Betrayed from Birth – Alpha’s Unvalued Daughter
Betrayed from Birth – Alpha’s Unvalued Daughter Chapter 24

Raven's POV

I spent the next few weeks training. Stella is a machine, and we decided to go to one of the places she trained at and get help from her friend who was the owner of the gym to help train me. She said that he was a way of explaining everything that just makes it easier. Probably because he has been training people for so long, it was like second nature to him. He corrects me on my foot placement, and how to do the kicks and form correctly. He did have a great way of explaining it to us. He was about 35, and his wife helped him to train, she stayed with us and sparred with me even to help. She could tell that I was more hesitant, and worried about it, and she probably thought that I had been attacked and wanted to learn self-defense for my protection, and she wasn't too far off the mark.

My dad even paid for private lessons for the two weekends before the ball. It was like he thought that I might need to defend myself, even though I highly doubted it. Stella would be with me that night, and so would my brothers, I doubt I will need to be up to speed so quickly, but I found out that I liked to train. I was just being sarcastic when I invite my former family, and mate to come to the ball. They could not be stupid enough to think that it would be a good idea, or that I was serious about it. But dad seemed to be aware of something that I wasn't, plus I enjoyed learning. I was good at it, a natural from what Paul and Janell, the trainers, had told me. They had never seen anyone, not even Stella take such a strong grasp of it from just a few training sessions. I have to say that I am much more confident now than I was. I was not looking for someone to protect me like I used to do. I knew that I would be able to protect myself if needed. Dad went with us, or Austin, to my training sessions.

Austin even participated in some of them. Dad paid a lot of money for the one-on-ones, and they welcomed him to join us. Stella was so proud of me, and when I had the last training, my 10th one, I had a little graduation from it. I got to spar with Paul, Janell, and Stella, and I managed to land a hit on each of them. I know it was because I still trained with Stella at the pack that I had gotten up to speed as quickly as I did. She was the reason for it, and Olivia had picked up a gift for Stella for me. I wanted her to know how much I loved and appreciated her for her taking me under her wing from inception. She didn't care because of who I was, she cared because I needed help, and she wanted to be my friend. She was my only true friend, and I wanted to show her how much I appreciated her.

We all went out to eat after my graduation, and I have to say that loud noises or people just popping up around me don't scare me like they used to. Sometimes I catch myself getting into a stance to kick someone who just comes out of nowhere, and I have to just laugh it off when that happens. Better safe than sorry, and I see that I am holding my head up more for it. I ran here in the middle of June, and it is just after the 4th of July now, with the party coming up in two days this coming weekend. My days are busy, and things are moving very quickly right now, and I have never been happier. My morning starts early with training with Lanie, Stella joins me for that training. Then we grab a shower and breakfast. I have been trying my hand at a few things, and sewing is not my gift, and neither is any of the other hobby or craft things that I tried. It took a week, but I found baking makes me very happy.

I love making desserts, and I lose track of time in the kitchen. Baking cakes, pies, and cookies are my favorites, but I can make meals too, and I was really proud of how much I enjoyed it. Stella has been taking me to the pool every day, as according to her, we "Don't get it for long", as it isn't warm enough here in Oregon for a long summer. She already had a tan, but I didn't, and she wanted me to have a healthy glow, and not be the pasty white that I had been from not getting out during the day. We had it down to an art now. I put the cakes in the ovens and set a timer for them. The ladies in the kitchen would always get them out for me, for me to put the icing on later on. They actually appreciated the help, and a lot of people here loved my cakes. Six of them would be put out for the pack, they kept one back in the kitchen, and one for mine and the Betas family to eat. The cakes were allowed to cool and for me to decorate. So we hung out at the pool and swam, floated, and occasionally napped in the sun. We would eat lunch, and then I would decorate the cakes before Stella and I hit the forest to run. That was where I found the only thing that I was better at than Stella. I was really very fast, despite Emerald's size, she excelled at running, no wonder they couldn't catch me when I left the Silver Blade pack. Stella was really impressed with Emerald as she was a massive wolf, even larger than Stella and her wolf, Star. Stella kept telling me that she thought that I was still going to end up being a Luna, as not many females were my size. She firmly believed that I was destined to be in a large pack, and not a smaller one like Silver Blade, which had about 455 members. When a wolf my size was noted, they were indeed mated to an Alpha and belonged to a very strong pack. I didn't care who my mate was, I just wanted them to love, and be faithful to me, I don't want another repeat of the mate I had been given again. I didn't dream of running a pack, I dreamed of loving, being loved, and having pups to shower love on. I am going to be a good mom, like Olivia is, to my pups. She is wonderful and getting a hug and kiss on my cheek every night before bed, from both her and dad, has been one of my favorite routines that I have started since I have been here.

