Aurelia made me work like a servant; yet I ate worse than the staff. If a male werewolf so much as looked at me or exchanged a few words, she would curse me out as if I were a streetwalker; im I spent my days trying to seduce men; say my wolf hadn’t awakened because I was morally depraved, my thoughts impure.


    But the truth? My wolf should have awakened long ago; it was their damned drugs that blocked the process. They stole my chance at a normal life; and that wasn’t enough–they wanted to drag my soul into hell with it.


    I looked coldly at Aurelia; then weighed the bowl in my hand.


    “Madam,” I said, voice cool, “is Father going bankrupt? As the young miss of the Mary family, I’m reduced to eating the maids‘ leftovers? If we’re that poor-” I swept a nce across the room, “perhaps we should let a few maids go.”


    -My calm tone made the busy maids freeze in ce; but they didn’t panic–my words held no weight in this


    house.


    Aurelia, seeing I didn’t respond to her insults, grew more furious. But when her gaze fell on the soy–sauce noodles in my bowl, her smile returned.


    “Be grateful there’s food at all! A worthless girl with no awakened wolf–who do you think you are, to be picky?”


    “Truly a brat raised without a mother’s care; an Omega without a wolf, thinking she can turn the world upside down? If you can make an Alpha fall in love with you–marry you as his Luna–then maybe I’d have nothing to say. But now? Ha! Let me tell you this meal, you’ll eat it today, whether you want to or not! If you refuse; don’t expect another meal, ever!”


    Her cheekbones were high, when she smiled, she looked vicious.


    Chapter 18 Beginning to Fight Back


    I stared at her and said coldly, “And if I say no?”


    No? Aurelia froze for a second: then her exquisitely painted face twisted in rage.


    * +3 Pearls


    “You little wretch! Think you can defy me? Regina, Ka–get over here! If she won’t cat, shove it down her throat!”


    “Yes, ma’am!”


    Two sturdy maids approached at once; both of them Gamma–ranked.


    “That won’t be necessary,” I interrupted coldly.


    Aurelia assumed I was frightened; her face lit up with smug satisfaction. Crossing one leg over the other, she ordered, “Then hurry up and eat! Eat every bite right here, in front of me! And when you’re done–lick the bowl clean; not a single noodle left! Or else you’ll starve from now on!“.


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