They Called Me Heartless So Reborn I Watched Them Self Destruct novel Chapter 1

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1 1- We Leave Tonight

My brother killed the Lycan King’s sister, and the King came to claim my beautiful half–sister as payment. But my family offered me in her place.

They thought they were sending a worthless, wolfless girl to her death.

But the girl the Lycan King was about to punish wasn’t only his mate. Something dark was sleeping inside her–something powerful enough to bring the King to his knees and make his entire kingdom bow before her.”

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Arabella POV:

“By royal decree, Rick Toussaint’s daughter will be sent to the Lycan pack as a slave until her death in exchange for Victor Toussaint’s crimes.” The messenger from the Lycan King arrived at our home, his towering figure casting a long shadow over everyone.

My half–brother had been accused of killing the Lycan King’s sister, and he was currently imprisoned in the Lycan King’s territory.

I had fully expected the news of his execution, but never did I think the Lycan King would propose such an arrangement!

I hugged the mop tightly to my chest, hoping the Lycans wouldn’t look at me. But I didn’t need to worry. My worn–out dress and dirty, unkempt hair made me look like vermin, unworthy of anyone’s notice. They only had eyes for my half–sister Vanessa.

She screamed and threw herself down on the floor, sobbing hysterically as tears rolled down her face.

“Mom, Dad, I can’t become a slave to the royal family! I’m supposed to marry Dante and become his Luna! Please, there must be another way – I can’t be punished for something I didn’t do!”

The lycan messenger scoffed coldly, staring down at Vanessa with undisguised hatred. “You should be grateful that Lycan King Lucien did not wipe out your entire family. If not for the fact that your father is the Beta, none of you would be alive. Your brother dared to kill Princess Anika and mutilate her body! Guards, grab her!”

“No! No –” My stepmother, Vikki, immediately dashed out, trying to block them from taking her daughter. “Please, don’t take her away just yet! Give us some time! She needs to pack!” But her protests fell on deaf ears. The guards grabbed Vanessa and yanked her out from behind her, dragging her away.

I gasped in shock as I saw my father, Rick Toussaint, the proud Beta of Blackthorne pack, kneel down in front of the messenger and his men.

“Please, just give us a few days,” my father choked out as he bowed lowly, his forehead touching the floor. “Give us a few days to say goodbye. She will be all yours then.”

The messenger snorted, and kicked my father straight in the gut. He fell over with a loud thud, but immediately pushed himself onto his knees and crawled after the messenger, continuing to plead for mercy.

I tore my gaze away from the painful sight.

Ever since my mother died, my father had never shown this much care or emotion for me. He had turned a blind eye to years of abuse from Vikki and Vanessa, yet he was willing to beg and be beaten for Vanessa’s sake.

After kicking my father several more times, the messenger finally seemed to calm down. He grabbed my father by his clothes and hauled him off the floor.

“Fine. Since you’re so desperate, I’ll give you a day to say goodbye to your precious daughter. That’s a day more than what Princess Anika was given.

The Lycan King will come tomorrow to make his decision. And if you dare run or kill yourself…” His voice trailed off menacingly as his eyes roved over all of us.

“This entire pack will burn to the ground.”

With that final note, he threw my father back on the floor and left, taking his men with him. The door to our house slammed shut with finality, as though it was sealing our fates.

Vanessa let out a hysterical scream, clutching at her hair as she paced the room.

“I won’t do it! I can’t! I’d rather die!”

“You can’t die,” My father said, sounding utterly defeated. “If you die, the pack dies too.”

“Being a slave there… is a fate worse than death!” Vanessa cried out. “I’ll be beneath the Omegas!”

My father dropped his head into his hands in anguish while his wife, Vikki, continued to sob beside him, tears rolling down her cheeks. The woman who had made my life a living hell now looked utterly defeated at the thought of losing her daughter for good.

Vanessa kept screaming and arguing, refusing to accept her fate. Then, suddenly, she went quiet.

And that was when I finally looked up and found her watching me through tear–filled eyes. Something about the way she stared made my heart sink.

“The King never said he wanted a specific daughter…” she said slowly, as if the thought had just occurred to her. She got to her feet without taking her eyes off me. A smile slowly appeared on her face. “How about Arabella?”