Chapter 1 Sage’s Rage

“How dare you, Penelope?” Sage’s eyes are feral. I couldn’t see the white in them anymore. All I could see was black and red at the edges. 

My fingers clasped around her hands holding tight around my neck. I threw my hand into her hair and pulled, longing for breath, but it was of no use. She had me pinned and life was slipping out of me. 

“I didn’t know. Please let go,” I wheezed, my chest clinching as I struggled with her. 

She bit down at her bottom lip, as though my pleas were enraging her. She tightened her hand, my eyes bulged out. A tear ran down the side of my face, her claws digging into my skin. She was shifting, her fangs were peaking out of her lips. 

She growled, looking down at me, “You just couldn’t keep your fat ass mouth shut right?” Sage’s words sent a staggering whiff of vodka down my nostrils. She was heavily intoxicated and had lost her mind.

My eyes went up as I vibrated in her hands. At that point, I was struggling to stay conscious. Sage’s bodyshaming words didn’t hurt as usual, maybe because I was about to die. 

No one would come to my rescue today. Our parents were not home and the staff had gone to their quarters. 

My body gave out. My hands dropped to my sides as my knees buckled. 

“Weak! Pathetic snitch!!” She pushed me away and I slumped to the ground. My eyelids flew open as I gasped for air, holding my neck. I turned and looked at her. “Sage, you—” I called out gasping for breath. 

“If—” She pointed her finger at me. “Mum and Dad grounds me because of this, you’re cooked.”

She squatted next to me, as she continued. “Literally cooked. I will take off your skin, peel the excess fat off your body and cook it for you to eat, do you understand?” 

I’d had enough. It wasn’t like I did something wrong by telling Mum that my younger sister was in a relationship, when she had been engaged to another man.

My hands clawed at the fur mat beneath me, as I pushed myself up. I sucked in air as the scratches on my neck burned. I managed to get up on my feet and Sage faced me, one perfect brow propped up. 

“What you are doing is wrong,” I swallowed. “You know you love someone else, why then do you want to marry the Alpha of SteelClaw pack. It’s not right.”

She gritted her teeth, and ran her index finger over the tip of her nostrils as she sniffed. “How the hell is that your business?!” She was almost yelling. “Huh, Penelope?” 

I shrugged. “I—”

She rushed my chin, grabbed it roughly. I balled my fist, struggling to resist the urge to fight back. It was no use with my weak wolf anyway. I would be hurt even more. 

“Just shut up and apologize for what you have done.” 

“I’m sorry,” I panted, without any fight left inside me. 

She pushed my chin aside and stepped aside. “That won’t do.” She crossed her arms over her chest, a light of mischief flashing past her eyes. “You have to tell Mum and Dad that you lied against me.”

I blinked. “I— but—” My throat went dry, fear making my fingers twitch. “Sage, you can’t make me say that. They’ll punish me.”

“Better you than me,” her lips shifted into a sly smirk. “As always.”

My chest burned as I watched her enjoy the moment. I had always taken the fall for her since she was born. She was twenty now and she still wanted me to—

I pulled a tough breath through my lungs. “You never wanted to be with me as kids, and that was why I took the blame for all the horrible things you did back then." Not anymore.”

She rolled her eyes and itched her ears, irritably. “Who’s asking you, scape goat?” 

Her words cut through me like a stake driving through a sensitive part of me. I forced out a little smile. “I wanted to bond with you, because Mum and Dad forgot about me the moment they had you. I thought maybe I could have a sister, then. But you only used me as a living shield.”

Sage yawned. “If you really wanted to bond with me, why sabotage my marriage with the Alpha? Why did you make me look bad in front of my parents?” She slurred.

I shook my head, licking my dry lips. “I only told them so that they would call off the marriage with the Alpha and then you will be with the man you love.” I sighed softly. “I know he is not as rich as Mum and Dad would expect, but all that matters is your happiness.”

Sage was mute, rubbing her forehead. 

“If I tell them that I lied, they would say again that I did it out of jealousy. It would get me whipped.” My brows edged as I thought of how that usually hurt as hell, because a weak wolf meant a longer healing period.

“Fine,” She slurred, stepping towards me. I tried to back away, but my leg touched the table bringing me to a pause. “Then how about I just kill you with my own hands.” She grabbed my hair and pulled it. 

A gasp slipped out of my lips as her claws tore into my skin. “Fine. I lied, Sage. I lied that you have a boyfriend.”

The door behind us flew open. Sage rushed off me. Mum and Dad were standing at the door. Both had only one thing written on their faces— disappointment.

Oh no. 

“I told you that Penelope is a witch. After everything we’ve done for her, she still wants nothing good for this family.”

“See, Dad.” Sage ran to them with her eyes wet. “She is always like this, preying against poor little me.” 

I nearly threw my hands to my mouth in shock. But Dad stormed towards me as I just stood still and frozen in my spot. His hand hit my face. A slap that sent me to the floor. 

“We found you abandoned— weak and frail in that orphanage then we took you in. Is this how you choose to repay us?” 

“After all we have done to help your life?” Mum added. Tears ran down my face as I stayed on the floor, whimpering. 

That was not the story I was told. The old servants told me that after they got married and couldn’t have a child, they adopted me to have a picture perfect family. But four years later, a healer helped her conceive. And since then, I became— A charity case. 

“Are we cursed?” Mum asked Dad, rubbing her forehead. “Were we under a spell that we couldn’t adopt a better child? Thanks to the goddess for compensating me with my own child for all my good deeds.”

Mum faced me, I tried to look away, but her eyes locked mine. “Oh my god, Penelope. You don’t have any shame?” She shook her head. “You are four years older than Sage, yet she is smarter than you, prettier. Should we talk about the fame she has brought to this household. She also has a strong wolf. But all you do is exist and eat our food. Lock yourself in your room or the library, wasting.”

My chest tightened harder. It was hard to breathe. Yet, I couldn’t speak the truth. 

That I gave Sage most of the ideas that made her famous. But I couldn’t even put my knowledge to work myself, because I am the hidden daughter that the family never takes out for functions. They instruct me to keep my head low and then blame me for being invisible. 

“I can’t— deal with this right now,” Sage broke in and ran her hand through her hair. “I need to go for a drive.” She turned and stormed out.

Strong steps approached me and I sucked in breath through my teeth, pushing myself up slowly. My gaze reached Dad who was now next to me.

“Bring the whip,” He said to a maid passing by. “By the time I’m done with you, you will not have this demon of envy in you.”