I slowly lifted my head, brushing away my disheveled black hair.

In front of me stood Julius, my biological father—the man who had always viewed me as nothing more than dirt in this house. His face was flushed crimson, his breathing heavy and ragged, fueled by a volatile, exploding wrath. Behind him, Victoria stood side-by-side with her mother, staring down at me with a satisfied smirk hidden behind the facade of a victimized face.

"You ungrateful brat!" Father roared. "How dare you cause trouble at the academy?! Victoria just came home crying because you humiliated her in front of His Highness Kael!"

I didn't answer. My expression remained ice-cold, staring straight into the eyes of the man who was supposed to protect me, without a single tear or trace of fear.

“How dare you glare at me like that!” The complete lack of reaction from me only seemed to infuriate him further.

Julius lunged forward, violently grabbing the collar of my hoodie and forcing me to my feet to face him.

"You intentionally set up your own sister just to seek attention, didn't you?! You tried to humiliate this family by seducing His Highness Kael!" Father roared right into my face, his grip on my collar tightening into a chokehold. "Shameless creature. Know your place, Iris! You're just a half-blood hybrid! How dare you try to seduce the crown prince!"

Julius threw my body back onto the floor violently. He then turned around, grabbing the leather riding crop he regularly used to discipline me.

Kael’s intense golden eyes, my mother’s hostage pendant, and now the tip of a whip ready to tear my skin apart—tonight, everything felt like it was hurtling toward the edge of a cliff.

Julius raised the whip high in the air, ready to unleash it on my helpless body sprawled on the floor. "Tonight, I will make sure you remember exactly where you belong in this house!"

I dragged my limping feet into my bedroom, feeling as though I no longer had the strength to stand. Every inch of my body throbbed with agony, leaving me utterly exhausted. I hated this life; I hated living.

Why?

I could only cry silently, burying my face as I hugged my pillow tightly against the mattress. I had endured this suffering for several years, ever since my mother passed away. Even though I did nothing, even though I kept to the darkest corners of this house, I was always blamed for things I hadn't even done.

The next day, I knocked on the door of the lounge I had visited yesterday—the room with the golden wolf emblem on the door, the private quarters of the crown prince and his inner circle.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Yeah, yeah... why are you so impatient!" a grumble echoed from behind the door before it finally swung open.

Another guy stood behind the door. I recognized him—it was Dimitri, one of the hockey players who was always trailing Kael. But he wasn't alone. Inside the room, I could see Theo and Ian lounging casually. All three were pureblood noble wolves and Kael's closest friends.

As soon as the door opened fully, the three of them instantly cast condescending glares toward me.

“Who are you?” Dimitri asked, breaking the silence and snapping me out of my daze.

“I want to see His Highness Kael.” I stared at him without a shred of hesitation or fear.

“Ha, you want to deliver a love letter and ask for a photo of our captain, right? Go away, you won't get anything here,” Dimitri dismissed me, clearly looking down on me.

“I have no interest in such things, especially not when it comes to His Highness Kael. I came to retrieve my property.” I hated small talk, so I stated my purpose bluntly.

“Ha, how dare you utter words that insult the royal family,” Kael taunted, suddenly appearing behind Dimitri.

I only glared at him sharply, entirely unprovoked and unafraid of his sarcastic jab.

“Fine, follow me,” Kael said, walking past me to leave the place. Without saying goodbye to the others, I immediately followed, leaving the three noble wolves looking completely shocked.

The condescending expressions on their faces instantly warped into profound confusion. They exchanged glances, seemingly unable to believe that Kael, the highly revered crown prince Alpha, would have anything to do with a lowly hybrid girl like me.

Yes, and I didn't care. Right now, I just needed that pendant so I could get as far away as possible from the infuriating man in front of me.

We entered the deserted ice hockey arena; not a single soul was there.

Kael stopped in his tracks and turned to face me with a sharp gaze.

“Return my property.” Without wasting words, I immediately demanded what was mine.

“I refuse,” he replied casually. “This item is suspicious. I have to confiscate it. After all, I am the student council president at this academy.”

“Suspicious? What do you mean?” I asked, staring at him with mounting fury.

“You don't even feel afraid or threatened by me. You truly are a unique hybrid; usually, everyone on this campus is terrified and respectful of me. But you are highly suspicious,” Kael said, sounding more absurd by the second.

“Listen, His Highness Kael, that item belongs to me. So please return it right now. You don't have to worry about me causing you any trouble; I will never show my face in front of you again once you give it back,” I said, still suppressing my intense irritation.

“Why do you want this item so badly? Is it a gift from someone special?” he asked, continuously stalling for time and being thoroughly annoying.

“That is none of your business. Please give it back to me.”

“I already told you, I need collateral so I can keep an eye on you.” That answer completely frustrated me, and I felt my anger reaching its boiling point.

