Marked By My Stepbrother: His Secret Obsession

Arya's POV

I've always known I wasn't part of the family.

I was maybe an outcast.

But not blood.

Laura never stopped shoving it in my face ever since the demise of our mother, when we were ten.

She told Dad that I killed her because I was last seen with Mom when she gave up the ghost.

“It's Arya, Dad; she crept in on me and yelled at me for having fun with Brad," Laura said in a childlike tone.

She knew the alpha would be on her side; I had no chance of defending myself now.

“Care to explain what might be happening?” The Alpha turned to me.

I slowly got up; pain shot through my body, but I'm used to it already.

My gaze was lowered. I dared not look at him directly.

"I...I made a mistake, sir," I said carefully.

“It is always a mistake with you, Arya.”

He said. “I should have thrown you out the day I met you.”

Those words were like his mantra that he said to me.

Sometimes I wondered why he never really threw me out; I would have been happily dead rather than this unending suffering.

“Always causing trouble. No food for you tomorrow!” He ordered ruthlessly.

“Get ready, Laura; we'll be leaving soon."

Then he walked away. I bowed, not resisting at all.

Brad was still standing there, looking at me with pitying eyes.

My heart throbbed, shattered into a million pieces. The only person I love has been taken away from me.

“What are you doing standing here?” Laura's voice: “Go get my clothes ready. I want to look good tonight.” She squealed.

My pace quickened, and tears burned my eyes, but I wiped them off.

Pain was normal to me after all.

I plummeted on my bed immediately after I got to my room.

Lilith walked behind.

She sighed, then sat beside me holding a bowl and rag.

“I can't believe Brad did this to me.” I let out a sigh as she cleaned my wounds.She had become my personal nurse ever since.

“I'm sorry you had to go through all that.” She said softly.

“It's not enough that I've never gotten a mate, but the only guy I cared about was snatched right in front of me. It's not fair.”

I gulped down the bile forming in my chest.

Lilith sighed, putting down the bowl; her gaze softened."

I have to go now. Madame Grace might look for me.” She got up.

I understood her.

We're merely maids here; our feelings didn't matter.

I got up too quickly, and pain erupted from my ribs; I groaned.

I was still suffering from the pain she caused me last week.

I got to the laundry room to iron Laura's clothes.

According to what I heard, there was a festival happening downtown where Alpha and his family will be in attendance.

The festival happens twice in a year, first was to meet with your mate.

The second was to form a mate bond.

However, if you missed the first time, you'll have the chance to meet with your mate the second time.

Of course the alpha didn't want me there.

A sizzling sound came from the pressing iron.

I lifted it up to find the piece of linen was burnt.

“Oh no, no, no. Laura would kill me for sure.”

As if she heard me, she burst into the room and stared at her dress, her eyes reddening.

“You fucking burnt my dress!” She yelled before stomping in.

“I can explain…” I pleaded with her.

“How will I go to the festival? How can I find my mate?” She glared daggers at me.I knew those looks, a dangerous glare that told me whatever she was thinking, I'm not coming out alive.

“I can fix it,” I fidgeted. “Don't tell on me.”

"Oh, I won't tell on you." She tossed the dress, snatched the hot iron, and grabbed my arms.

“What are you doing?” I panicked.

Before I could beg for mercy, she pressed the hot iron on my bare skin.

It burned, sizzling. A scream tore out from me before I could stop it.

Her grip was strong on me.The iron stayed on me for a minute. Maybe two.

By the time she let go, a raw, deep red scar marred my skin. Taking the shape of the hot iron.

“That should teach you never to mess with my clothes.” She barked at me. "They are worth more than your pathetic life.”

“What did I ever do to you to deserve all these?” I sobbed quietly.

“Are you talking back to me?” I lifted my head. "We are sisters. Sisters are meant to look out for each other.”

“Did you say sisters?" she scoffed. "You were never my sister, Arya. I don't know what Mother had fed you before she died, but you will never be my blood.”

I shook my head.

“You didn't know? The alpha said you were picked from the lake. Mom went into premature labor." Laura informed, her grin widening.

“That can't be true. Mom said we're Fartenel twins.” I said in denial.

“Oh please!” She raised her hands. “You were someone else's trash. An outcast that suddenly made their way into the pack house.”

Mom told me she gave birth to me. I knew I looked different compared to her and the alpha.

Laura had olive skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.While I had dark hair, hazel eyes, and shorter hair.

Our mom was a sex slave to the alpha, who managed to get pregnant for him. The former Luna, his wife, had died. Alpha Roman took my mother in; however, after our birth, he said I looked nothing like him and treated me differently.

“You liar!"

Laura scoffed again. "Just wait until… What is that?”

Something caught her attention.She was staring at my neck.

My scarf!

Where did it go?

I quickly covered my neck, but it was already too late.

Laura snatched my right hand, pressing the wound she had just inflicted, and I groaned as it stung.

“You're hurting me.”

She turned deaf ears.

She pushed my head, tilting to the left, revealing the mark.

“You've been marked?” She gasps, shocked, “By whom?"

I thinned my lips and bit my tongue. I can't tell her that.

It was a taboo.

If the alpha finds out, who knows what he will do?

“It's nothing." I forced it out despite the pain from my arms.

“You piece of shit, you've been sleeping with the guards, haven't you?”

“No!” I said too quickly.

“Then who?” She persisted.

Suddenly, my neck tingled, burning—painfully.

It had happened before, and that was why it was still raw.

Occasionally, the mark burned, renewing itself—raw and more steep.

“I can't tell you that.” I muttered.

“I'll tell Dad if you don't tell me who marked you.” Laura retorted.

“Haven't you done enough?” I raised my voice, "You want to take everything from me? Do it. I don't care anymore.”

I don't know what came over me to speak to her that way.

Maybe it's the fact my life was literally over; maybe it's because I wanted to prove something for myself, like Mom always told me to.

“That's enough, both of you.”

That voice—I recognized that voice.

I turned and saw him.

Levi.

The mark burned again, more intensely than before.

Excruciating. my legs weakened, barely able to hold my weight.

“I think it's time to sell her to the slaves, since she has began whoring around,”Alpha Roman said.

“No..” I said weakly.

My eyes blurred, then suddenly everything went dark.