NEW PLAN

‎PORSHA POV

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‎I burst into a fit of laughter, as father's words hit my ear drums, “If this is a joke please stop it. I'm not crying anymore"

‎"Porsha we are serious" Dad informed, his voice thunderous, as a gigantic frown creeped to his face, “I have arranged a marriage between you and dragon king Leviathan tomorrow morning”

‎My laughter immediately died down as I tried to stabilize my shaky feet. My heart raced as I stared between mother and father, who share the same troubling expression.

‎"No, it can't be. That's not true" I yelled in a panic but still his expression remained unyielding.

‎With trembling limbs, I rushed to my mother's side, took her hands in mine and asked the question that plagued my mind, “Mom tell me it's not true. Tell me dad didn't sell my hand off to the enemy of all werewolves?."

‎Surly mom wouldn't lie to me, she wouldn't be part of something like this, or so I thought.

‎"It's true my dear. Dragon king Leviathan had captured our soldiers. He was going to do away with them unless your father agreed to his condition, and his condition was to marry you” Mom said and I froze.

‎With wide eyes I searched her eyes for answers, her eyes were watery and sincere, “My dear child, you have to do this for us, for our people, for the future of Vikland”

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‎In that moment my heart shattered, it hurt so much that I felt like it was stabbed multiple times with a dagger.

‎I pulled away from my mom, turned to my father who had a straight face, “Yes Porsha it's time to proof your loyalty to our people. You must marry Leviathan to save our people” He said, his tone absolute.

‎In that moment breathing became extremely difficult.

‎“No father” I said, wiping off my tears, tears that still persisted despite all my efforts. I found it difficult to believe that dad and mom would turn their backs on Ryder, siding with his murderer after everything he had sacrificed for our people.

‎Dad's eyes widen, he clenched his jaw bone and through gritting teeth, asked "What???"

‎"I said no father. I am not going to marry Leviathan..." I said my voice trembling with rage but before I could finish, dad cut in, his eyes burrowing into mine.

‎"Are you undermining my authority, Porsha?" He asked, his voice thunderous.

‎"Yes father" I answered, my eyes daring as I came face to face with him, "I will not marry that monster Leviathan, and there is nothing you can say to change my decision on this matter"

‎His eyes doubled in size as he stepped forward, and grabbed me strongly by the arm, "Don't you challenge me young lady or else...?"

‎“Or else what father?" I challenge once more, my voice firm, "What are you going to do? Have your servants beat me up, lock me in a dungeon, send me away to study some other useless course, or better still disown me, so you can impregnate another one of the palace helpers..."

‎"Porsha" He yelled, his hand raised to slap me but he stopped himself. His eyes blood red, I could almost see his wolf.

‎His nails burrowed into my skin, his hold hurt, it felt like my bone was about to break but still I refused to be frightened.

‎"My king don't do it. Tamper justice with mercy" Mom beseeched him, her voice trembling with tears.

‎"No mom don't beg him. Let him hit me, after all it's not the first time he has done this" I said through gritting teeth, my voice bubbling with anger, “What father? hit me. Don't tell me you finally grew feelings for me. Oh! I know. You are scared of ruining your merchandise"

‎"Porsha don't say such things. You are not a merchandise to your father" Mom corrected her voice laced with urgency.

‎"But I am mom" I stood my ground, my eyes blazing with determination.

‎“Think about it. For as long as I can remember this man has only used me to achieve all his selfish motives. Since I was 14 all he has done is betroth me from one man to another and then call off the engagement when his selfish demands were not met. All he knows how to do is offer me to the highest beater so he can compensate for his inadequacies as an Alpha..." I yelled in anger, my voice echoing through the room but once more I was cut off, this time my a thunderous slap across the face that made my gum bleed.

‎"You will learn to show respect or I will beat it out of you" He threatened with red eyes as he harshly releases my hand, causing me to land roughly on my hip.