“Is this incredibly amusing to you?!” I snapped, watching a flicker of surprise cross his eyes at my sharp words. “Do you enjoy playing with me and teasing me like this? Do you love seeing low-status people oppressed?”

Damn it. I couldn't stop my tears. I felt completely frustrated and resentful.

I snapped my face away, desperately trying to hide the single tear that managed to escape down my cheek. I hated the fact that I was still weak, even though I fought with everything I had to hold it in.

The atmosphere in the middle of the empty hockey arena suddenly turned deathly quiet. The already cold air felt completely frozen.

Kael didn't reply right away. The spark of amusement that usually danced in his golden eyes suddenly went completely dark. The sarcastic smirk I hated most vanished, replaced by an unreadable, flat expression.

The prince lowered his hands and took a step toward me.

"I have never found oppression amusing, sweetheart," Kael said. His voice no longer carried a trace of mockery; instead, it sounded heavy, deep, and chillingly serious.

He stopped exactly two steps away from me. His golden eyes swept down, scanning my slightly rigid posture as I struggled against the stinging pain of the whip wounds on my back.

"And I'm not playing games with you, either," he continued, slipping his hand into his pants pocket.

When his hand reemerged, the silver chain holding the withered rose pendant gleamed beneath the corridor lights outside the rink.

My heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, I reached out to snatch it, but with lightning-fast reflexes, Kael clamped his hand shut tightly over it.

I glared at him fiercely.

"I will give it back," Kael cut in sharply, looking down at me from his towering height. "But on one condition."

I clenched my fists tightly, staring into his handsome face with pure fury. "What condition now? I already told you I will never appear in front of you again!"

Kael leaned his body slightly toward me, causing his rich, masculine scent to envelope my senses once again.

"Oh, you will definitely appear in front of me, sweetheart. Starting tomorrow, you are the personal assistant to the student council president of this academy," Kael whispered with absolute emphasis, as if every word were an absolute decree that couldn't be challenged.

I stood frozen in place, my breath catching in my throat. Becoming his personal assistant was no different than putting my neck right under the blades of his fan club.

***

"I refuse!" I answered flatly, which only made him laugh.

"You really are a unique hybrid. Not only do you dare challenge the future Alpha, but you also have the nerve to insult and reject me," he chuckled.

"This isn't entertainment, Young Master. I don't want to get involved in such a troublesome matter, so I am firmly declining. And please, stop playing games with me. Give the pendant back."

Kael stopped laughing. The remaining sparks of amusement vanished from his golden eyes, replaced by an intense, piercing gaze that felt as though it could see right through my mind. He casually weighed the withered rose silver pendant in his long fingers, its chain catching the dim lights of the hockey rink in a rhythmic glint.

"Do you honestly think I’m offering you a choice to negotiate, sweetheart?" He leaned down slightly, bringing his face level with mine. "In this academy, defying the student council president constitutes a disciplinary violation. And as a hybrid without the backing of a powerful pack, what do you think will happen if I decide to hand down a sanction?"

I clenched my fists inside my oversized sleeve, feeling the raw whip wounds on my back throb again from the tension. "Are you threatening me?" I hissed sharply.

"I’m simply stating facts," Kael replied, a faint smirk returning to his lips.

He straightened his posture and closed his fingers tightly over the pendant, hiding it within his palm. "I know how precious this item is to you. Serve as my assistant for one semester, or you will never see this heirloom again. Make your choice, sweetheart."

I stood frozen, staring at the powerful hand that held the last remaining memory of my mother. This man truly knew how to weaponize a situation and corner me into the tightest spot possible.

If I accepted, I would have to face the wrath of his fan club every single day, including Victoria. But if I refused, the only anchor to my past would be gone forever.

"Fine," I said at last, breaking the silence with a voice as cold as ice. "I accept. But don't you dare expect me to be submissive like the rest of your servants."

Hearing my answer, Kael’s smirk widened, looking thoroughly satisfied with his victory.

"Deal. You can't go back on your word," he said, opening his palm and dropping the pendant into my hand. "Take it."

Finally, my property was back in my hands, even if it meant dealing with a massive headache moving forward.

"I'll start working tomorrow." Without another word, I turned on my heel to leave.

"Hey, I'm the boss here! Since when do you get to decide when to start working?" he yelled after me, but I completely ignored him.

"Iris."

The voice successfully halted my steps toward my bedroom. I turned to look at Julius with my usual expressionless face. For some reason, I noticed a flicker of strain in his eyes under my flat gaze.

"How long are you going to keep glaring at your own father as if I'm your enemy?" he snapped.

"And what should I do? Am I supposed to offer a loving gaze to a father who has never once fulfilled his duties?" I countered mockingly.

"You—!" He clearly choked back his rage. "Listen, Iris, I am not in the mood to scold you right now. Tonight, a guest will be arriving, so I expect you to get ready," he commanded.

