BIANCA

I had finally managed to convince my ever-curious mother that leaving was the best decision.

This was no easy decision, but it was one I knew I had to make. It had been a choice between my heart and my head.

The decision to move out of the alpha's residence and into the school's dormitory weighed heavily on my heart, but it was a choice I knew was necessary for both my well-being and that of my mother, Chloe. For what felt like an eternity, even though it was not even close, I had lived in the suffocating confines of the alpha's domain, our lives dictated by the whims of a man whose authority extended far beyond the boundaries of our shared home.

As I sat across from my mother, her eyes searching mine for any sign of doubt or hesitation, I felt a pang of guilt gnaw at the edges of my resolve. We had argued countless times about my desire to leave, her concern for my welfare warring with her maternal instinct to protect me from harm.

"Are you sure about this, Bianca?" she had asked me for what felt like the hundredth time, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Moving to a new school, in an environment you know little or nothing about... It's a big step. I worry that you might not enjoy the company of family," she added as if I had always enjoyed one.

I reached out to take her hand, my fingers intertwining with hers in a silent gesture of reassurance. "I'll be fine, mother," I assured her, forcing conviction into my words even as doubt lingered in the recesses of my mind.

But despite my best efforts to reassure her, I could sense the lingering doubt in her gaze, the unspoken question that hung heavy in the air between us.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" she pressed, her eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made it impossible to evade her scrutiny.

I hesitated, the weight of her gaze bearing down upon me like a burden too heavy to bear. How could I possibly tell her the truth, that I feared for my safety within the confines of our home, haunted by the constant threat posed by my quadruplet stepbrothers? It would break her to know that I suffered an untold level of abuse at their hands.

"NO! Mother! there's nothing I can hide from you."

I shook my head and walked over, burying my head into her shoulder. "Mom, you know I only have you."

I knew Mom understood what I meant, ever since we escaped from my biological father, Alpha Landre, we've been bound together forever.

She wouldn't doubt my words.

Mom chuckled, feigning complaint. "Looks like my little sweetheart has grown wings to fly, wanting to explore the world alone..."

"Dear, so we should respect Bianca's wishes, shouldn't we? I know you worry about her, but children eventually grow up, just like my quadruplet sons,"

Alpha Etha intervened, approaching my mom and then smiling at me. "Bianca, remember to keep your mom updated, alright?"

I nodded, thankful for his concern.

He was truly kind, as a stepfather, and being a strong alpha. When my mom and I were in a sorry state at the border of his pack, I thought it was all over.

But something dramatic happened; he recognized my mom as his second mate, so our life went from hell to heaven in an instant.

Yes, heaven it was until I met his quadruplets.

They had the same handsome faces, but their hearts were not as bright as their faces. They had the power to do whatever they pleased.

Their pack, The Brightwood Pack, was the strongest and wealthiest, controlling forest and mineral resources, with close cooperation with human society.

I also found out they were the biggest investors in my school, Moon Lake Academy.

So, I had to move out of the Alpha residence. I couldn't meet them both at school and home, fearing my mother would catch me lying someday.

Moving out gave me a breath of space, so I also declined Alpha Ethan's offer to drive me to school.

As I got off the bus that morning, with my headset on, I sighed in relief. Finally, I could sleep in a room without needing to lock it.

But as I climbed the steps to the dormitory with my luggage, a familiar coarse voice froze me in place.

"Hey, sis. Dad insisted we must escort you to the dorm to ensure your omega body can handle your luggage well," Rowan, the second least favorite of the quadruplets, sneered, with the other three standing behind him.

I noticed people around us distancing themselves, no wonder he called me sis. When no one was around, he always did so, trying to humiliate me, and emphasizing my omega status.

That's why they despised me; I wasn't like them, alpha wolves, despite our father being one. I wanted to snatch my luggage back, but his strength was something I couldn't resist.

I watched as he opened my suitcase. My few shabby clothes fell out, followed by my underwear.

My face flushed, and I immediately moved to pick them up, but the third triplet, Terry, held them in his hand.

"Look at this," he scoffed, tossing the garment to his brothers. "Didn't our father teach you anything about how an alpha's daughter should dress?"

I could hear the students who had gathered talking in hushed tones. “She looks spent, yet she looks spent,” one remarked, in between laughter.

My other stepbrothers sniggered as they examined my underwear, holding it up to the light and making crude comments. I felt my face flush with humiliation, my hands clenched into fists at my sides as I fought the urge to lash out.

"Put that back, please," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. "I know you all hate me, that's why I moved out."

Rowan's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I saw a flash of amber in their depths, a sign that the wolf within him was close to the surface.

"Run away from us? Huh?" he growled, tossing the underwear at my feet. "

Bianca, we know you moved out to get away from us, but I assure you, the suffering you'll face at school won't be any less than at home. Got it?"

The others snickered as they circled me like a pack of hungry predators. I could feel their eyes roaming over my body, assessing me, judging me, and finding me wanting.

"Look at her, trembling like a scared little rabbit," Oak sneered, his lips curling back to reveal sharp, gleaming fangs.

"Maybe we should put her out of her misery, guys. What do you say?"

My eyes widened.

Were they going to crush my hopes on my first day?

Should I fight back?

I clenched my fists tightly, but suddenly, the voice of the youngest of the quadruplets sounded.

"Rowan, your girlfriend Angel is here." Angel glanced at me, then at the quadruplets, and after appraising me like a cheap commodity, she disdainfully said, "Rowan, seriously? Early in the morning, you guys want this trash to ruin your mood?"

"Darling, of course not. You're like sunshine, dispersing the musty smell this trash brings us," Rowan said, seizing Angel and kissing her, but... my heart suddenly felt a pang, as if a physical, primal pain.

No... it couldn't be. How could I be jealous of Rowan kissing Angel?

"Pick up your mess," Oak's authoritative voice cut through my reverie. I immediately snapped out of the nightmare.

Without a word, I bent down to gather my scattered belongings, my movements mechanical as I packed them into the box with trembling hands.

I watched until they were out of sight, heaving a sigh of relief. Quietly, I organized my belongings within the confines of my new dormitory, each item a silent reminder that I had one year to be hurt, to feel broken.

As I was about to go out to the classroom, I heard a bang on my face. It was so loud that I couldn't feel my face.