I had also gained about 8 lbs. since I got here, even with all the exercise I was getting. My shape was changing for the better. I had strong arms and was very toned all over now. My dad made sure I didn't miss any meals, and he was really happy about how well I was doing now. I was flourishing under their care, and I could tell as the ball approached, it seemed like their hugs got longer before they kissed me goodnight. I wasn't going to complain about it, I felt that they just liked the fact that they could hug, and not get the "mom" or "dad" whine at being hugged like my brothers did. They both felt like they were too old for that kind of attention before bed, but it was truly the highlight of my day.

I never thought about Silver Blade anymore. I didn't miss one person from that pack, they all disgust me, what kind of people bullied a kid? Just because the Alpha allowed it? You were just going to do that clearly because you all can't think for yourself. That should have been a big red flag for anyone to see what had gone on in the pack for all those years. It didn't make sense that no one in the pack ever questioned the actions of grown adults, and their children, hurting another child. I preferred to just not give any of them a second thought. I have faith that the Moon Goddess was going to give them what they deserved, sooner or later. I didn't have to see it, I had faith in her. Olivia was concerned about the possibility of Silver Blade coming here for the ball. I was pretty sure that they would not have the nerve to show their faces around here, and I was sorry that I even said the words. I was wrong, I did it to toss it in their faces that I was going to do so much better with my new family than I ever did at Silver Blade. I just did it because I was positive that until Reagan saw it for herself, she would never stop believing that she had won. She didn't, she cheated trying to win, by stacking the deck and ended up getting caught. I cannot believe that she thought that it was going to work out for her. After seeing the interaction between them when I rejected him, I know for a fact that she and Justin are not living happily ever after.

I am both excited, and nervous about the ball. I have gone to get some dance classes in the city with Stella, and the guys went with us. All three of them, Carter, Austin, and Joshua went because the older two believed that they might find their mates at the ball as well. They want to be polished, and charming, for their mates, and I thought that it was cute. I have never been to a dance, and I needed to practice dancing in my heels. Amazingly enough, all the MMA and Krav Maga training that I was getting, actually helped me with core strength and made it easier for me to wear the heels. I have taken a class in each pair of heels with Austin, or Joshua as my partner. That was weird too, but he didn't want to dance with his sister. Carter and Austin traded out dancing with Stella. Lanie went to at least half the classes with us, as she was 23, and had not met her mate yet. She was hopeful as well at finding him at the ball.

The days went by faster and faster as we got closer to the ball, but I was as happier than I have ever been. I could live out the rest of my days doing exactly what I was doing with my time. I have found hobbies that I really enjoyed, and I could not imagine myself getting any happier. Justin had kind of spoiled my excitement at finding my second chance mate. I have some deep-rooted trust issues that I am dealing with, but I am told that is to be expected. I knew better than to trust people in that pack after what Justin did, I just wasn't interested in meeting a lot of new people or making new friends. Other than my family, and the Beta family, the few ladies that I enjoy cooking with, I am perfectly content with where I am right now. I don't want to overwhelm myself, and there is no rush to do any more than what I was already doing. I have a full schedule, that I really enjoy. I am OK with waiting like a year or so, to get extra time with my family, before I want to try for my second chance mate. I was 18, and as far as I was concerned I had plenty of time, and some work to get through before I was going to be over what all I had been put through.

