Marked by Scars, Claimed by the Lycan | Read Free Preview
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Chapter 1
Elysia’s POV
“Elysia, this crime… only you can take the fall.”
My mother looked at me coldly and with empty eyes.
Last week, my sister of the Thunderclaw Pack Alpha visited our pack and was poisoned with wolfbane.
Before she collapsed, she drank a glass of red wine.
That glass was handed to her by my sister, Cressida.
She was clearly the one who did it.
However, my mother wanted me to take the blame.
I had always known she never loved me, but I never thought her favoritism could go this far.
My heart broke, and I could see clearly her attitude toward me.
Even so, I had the courage to ask, “Mom, who is really your daughter?”
She looked at me, with an obvious hesitation in her eyes, her tone softened as she said, “You both are… my daughters.”
Both?
How ridiculous.
I did not understand why the Moon Goddess gave me such a fate.
At two years old, a Rogue attack tore me from my family. I was abandoned at a neutral orphanage, starving, freezing, and bullied by other children.
My only hope in those dark days was to be reunited with my family one day.
But when I finally came home, my parents had already adopted a daughter more precious than I. And that was none other than Cressida.
She was the child of a beta who died protecting my father, Harlan. Out of gratitude, my parents gave her all their love.
And me?
Though I returned to the family, I was always an outsider.
But my mother continued, “Elysia, you grew up in an orphanage. Prison won’t be that bad for you. Your sister was raised in comfort, how could she survive in such a place?”
I froze, unable to believe those words came from my birth mother.
Swallowing my despair, I asked, “What about me? Why should I admit to something I didn’t do?”
She frowned, irritation showing. “You came back from the orphanage and took everything that should have belonged to your sister. Now, this is your chance to repay her.”
It felt like my soul shattered.
Who really stole from whom?
I was their biological daughter.
For the first time, I lost all composure and shouted, “So you want me to take the fall, and I’m supposed to thank you for it?”
She stayed silent, but her silence said everything.
I laughed bitterly, mocking the foolish girl I once was who dreamed of being loved again.
This was what I got.
But I would not surrender.
Clenching my jaw, I said firmly, “I will not confess.”
My mother’s expression darkened, rage building on her face.
Suddenly, the door opened.
It was Gamma Ryan who walked in.
For a moment, I suddenly felt a glimmer of hope building within me.
He might be the one Moon Goddess sent to save me.
Well, he was my fiancé, and our mating ceremony was set for next month.
He was the only one I thought I could trust.
I rushed to him, desperation in my voice.
“Ryan, you’re here…” I struggled to keep my voice calm. “You heard them, right? They want me to take the fall for Cressida. I didn’t do it. I shouldn’t go, right?”
All my trust, all my hope, rested in his hands.
But Ryan’s honey-colored eyes were cold and without warmth.
He said nothing and was only staring at me.
“Ryan?” I called, a chill spreading through me.
The next second, his hand landed on my shoulder.
I thought he was going to embrace me.
But before I could react, a sharp pain pierced through me instead.
My body froze.
It was the prick of a needle.
Stunned, I stared at him as my strength drained away, my body collapsing.
“You…” My eyes locked on the unfamiliar face of the man I had loved.
Cressida stepped out from behind Ryan, her eyes filled with joy.
“Ryan,” she said sweetly, “Thank you for doing this for me. I don’t even know how to repay you…”
Her words cut deeper than any blade.
I realized they had betrayed me long ago.
When? Why?
Ryan knelt beside me, his voice cold.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be over soon. You taking the fall for Cressida is best for everyone.”
He forced my hand onto a confession document.
“No…” My voice was hoarse, my fingers curling weakly.
But Ryan pressed harder, pinning my hand down.
My wolf, Snow, howled in fear and despair.
It begged me not to sign.
But the drugs had left me weak, powerless.
I turned to my mother one last time, crying out, “Mom, don’t do this to me…”
I begged and screamed, hoping to stir even a shred of love in her.
But she turned away, not looking me in the eyes.
Cressida held my mom, smiling as she said very mean words.
“Don’t worry, sister. I’ll take care of Mom for you.”
At that moment, my world collapsed.
I was forced to press down on the confession form.
Chapter 2
Elysia’s POV
A cold splash of water jolted me awake. I tried to move, but a chain dug into my ankle, biting deep and burning with pain.
The air was filled with the stench of mold, rust, sweat, and the metallic taste of blood.
It took me a moment to realize that I had been thrown into prison.
“Awake?” A female prisoner grinned. “Welcome to hell, little rabbit.”
Several others gathered, their eyes hostile. The one in front bent down, gripping my chin. “Newcomers have two choices: kneel and lick my feet, or be forced to. Which will it be?”
Though my family never cared for me, I was still the Alpha’s daughter of the Lunastra Pack.
