The Brutal Alpha's Tender Daughter novel Chapter 2

Suddenly my father had picked up the bird from the ground and before I could even blink he had crushed him in his hand. Wide eyed and shocked to my core I had stared at my father who had a sardonic smile on his lips.

"That's how it's supposed to be, Sophie, you must know this!", he had told me.

Then he had stood up again and had walked away, leaving me on my own. I could not remember how long I had sat there tears streaming down my face not being able to comprehend that my father had just killed my little bird. I had felt sick to my core. One of my little fists had found it's way to my chest where my heart lay and I still could remember the searing pain inside it.

As hurtful and horrible as my father's words and actions had been, my mother's response to the incident had been even more heartbreaking.She had found me after who knew how long and had instantly started to lecture me about my action and behaviour.

When she had realized that I could not stop crying and shaking after demanding it several times she had bent down to my eyes, just as my father had done, and had told me.

"You should watch yourself Sophia! If something like this happens again or your weak behaviour doesn't change your father or I will have to do something about it."

The way she had looked at me had me start to shake even harder and coil into myself. I had heard her footsteps retreat and only dared to look up when I had been sure that my mother was gone.

This had been the first time that I discovered how unfit I was to live in the Mercy pack.

After this incident I never cried in front of my parents again - I was too scared that something would happen to me. Inside my room I would let myself cry, mourn and be angry, but outside of it I would never dare to act like this - I was just a shell of my being.

I tried every day to become the strong warrior daughter they wanted me to be, only allowing myself to be the real me inside my four walls. However, it was not enough. I was not enough.

Over the years my parents made no secret about our differences and how much they would like for me to become a strong and independent she-wolf warrior, not a sensitive weakling as they liked to point out so often.

As sad as it was I had become used to their opinions about me and I tried, really tried, to not let it get to me, but as my mother stared disappointedly at me yet again, I know that I had failed.

Again.

My greeting had not appeased her even a bit.

"What did I have to hear about your training session today?" my mother asked in an angry voice.

As much as I wanted to let my gaze drop I could not, or a punishment would follow I was sure.

"I hurt a female warrior during our training and helped her afterwards until the pack doctor came."

I knew that my mother was already aware of what had happened, so there was no reason telling her anything but the truth.

Her eyes narrowed even more and I wanted nothing more than to hide in my room and avoid this conversation.

"And what did I tell you about helping others?", she wanted to know in a furious voice.

Wide eyed I stared at her, because she almost never involved my father in my punishments. I could only imagine how severe my punishment would be and could almost taste the panic rising inside me.

"You're dismissed, Sophia."

"Yes, Luna!"I barely managed the words before I practically ran to my room - my sanctuary.

As soon as I closed my door I dropped to the floor and almost instantly I could feel the tears starting to stream down my face.

My whole body was shivering and I realized that I had trouble breathing again. I knew I could not move, because I felt as if someone was sitting on my chest, so there was no way reaching my phone and calling the only person, who knew how to help me.

A silent cry left my lips and I could almost taste the desperation that had become my every day life.

I sniffled trying to tell me that this reaction was "normal" considering my circumstances, but it was getting harder and harder to accept it.

After what felt like several hours, but had probably been mere minutes I managed to calm down enough to crawl to my night table, where I had put my phone and punched in the only number that I knew by heart.

She picked up after the first ring.

I managed to get into my bed and exhausted I let myself sink into the mattress letting her soft voice soothe me.