My dad and Olivia have been the best at helping me with the baggage that I have carried. I have gone to family counseling with my parents and brothers, and one-on-one for me to be able to speak just by myself. I didn't realize how much pent-up anger and frustration I had inside me. I thought I was fine, only to find out that my anger was slowly poisoning me, and I wasn't going to let it consume me. I was progressing on my own time, and I will say that it brought me and my newly found family a lot closer together. I caught dad and Olivia looking at me smiling like they were trying to get my face memorized. They have commissioned a painting to be done on the day of the ball after we are all dressed up for the event. They wanted us to stand on one of the curved stairwells of the newly built event center to get a picture of all of us. Olivia said we will do it after we all get ready for the ball before we let the guests into the new event center that they had built. They needed a bigger area, and it was just completed at the end of last week. That is where we will be having our pictures taken and she and dad will select their favorite photo to have the painting made from.

The place looked great, it has a seating area both upstairs and downstairs, a bar upstairs, and two downstairs, and an overlook to the dance floor upstairs. With a wraparound half-wall, people can stand up there and watch people either dancing, or for a ceremony, local Alpha meetings, or training sessions. It is a multipurpose venue, and it was beautiful. It has two curved staircases going down to the bottom floor. It is a focal point as you enter the double doors to the space. They had designed it to be both beautiful and functional, to work for whatever ceremony was being done there. Olivia had wanted the original painting of just the four of them in the entryway replaced, so the whole family is represented. The old painting currently hanging in the entry to the packhouse will go somewhere else and will be replaced with this new one.

I love how Olivia includes me in so many things, and the best part is that she and I are very close, and I love her as much as I love my dad. I trust in them both to do the right thing for me, and I know that I will start calling her mom any day now. I was uncomfortable with it at first as I felt like it would upset my brothers like I was trying to take their mom from them, but they are both encouraging me to do it. Austin even teased me and said, "Raven, don't wait for the party to do it, or you are totally going to mess mom's makeup up. She will look like a raccoon, and no one wants that before an important party." Carter laughed at what Austin had said and then agreed with him. He was right, I needed to not do it that night. Maybe sometime after that, I don't want to force it, I want it to be natural and right. Olivia gave me so much love, I did already think of her as my mother already, I just haven't said the word out loud to her yet. I know it will mean as much to her as it does to me when I finally do get there.

I know that deep down inside me that sometimes I actually hope that my former parents, and I am using that term very loosely, come to the party. I really hope that Reagan has the nerve to actually show up too. I don't want to see Justin, I am finally in a good place, and I don't know how I am going to feel about it if he does come. I don't have anyone I am interested in, and I don't have a second chance mate yet, so the odds of me being upset at seeing him are greatly increased. I had a crush on him for the last 2 years before I found out he was my mate almost a month ago. Oddly enough, the last 3 and a half weeks have been easier on me. My family's love and support, the Beta family's love, and support have gotten me to where I am right now, and I have changed in more than a few ways from the girl I was. I was happier today than I have ever been in my life.

I feel a little guilty as I secretly prayed for Reagan to come here and try to start something. I can't help myself, and I can't stop myself from visualizing her giving me a hard time, and then trying to hurt, or shove me. I wanted her to take a shot. I know in my heart that I hope that she does. That she does it in front of a crowd of people, and then I show her that her reign of terror she had me under, no longer applies anymore. That whatever she ends up doing to me, I will repay her two-fold. I feel a little guilty about it, as I know this party is for me, for my parents to introduce me to their friends and allies as their daughter. I don't want to cause a scene or a mess here in the new place. But I will not allow Reagan to get under my skin again. Never again, I refuse to acknowledge that we share a mother anymore.

As far as I am concerned, I am with my parents. Cassandra was just a vessel for me to get here. She never loved me, she never cared for me, and she never lifted a manicured finger to stop what she saw being done to me on a daily bases. I tried to be the best daughter I could be to them at Silver Blade. I wasn't disruptive, I obeyed all they told me. I didn't do anything that would cause a problem even with Reagan, and I had to deal with a lot of crap on her end of it. I kept my head down and tried to make them love me by being the best daughter that I could be. I never realized that they were incapable of doing that, and all because of mistakes and choices that THEY made. I hope they come here for the party. I hope they see me living my very best life. I hope that the sight of me enjoying myself, laughing, and dancing as I am introduced into society by my family, who love me, pisses them all off. I hope Reagan sees all this and realizes that maybe she should have spent her life trying to be a better she-wolf, than trying to steal everything away from me. It won't stop me from asking her, "How is it working out for you now"? Because I am going to make sure to tell her that it sure as hell worked out for me.