Unhappy Endings

Pain and suffering go hand in hand. It’s nothing new, nothing uncommon. My life had been nothing but hell from the moment everything changed for me at the ripe age of seven.

Yep, that’s right. I was seven when my world flipped upside down, so when I met him—you know, the one they tell you is supposed to love you unconditionally (a soulmate is what the humans call them)—everything was supposed to get better. Change. At least, that’s what I thought. That’s what I prayed for.

Nope. That was a lie.

 I was fucking wrong.

It will never get better; nothing is ever going to change.

I am unworthy of love.

I am unworthy of happiness.

Forever destined to continue in this fucking loop of hell and misery, praying for someone to come be my savior. You know, like a good ol’ Disney movie.

Ha! Jokes on them…

Disney got it wrong.

Life isn’t a fairytale…

And this? This is my unhappy ending.

______________________

Emilia’s POV—Age 7

Bang!

My heart stops and I frantically look around as I hear someone banging on the front door. My heart jumps in my throat and I immediately jump out of my bed and rush to my parents’ room.

My dad meets me in the hallway, and he looks tired as he crouches down in front of me. “Emilia,” he whispers, his voice gravelly. “I prayed I had more time before this happened, more time for me to explain…more time for you to understand everything going on around you…understand my decisions…but they are coming to collect their payment.”

“Frank!” my mother frantically exclaims as she comes rushing out of their room, pulling her robe around her tightly. “They can’t do this!” She reaches for me, pulling me into her arms. “I refuse to let them have her! She is only seven! The deal says when she turned sixteen…please, Frank, beg them for more time. Anything for me to have my little girl for a few more years!”

Tears flow down her face as she begs my father. I stare at them, my eyes pinging back and forth, struggling to understand what is going on.

What do they mean take me? Why can’t I stay with my mommy and daddy?

I’ve been a good girl…at least, I think I have. I have been cleaning my room and helping mommy since she is having another baby…her tummy is really big, and she struggles to do all the things like she used to—like pick me up when I am scared and have bad dreams. But it’s okay…she promised me once she has her baby, then she can pick me up and give me cuddles…

Bang!

“Frank! I know you are home; I can smell you! Hand over the girl if you know what is good for you and your mate!”

Fear…

My eyes water as my dad picks me up. He rushes to his room, pushing the door open. He stops in front of the hidden compartment in the room—his secret room, he likes to call it—and places me on the floor. He crouches in front of me. He grabs my chin and forces me to stare in his eyes.

“Baby girl, you have to listen to me. I need you to hide. Like we used to. This is a game of hide and seek, but you have to be super quiet, no one can hear you.”

“Daddy,” I whisper, “I’m scared, what’s going on?”

“Em, I know you don’t understand. I am going to try and buy us some time and then I promise you, I will tell you…I will make you understand. I just need you to do this for daddy. No matter what you hear, you don’t leave this room. Only if you hear mommy or daddy give you the secret word. What’s our secret word, Emilia?”

“Watermelon.”

“Such a good girl,” he whispers. He opens the door and pushes me inside, just as I hear a crash coming from downstairs.

A small whimper leaves me as I carefully listen to what’s going on outside the room. Daddy told me I can’t leave…no matter what I hear.

Daddy will come back for me.

He has to, right?

Seconds turn to minutes, feeling like eternity, before I finally hear something. My heart stutters frantically in my chest as I try and fight the panic building inside me. I hear mommy’s desperate cries and daddy’s angry yelling before it is silent for a brief second.

The door outside bangs open, indicating they are now in daddy’s office. I look out the very small, tiny peephole in the corner of the door, praying everything is almost over.

Mommy always told me Mother Selene hears all of our prayers and answers them. She protects us.

Right now, I am praying extra hard to Mother Selene.

She needs to protect mommy and daddy from the bad people that are in the house.

“Where the fuck is she Frank?!” An older man with dark brown hair, and dark, green eyes growls. His eyes scan the room, like they will hold the answer to the question he asks my dad. Instead of giving him the answer he wants, my dad shakes his head, refusing to give him the satisfaction of answering him.

“I promised he could have her when she turns sixteen…my baby girl is only seven…it isn’t time to collect your debt!”

The guy laughs menacingly, beckoning for someone else to step forward. I have to stop the little cry from leaving me as I realize he is dragging my mother by her throat further into the room.

“Frank, the Alpha is refusing to wait any longer. You either hand her over or watch as my men take your mate—and I promise you, good ol’ Joe over there has some pretty dark fantasies with pregnant women. I wouldn’t want him touching my mate if I was you.”

Mommy screams, tears running down her face. “Frank,” she begs him. “Don’t you fucking dare let them have her. I don’t give a fuck what they do to me. Just don’t let them have my baby—not yet.”

The old man glares at my mother, his eyes darkening as he growls. “You think this is going to stop me from following my Alpha’s orders?” He laughs heartily. “Not a chance in hell, lady. I will let them have you, make you scream while your mate watches, then kill you. If Frank still refuses to hand her to me, I will kill him to, then I will find your little girl. And I will take her. I never fail a mission. Your daughter has a bounty on her head, and I plan to fucking collect my due.”

Everything after is a whirlwind of screaming and cries. I can hear my dad’s anger as he screams for the bad men to stop attacking my mom.

They don’t stop, even though I wish they would. Each one of her cries tears through me and I desperately wish I can help her.

And as much as I wanted to open the door while the men hurt my mommy, I can’t. I remember the promise I made to daddy. I don’t want daddy to be mad at me.

It feels like hours have passed since they started torturing my mommy before they kill her and turn all their attention back to my dad.

My dad’s eyes are bloodshot as he stares at the man in front of him in defiance, still refusing to tell them where I am. His eyes glance to the door where I am hiding before they quickly turn back to the man hovering in front of him.

“Why should I fucking tell you where she’s at?” he spats, “You just had my mate brutally raped and murdered in front me! Not only taking her, but my unborn child too! Emilia is better off without going to your shitty Alpha!”

And those were his final word before the man snaps his neck. My dad’s lifeless body falls to the ground, his eyes falling to the cupboard where I am hiding at…

His face will forever be engraved in my head, and I vow one day I will avenge their senseless deaths.