chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Tanya’s POV

 

I was bored out of my wits and it felt like I was going crazy.

At first, I had been sleeping to block out the boredom and of how worthless I felt but now, I have gotten tired of sleeping.

Now, I couldn't even fall asleep again because I knew that the time for him to come home was close. Which meant the maid would soon bring my food.

I thought about my situation. Would it be better for me to go ahead with my father's plan and kill Arturo? Not just killing him but sourcing out more information from him.

My father wanted Arturo's pack. According to him, life would be better if he ruled the three Werewolf Kingdoms. And in order to do that, he wanted to dig out Arturo’s secret that could bring him down.

“The bastard is cursed either way so he's bound to die a miserable death. No one likes him and they're all afraid of him. I'm the perfect leader that everyone needs." That was my father’s favorite statement.

I wanted to tell my father that life didn't work that way, but I didn't have the guts to. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't be here.

He had tried other means to get Arturo's pack such as trying to ambush him. Unfortunately, Arturo and his men were more skilled than they thought and only one of the men my father sent made it back alive to give them the news. He died the next day.

The next time, he tried to bribe the leaders to overthrow him.

“He's not fit to lead! He's been cursed by the moon goddess and having him is just a liability to us! We don't need him, just let him go!"

 The elders were more thoughtful than that. While they reasoned in the same pattern as he did, they had to admit that Arturo was a wonderful leader aside from his faults. All his attempts proved abortive.

Their rejection made him very angry so he decided to take things into his own hands. That was when he decided to use “me” as his last card.

His triumph card.

“I am not sending you there for jokes or to love. You know your mission, do it! You will be duly rewarded." Those were the words he kept repeating in my ear and somehow, it made me feel like less of his daughter and more of one of his men.

I didn't even know how to begin with the job my father had given me. Arturo barely let me out of the room, he treated me like crap, beat me up, raped me and couldn't care less if I survived.

I had no manpower, no physical strength even as a werewolf.

How was I going to be able to get him to trust me, fall in love with me and enough to make him let me go near his food so he can poison him?

Seemed like a long shot to me but somehow, I was going to have to make it work.

I heard keys jingling and the door opened. The maid walked in with a tray and placed it on the table. This was what I used to know when Arturo would come home.

The maid always fed me a while before he came home. Normally, I would have sat quietly and watched the maid do their thing and leave before slowly walking up to the food but today, I spoke up.

“Can I ask you for something?" The maid was startled hearing my voice but I gathered myself and stood still, managing to nod my head.

“Is there a library around the house or somewhere I can get a book? I'm really bored."

 The maid turned around and looked over my shoulder.

“N-no, I don't think there is, sorry." I turned around and started to walk away.

I suddenly stopped when I got to the door and turned to look at myself. The first thing I felt was pity because I felt like I didn't sign up for this and I was getting a whole lot more than I deserved.

“There are a couple of books from the Alpha's library. I'm sure he won't notice one or two gone." one of the servants finally informed me frantically in a courteous tone.

My spirit felt lifted when I heard this. I gave the maid a smile as I walked away.

There was no real appetite to eat so I just left the food to help me feel better after Arturo was done with his usual.

Arturo’s POV

I had been staring at the same spot since I got back from my meeting with the Elders. Something that they said triggered me and I felt really depressed for some unknown reason.

This was one of those many times when I felt very worthless and ugly. Times when I felt really alone in the world.

As far as I could tell, I was the only one there for myself and the only one who didn't mock me behind my back.

Well, my best friend, Frank, and I. He walked into the room just when I thought of him..

“Hey man." Frank sat down opposite me and noticed the look on my face.

 When I didn't answer, he knew something was wrong again.

“Arturo, what's going on?"

 I looked at Frank and shook my head in silence. There were times when I actually wanted to tell him everything that was going  on and how I was feeling.

I hate to admit it but there were days when I actually wanted to cry to Frank but I couldn't. I was an Alpha! An Alpha with people to lead. How hopeless would I look if I was caught crying? An Alpha doesn't cry!

“Nothing Frank. Nothing is wrong." I squeezed out a smile and stood up from the chair, peeking out of the window.

Ever since the curse, I closed up all the windows because when I looked out, people laughed when they saw me. And I enjoyed looking out of the windows and trailing off just like I was doing now. It wasn’t like I couldn’t kill those mocking and laughing at me but it was worthless because I will have to kill everyone in both my pack and the other kingdoms. At least I was feared and that was enough.

“I'm not daft, Arturo. Ever since you got back from your meeting, you've been like this." he refused to believe me.

“Even if something is wrong, what can you do to help it? Just leave me alone and mind your business!” I yelled at his face in anger.

My lashing out was something that was very common to Frank. It was one way I let my frustration out and Frank had gotten used to it. 

But I can't remain this way forever. I don't want to have any kind of vulnerability.