No one had ever spoken to me like this. Abandoned, accused, and humiliated, all my pain boiled into fury.
My wolf, Snow, roared inside me. I slapped her hand away and said coldly, “Get lost.”
She froze for a moment, then laughed, a cruel, excited laugh. "You’re asking for death."
Her fist swung down, aiming for my nose.
I turned my head just in time. The chain yanked at my ankle, but I twisted her wrist downward.
She groaned, stumbling, but I was already moving. Training guided me, pulling her down, driving my knee into her stomach. She couldn’t fight back.
If it hadn’t been for the drug Ryan injected into me, he would’ve ended up the same.
Two more women rushed at me, one with a chair, the other with a broom, eyes full of malice. Snow stirred, ready to fight.
But before I could shift, one barked, a baton striking the bars. “Anyone who causes trouble goes solitary.”
The prisoners dropped their weapons. I also let go of the woman I had subdued.
She murmured an insult under her breath, spitting at me before backing into the corner.
Her wrist was red and swollen, with bruises covering her joints. Her eyes glinted with a clear sense of unfinished business.
The guards didn’t leave right away. One glanced at me. “You have a visitor.”
I froze. I hadn’t expected anyone.
A tall figure stepped forward. Hope flickered. It was my brother, Julian.
"Julian!" I cried out loudly.
Julian’s gaze landed on me for a brief moment, then quickly furrowed his brow, not with pity, but with disgust.
“You dare to resist?” he scolded.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Anger, confusion, and betrayal rushed through me. I lowered my head and said, "Julian, I was framed! I…."
He interrupted me. "Framed? How dare you say that? The werewolf court wasn’t harsh enough!”
I shook my head. “No, it wasn’t me. It was Cressida! Mom and Ryan know the truth! They forced me to take the blame!”
Julian's expression grew colder, the disgust in his eyes deepening.
“Enough. I wanted to believe you, but look at you now. You’ve lost your mind, refusing to admit guilt, slandering Cressida, and now even Mom and Ryan?”
“I didn’t… they’re lying to you…” My voice shook as I tried again.
But Julian cut me off, sharper than before. “Shut up. I’m not a fool. I know who’s lying here. Mother, Cressida, Even your fiancé Ryan accused you; how could they be wrong? You, on the other hand, keep defaming them. Do you know how much Cressida has cried for you, saying she wishes she could take your place? You’ve disappointed me.”
Disappointed? Shouldn’t I be the one disappointed?
My sister Cressida stole everything, my fiancé Ryan betrayed me, my mother abandoned me, and my brother refused to believe me. I felt hollow, as if my insides had been torn out, leaving me gasping through the pain.
Julian looked down, his voice cold. “From now on, don’t ever call me brother. I have no sister like you.”
I stared at his handsome yet frozen face, feeling lost. When I was first brought back to the Lunastra Pack, Julian had warned me clearly: Even if we share blood, don’t think you can replace Cressida.
Though he had always been distant and favored her, I never hated him. I had even risked my life once to shield him from a Rogue, nearly losing half of mine.
But in the end, Julian only cared if Cressida was safe.
It hit me then, cruel and simple, whether past or present, Julian had never seen me as his sister.
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, heavy with sorrow.
When your family abandons you and everyone thinks you’re guilty, how long can you hold on to the truth?
Julian gave his final warning. “Listen. Because of your crime, the two packs have cut all ties, and the damage can’t be undone. Our family is disgraced because of you. Stay here and pay for your sins!”
I clenched my teeth, glaring at him. “I am innocent!”
“The evidence doesn’t lie,” he said flatly, loosening his collar. “Elysia, what you should do now is confess. Stop resisting. If you don’t behave, Thunderclaw’s Alpha will bring his fury to our pack.”
With that, Julian turned and walked away, taking the last shred of hope with him.
Snow inside me howled in grief and pain. We had been abandoned completely.
I couldn’t even cry anymore. I could only gasp for air like someone drowning, desperate to breathe.
I felt like I was suffocating. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, slow and even, each one hitting my nerves.
I looked up, thinking Julian had returned, but the figure wasn’t him.
A man stood against the light, the scent of pine in the air, his presence heavy and oppressive. When he stepped closer, I saw his eyes, dark green, cold as a serpent.
It was Vince. The Alpha of Thunderclaw Pack. His sister was the one who had been poisoned.
He didn’t look as furious as I expected. Instead, he was calm, too calm. But I knew that calm was only the silence before the storm.
“I didn’t poison your sister,” I tried to defend myself.
He gave a simple "Hmm," as if listening to a child’s story, neither agreeing nor stopping me.
Tapping his finger twice on the iron bars, his gaze slid to the chains on my ankle.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said coldly. “I’ll make sure you know your mistake.”
