Megan's POV
I recalled the day when my life underwent a permanent transformation. The moment I realized my father was a monster and not a man was that day. My father had lost his human side since it had never been in the first place, despite the fact that our unusual race of genetically evolved wolves who were also part of man was a kind of monster.
Due to the fact that nobody would assist me, trial and error had become my greatest buddy. They either loathed me or were too afraid of my father to help me in any way, so I had to try and try until I eventually succeeded. I discovered how to survive. the regulations my father imposed during his autocratic regime.
The worst winter we had seen in a long time was this one. Finding food had previously been difficult for me since, throughout my younger adolescent years, my loud voice and clumsiness had frightened all the prey away. As a result, I had to adjust and alter in accordance with the laws of nature.
I acquired the skills of snaring and trapping. Human beings who crossed our border while claiming to be hunters often followed their game and unknowingly showed me where they went. However, some people exploited the land. The majority had used weapons or adapted traps that had to be purchased from merchants. They reeled them in and snagged them into an undetected trap using bent sticks, twine, and bait. They hid the traps with leaves, and to hide their odors, they rolled about in the ground.
It took me many weeks to learn how to construct a suitable trap. Setting it up required precision, and it proved to be more difficult than it seemed. I climbed trees and lurked in the undergrowth to get a better look at their creations, and for the most part, it was beneficial.
I had to subsist on leftovers until I mastered human customs. My best choice has been to dig through the garbage of the other members of the pack, but most days they either forgot to put their trash out or were out of food. Like me, they had to fend for themselves. My father had long since ceased acting as our leader and guardian, leaving us to our own devices and subjecting us to the whims of the Moon Goddess.
I had to walk in the snow back then with nothing to protect myself from the savage cold. My shoes were too small for me, and the majority of my clothes lacked jackets. The best I could do was to dress in thick socks, several thick shirts, and a pair of leggings underneath a pair of pants. The worst had happened that day. On that day, the Moon Goddess informed me she had given up on me and that I had outlived my usefulness to the planet.
The only reliable thing I could hold upon at the time was my practice of checking my snares. I mostly loved getting out of the home and sometimes even being fortunate enough to come back with meals. I had been blessed with thick, white hair that day. Though I had once again failed to see it when I peeked over the snare, I had entirely missed it. It sprang up when I got near enough to it and attempted to flee, but its foot was firmly caught in the thread.
I had the nicest supper in weeks that early evening when I ate the rabbit. I dug a hole till I reached soil, set my but down, and lit a fire. I made the decision to eat here in peace because I was tired of my father taking away the little I had and the food I earned. That was the first error I made.
The stormy winter's worst night had been that one. I failed to see the clouds that were obstructing the last of the sun's light as a snowstorm spread over the pitch-black sky. I was completely mistaken when I believed that night was drawing near.
I could not see my own hand in front of my face because the snow was falling so swiftly and thickly. It was impossible to even move because my muscles hardened and my skin froze. Even though I had hoped for this day for years—the day I would be released from this world and transferred to a better one—I now regret having done so. I begged the Moon Goddess to reverse my earlier desires and grant me at least another day of life. I struggled to compose the words and let them leave my lips because my teeth were gnashing so loudly.
I battled it because I could feel ice starting to build on my fingers and I was afraid I might lose them or freeze to death. Even though I wanted to quit, I persisted. I forced my leg to move when it resisted taking another step. Until I came upon some type of shelter, I continued to travel aimlessly through the storm.
Because I was familiar with my native country, I knew that if I continued going straight, I would eventually arrive at the modest caves where my ancestors had formerly made their living. One day I discovered them, and I made it my secret location—somewhere I could go and no one would be able to locate me. I slipped into my father's office and took the book about the background of my pack since, of course, I had never seen anything like them. The caverns had been mined, and we had made money by selling the crystals and diamonds that were found there. It was now mine.
The snow had clouded my judgment, and I was frightened that I was simply lost and going in circles. I nearly gave up trying to locate it. I continued to hold my hand in front of me while blinding until I came into contact with the little cavern's smooth granite wall. A puff of condensation formed as a result of my heated breath hitting the chilly air causing me to sigh with relief.
