At What Cost

Prologue

“stop it or I’m telling daddy on you” they all laughed at my warning they clearly didn’t respect I was their alpha daughter, “go ahead and tell dear old daddy. He's not even your real dad you numbskull. He found you out in the woods and didn’t want to abandon you as your other pack did.” They all laughed again as Kurt knocks me back down into the dirt. I can feel my lip begin to quiver, ‘I can’t let them see me cry it is not true. they're lying to hurt me that’s what bulls do' I tell myself as I get back up. “is the baby going to cry. Go ahead you freak” he pushes me again even harder.  “hey guys that’s enough she's only a pup.

Plus she will tell Tristan what we did.” Kurt snarls at our omega, Anthony “zip it peep squeak or your next. you're an omega only meant to be seen not heard.” Anthony tucks his tail between his legs and backed away slowly and ran away. Kurt chuckles at the sight of wolves being afraid of him “now where we” he growls as he turns his attention back to me. He takes a step towards me towering over me.

“what do you want Kurt ” I whisper scared of what he might do, Kurt was born to be an alpha but he’s unstable, unpredictable, crazy. Its why our alpha didn’t choose him to rule over our future pack. No, instead they chose my older brother Felix. Kurt says he’s too soft to be alpha, that alphas must rule with fear. “I want you gone you freak.” He licks his lips “ill show them I can be a good alpha one day by getting rid of you. You’re an outsider we don’t accept outsider. No one in the pack wants you around they just tolerate you because they're alpha told them to accept you.” He laughs menacingly “but don’t worry ill do what they all wanted to do. Kill you” his friends all laughed as they stood behind him growling “better run runt. 5…4…3” I didn’t stick around to find out what happened one.

I ran blindly through the woods, jumping over fallen tree branches that were bigger then me, weaving in and out of trees. My lungs started to burn in protest, I slowly down to a trot panting legs shaking when I suddenly hear a twig snap behind and growling. “run, run little mouse.” Yellows eyes all around me waiting for the signal to attack. I frantically look around ‘ah-ha there an old rabbit den under the tree trunk’ I make a run for it and dive right in, im barely small enough to fit. Terrified I hide in the hole as Kurt and his gang try to make the hole bigger but the tree roots make it difficult. “come out little mouse we just want to play” I hear a loud howl in the distance and the digging stops “Kurt did you hear that. Its Tristan, you think Anthony told on us.” Julian and his twin brother Spike lowered their heads in submission. Kurt looks at Oscar his beta “you know what to do if that omega told on us” Oscar nods his head just as our pack alpha appears with Anthony close behind.

“what's going on here Kurt. Where is she?” Kurt looks at his gang and then back at Tristan “we were just having a little fun with the frea- I mean little angel” I crawl out from the hole and run to my dad crying “ he's lying” I’m shaking uncontrollably and sobbing. He sighs and shakes his head “go home Kurt stop picking on the pups, your old enough to leave and make your own pack if you don’t like it here stop making it difficult for everyone. Grow up already. Its why I didn’t choose you as future alpha.” Tristan picks me up by the scruff leaving Anthony with Kurt and his gang, I want to warn him but I’m too scared to speak. Back at our den Tristan plops me down next to Felix who was waiting for our return. “what happen this time?” Tristan just sighs “its Kurt and his friends again. They wont stop til they rule over this pack.” Felix nods in agreement “we might have to chase them off our territory but they rest of the pack won't approve, technically he hasn’t done anything wrong plus we have no proof.” I start to leave when Kurt’s words swim through my head “am I adopted?” I ask as I look at who I thought was my father until now. Tristan and Felix exchange a look “oh my little flower… who told you that” I took a deep breath “ Kurt said you found me when I was a few weeks old.

That my old pack abandoned me because I was different and no one wants me here…is it true” I look at Felix because I knew he wouldn’t lie to me. “well…I…um…the truth is its not my place to say” he looks at our alpha “ill let you two talk. Its about time she knew dad. Ill go and make sure the preparations for the mating ceremony are good.” He walks out leaving me and Tristan alone. “dad… so its true.” I whimper heartbroken. “your mother…she was out walking when she found you, you were just a couple weeks old she couldn’t just leave you. She died trying to protect you from those who didn’t approve of you being here.

I vowed to protect you no matter what but im failing.” I nuzzle close to him trying to comfort him “ Im almost old enough to go to the valley I can go and find my own way. I can go sooner then others.” He shake his head “ no you're far to young. You cant hunt, track, fight. You haven't even gone through your first winter yet. There’s so much you have to learn.” He starts to pace through the den. “ I can learn. Im a fast learner. Please I can shadow Felix.” “I said no little flower. Plus Felix will be busy learning to do alpha stuff.” He sighs and shakes his head “ok fine if you really want to learn. You can shadow Rex. But no complaining the moment you do, no more shadowing or talk about going to the valley.” He walks out before I can argue about Rex being the harshest trainer there is plus he gets up before the sun does.

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