Chapter 3
Elysia’s POV
I shook my head hard. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t poison her.”
Vince chuckled softly. “Do you know the toxicity of aconitum?”
Before I could answer, he continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “In small doses, it numbs the sense of smell and leaves the wolf disoriented. A little more, and the heart races, you lose connection with your wolf.”
My heart almost skipped a beat. “W-What do you want to do?”
He didn’t reply. Instead, he motioned to a female prisoner nearby. She rushed over eagerly, eyes shining with anticipation. Vince handed her a small bottle filled with green liquid, and her gaze lit up like a wolf spotting prey.
Then he pressed a thick stack of bills into the guard’s hand.
The guard’s face stayed blank, but he didn’t refuse, calmly slipping the money into his pocket. It was smooth, practiced, as if they had done this many times before.
Vince turned around, his voice cool as he said, "Take care of her."
With that, he left.
Silence weighed heavily until a wicked laugh broke it. The prisoner licked her lips, clutching the bottle as she moved closer. “Looks like your good days are over.”
She bent down, sliding her fingers under my chin. “Enjoying the gift from Alpha Vince,” she whispered cruelly.
I struggled, chains clinking as my body trembled, but in this cold prison, no one would hear me.
The others pinned me down, and before I could react, she poured the aconitum into my mouth.
My breathing turned erratic, my chest tightening, my heart racing. The blood drained from my face. It felt as though my wolf had vanished.
Snow howled inside me, but the bond was weak, fading fast.
Without my wolf, I was no match for these women.
I tried to spit out the liquid, but a fist smashed into my face. Pain exploded across my cheek, my ears ringing..
The women surrounded me, kicking my legs until I dropped to my knees. I braced myself on my bleeding palms, refusing to bow.
"She’s still glaring at us," one of them sneered.
Then a sharp kick slammed into my ribs. I coughed blood, gasping as their laughter and insults filled my ears.
It felt like falling into hell. And I knew this was only the beginning.
I lost track of time. Every day, I fell asleep in pain and woke in pain.
Finally, the day for visits came again, the one time each month I might see someone.
My heart pounded nervously.
Would anyone come? Who would it be? My mother? My father? Or maybe my brother?
When the door opened, I saw someone I had only ever met in nightmares. Vince.
He wore a black coat, and when his eyes landed on me, there was no sympathy, only the coldness of a predator.
“You’ve lost the bet again.”
Every visiting day, Vince made bets with me. He said if I won, I would get an easier month. But the scars covering my body, new and old, were proof I had lost every single time. I had lost completely.
“And do you know the outcome for a gambler who always loses?” he asked. He raised his hand, wiping the blood from my cheek almost gently. “Each time you lose, the punishment grows worse.”
The other prisoners snickered, some rubbing their hands in anticipation. I bit down on my tongue, the taste of blood forcing me to stay alert.
Vince straightened, his gaze cold. “You can choose to end it all.”
My heart tightened. “End it? How?”
“Die.” His voice was low, the words soft, almost like a suggestion. “Once you’re dead, the pain stops.”
For a moment, silence filled the cell. I closed my eyes, the unbearable pain tempting me to give up.
But deep inside, a small voice whispered: No. You must live. Clear your name. Make them pay.
Time blurred in that dark cell. I had almost forgotten what the moon looked like.
Vince stopped visiting after the day I lost Snow, my wolf, my only companion. Not because of the aconitum, but because I learned a hard truth: never trust anyone.
Without Snow, Vince lost interest in me, leaving the prisoners to torment me instead. But soon, they began to avoid me.
Especially the one who had lost an eye, she wouldn’t even look at me anymore.
I knew why. That stubborn voice inside me, my will to survive, had sparked something fierce.
So when they threw silver powder on me, burning my skin, I endured it.
And when they slept, I scraped the powder from my wounds and hid it. One night, I rubbed it into her eyes. Her screams filled the cell as she clawed at her face, blinded in one eye.
From then on, no one dared touch me. They called me crazy. I laughed. Only the crazy survive.
One day, a guard appeared. “You’re free.”
He unlocked my chains and warned, “58499, whatever happened here stays here. Once you leave, don’t speak of it.”
The nightmare was finally ending. I limped out, dragging my injured leg, and saw someone waiting beyond the iron door.
It was Julian.
He leaned against a car, brows furrowed. “What’s taking so long? Get in.” His tone was sharp, impatient, as if I were nothing more than filth to be disposed of.
I clenched my fists and lifted my head. For the first time in three years, I breathed the air of freedom. Dust, wind, and the faint scent of pine filled my lungs, strange yet real.
Something ancient, something wild stirred inside me.
“Snow.” Though gone, I whispered, “I’ll find you again. And I’ll make them pay for everything they’ve done.”
And my revenge began now.
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