CHAPTER one

Prologue

"We have to leave this place right now Ariana, they are coming" Ariana's mother threw a few clothes into a bag, no sooner had she opened the door when they heard the rustle of leaves, the night air was chilled as she and her mother ran into the mist, they suddenly heard a low growl behind them that was way too close, Ariana's mother stopped on her track, panting for breath and at the same time trying to shield Ariana from whatever danger coming their way, Ariana's eyes widened in terror as she saw two pair of red eyes staring at them in the darkness, teeth bared, ready to pounce on its prey. powerful footsteps purposefully advanced towards them like a predator once it sets it's eyes on a prey and Ariana's mother quickly stood at her front as if to shield her from any danger, pushing her away from her side, she screamed ,

"run Ariana, run, take this" her mother shouted as she gave her a pendant, no sooner had Ariana wrapped her hands around it then, powerful claws pounced on mother,

"mother no! I won't leave without you" she screamed as she ran towards her mother, who was struggling with the wolf but she was no match for a werewolf, there was a long gash on her forehead as blood trickled out,

"no do not come closer, run Ariana promise me to always wear that necklace" ten years old Ariana watched in horror as blood trickled from her mother's mouth,

"promise me Ariana'" tears rolled down her cheeks, as she stared at her mother fight with her last breathe,

"I will mom, I promise" her mother smiled as she whispered,

"you have to survive Ariana, you have to live" and then she suddenly stopped her struggling as she suddenly grew still, dead, her mother was dead. The wolf suddenly turned to her, teeth bared as it growled, and she suddenly jerked from her daze as the word "run" echoed in her head, she screamed and ran with all her might, with the wolf on her tail, heart pounding, breathing hard, she suddenly missed a step and she fell, she watched in terror as the wolf pounced on her, she rose her arms to block the attack as it tore at her eyes, suddenly, everything grew still as she was snared into the den of nothingness.

Ariana's POV

I was sitting on my bed, lost in thought and staring at the necklace around my neck, my hand wrapped around it and I wondered how I got such a unique necklace as I have no memory of it, I have no memory of my childhood, I also stared at the scar on my hand and couldn't help but wondered how I got that scar, my father said I was attacked by an animal when I was little but I can't help but think there's more to it. I am living with my father and sister but for some reason, they always feel like strangers to me as I am treated more like a servant, my elder sister, Samantha, never misses an opportunity to bicker with me and never fails to remind me that I was the reason why our mother died, although, I had no memory of how I caused her death but from what I was told, my father and mother where divorce, while I had to live with my mother, Samantha was taken by our father, she had always craved for a motherly love and was super excited when our mother had decided to come live with dad but died before getting here, father had gone in search of us when she didn't show up only to find out about her death, Samantha had gotten really disappointed and blamed her death on me, so, she hates me and so do father, the least I could do is to avoid them as much as possible, I tiptoed around the house when they are around. My door suddenly burst open and I jumped as I saw Samantha, standing in the doorway, looking at me with hatred and anger, a look I have gotten used to,

"what the hell are you still doing sitting down here?" She raged and I felt my inside cringe, "I...I...I..." "Enough of your stuttering and get your sorry ass down there to prepare breakfast for me" she yelled and I quickly stood up to do as she wished, I have been doing this for years, working as their servant, sometimes I doubt I am actually related to them by blood. I quickly prepared some omelet for her and served her with coffee and a spoon of milk just as she likes it and served my father's own black, father quickly drank his own and went out without even glancing my way while Samantha finished with hers, went inside and brought out a heap of clothes and dumping it in my arms,

"make sure you wash this before I get back, I have a show to attend" she instructed me as she prepared to leave, I summoned the courage to ask her for a favor, "Samantha, please I need a favor from you" I knew I sounded like a wimp but I desperately need this favor from her, she paused as if surprised by my request and raised a brow, "you dare to ask a favor from me?"

"Please Samantha, it's something you can easily help me with"

She paused for a moment, "let's hear it"

I almost punched the air in joy that she would even listen to me at all, I took a deep calming breath, "I need a job, can you help me get work in your company?" I guessed my request caught her by surprise because she suddenly threw her head backward and laughed coldly,

"you want to work in a fashion company? As what? You think you look good enough to work there?" She walked up to me and lifted my arm, raising my long sleeve,

"look at this scar on your arm, do you know how disgusting it looks?"

Tears welled in my eyes, her words hurt so much, I stared at the scar that I didn't even remember how I got it,

"get it in your head that the only suitable job for you is to be a servant, dressing in rags and serving me at home suits you better, so do not even think you're qualified to get a job out there" Samantha hissed at me before turning her back and walking out and closing the door behind her.

My limbs suddenly failed me as they couldn't hold me up anymore, I crotched on the floor as I sob silently, maybe Samantha is right, I am such an ugly duckling anyway, who would want to work with me? I stared at the huge gash on my hand and suddenly felt the urge to scrape it out, the only thing I can do to keep surviving is to keep being a servant in this suffocating house, my heart trembled and I wish I could remember my mom, would she love me? Or she would also consider me bad luck, I can't help but wonder how she died, I stared at the heap of clothes and decided to wash them later.

I must have fallen asleep because I suddenly heard Samantha screaming curses at me, I stared at my surroundings in confusion before it dawned on me that I had fallen asleep on the floor where I had sat weeping with my head on the clothes she had given me to wash,

"how dare you" Samantha screeched in anger and before I could reply, I felt a sting on my cheeks as she hit me so hard that my head reeled, I fell on my face and winced in pain,

"how dare you sleep on my clothes?" I opened my mouth to reply as I made to stand up but got a kick from her, my breath whooshed out, it was damn painful,

"I have a date tonight with one of the most important person in Carolina, a person someone like you can never dream of ever meeting and you had to ruin it for me, I wanted to wear that red dress for the date, I hate you, why do you have to come into our lives, you disgust me so much"

"She's just bad luck," my father said from the doorway just as he suddenly entered the house, pain burst in my heart at their stinging words, I tried to hold back the tears but failed miserably, my cheek sting from Samantha's slap and my stomach hurt from her kicks, I suddenly turned on my heels and ran to my room as tears blinded me, I didn't stop running until I reached the comfort of my room, locking the door behind me, I fell on my small bed and wept my eyes sore.