Revenge of the Pack Princess Novel – On the day my Alpha father Dominic decided to adopt the new head maid, just because she looked like my late Luna mother, I set the entire banquet on fire. My brother Ronan had said, “No one replaces Mom. Leah, just kick her out.” But the moment he actually met Ella, Ronan flipped, planted himself in front of that Omega like a shield. “Leah, she’s actually pretty kind,” he switched his tone.
“And she really does look like Mom. Could you stop going after her?” I hadn’t believe my family would ever choose an Omega maid over me, until the day of my mating ceremony, Reid Archer suddenly swapped the bride, and shoved the ring that should’ve been mine onto Ella’s finger like it belonged there. My father pinned me down so I couldn’t rush the stage, and my brother hauled me straight to prison on the very day of my mating ceremony. “Ella’s terminal,” he told me. “Her only wish before she dies is to mate with the man she loves. You bullied her so many times.
Handing Reid over to her isn’t exactly unfair.” And to “teach me a lesson,” my father adopted Ella the second I went to prison, showered her with endless favoritism. They thought I’d break. They thought I couldn’t take hardship, that I’d come crawling back and beg. But I spent two full years in that prison and I never asked them for help once. When I got shoved out of the gates, a north wind was cutting through the air, carrying shredded snow. I stood there in thin, worn-out clothes that couldn’t hide the scars all over me.
Every time I moved, pain drilled straight through my bones. I’d imagined this moment. Maybe my father and brother, who used to love me like I was their whole world, would apologize. Maybe Reid, who’d been by my side for over a decade, would be frantic when he saw me. But when I looked up… All I saw was my father and brother gathered around Ella by the car. Even Reid only watched the Omega with quiet tenderness, adjusting the scarf at her neck now and then.
They didn’t turn toward me until five minutes later, when Ella finally glanced over. For a split second, my father and brother froze. They saw the injuries all over me, and something like pain flickered in their eyes. “Leah, your body…” My father started, like he was about to ask what I’d been through. Then Ella, who’d been practically skipping toward me a second ago, suddenly covered her face in feigned terror when I lifted my arm to tug my sleeve down over my scars, her voice trembling. “Please don’t hit me, Leah… bonding with Reid as mates was my fault…” My father’s face went cold. Ronan didn’t even hesitate.
He grabbed my arm and yanked me forward. “Apologize to Ella,” he ordered. “Then we’ll take you home.” I knew. So that was the condition of my release. “But what did I do wrong?” I curved my lips into a bitter, mocking smile, my throat tightening. “She stole my fiancé. Why should I be the one apologizing?” Ella’s eyes reddened instantly. She dropped to her knees right in front of me. “I’m sorry, Leah. I’m the one who should apologize…” I watched her act with a blank, icy stare.
My father pulled her up and cut her off, sharp and absolute. “This is our decision.” Ronan frowned, barking at me. “Why are you still so… prickly? If you don’t apologize today, I won’t mind sending you right back.” Reid stood off to the side, conflict twisting in his eyes. He’d sworn he’d always stand with me. I told myself he wouldn’t let me down. But after a long stretch of silence, he spoke, “Leah. Apologize.” The wind shoved itself down my collar. I went ice-cold all over.
Then I caught the look in Ella’s eyes, smug and eager, like she was savoring this. I let out a snort. “I’d rather die than apologize!” After all, in Pinehurst, everyone knew one thing. I, Leah, was stubborn to the bone. Even when it was my fault, I didn’t apologize. Not to mention I did nothing wrong this time. I looked straight at my father and brother and asked, quietly, “Do you remember what you promised Mom?” I figured they wouldn’t have forgotten.