Chapter 1

• "Winona, have you washed those clothes I gave you?"
• A wave of dread washed over her. She was only human, not a machine. How was she expected to juggle multiple tasks at once? But she dared not voice her thoughts.
• Divina's animosity towards Winona didn't wane with time; instead, it seemed to intensify as the years passed. In the absence of her father, Winona had learned a harsh lesson - to accept her mother's cruelty as a part of her life.
• One particular night remained etched in her memory. She was on her knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor - a routine task before retiring to bed. Divina approached her, pointing out a spot she claimed was still dirty. Winona didn't utter a word, knowing any response would only fuel her mother's ire. She crawled to the spot and began to scrub it, but Divina picked up a broom that lay nearby and struck her on the head.
• Pain throbbed in her head, and her eyes welled up with tears. She had thought she would grow accustomed to the pain over time, but who could ever get used to being treated like a lowly servant by their own mother?
• She didn't bother questioning Divina's actions. She knew her mother didn't need a reason to treat her harshly. She did it simply because she could, and because she wanted to. After enduring the verbal and physical abuse, Winona was instructed to finish her chores and sleep in the basement without dinner. A sharp pain pierced her heart, but she hid it behind a bitter smile.
• The following morning, as she was preparing breakfast and washing dishes simultaneously, Divina approached her, her expression predatory.
• "Why are those dirty clothes still there?" she growled.
• It was barely seven in the morning. Winona had risen early to start her chores. It wasn't as if she hadn't done them the previous day, but this was her routine.
• "Are you deaf? Didn't I just ask you a question?" Divina's voice snapped Winona out of her thoughts.
• "Mother, once I finish making breakfast, I'll wash the clothes," Winona replied, lifting her head to meet her mother's gaze.
• But all she received in return was a murderous glare. To Divina, she was nothing more than a repulsive piece of trash.
• "Look at you! You're the spitting image of your father! Just like him, you've come into my life and ruined everything. I'm stuck in this godforsaken suburb because of your father!"
• And so, the barrage of curses would commence, a relentless downpour of harsh words that Divina seemed to never tire of repeating. Winona often found herself wondering if her mother ever grew weary of uttering the same cruel words time and time again.
• "I could have ascended to greatness, even become a Luna! But no, your father, a lowly Gamma, claimed to be my mate! As if being his mate wasn't degrading enough, he committed an even more abhorrent act!"
• "He brought you into existence! I would have been consumed by shame if not for Hayley. At least I can find solace in her. She's beautiful and graceful, a mirror image of me, her mother. But you?..." Divina scoffed with palpable bitterness.
• Winona closed her eyes tightly, steeling herself for the final onslaught of venomous words that were sure to escape her mother's lips. She fortified her heart, bracing herself for the inevitable.
• "...you are nothing but a failure, a mirror image of him! A blight on my life... I wish you had never been born!"
• With those words, Divina kicked Winona to the ground, drenching her with a bowl of soapy water. Having vented her fury, she spat at Winona and stormed off. Winona curled up on the wet, soapy floor, her cries echoing through the desolate room.
• She felt like a soldier on the battlefield, stripped of her armor and weapon, left defenseless against the harsh realities of life. She was bruised, battered, insulted, and trampled upon by everyone around her.
• The curse that seemed to have been cast upon her soon spread beyond the confines of her household, permeating the entire pack. Everyone began to refer to her as the bearer of the darkness curse.
• "Bearer of the darkness curse!" Divina would often spit out, her words laced with contempt.
• Divina's animosity towards Winona was never concealed. While Hayley, Winona's twin sister, was allowed to mingle and play with the other pups in the pack, Winona was often relegated to the confines of the basement.
• "I don't want you spreading your curse to the other children," Divina would say, her voice cold and devoid of any maternal warmth.