Chapter 3

Natalia:

I paced around the yard as I processed what I had seen. The man’s body falling to the ground played in my head, making my heart throb, and the fact that the man who killed him saw it as normal only made this worse.

I just married a monster.

My chest aching more than I thought that it would as the air grew heavier around me, making it harder to breathe.

It wasn’t like I was human, but fucks sake, I didn’t go around killing people so casually. 

“Natalia, you pacing around this much would only make you dizzy” 

“The man just killed another…”

“He was a rogue invading his territory, this is only natural” Blake’s dad, Daniel, said so casually, stopping me from finishing my sentence. My hands shook as fire formed under my palm, the energy that I was carrying radiating from my system in reaction to the fear that I was feeling.

“How is it that you find this so casual? Your son just killed a man”

“I would have done the same thing, Natalia, this is nature's instinct for every wolf. The faster you get used to it, the better” he said before walking inside. I sighed and looked at the ground which I had cracked under Blake earlier and flicked my hand mending the cracks. The other members of this house looked at me curiously as I walked inside following Jodie who was waiting for me by the door.

My eyes caught the portrait and I felt like my whole world shattered in front of me when I realized that the beautiful woman was Blake’s mate. Having her in his life, I didn’t understand why he would want me as his wife, nor did I understand how she could accept such a thing to begin with. 

I walked inside the room which Jodie guided me to “your things would be set in the closet tomorrow morning, if you wish to fix them yourself…”

“Thank you, Jodie” I said, stopping her. The distaste in her tone told me that she didn’t want to be here, and judging by the circumstance, I believed that no one would want me in this house anyway.

“Dinner is in an hour, I will come to guide you to the dining room” 

I nodded and watched as she walked out of the room leaving me alone to think. How could my parents have done this to me? The fact that none of them bothered to question why the man didn’t want a wedding, or why he never bothered to show up on his own hurt me enough, but this…

I didn’t even know what to say about the situation that I was in now. And the fact that my whole ground felt unbalanced only made this worse. 

Why would my parents put me through such a thing? 

Just why?

***************** 

I walked into the dining room without saying a word, Jodie came up to me just as I was getting dressed an hour later as she had mentioned. My body tensed as I noticed that all eyes were on me, and I smiled at Rosalyn, Blake’s mum who called me to sit by her side. 

“Who allowed you to join my dining table?” Blake’s voice suddenly stopped me, making me frown in confusion. Everyone in the room tensed as he spoke and both Rosalyn, and Daniel, his dad, frowned in confusion at his words. His cold eyes met mine, and despite the embarrassment that I felt at his words, I still stayed completely still, wanting to know whether or not I understood him correctly.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I don’t believe that I allowed you to join me on my table, or to be in my presence”

His words cut through me like a dagger, and I found myself shying back as everyone looked at me. This time not with the same disgust or distaste, but with pity. My own soul felt like it was being ripped out of me, and despite not understanding the reason behind the feeling, I forced myself to stay completely still, masking my pain with a monotonous expression. 

“Blake…”

“If you wish to eat, the kitchen’s doors are always open, you can even dine in the living room. But should I be seated on this dining table, I do not wish to see your sight on it” Blake said looking up from the glass of water he was holding. I nodded at him, giving him a sarcastic smile before turning around to walk the way I had come.

“Mrs. Natalia…”

“I don’t wish to be disturbed, Jodie” I said entering my room. A sob broke from my lips the second I closed the door and I found myself sliding against it as embarrassment filled me. The fact that he had said it in front of everyone in the house so casually played in my mind, the maids who were standing, his family members… 

I have never been this humiliated or embarrassed in my life, nor have I felt like my soul was literally being sucked out of my body, especially not for someone that I just met.

“Mrs. Natalia” Jodie’s voice came from behind the door as she knocked it twice.

I forced myself to stop crying and to control my tone. Despite knowing that they could hear my sob, I didn’t want to give them the advantage of seeing it.

“Yes, Jodie?” I said from behind the door.

“Mrs. Rosalyn has asked that we bring you something to eat, do you want anything in particular?” 

“No, thank you, and I’m not hungry” I said calmly “you can assure Rosalyn that I am fine” 

I didn’t bother opening the door as I spoke. I walked to the bathroom and washed my face before looking at my reflection in the mirror, the feeling of me being sorry for myself filled me, and it was something that I hated. Especially since I grew up learning how to keep my head high despite everything that I might go through. 

I shook my head at myself for my attitude before walking back inside the room and locking the bedroom door. I knew that they would be knocking to come in eventually, if not tonight, tomorrow morning. But they could rot in hell if they believed that they could shatter down my pride and dignity.

You will pay for this, Blake Knight.