‎My hip bone hurt, as well as my bruised cheek as I coughed out blood but I refused to give in, I refused to let him see tears in my eyes. I was done taking orders from him, if he wanted to kill me so be it.

‎"Go ahead father beat it out of me..." I voiced in anger before being cut off by mom.

‎"Porsha enough. Please not another word" She beseeched me on her knees, her tone spoke of desperation. At that point I didn't have a choice but to shut up, in as much as I didn't want to give in I had no choice. She was my mother, my back bone. I couldn't turn my back on her especially in this state.

‎She turned towards father, her palms placed together, “I apologize for my daughter's misbehavior. I will be sure to talk some sense into her"

‎"You better do" He said in anger pointing his index finger at her, then he turned to me, "You better shape up young lady”

‎And with that he strided out, shutting the door behind him. As the door shot echoed through the room it felt like a gunshot straight to my heart.

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‎"Mom" I cried, holding her in my warm embrace, “My Ryder is gone”

‎"Don't cry my dear” She comforted me with a pad on the back.

‎My chest pain doubled as I held tightly onto her, yearning for some comfort but instead she pulled away, wiped off my tears, and with a elaborate smirk  said something that sent chills down my spine, “Now wipe away off those fake tears of yours, we're alone".

‎“Fake tears???" I asked my voice trembling as I searched her eyes for answers, my head aching with confusion.

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‎“Yes my dear, your acting was perfect even I began to believe you had fallen in love with that man" Mom said, her eyes beaming with excitement, “Oh my darling Porsha, I knew you would one day make me proud but not once did I expect this much. You just made me the true Luna of this pack. Despite not being able to have a son you have made me go down in history as the mother of the girl who single handedly put an end to half a century fuge between the werewolf and the dragon clan. I must confess you are pretty smart Porsha. Tell me, how did you manage to sway Leviathan into your laps?"

‎At this moment my confusion  had doubled.

‎“Mom what rubbish are you talking about?. I just lost my fiancee, you should be sympathizing with me instead of coming up with such ridiculous suggestions. Why would I want to seduce Leviathan?" I thunder back at her, my body trembling with rage.

‎Her smile died down immediately, replaced by a disturbing frown. She searched my eyes for sometime before asking the pondering thought that roamed her mind, "Porsha, did you by chance fall in love with Ryder?"

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‎Swallowing a lump in my throat I lowered my head and gave the most sincere answer,

‎"Of course I fell in love with him, he was my fiancee ..." I said in tears but next thing that followed was a slap across my face.

‎"You're a disappointment" She insulted, her eyes blazing with rage as she grabbed a handful of my hair, pulling furiously, “Didn't I tell you not to fall in love with that man. Why are you so stupid?"

‎"Mom you're hurting me” I beseeched her in tears, as I tried prying her hands off. My scalp  felt like it was on fire due to pain.

‎“And I would hurt you more if you don't come back to your senses” She said, her eyes were blood red, “Didn't I tell you not to fall in love with Ryder?. Did I not tell you that a woman's strength is in her ability to keep her husband obsessed with her without letting herself fall in love with him. So tell me Porsha why did you disappoint me like this, how could you turn your back on your mother?” She asked, shaking me furiously.

‎“But I didn't mother. I would never betray you, I simply fell for a man who respected me..."

‎“Respected you? Porsha, no one respects you not even yourself" She yelled, her words like hot coal to my throat, difficult to swallow.

‎I stare up at her, and could see no remorse in her eyes, with trembling hand she grabbed one of my arms furiously.

‎"Porsha you are going to marry Leviathan and that's final”

‎"But mother I can't. How is the world going to see me? How is Ryder's mom going to see me. Her son gave his life for this pack, and I will betray him by marrying his murderer the next day" I explained in tears, my tone laced with desperation.

