Chapter 4 Hard Choices
- MELISSA -
I cupped my lips, stepping back. My eyes grew wider as the reality of what I had done became clear to me. I didn't just slap the alpha, I slapped the man who could decide my life and death.
I dropped to my knees and bowed my head till it hit the floor. My hands pressed against the ground and I trembled, in trepidation.
“I… I am… so sorry. I'm… I didn't mean it, I swear.” I stuttered. Perspiration gathered on my forehead and dripped on the dirt floor. I couldn't see his face, I couldn't tell what he was doing but I knew he was mad. My skin sizzled at the burn of his eyes glaring at me.
He heaved and clicked his tongue. That seductive sound his tongue made in his mouth, no longer felt so charming now. “You filthy omega.” He mocked me. “You actually dared to lay your hands on me.”
“I didn't mean it. I swear. I swear.”
He scoffed, the tone of his voice was soaked in disgust. I heard the crushing sound of leaves coming to me. I glanced at the shadow of his feet and saw that he was drawing closer. He stopped right next to me and I felt his hands grip my hair.
“Look at me or else I will rip out your scalp.”
I bit my lip really hard, my breath trembling. I raised my head slowly, looking up into his eyes.
“You refuse to tell me your name, you dare to hit me, you dare to go against your alpha; your audacity is insane. If you weren’t so worthless, I would have actually been thrilled by your daring behavior.”
He waved his head like he pitied me. “You see that's the thing. You are a waste of a creature yet you are still unable to keep your head down and stay out of trouble. You refuse to rid yourself of wishful thinking…. Do you want to be my mate? Do you really think I would take you? You fool. When I'm through with you, you will know exactly what happens when you dream too much.” He threw my head aside, stepped back and let out a terrifying howl.
My heart stopped.
‘He… did he just call the pack guards? No, it can't be. He can't do this.’
I scurried to him, grabbing his feet. He pulled his legs back, shaking it vigorously. I followed him, my knees scraping on the dirt floor. I gripped his trouser leg and I refused to let go.
“Alpha Fredrick, please… please I beg you. Don't do this to me please. I'm your mate.” I touched my chest, tears welling up in my eyes. “That has to mean something to you. Please, don't let them take me away. Please I beg you.”
He kicked his leg really hard, the force jerking me off him. I fell to the floor, clashing on the rocks on the ground. I groaned, wincing in pain. Sharp pebbles dug into my skin and sliced it. Blood dripped from the open wounds. Before I could get up, the guards rushed into the garden.
“Take this wretched thing out of my sight.” The alpha ordered. I scampered to my feet and ran. But I was probably crazy because the Alpha’s guards were the fastest gammas in the pack. They chased me, grabbed me and forced me to the ground. I struggled, fighting their grip.
That's when I felt it. A thick, strong metal slamming against my head. The lights went out and the world sunk into darkness immediately.
2 DAYS LATER
The clanging of metal doors in the distance woke me. I opened my eyes and wearlily stared into the distance. There was a small light breaking into the darkness then I heard footsteps. I was hanging, suspended with my hands. My shoulders felt dislodged and my wrists were probably broken. My knees trembled so much I couldn't stand.
The lights followed the footsteps. I tried to focus my eyes on the figures. I dragged myself a little closer to the bars peering harder.The figures stopped in front of my cell. The cell was unlocked. One of them entered, came to me and raised my chin. Our eyes locked. I heaved, painfully.
“A… alpha.” my lips tried to force up a smile but it couldn't. It was kind of good that my mate came back for me after leaving me here, in the darkness, for two nights.
“You know, I should have you killed. You were really worth nothing to me “ he muttered, shifting my chin from side to side. I groaned.
“Right now the whole pack thinks I don't have a mate. They think that I was told by the goddess that I should choose my mate. You are the only proof of my untruthfulness. I should get rid of you but…”
He drew a little closer, his face closing up the gap between us. His breath brushed against the tip of my nose. My wolf purred, awakened by the sensations that coursed through my broken body.
“There's something about you. Something I can't quite wrap around my finger. I… can't seem to bring myself to have you killed. So here's what's going to happen.” He stroked my hair back, uncovering my pale face. He gripped my chin and raised my head higher.
“You have two options, will you die or will you become my breeder?”
“Breeder?” I muttered, my voice barely audible. He nodded. There was this sudden softness in his eyes when I spoke. He even smiled. But why did he want me to be his breeder? If he really hated me, he could just kill me. Perhaps he did hate me?
“Will you be good to me? I… I don't want to end up… like your other breeders.”
His smile vanished immediately. I gulped. I think I pulled a nerve. His other breeders went missing and days after, their bodies would be found. Unconsciously, my mind flashed back to life back home. I remembered Aunt’s face. Cold shivers rippled through my spine. My body started trembling again.
His hands let go of my chin. He turned around. “I walk out of here, you lose all your chances. Choose fas…”
“I choose being a breeder..” I cut him off instantly. “between here and home, I choose being here.”
He chuckled and left. His guards began to enter, they went to the cuffs that helped me off the ground and they started to unlock it. Immediately the locks clicked open, my body slumped to the ground.
One of the guards stretched out his hand to me, to help me up. I touched his hand and my heart suddenly stopped.
I heard that voice again. In my head. It was muttering then it started to scream. ‘Don’t go with your mate!! Don't go with him!!! Stay away!!’
I covered my eyes, forcing my hands so tight my skull could have squeezed. I shook my head vigorously and kept yelling. “Stop!! Stop!! Stop!!”
It didn't stop. The screaming pierced my ears and tore into my head. I pressed my hands tighter, harder… begging it to stop. But it kept saying it until I got fed up.
I flared my hands in the air, jerking myself off the ground and grabbing the wall. My heart was pounding. My heart was aching. I groaned, hitting the wall.
“Stop. Just fucking stop!!”
A surge of energy broke out through my lips, like a wave. It blasted through the entire cell and shattered everything in its path. It knocked me out immediately.
