Chapter 1

Author's POV. TWENTY YEARS EARLIER.  The air in the ward was tense as screams, curses, hisses, and groans flew from different directions.  Above all, the air was heavy with high expectations...one wrong move could end it all, cutting the expectations short.  On the beds laid two heavily pregnant women, drenched in their sweat. Let's call the first woman with a high rank "Ini" and the second woman low in rank "Vee."  "One more push, Vee, you are doing great!" Beatrice, the pack's nurse, encouraged as she rubbed Vee's head tenderly and patted her shoulder, "You can do this; you are stronger than this pain."  Empowered by the encouragement, Vee shut her eyes, grabbing a fistful of the bedsheet as she pushed hard, allowing the infant to slip out of the entrance of her opening.  Exhausted, her head fell back against the pillow as she took deep breaths, struggling to recover from the intense pain that engulfed her.  "Is it out yet?" She asked weakly as if almost out of breath.  "Hold on for the placenta," The nurse answered, lowering her head as her hands spread Vee's legs wider.  Vee winced in pain, hissing and cursing as Beatrice's hand dug deep into her vagina, pulling out the placenta.  Beatrice stood over Vee with eyes filled with excitement, "Congratulations, ma'am. It's a girl," she announced.  "Can I hold her?"  "Sure," Beatrice asserted as she carefully placed the baby in Vee's arms, "But just for a moment. I will have to clean her."  Tears welled in Vee's eyes as the baby's cries filled the air, changing the atmosphere.  "Aww, I love you too. Mama is here. Stop crying, little one," she whispered, clutching the baby tightly as she rocked her. As if on cue, the baby stopped crying as she fixed her brown eyes on her mother's face.  "Both of you are so cute. I'll leave you for a moment," Beatrice announced as she walked toward the other patient's bed.  Pity washed over her as she stared at Ini, who looked like she was about to pass out any moment.  Once an energetic woman, but now as weak and fragile as Lily.  She had been labouring for hours with no result.  Throughout Beatrice's journey as a midwife, she had never experienced a prolonged labor like this.  Vee's labour wasn't as strenuous as this. "Ma'am," Her head lowered in submission. Despite the woman's pitiful state, her powerful aura hovered around her, demanding respect.  "Are you feeling pain?"  "Just a little, nothing much to worry about. I'll call you when I need you."  Beatrice's eyes widened in shock as she examined the woman, "I'm afraid it's time, ma'am," she said, swinging into action.  "I said I'm not..." The rest of the words were shoved back in Ini's throat as pain shot up in her spine, spreading like wildfire to another part of her body.  *** "You are a strong woman; you can do it; you can do anything," An extremely tired Beatrice encouraged, forcing a weak smile on her face.  It was two hours since Ini laboured, but there was no result. Beatrice was far from exhausted, all the muscles in her protested.  "Fuck!" She cursed silently as she rubbed Ini's stomach.  If only she had assistance. But it was impossible as they were short of staff and patients trooped in and out of the hospital in multitudes.  "I want to die," Ini burst into tears all of a sudden, clawing the bed and pulling out her hair.  "Look at me, ma'am. You have to believe in yourself. Do it for the baby. Please, be strong."  Beatrice was out of words, but she had no choice. She had to save the mother and the child or it would cost her life.  "Be strong," Ini repeated faintly, gasping for breath as her vision blurred.  "Less screaming, more pushing. Let's go...1, 2, 3,"  Driven by determination and with Beatrice's hands in hers, Ini gathered the last strength in her, letting out deafening screams and howls as she pushed with all her might.  The tears of a baby filled the air as Beatrice finally let out a long sigh of relief. Beatrice bowed in submission with a wide smile plastered on her face, "Congratulations, ma'am, it's a girl..." The rest of Beatrice's words hung in the air as I let go of her hand, and her head fell back, crashing hard on the pillow as she drifted into unconsciousness. "Nurse!" Beatrice screamed in horror as she carefully wrapped the baby and placed her in a cot before dashing out of the ward to get assistance.  An evil smile played on Vee's face as she carried her baby and walked to the bed where Ini lay unconsciously.  "You'd wish you never crossed paths with me," she smirked. Her voice was laced with hatred and jealousy.  Peeking at the door to make sure no one was coming, Vee quickly swapped her baby with Ini's baby, giving hers a unique mark before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and waving at her.  A scorn replaced the smile on Vee's face as she held the baby carelessly. Hatred oozed out of her like a thick cloud of smoke and her face darkened with rage.  "Welcome to hell!" ***** Marked By The Demon Triplet Alpha Kings Aurora. I let out a weary sigh when my eyes met with the huge clock that rested on the wall. It was past 1am. Yesterday's chores were heavy. Despite starting them very early before anyone was awake, I finished the next day with no break at all. Nathalia, the Alpha's daughter was pleased to see me buried in work. She rejected anyone's attempt to assist me and punished them severely...just like she always does. Her actions pulled people away from me as they were scared of her harsh punishments. No one dared crossed her or they'll be sorry! She enjoyed seeing me miserable, it was some sort of entertainment to her. It pleased her to see that I had no one on my side. Nathalia and I were born on the same day by different mothers. We shared the same father, but her mother was the Luna while my mother was the Alpha's mistress...or the Alpha's whore. Twenty years of our existence, Nathalia hates me without a reason. It was understandable, my mother was her father's whore. She never cease to make my life miserable at the slightest opportunity and also reminding me that I was a bastard who will never get accepted, the daughter of a filthy whore as she calls me. My mother on the