Chapter 5 -The Bullying Begins Now!

• I returned home after shedding all my tears on the side of the road by the hill. But stepping into my house meant entering another battle that required a different kind of strength.
• "What took you so long?" my dad's voice boomed the moment he laid eyes on me. My eyes were swollen, and my nose was red and puffy, yet those obvious signs of distress didn't capture his attention. His anger was simply a result of his lunch not being on the table as soon as he wanted it.
• "There was a mate-call ceremony today, so the classes started late," I lied, entering the kitchen without bothering to change my clothes or wash my hands.
• "And what about you? Did you inform the principal that you don't want any mates?" He followed me into the kitchen, evidently suspicious that I might be pursuing any potential mates.
• The house I lived in was a far cry from a nurturing home; solace was only attainable when my 11-year-old sister, Flora, was by my side. Flora held a rightful fear of our father, a man whose wrath was communicated through brutal beatings that persisted until we lost consciousness. I had made it my mission to shield my sister from harm, enduring the blows intended for her. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could sustain this tumultuous existence.
• My mother's passing during my childhood had left Flora and me alone to confront our father and grapple with life's adversities together.
• "I did," I fibbed in response to my father's inquiry.
• From an early age, my father had indoctrinated me with the belief that mates were inherently malevolent. Through persistent manipulation, he had succeeded in fostering this perception in me, until the day my gaze fell upon the magnificent being that was Atticus.
• Alpha Atticus Snow was an epitome of breathtaking allure, arguably one of the most exquisite individuals to tread the earth. He commanded reverence as the school's most popular figure and stood as the Alpha of one of the most affluent packs.
• A solitary glimpse of him had the power to shift my perspective, altering my thoughts and desires. For three unceasing years, I fervently beseeched the cosmos, praying day and night to be fated to him. Miraculously, my prayers were answered. Nevertheless, my father's bitter proclamations now resonated as more than just words--they held a resonance of harsh truth.
• Are mates truly evil to each other?
• "Good. Because remember, mates only bring trouble and sorrow. I feel pity for those who acquired mates today," he shrugged, his words laden with a dismissive air. He then departed from the kitchen, but not before his gaze landed on what I was preparing for him.
• "A toast and an egg? I asked for lunch, not breakfast," he retorted with a condescending lift of his nose.
• "You don't earn enough to warrant the desire for extravagant meals," I retorted in return, my patience wearing thin due to his ceaseless complaints and nagging. Despite being the family's main provider, he rarely contributed much to the household expenses. Nevertheless, he expected me to conjure up a gourmet meal out of thin air. The constant pressure was draining.
• "Damn it! I'm not eating this garbage. I'll go eat out with my friends," he waved his hand dismissively before striding out of the kitchen, displaying a lack of concern for his daughters' well-being. He seemed to prefer spending time with his affluent friends rather than worrying about his own family.
• I couldn't fathom why these wealthy individuals befriended him. They would occasionally visit our home and treat me kindly, while my father would observe their interactions with a wide grin plastered on his face. Furthermore, their compliments about my blue eyes sometimes made me uncomfortable.
• Trying to evade the thoughts concerning my dual mates, I shifted my attention to my sister, who had just entered the house with a school bag seemingly heavier than her own body.
• "Flora, quickly go change, and then we'll have bread and eggs," I called out cheerfully, thinking that finally, we could enjoy a meal in relative peace, now that our father was absent. However, instead of a response filled with enthusiasm, her cries echoed from our bedroom. Our shared room was modest, with a single bed in the center allotted to Flora and a mattress on the floor for me.
• "Flora! What's wrong?" I rushed out of the kitchen to find my sister sobbing on the mattress.
• Upon closer inspection, her condition horrified me. Her shoes were missing, her hair was muddied, and her bag was torn.
• "Who did this to you?" I knelt down, enfolding her in a comforting embrace, my fingers gently brushing through her hair as I absorbed her pain while she wept into my chest for a solid ten minutes.
• "Flora, please tell me who did this," I implored once more, deeply concerned about what she had endured at school.
• "Liliath," she stammered through her hiccups, "Alpha Enzo’s sister." She had released herself from my embrace to reveal the names. An immediate surge of guilt coursed through me. It seemed as though my connection with Enzo was indirectly causing harm to my sister.
• "What did she do to you?" I inquired, my expression a mix of anger and bluntness.
• "She threw me into the mud and started hitting me. She even had her friends take my shoes at her command, and then she took all my books. I have a test tomorrow," Flora choked out, her hiccupping punctuating her words as she wiped her cheeks with trembling hands. My heart ached with a combination of pain and fury.
• "I'll retrieve your things, okay?" I cradled her face in my palms, assuring her that by the end of the evening, her belongings would be back in her possession.
• "Now go take a shower and have something to eat. I'll handle the rest," I stated as I rose from the mattress and dialed Mara's number.
• In a matter of minutes, I recounted to Mara the unfortunate events involving my sister since Enzo had discovered our mate bond. It didn't appear coincidental; I was convinced that Enzo had manipulated his sister into tormenting Flora.
• "So, you're planning to walk straight into the lion's den?" Mara's voice was tinged with hysteria at the notion. "You do realize they're having a gathering at Enzo's place tonight, right? It won't just be Enzo you'll be confronting today; his entire crew, including Rosalie and Alpha Atticus, will be present," she informed me of what to anticipate. Despite knowing it wouldn't be a simple task to retrieve my sister's belongings, I was determined to try.