Dead Hope

Wincing as I pulled the scarf over my head and tied the knot securely beneath my chin, I deliberately averted my gaze from the mirror, unwilling to confront the brutal reality of my reflection after the collision with the wall— all thanks to father.

I exhaled sharply, dropping the small blue box onto the bed. I started with the sturdy dresser.

"Oh, Camille, my dear," Rosalind’s shrill, high-pitched voice broke from behind as she made her way into the room, her arms outstretched for a comforting hug.

"Don't you dare touch me!" I snapped, my tone thick with anger. I continued packing, not bothering to turn and face her.

Rosalind Loeka stood there, visibly stunned.

As if gathering her courage, she quickened her pace. "Oh, goodness, you poor thing! I know you're hurt, but shouldn’t you know better than to question your father's decisions?”

"Enough!" I yelled, my voice sharp enough to send shivers down her spine.

"That's no way to speak to your mother, young lady!" Her rebuke sounded weak and feeble.

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed. "You know what? I have nothing more to say. You can leave now. I have some packing to finish."

"There are rules, and all you had to do was follow them. But you always choose to—"

"What rules, mother? Tell me!" I snapped, my eyes burning with hot tears that stung at the corners as I turned to face her.

“That's your problem. You're always rushing too fast.”

"Am I? Where were these rules when it was about the boys? Do they only exist when it's about me?” I grabbed Rosalind’s shoulder firmly.

“Where was this rule when Conrad killed a pack member the night he shifted because he couldn’t control his rage? Where was this rule when Devon failed the Council’s requirements, yet father still bought his way into the academy? Where were the rules, mother?" I snapped, biting my lower lip to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over.

"You... u... don’t understand. You can’t expect the same things because…” she stuttered miserably.

"I'm a girl," I finished the sentence for her, tears streaming down my face. "That’s what you were going to say, right?"

She said nothing. Her silence betrayed her.

"And what if I expect the same things as they do? What’s wrong with that, mother!? Why is it so terrible for a daughter to expect the same things as the sons in a home? Tell me!"

I grabbed her arms before she could turn away, her face mirroring mine. “Camille, this is different. You can’t understand it,” she said, turning her back.

“Then make me understand! Make all of this make sense,” I pleaded, gripping her arms tightly, hoping—praying this could be her chance to set things right between us.

“Don’t you care, mother? Don’t you see how much I’m hurting?” I asked, staring into her gentle, light hazel eyes.

“Oh, I do, my love,” she replied softly, reaching her hands toward my cheeks.

“Then fight for me. Let father know I need to go to the Academy.” I pulled her hands away from my face, clutching them tightly, hoping—hoping that somehow she could see it.

“It’s not the same, and I don’t know how to make you understand it, Camille,” she said, pulling away as if she had suddenly seen a ghost.

The knot in my chest tightened painfully.

Dabbing tears from her face, “Your marriage to Alpha Sigewuf is final. Your father has decided, and it’s in your best interest.”

And there it was—dead hopes. Another precious dream shattered. My hand slipped from hers, like dead leaves falling from a tree during autumn.

I had hoped she would fix this. Fix us. But that hope was never going to come true.

Without another word, I turned toward my box, tossing what I had left into it. I left the room.

I didn’t say another word to her. I left her in the silence of what would no longer be my room, to grapple with her dead conscience.

No words. No hugs. No goodbyes. No bonds. Just shattered hopes.

Two guards appeared immediately as I stepped through the grand doors of the mansion. One took the box from my hands, while the other led me to one of the sleek cars lined up in front of the estate.

Tires screeched as each vehicle sped away from the mansion, leaving behind what had once been my entire dream and what was now my painful past..

***********

Alpha Sigewuf sat beside me, only turning to face me momentarily before planting his eyes back on the iPad in his hand.

I had no idea when I had fallen asleep, but I could feel the heavy presence hanging above me, pushing my puffy eyes open. The words left my mouth before I could even think:

“What exactly do you think you're doing?”

The thin smile on his face faded as quickly as it had appeared.

Alpha Sigewuf stepped back. “Watch your tone!”

PRIDE.

That was it. Alpha Sigewuf had lots of it, and even the tiniest stain on that pride was a trigger.

“You should know better than to stare directly at anyone while they sleep. Who knows, you could be a threat.”

His chin hardened as he stifled his anger. Without another word, he started toward the door of the Rhaul’s mansion. I maintained my aloof countenance as I followed behind.

The door opened up even before he got an inch closer. Servants were lined up with their heads bowed low enough, as if they were conditioned to remain that way.

With a double snap of his fingers, one of the servants—who I would later learn was Lana—stepped forward. If his tone was ever cold, this time when he spoke, it sounded grave:

“Take her to the suite. You'll be attending to her tonight,” Alpha Sigewuf said with so much irritation in his voice before walking away.

It didn't take Lana ten minutes to prepare the bath and have my things set on the bed.

“Will you be needing anything else, my lady?” Lana asked, her head bowed stiffly.

“No. That'll be all for tonight. Oh—one more thing: I'm not your lady. Just call me Camille.”

The shock on her face was enough to show she wouldn't dare follow through on that order.

She nodded and shut the door quietly as she exited the suite.

Sitting in the bathtub, my eyes closed as my body soaked in the scented perfume.

The door to the suite opened up and clicked shut.

Tilting my head toward the door as I tried to dry the soap out of my eyes, I asked, “Is that you, Lana?”

There was no reply.

Finally getting the damn soap out of my eyes,

I opened them to find Alpha Sigewuf standing at the door of the bathroom. His bare torso tense.

My heart was pounding against my chest like it was going to explode. I cupped my breast with one hand, turning my back to him.

“What is the meaning of this, alpha?”

He drew a step closer. “Welcome home, lady Sigewuf,” that sinister smirk on his face.