other hand wasn't helping matters. Her role in my life was to add to the miseries that Nathalia created. I thought a mother protects, loves and cares for her child, but my mother did the opposite. I knew she wished she never had me and she doesn't stop telling me that every day at the slightest provocation. Soon, it became a song that I was used to, a song that never stops. But I didn't let it bother me. Even though I acted brave and pretended it never got to me...it shattered my heart to pieces knowing my mother hates me. I had never wronged her in anyway, I was always in my best behaviour, pleasing her even at my detriment...but it didn't change a bit of her feelings towards me. She love for me was as cold as ice. Motherly love was something I never tasted...something I long for every day of my life, but I knew i would never get it. Though my father never showed any affection towards me, he didn't make my life miserable and sad. He never stood up for me when my mother or Nathalia were punishing me, but he didn't add to my problems. On rare occasions, when he was in a good mood, he forbids Nathalia from punishing me. I was grateful for that. Over the years, I had stopped wallowing in self-pity and accepted it as my destiny, even if it was a horrible one. I jumped in fright when I heard footsteps towards me, hiding behind a pillar, but relief washed over me when I saw a guard on parole. Great! I and the guards were the only ones awake. Thanks to that she-devil for keeping me up until this hour while she snored away on her comfy bed. My face contorted in a frown as I dragged my weak legs across the hallway, staggering towards my room. I couldn't wait to crash on my bed...at least, my bed didn't hate me. Every muscle in my body protested as they were sapped out of energy as a result of the work overload. With a long shower and quality sleep, I'll bounce back... except there was no room for quality sleep. "Shit!" I cursed when I remembered the errand my mother sent me. Horror swept through me as vivid imaginations of what she would do to me flashed in my head. The air in the hallway shifted and everywhere was suddenly hot. The weakness I felt earlier disappeared in the blink of an eye as it was replaced with fear. My heart pounded hard against my ribs so loud that I could hear it and my hand began to tremble. That was it. I was dead! I hope she doesn't remember. I didn't mind waking up very early before she wakes up to clear the chores. I couldn't imagine being beaten in my current state...I could pass out. Fuck. She hated not being responded to. "Please, just this time," I pleaded to the Moon goddess, hoping she will hear me, "As early as possible, I'll go to her room and she won't even notice," Hope replaced my fear as I walked to my room. Horror rushed through me when I opened the door to see the last person on my mind. My mother. It was like a bag of ice was thrown on me as i stood rooted on a spot, unable to move with bulging eyes like I had seen a ghost. "Come here!" She ordered sharply. I didn't realize minutes had passed before her voice pulled me out of my train of thoughts. Even in the darkness, I could see a huge frown plastered on her face and I could hear her pacing. The air in the room got tensed as her anger filled the air like a thick cloud of smoke that suffocated me. "You'll have broken bones if I have to repeat myself," She threatened, except they were not empty threats. She meant every word on her thin lips. Without a choice, I walked to my death, dragging my feet against the tiles as every step I took became heavy. "Mother, please..." My words were cut off by a resounding slap that made me lose balance, throwing me to the floor. My head went blank for some seconds before my ears began to ring. Before I could recover, another slap landed on my cheeks and I tasted blood. The weight of the slap was so heavy, I thought I would go deaf in a matter of seconds. "How dare you disobey me!" She roared in rage. "I didn't, I swear..." "Shut up, you bastard! Ungrateful little girl!" She cursed, her eyes spitting fire. I remained quiet, biting my bruised lips from crying. Talking will just make her more mad than she already was.. My face hurt from the slaps I received and I didn't want to receive more. My explanation didn't matter anyway. "You brat! First you disobeyed me and now you made me wait for you?! Who do you think you are?" Her voice rang, hurting my ears. Her voice was loud enough to wake everyone in their sleep, but she didn't care. Her hand was about to make its way to my face when i held it unconsciously, "I wanted to iron the cloth you will wear for the arrival of the Alpha King tomorrow, but Nathalia forbids that I leave the rest of the chores. I swear, I wanted to," I pleaded, breaking down in tears. "How dare you touch me with those filthy hands?" She asked in a dangerously low voice and chills ran down my spine. How could I forget that she hated being touched by me. I irritated her. "You good-for-nothing bastard!" She screamed louder, moving away from me like I was covered in vomit. Her hands were about to throw me against the wall when she stopped, walking away from me. "That's it. You are growing wild. Until you learn, I'll put you in timeout," She hissed and walked out of my room, "You'll spend the night there," "Mother, please. I'll do the chores right now if you permit me," I cried but she motioned to a guard who walked into my room watching me like a hawk watching its prey. "Too late!" Her merciless voice rang, "Escort her out, or won't you be able to do so?" She nodded and gave a brief smile at the guard. "Piece of cake, ma'am," He replied with a gruff voice, walking closer to me. Shit! I had to act fast. "Please, mother...not the dungeon. Anything but the dungeon...." My voice shook as I knelt, tugging at her expensive gown while she kicked me. The pain that radiated my head when I hit it against the wall was excruciating, but I didn't mind. Anything but not the dungeon. "What are you waiting for? Take her away!" She yelled at the guard in anger who sprang into action, dragging me away from my room into the place I dreaded the most. The dungeon.