“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
I looked around for the source of the voice and when I saw Carmen and Liana staring at me in shock and disbelief I knew it came from me.
“Are you suddenly hard of hearing now Charlotte?” father asked, “I said that you will marry Alpha Hunter, it has been arranged and decided. The party will be used to announce your engagement.”
“But father why didn’t Alpha Hunter want me?” Liana asked.
“Because you’re a useless, ugly fool who talks way too much,” he spat and she whimpered slightly, “How am I supposed to know why he wants Charlotte? I don’t care why he wants her but he can have her as long as I get what I want in return.”
“He won’t have me.” I said shocking myself and everyone else. “He won’t have me because I am not going to marry him.”
“What did you just say to me Charlotte?” father asked and the room went deathly quiet, “For a second there it sounded like you refused me and said no but that can’t be possible.”
“I did say no,” I said and he raised his brows, “He is older than you; he is fifty four years old and I will not marry an old man.”
“He is my friend and partner and you will do as I say,” he said, “I’m surprised you know his age; you don’t seem to know much else.” He continued and I saw him stand, “Let me make something very clear to you for the very last time Charlotte.”
He moved over to stand in front of me. While standing he is a bit taller than me at exactly 6 feet but while sitting he completely towers over me.
“I used to think you were a lot smarter than this,” he began, “Liana has a bit of worth as my oldest daughter; she is the heir and everyone wants her. You are just the spare” He said but I was done listening, “I have arranged this marriage and it will go through.”
“No.” I said, “I won’t do it.” I said, “I can’t marry someone who is almost three times my age.” I begged, “I’m nineteen.”
I barely had five seconds to enjoy the fact that I had spoken back to my father when I felt his hand whip across my cheek and I tasted blood inside my mouth.
“You will stop this childish nonsense and do as I say,” he began, “Or I will make you.”
“I won’t marry him,” I said, “That is my final decision.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken Charlotte,” he said, “MY word is final and this is the last time we will speak of this.” He continued, “I have tolerated your disrespect long enough.”
“I won’t do it, no matter how many times you tell me to.”
He smiled and turned around. I thought he was about to leave but I should have known better; he will never let me have the final word. I didn’t see it in time or I would have braced myself.
He grabbed the book he threw at Liana and smacked the side of my head with it. Black spots danced across my vision and my ears started ringing. I cradled my head in my hands and sank to the ground.
“Get her out of my sight,” he spat and I felt someone grab my arm, “Lock her in her room; maybe tomorrow she will be more complaint with the offer she was so graciously given.”
I felt myself getting dragged out but I couldn’t focus on who was taking me because my head was still ringing.
I saw the familiar doors that led to my room and after I was led inside I expected the person to leave but my door was shut and Liana turned me to face her.
“Are you this stupid?” she asked and I narrowed my brows as much as possible, “Why didn’t you just agree to it? You were given the offer of a lifetime.”
“I won’t marry a man three times my age Liana; I’m barely legal.”
“You are so self-righteous,” she spat, “You are getting mated to an Alpha.”
“I don’t care if he is a stupid Alpha,” I forced out, “I don’t care if he’s the king of the world or the leader of the werewolf council; I will not marry him and nothing you say is going to change that.”
“You are such a selfish and entitled bitch did you know that?”
“Look if you are so interested in the plan and since it seems like you want him more than I do then why don’t you just take him?” I asked
“I would have because he was supposed to be mine!” She yelled and I went quiet, “Didn’t you hear what father said? He was supposed to be mine but then he requested you. You took him from me.”
“I don’t want him any more than you want me to have him.” I said, “You would have to be blind to miss that.”
“But that’s the problem isn’t it,” she said with a harsh laugh, “You never want anything but you always seem to take everything from everyone.”
“What are you even talking about?” I asked, “I didn’t take him; I don’t want him. How many times do I need to say it?”
“You took my mother,” she said and I froze at the unfiltered hate in her eyes.
“She was my mother too.”
“No she was mine and you killed her.” she said in a low voice,
“I didn’t ask to be born Liana,” I said, “That was her and father’s decision. Her death is not on me.”
“Yes it is!” she growled, “How I wish it was you who died instead of her.”
“If wishes were horses.” I said in a bland tone and I rose from the ground and made my way to my bed but she wasn’t done talking.
“As if that wasn’t enough for you, now you took my one chance to claim my birthright.”
“Are you naturally this stupid or is this a special effort?” I asked and she opened her mouth to retort but I cut her off, “Do you really think that if you mated with him then you would get to rule this pack? Don’t be delusional.”
“Of course I would rule; that was father’s condition.”
“You dumb bimbo,” I said as I rubbed my forehead in frustration, “Alpha Hunter would have taken you to his pack and this pack would have gone to James.”
She stayed quiet for a minute before speaking, “I don’t believe you.” She said and I scoffed, “Father wouldn’t lie to me.”
This girl is really grating on my nerves right now, “Just get out of my room.”
“You’re a liar Charlie,” she said, “And if you thought I hated you before then watch how I make your life a living hell for stealing my only ticket to being Alpha.”
“I didn’t steal anything and you would have been Luna not Alpha,” I spat, “Now get out.”
She gave me one last scathing look before leaving the room and I just crawled to my bed and buried my head into my pillow.
“Please moon goddess” I muttered, “Just fix everything.”