"A guest?" I arched an eyebrow, staring at him with deep suspicion. "Since when do I have to meet a guest in this estate? Haven't you all always considered my very existence a disgrace that must be hidden away?"

Julius clenched his fists tightly, his jaw tightening as he fought back the volatile fury threatened by my sarcasm. Remarkably, however, he took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. This highly unusual shift in his demeanor only caused my sense of dread to worsen.

"Watch your mouth, Iris! Tonight's guest is extremely important, so prepare yourself," Julius said in a low, forced tone, trying to salvage his authority as the pack leader. "The maids will come to your room. Put on the dress I've prepared for you."

After delivering his orders, he left. This was incredibly suspicious. Who was this guest, and why on earth was I being forced to meet them?

A few moments later, two maids pushed my bedroom door open without bothering to knock. They carried a deep green satin gown that looked far too formal, along with a cosmetic box.

Without uttering a word, completely ignoring the icy glares I shot their way, they began to force me into the dress and apply makeup. Heavy powder was patted onto my skin to mask my pale complexion, while a high-collared gown was intentionally selected—undoubtedly to conceal the fresh whip wounds covering my back.

Once they finished, I was escorted down to the grand dining hall.

The room, which was usually dead silent, was now illuminated by a magnificent crystal chandelier. The air was thick with the scent of an unfamiliar, dominant pheromone. As I stepped inside, I realized everyone had already gathered. The venomous glares thrown by my stepmother and Victoria welcomed me instantly.

At the head of the long table, Julius sat with a stiff, forced smile. However, my attention was immediately drawn to the middle-aged man seated directly across from him.

The man had neatly trimmed silver hair and wore an expensive velvet suit. Lines of age were etched deeply into his stern face, radiating the cold, ruthless aura of a ruler from the pureblood borderlands. He was Count Radcliff.

"Ah, here she is, my eldest daughter, Iris," Julius announced, his tone sounding so sickeningly warm it made me want to vomit. "Iris, greet Count Radcliff."

I didn't take a single step forward. I remained standing right by the entrance. "Why did you call me here, Mr. Julius?" I asked bluntly, deliberately ignoring Count Radcliff and addressing my father without any familial title.

Julius’s face hardened instantly, but before he could bark a reprimand, Count Radcliff raised a single hand, cutting him off.

His cold, gray eyes swept over me from head to toe, assessing my worth as if I were a racehorse up for auction.

"She has quite a fascinating spark of defiance for a hybrid, Lord Julius," Count Radcliff remarked, his voice heavy and raspy. "That kind of stubbornness will be remarkably easy to tame once she resides in my castle."

"Of course, Lord Count. Iris only needs a little guidance once she is married to you," my stepmother chimed in eagerly.

"What do you mean, marriage? I am still a student at the academy," I stated firmly, my voice cutting through their negotiation.

"Iris, I believe there is no need for you to continue your education," Julius interjected coldly. "It would be best for you to marry immediately and start building your future. You will have a much better life in Count Radcliff’s territory."

***

"I refuse!"

"Iris!" snapped the man I called Father. "Watch your tone and do not be disrespectful!"

"Calm yourself, Lord Julius. Young people are always like this. She may rebel at first, but she will yield eventually," Count Radcliff chuckled casually.

I glared at Count Radcliff with the coldest gaze I could muster. His nonchalant laughter sounded sickening to my ears, as if my rejection—and my entire life—were merely a trivial joke he could purchase with his power.

"Dream on, Lord Count," I hissed without a single shred of fear. "I will never become your wife, let alone a stepmother to your three children who are older than I am!"

The relaxed expression on Count Radcliff's face vanished instantly. His jaw hardened, and an oppressive aura began to leak subtly into the air, pressing down on me to force me to my knees in submission. Yet, I stood tall, locking my gaze onto his cold gray eyes.

I was not afraid at all.

"Little girl," Count Radcliff's voice dropped, laced with a thick threat. "Do you think you have the right to choose? This decision has already been agreed upon by your father."

"The head of the family sold me to save his failing business, didn't he?" I sneered bitterly, casting a glance at Julius, whose face had turned flushed crimson from accumulated shame and rage.

"Shut your mouth, you ungrateful brat!" Julius bellowed, slamming his hand onto the dining table so hard the cutlery clattered loudly. "Who do you think fed you and gave you a roof over your head all these years?! You are nothing but a useless hybrid! Count Radcliff is being generous enough to accept you!"

"Generous?" I let out a cynical chuckle. "Unfortunately, I don't need his generosity!"

My stepmother and Victoria gasped, their eyes wide with shock at my blatant nerve in challenging a Count in the family dining room.

Without waiting for anyone to respond, I turned on my heel and walked out of the grand dining room, my fists clenching tight beneath the green satin gown.

