Claimed by the Alpha Prince - Chapter #1 - Free To Read

"You missed a spot, Mira. Do I really need to show you how to scrub the floors properly?"

Mira’s fingers stiffened around the soapy cloth as she knelt on the cold, hardwood floor. She didn’t look up. She knew better than to meet eyes with her step-sister, Liana.

“No answer? I said, you missed a spot,” Liana pressed, her voice dripping with mockery and rage as she pointed to an invisible smudge.

“I’ll get it,” Mira whispered, biting back the sting of humiliation.

“Speak up. You’re practically a ghost in this house as it is.” Liana’s laugh was cold, her voice echoing against the quiet walls of their father’s grand home. “No wonder your wolf is so pathetic. It must have hidden away just like you do.”

Mira’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to keep scrubbing, her gaze fixed on the small puddles of soapy water that reflected her tired face. Her wolf was weak—she couldn’t deny it.

Unlike the other wolves in the pack, her shifts were painful, exhausting, and embarrassingly slow. Everyone knew she’d never be strong, not in this family and certainly not as a wolf. Liana never missed an opportunity to remind her of it.

“Honestly, you’re lucky Father even lets you stay here,” Liana continued, crossing her arms. “You should be thanking me for giving you something useful to do around here.”

Mira clenched her jaw, feeling her cheeks flush with frustration and shame.

Liana laughed, circling around her like a hawk eyeing its prey. “You really are pathetic, aren’t you? You know, if the Alpha Prince does decide to visit our pack, he’d probably take one look at you and walk right back out the door.”

Mira’s heart twisted at the mention of the Alpha Prince. Everyone in the pack had been whispering about his upcoming visit. He was searching for his mate, and rumor had it that he was powerful, almost mythical. Wolves like him rarely paid visits to smaller packs like theirs, and the thought of being in his presence both terrified and fascinated her.

“I heard he’s as strong as they come,” Liana continued, a smug smile playing on her lips. “He needs a mate who’s just as fierce. Can you even imagine someone like him looking twice at you?” Liana’s laugh was harsh and grating. “If anything, he’ll choose me. I’m the only one in this family who’s worthy of him.”

Mira swallowed, her fingers numb from the icy water. She’d long given up on the idea that someone powerful, someone respected, would see any worth in her. She had her mother’s small frame and her father’s quiet nature, which Liana considered weak and laughable traits. If there was a flaw to be found, Liana never missed it.

“Are you even listening?” Mira snapped, her sharp tone cutting through Mira’s thoughts.

“Yes, Liana,” she murmured, staring at her reflection in the soapy water. The defeated eyes that stared back at her made her stomach churn. Was this really her life? A life where her own step-sister treated her like a servant, while her father turned a blind eye?

Just then, their father’s voice echoed from the hallway, calling Liana’s name. Liana’s expression shifted instantly, a mask of sweetness replacing her usual sneer.

“Coming, Father!” Liana called back, giving Mira one last, withering look. “Finish up here, and don’t be seen around the house when our guests arrive later. We wouldn’t want you embarrassing the family.”

With that, she turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Mira kneeling on the floor, her hands aching from the scrubbing and her heart heavy with shame.

Mira took a shaky breath, blinking back tears. She hadn’t chosen this life—she hadn’t chosen to be born with a weaker wolf, or to have Liana as a step-sister who relished in her misery. But it seemed that every day was a reminder that she didn’t belong.

“Mira!” her father’s voice rang out, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Yes, Father?” She stood quickly, trying to mask her fatigue.

He stepped into the room, his eyes barely glancing at her. “I expect you to keep yourself occupied henceforth. The Alpha Prince’s envoy will be here tomorrow. Do not make a scene. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father.” Her voice came out small and tired, a whisper in the large, empty room.

He nodded curtly and left without another word, leaving Mira feeling as insignificant as ever. She felt a flash of anger, a brief spark of defiance.

She wanted to tell him that she was more than just a burden, that she could be strong if they would only let her try. But the words died in her throat, smothered by years of silence and submission.

With a resigned sigh, she picked up her cleaning cloth and resumed scrubbing the floor, her mind drifting to the Alpha Prince.

As she finished scrubbing, she allowed herself to dream—just a little—that perhaps, one day, she’d find a way to break free from Liana’s cruelty and her father’s indifference. And maybe, just maybe, there would come a day when she wouldn’t have to kneel on the floor, hiding who she was.