After tracing my palm over the pebbles until I found the gap, I ducked through. Even though it was still chilly inside, at least the snow and blustery winds were out of the way. I couldn't start another fire that night. I had nothing to burn for warmth, except stones and the lighter I had in my pocket. That evening, I curled up in a ball in a corner and rubbed my limbs in an effort to regain sensation in them.
That night, I didn't get a wink of sleep. I was worried that if I let my guard down, I would have accidentally wandered into the den of a bear or wolf pack that was hibernating and would have been attacked. The entryway, which also functioned as the exit, was covered in a thick blanket from the previous snowfall. Although it did manage to retain some heat, it was far from sufficient to keep me comfortable.
The only area of the entryway that wasn't covered had a little crack of light beaming through it. I realized that dawn had arrived and it was time for me to go at that point. I just have my hands to use to dig myself out. I could no longer feel the cold since my fingers were numb and had frozen. I returned to the location I called home while shivering and trudging through the heavy snow. The worst wasn't over yet.
As soon as I opened the door, it was slammed shut behind me and I was hauled inside the home while being seized by the hair. He kicked and punched me without saying a word to vent his annoyance. Since I was frozen, the strikes had hurt more than I could have ever imagined, but I kept my lips shut. Then it stopped. I mistakenly believed that my penalty for failing to return home and complete my chores had been served. I was mistaken.
I was not allowed to enter the room that he pulled me into and along the hallway. I had never gone in the basement, and I had never shown any interest in it. I avoided dark areas because I was concerned that more creatures may be hiding there.
A portion of my body seemed to strike each step as he violently threw me down the stairs. I huddled in a ball on the ground, trying to shield myself and numb some of the anguish I was experiencing. My anxiety increased as I could hear his boots making loud thuds and moving closer to me with each stride. He took his time, loving how my body began to tremble more as he drew nearer. He pulled me upward at the bottom by grabbing my hair and making me stand up straight. I followed as she pulled me ahead, sometimes stumbling over myself.
He took me over to a temporary pole that was erected in the middle of the wide space. The walls were covered with a vast array of blades and weapons that I had never seen before, and my anxiety went completely out of control. I almost passed out.
"Strip." He gave a one-word command. "Leave your shirts off."
I struggled about with my clothes. It was tough and difficult to remove, but I was aware that waiting too long would only make things worse. I turned to face him and stood there wearing just my mother's box-find bra. I felt ashamed and humiliated as I was hunched over in front of my own father. He wasn't even supposed to be watching it.
He pushed me till my chest was up against the pole after moving forward and pushing me. He grabbed my hands with force and shackled them; I hadn't realized that I had been drawn to the pole by the chains. My chest heaved up and down as my thoughts raced as I stood there frozen in fear. This was all new to me, so I had no clue what he would be doing. I heard him ripping objects from the wall and rummaging through drawers as he left in search of what he was searching for.
Before I even turned to look at what he was holding, a sharp ache spread over my back. He broke my still-frozen flesh with an instrument, and a cracking sound reverberated throughout the room. The second lash broke my ability to contain my suffering, so I bit my lip in an attempt to do so. I yelled, and the anguish in my voice reverberated against the wall while my father chuckled ominously behind me.
The lash seemed to never stop as it continued to come. My flesh ached as it had never ached before. It was nothing compared to the one time I spoke back to him and he poured boiling water down my mouth. It was far worse.
My legs failed to support me and could no longer stand. With my shoulders dragging and my arms trembling from the exertion, my arms were now supporting my weight. In an effort to move as far away from the weapon as possible, I flattened my body up against the pole, but he continued to pound me hard. My face was dripping with tears, and the only sounds you could hear were the spitting of my flesh and my agonized cries.
It went on for all of eternity. He left me alone in the room for many hours. I tried not to scream any longer, but my back continued to burn. As the darkness engulfed me, I once again shivered with panic as the adrenaline started to wear off. I was afraid that the creatures would find me and attack.
Saying "Daddy? Daddy!" The basement door reopened when I screamed. I immediately regretted doing it and realized I was in danger again. When I was too weak to maintain myself, he rushed over and freed me, letting my body slip down the pole. My head struck the hard floor as he retracted his hand and slammed it across my temple.
"Dad, I'll never be like you. I am your Alpha, he growled before turning around and leaving me to bleed to death on the ice-cold floor. The last thing I could see with my eyes zoomed in and out was a silver whip coated in my blood laying on the ground next to me.