The Alpha Twins

Jasmine's POV

I am turning eighteen today.

To everyone else, it was a day of celebration and rejoicing, but that wasn't the case for me. In fact, I had been dreading this very day.

It was the day I was going to shift into my wolf.

In the case of other wolves, on the day they turned eighteen, a loud celebration party was thrown to celebrate them becoming a full-blown wolf.

Some family members would also be around to cheer them during the shifting process to ease the shitload of pain involved in it.

I wasn't even sure my parents knew my birthdate. Heck, they didn't even know how old I was.

My twin sister, Chloe, was also turning eighteen today, and my parents had arranged a very elaborate ceremony for her, totally excluding me from it.

Today also happened to be the Pack's mate ceremony day.

The mating ball was a ceremony held by our pack once a year for every unmated wolf from eighteen years and above to find their mates.

I glanced at the crooked ancient clock on the wall. It was exactly five a.m.

I groaned as I struggled to rise from the hard floor I slept on. My bones ached terribly. I hurried towards the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast for my family.

As I did the last dish, I heard the sound of the door opening behind me. From the scent, I knew it was my mother.

I turned around and fell on my knees immediately, not daring to meet her eyes.

Experience and the multiple scars on my body had taught me so.

"Good morning, Mom."

Slap! Slap!

Two loud slaps landed on my cheeks in quick succession.

"How many times have I told you never to address me with 'Mom,' you hag?!" she snarled, dragging me by my hair.

"I'm sorry mo-... Ma'am," I pleaded, tasting blood on my lips from the impact of the slap.

"Let that get into your thick skull. My womb never bore an accursed thing like you." She released my hair forcefully, making me hit my head against the kitchen cupboard.

I was glad the dishes weren't affected.

My mother glanced around the kitchen, clearly looking for more faults.

"And why is our breakfast not ready yet? Don't tell me you overslept."

"Breakfast is nearly ready, Ma'am. All that remains is just the sauce," I responded and held my breath, waiting for her hand to land across my cheeks.

Luckily for me, she instead glared hatefully at me and exited the kitchen.

I released a deep breath I didn't know I had been holding in.

I finished with the last phase of the cooking and began to carry the dishes towards the dining room. I found out that everyone was already up and awake, including my twin sister, Chloe.

"Good morning, sis," I greeted in a polite tone.

"Yeah," she muttered nonchalantly in response, her attention fully on her cellphone.

After I finished serving the meal on the dining table, I stood at the far end of the door, waiting until they were done.

Even though they were my family, I wasn't permitted to eat with them at the table.

My name is Jasmine, and I am turning eighteen today.

Both of my parents are Betas to the Alpha of our pack, the Moonshadow Pack.

For as long as I've known, my family has hated me to their core.

They treated me so badly that numerous times I have wondered if I was indeed their daughter.