‎"There will see you as the queen that you are" She said her voice lowering as she released my hair, “Porsha you know I want the best for you. Marrying Leviathan despite not loving him is what is best for you, you wouldn't have to get hurt like I did when I saw your father with other women"

‎“Mom I love you and I know you want the best for me but I can't possibly be with Leviathan, cause our relationship is built on hatred, he only wants to marry me for revenge, because I assaulted him earlier...” I explained with great difficulty, my heart racing as I spoke. I thought she was going to be furious and blame me for the demise of our people, but what came out next stunned me.

‎“I'm aware, Anne told me" She informed nonchalantly and my mouth fell open.

‎“And you expect me to submit to someone like that?" I doubted with wide eyes.

‎"Yes" She said, her tone absolute, "You are going to submit to a man anyway so why not submit to the dreadful dragon lord, a man known for his excess wealth and power"

‎“I would be the proudest mother when that happens, then I would be able to get everything I ever wanted, and as a bonus you will be saving hundreds of men by doing so. You will be hailed as a hero, and I as the mother of the legendary hero" She added beaming with excitement.

‎“But mom what about my feelings? I will die slowly if I have to offer myself to that man" I said, my heart aching with untold pain. I refuse to let his threat come true.

‎“Then die" She said with a straight face, her eyes remorseless, and my heart sank.

‎"In the world we live in Porsha, a princess's feelings doesn't matter, her responsibility is first to her people then to herself" She explained, “Porsha you have to do this, if not for me, for your people. For the people you put in trouble because of your impulsiveness. You have till night fall to make a decision. I trust you will do the right thing”

‎She rose up and strided towards the door, leaving me in a wave of confusion.

‎"Porsha don't disappoint me” And with that she slammed the door. As the silence engulfed me, my mind raced with a troubling question "was I about to let hundreds of men die because of my pride?"

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‎With a heavy heart I burst into tears, unable to decide on what to do. Dad said the dragon clan had ambushed our people about half a century ago without any just cause, the same unjust wars have been fought in recent days all thanks to Leviathan, so how was I supposed to marry a man whose clan takes pleasure in unjust wars, who knows nothing but violence.

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‎“Porsha, what happened?” Anne asked as she stormed into the room, a look of concern etched on her face.

‎"Anne, my worst nightmare is coming true. My parents are selling me off to dragon king Leviathan” I cried out holding on to my aching chest as I tried composing myself.

‎“What? How did that happen?" Anne questioned as she crawled next to me.

‎“I don't know Anne, all I know is Leviathan captured our men and demanded my hand as ransom and my parents accepted, they offered me to him on a plata” I confessed between sobs. Never in my life have I been so disappointed, it was bad enough that my parents never truly cared for me but for them to show it like this was just disgusting.

‎“That's terrible. What are you going to do Porsha?" Anne asked her voice trembling, accentuating her pain.

‎“I don't know Anne but one thing I am sure of is, I would happily kill myself before I marry that animal” I informed with a firm voice, my eyes blazing with determination.

‎"Porsha don't say that, you're not going to die. This pack still needs you, I need you" She rebuked with a heavy voice, as she held my hands tightly in hers.

‎“But what choice do I have Anne?" I asked almost breathless, “I will die either way, being married to him is dead, not marrying him is still going to be dead, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let all those men die”

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‎“I understand how you feel Porsha, but there's no other way, you have to go along with this marriage. If not your father will be dethroned” She said, her eyes blazing with urgency.

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‎"I know, but I don't think I can do this. There have to be another way out of this, right?” I questioned, my tone laced with desperation.

‎“I'm afraid not Porsha. The only solution would be for Leviathan to reject this marriage, and you know that would never happen” She said casually and I froze.

‎Her words immediately took me aback, more like it sparked a fire in my brain.

‎That was it, my escape from Leviathan.

‎"You're right" I declared wiping off my tears, consequently confusing her.

‎“Right about what Porsha?" She doubted, a puzzling frown on her face.

‎I rose to my feet, a spark of assurance rising in my chest.

‎"I am going to get Leviathan to reject me" I informed, with a straight face, my eyes blazing with determination.

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