I woke up with a splitting headache and I groaned into my pillow. My head literally feels like someone is doing construction work inside it. There is a lot of pulsing and pounding that I don’t even know how I am going to get through the day.I forced myself out of bed and into the bathroom and I saw a huge bruise at the side of my head where father hit me with the pillow.I quickly took a bath and put on a simple pair of sweats and a hoodie and tied my hair into a high ponytail knowing it would annoy father to have my bruise out in the open.I tried to open my door but remembered that father ordered for it to be locked so I sat cross legged on my bed while I waited for someone to open it for breakfast.About five minutes later my door opened and I saw Liana. She narrowed her eyes at my bruise and I saw a similar but smaller one hidden by her hair.&ldquo
Our guards drove in a car behind us. Father doesn’t trust that we will misbehave with our guards and ordered them to keep at least six feet between us at all times except it is a life and death situation.I don’t want to be in this mall and I am making it very obvious that I would rather be anywhere but here. I also want to waste Carmen and Liana’s time so I have been adamantly refusing all the dresses that have come my way so far.“Pick something,” Liana whispered harshly in my ear, “Pick a garbage bag for all I care but pick something so we can be out of here.” “But I have to pick something pretty,” I pouted and she scowled, “We haven’t even visited half of the stores here; I wouldn’t want to pick something here and then find out that there was something prettier elsewhere.”“You a
I didn’t speak throughout the entire time I was getting ready, being silent is my form of defiance. Liana painted my fingers and toes a simple nude color while Carmen did my make-up and hair. I felt like a prized cattle being taken off to an auction except the auction was already complete and I have been sold to the highest bidder and while a cattle knows its death would be swift, mine would be a slow and painful breaking of my spirit and soul.Carmen went through my closet and brought out a white dress that I didn’t even know I had. I rose from the chair and she helped me put it on then led me to the full length mirror. I looked beautiful I won’t deny that but the reason why I looked this beautiful brought bile to the back of my throat.My make-up was completely natural and it made me look like a young, pure innocent little girl. My hair was in simple curls that hung to my waist and it was pinned behind my ears so only a f
I hated dinner before it even began and I loathed every single second of it after. Father made me sit next to Alpha Hunter and it took every single inch of my control to keep forcing food down my throat with his disgusting scent filling up my nose.‘So Liana,” Alpha Hunter began, “Do you have any special skills?” “I always thought that people got to know each other before delivering marriage proposals or did I get it wrong?” I asked and I saw dad’s jaw clench but Alpha Hunter just laughed it off.“Of course you didn’t but that is why I am trying to get to know you now.” He said with a smile that revealed his yellowing teeth, “So tell me Charlotte; what do you do?” “Nothing,” I replied with a shrug, “I stay home all day an
Today is the ball and I am absolutely dreading it. I have been blessed enough to not have encountered Alpha Hunter again since the incident with him in father’s study but I know I won’t be able to avoid him today.For today father got professionals to do my hair and make-up and I fought them at first when they tried to cover up the bruises that Alpha Hunter left on my skin but then father came and restrained me to a chair so I wouldn’t fight.I was only let out when it was time to put on my dress and I secretly prayed that it would look hideous on me. Even as I was led to the mirror I was still praying with my eyes shut but when I opened my eyes I felt all hope deflate from my body.The dress itself is beautiful and it fits me like second skin. It has a single spaghetti strap over my left shoulder and it hugs my upper body and then the bottom of the dress just falls straight to the ground.
I can’t sleep.I keep thinking of the fact that my wedding (just thinking about it makes me want to throw up) is next week. I don’t know how Carmen is going to figure something out before then.I was pacing around the room when I heard a soft but urgent knock on my door, I paused mid-step to make sure I wasn’t hearing things.I heard the knock again; more urgent this time and I slowly made my way over to the door. I opened it slightly to figure out who was there when the door was pushed open and Carmen rushed in. I looked out to make sure no one followed her then quickly locked the door.“How long does it take for you to open a door?” she whisper yelled but I was still staring at her in shock and wondering what she was doing in my room. “Stop staring at me like you’ve seen a ghost.” “I- I&r
“No!” I whispered under my breath and hoping that I was seeing an illusion. “No, no, no, no, no.” I repeated the words as if they would save me but I knew I was doomed.I turned on the ignition but the car wouldn’t start. I tried it again and again but to no avail and I finally started to cry when he lifted his left hand and I saw a few wires.“Get out.” I heard him say but I shook my head, “I will not repeat myself again.” I opened the door slowly and got out and he smiled. “Now come to me.”I took a step forward but then changed my mind last minute and turned on my heels and ran. I heard him chuckle slightly before he started to follow.I ran as fast as I could into the woods. I could hear him behind me and prayed I could outrun him. I would rather die than let father catch me. I had barely finished the thought when I felt him grab m
True to Alpha Hunter’s words a doctor came in to treat my injuries as soon as he left but to my surprise he didn’t bandage me up and he didn’t give me a pain killer so I couldn’t sleep all through the night because of the pain. When Alpha Hunter came in the next morning I had barely slept a wink and he noticed because he took one look at me and shook his head in disappointment.“If you won’t sleep on your own Charlotte then I will be forced to have you drugged. I can’t have you looking like a zombie.” He said as two guards came in and set up a hospital bed at the far end of the room.I looked at it in confusion and turned back to Alpha Hunter who just gave me a small smile. “On the bed,” was all he said and I obeyed because I knew it would reduce my punishment. I stood on shaky legs and made my way over to the bed.“On your stomach.” He clar