I was sick of being blamed and remaining silent, only to be punished and tortured anyway. Now, I decided I would never stay silent again. I would keep fighting back, even if I knew it might end with me being whipped to death.

"Forgive her, Lord Count. I will continue to persuade her," I could faintly hear Julius pleading to the old man in the background.

Crash!

Two burly guards burst into my room. Without a word, they grabbed me and dragged me out.

"Let me go!" I struggled violently, but my physical strength was no match for theirs.

"Let me go!" I hissed sharply, trying to wrench myself free, but my body—still far from recovered—was completely overpowered.

"Take her downstairs!" Julius's voice echoed from behind as his hurried footsteps caught up to us.

His flushed face was now consumed by an uncontrollable fury. In his eyes, my defiance tonight was not merely disobedience; it was a devastating blow that humiliated him in front of Count Radcliff.

The guards dragged me mercilessly down the stairs, redirecting our path toward a dark, suffocating subterranean hallway. A foul stench instantly greeted my senses, dominated by the thick, sickening smell of stale blood.

This was the Gamma pack dungeon—the place reserved for locking up traitors.

"Throw her in!" Julius commanded coldly as we reached the bottom of the cell block.

The heavy iron door swung open, and my body was violently hurled onto the damp stone floor. The green satin gown I wore was instantly soiled by dust and puddles of murky water.

Before I could even attempt to push myself up, Julius stepped inside. Without warning, the tip of his leather boot slammed into my stomach with full force.

Thud!

"Ugh!" I coughed violently, curling into a ball as I clutched my abdomen, which twisted in agonizing pain as if my internal organs had been crushed.

The air was sucked completely out of my lungs.

"How dare you humiliate me in front of Count Radcliff!" Julius roared, his eyes burning with absolute hatred.

He grabbed a handful of my hair, yanking my head back forcefully to compel me to look at his face. "Who do you think you are, Iris?! You're just a piece of half-blood trash who only survives because of my charity! If Count Radcliff hadn't been willing to buy you, you wouldn't be worth a single coin!"

I whimpered from the agonizing pull on my scalp, yet amidst the burning pain, a cynical smirk formed on my lips.

"If I'm so worthless," I whispered hoarsely, staring directly into his eyes with what little strength I had left, "why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"

Honestly, I was sick of living like this.

Slap!

A heavy backhand struck my cheek, snapping my head to the side as spots danced across my vision. Julius released his grip on my hair.

"Beat her until she remembers her place!" Julius ordered the two guards behind him. "Lock her in here without food or water until tomorrow night. Let's see how stubborn you are when you're forced to beg me for mercy!"

Crack!

The sharp crack of a leather whip—retrieved from the cell wall—echoed through the air, tearing into my back over my old wounds. A deafening wave of pain exploded through my body, turning my vision completely white.

Lash after lash landed without mercy, shredding the satin dress and the bandages beneath, mixing fresh blood with yesterday's injuries.

I bit my lower lip hard until the metallic taste of blood flowed into my mouth. I forced myself to remain silent, refusing to cry out or whimper. I was used to this kind of pain. This wasn't the first time I had endured his torture.

I truly wished I could just die and leave this sickening life behind.

Once his cruel satisfaction was fulfilled, the sharp clanging of the iron bars being locked shut echoed loudly in the pitch-black dungeon. The footsteps of Julius and his guards gradually faded away, leaving behind the foul stench of rot, the metallic smell of blood, and a terrifying silence.

I lay helplessly on the cold, damp stone floor. My vision swam as I clung to the fading remnants of my consciousness.

My back felt as though it were on fire, my breathing ragged and shallow, while the sharp throbbing in my stomach forced cold tears to stream silently down my cheeks, washing away the bloodstains.

It was completely dark in the cell. In this darkest corner of the house, no one cared whether I would still be breathing come morning.

My trembling fingers moved slowly beneath my torn clothes, reaching up to touch my neck with what little strength remained. The cool touch of the silver chain and my mother's withered rose pendant met my skin.

It was still there. I clutched it tightly against my chest, seeking a tiny sliver of warmth from the memory of the one person who had loved me unconditionally.

Mother... why did you leave me all alone in this hell?

Perhaps the sun would never rise for me again. My frail hybrid body had surely reached its limit. If tonight were to be my last, at least I would die without ever bowing my head to Julius.

Yet, amid the deepening darkness and fading consciousness, the image of Kael's sharp golden eyes suddenly flashed across my mind. His infuriatingly handsome face, his sarcastic smirk, and the absolute decree he had uttered in the middle of the hockey rink earlier today...

'Starting tomorrow, you are the personal assistant to the student council president of this academy...'

A faint, hollow, and resigned smile formed at the corner of my bloody lips.

"Well... at least I'll be spared from the prince's antics."

***