I was 8 years old when I realized my parents didn't love each other.

They never got along.

They tried so hard to hide it.

It was all just an illusion.

The illusions failed woefully and shattered before me. The minute I saw my father give my mom a dirty slap across her face while I was standing in front of them in their room to show them my report card from school.

My mom laughed bitterly and also slapped him harder across his face.

"Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on me. You jerk. I will report your stinky ass to my father, if you touch me again." She cried out in a pant as her face turned red with anger.

Their unfriendly stares between them sent chills down my spine.

I felt horrified and had no clue that my parents were this violent and abusive.

Whenever they saw me, they always had this look of contempt on their expressions.

They acted like I was a burden to them and the reason they were together.

Both of my parent's eyes revealed so much of how they despised each other's presence.

I never knew why they hated each other so much when they seemed like the perfect couple.

I sometimes think they hate each other because of me.

That I was the problem.

My father got married to my mother because she got pregnant while they were dating.

My mother didn't want to give birth to me out of wedlock and be a single mom.

Her reputation was at stake.

She was the daughter of an alpha, the leader of the Bloodline clan, and it will be humiliating to drag her family's name into the mud, if my father doesn't get married to her.

My father had no choice but to take her in as his wife and to avoid the wrath of the Alpha.

My grandfather.

My father was always busy at his office and my mother was constantly away from home because of her work.

While I was at home with the nannies. I would wait at the door, to see them every day, but they hardly showed up.

They were both filthy millionaires, and I always wondered why they had to work so much.

I only see them once or twice a week.

And when they get to be together at a dining table, instead of having a peaceful dinner with each other, to make up for the times they've lost with me and between themselves, they quarrel.

They were always arguing, fighting, beating each other to a pulp.

Their lives scared the living daylight out of me.

I was lonely and was always all by myself with my dolls.

Sometimes my mother would lock me up in the closet to avoid seeing her terrible marriage, and what her life was with my father.

While staying in the closet, I would cry my eyes out and close my ears to avoid hearing their shouting and screams.

Their relationship was quite toxic until my mother finally had enough of my father when she found out he was having an affair.

"I can't believe you cheated on me. You piece of shit." My mother cried out and threw her glass of wine at him.

She divorced him.

She packed all her belongings and took me along with her as we both moved to another pack.

I never saw my father again. And he didn't even care to fight for my custody.

As soon as I turned 10, my mother encountered her fated mate and got married to an Alpha, the leader of the Pure Bloodline pack, who became my stepfather.

He warmly accepted me and took me in as his daughter and introduced me to six of his sons, who were alphas.

He had six alphas as his sons?

What kind of alpha has this many children? I wondered.

And these alphas were going to be my big brothers?

My stepbrothers?

I couldn't process my thoughts properly.

How could I live with these alphas and there were no females among them either except for my mother?

For sure, I was a little frightened.

I didn't know what to say. I just stood there staring at them, dumbfounded, wondering how my life was going to be living with these alphas.

'Come on, say 'Hi' to your new sister, sons; My stepfather indulged in the introduction, but they just kept staring at me.

"You brought in another child? And this time, it's an Omega? Aren't you tired of your promiscuous ways, father?!" An alpha uttered sarcastically with a scoff and stepped a little forward towards us.

I could sense how furious and disgusted he was because of his pheromones.

"Lykan." Another alpha hushed him. "Compose yourself."

"Why should I compose myself, Aiden? Stay out of this, butt-head." He snapped and faced my stepfather. "Aren't we fucking sick and tired of seeing more of our bloodline every fucking year? Our lives are always gonna be a competition and a bloodbath if you keep bringing in more kids. We are 15 already and you brought in a 16th child and a new Luna too. What the fuck is wrong with you? How many lives would have to be ruined and traumatized before you understand that you have to stop this madness?"

There were 15 of them? How is that possible?

"If you ever talk to me like that again, Lykan, I will make sure-"

"Yeah. Right. Go ahead, father. Lock me up in a dark room so I will go insane and then I will never have to be your fucking puppet again."

"LYKAN." My stepfather yelled at him and uttered with a low tone. "Show some respect and watch your language."

Lykan chuckled and laughed mockingly for a second before he added. "Y'all make me laugh. A gold digger and a man whore. You guys are perfect for each other. Good luck with your marriage. Congratulations." He laughed and revealed a deep frown. "I'm outta here. Don't have the time for this bullshit." He annoyingly muttered and walked out of the living room.

"Lykan, come back here this instant."

But the lad just kept working upstairs without taking a glance at us for a second.

My stepfather, Aaron, sighed and patted my shoulder and said, "Don't take that to heart. He's just pissed off because of his performance at school. He will definitely come around."

But we could all tell what he was talking about right away and it wasn't about his performance at school.

He was right.

There were too many of them and seeing the unfamiliar faces of more people he didn't know made him mad, I think.

And why was he calling my mom a gold digger, when she was also a wealthy woman, too?

My mom got married to Aaron because they were fated to each other by the moon goddess, not because of his wealth.

I smiled with a nod at Aaron.

And the truth of the issue was, I didn't really get offended by what Lykan said.