Chapter Fourteen: For all it is

Elara sat at her vanity, brushing her long, dark hair, and staring at her reflection in the mirror. The sparkle that Kaelen had managed to ignite in her eyes has now dimmed, replaced by a haunted far-off look.

Her thoughts trailed, flashing back to the years she'd spent with Damon as his omega:

The door to her room slammed open, causing Elara to jump. Damon stood in the doorway, his eyes blazing with anger. He was a tall, muscular man with a cruel sneer on his face.

"You filthy omega," Damon spat. "How dare you disgrace me with your presence in my home?"

Elara's heart raced as she cowered in her seat. She had long since given up trying to defend herself or fight back. She knew it would only anger Damon further.

"I-I'm sorry, Alpha," she stammered. "I'm only here to fulfill your grandmother's last wish."

Damon stepped closer to Elara, his eyes narrowed. "You think I give a damn about my grandmother's wishes?" he snarled. "You are nothing but a burden to me. A weak, pathetic omega."

______

Elara hesitantly approached Damon, who sat on the couch, engrossed in a hunting magazine. She mustered up the courage to tell him about the pregnancy, hoping for a positive reaction.

"I'm pregnant, Alpha," she said softly, holding out the test for him to see.

His eyes narrowed as he snatched the test from her hand, scoffing. "You expect me to believe that you conceived without my involvement?"

"I-I had the IVF treatment," she stammered, hating the way her voice shook. "You always preferred betas over me, so..."

His hand shot out, gripping her arm tightly, causing her to wince. "Good, now the next part is where you keep your mouth shut about it, do not even dream of telling a soul that you got pregnant through some science bullshit. Everyone has to believe that your alpha pupped you up." he growled. "You're my mate, and it's your duty to give me an heir, whether you like it or not."

______

"Please, Alpha," she begged. "I'm carrying your baby. Have some compassion for me."

Damon let out a cruel laugh. "Compassion? From me?" he scoffed. "I have no use for compassion. All I want is a worthy heir to lead this pack after me, and you are clearly not capable of giving me that."

Elara could feel the tears gathering in her eyes. She had always known that Damon did not love her, but she had hoped that he would at least care for the baby she was carrying. She had been wrong.

"Get up," Damon commanded. "I want to see for myself that you are still carrying my heir."

Elara hesitantly rose from her seat, her hands trembling. She tried to keep her composure as Damon approached her, but it was no use. She was too afraid of what he might do.

Damon roughly grabbed Elara's arm and pulled her close, his eyes scanning her body. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, and she fought the urge to pull away.

"You're getting fat," he sneered. "I can barely stand to look at you."

Elara's heart sank. She had been self-conscious about her body since her pregnancy started progressing, and Damon's words only made it worse.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll try to lose some weight."

Damon's grip on her arm tightened. "You'll do more than try," he snarled. "If you don't lose this weight, then I'll have to find someone else to carry my heir. Someone worthy of being the mother of the next alpha."

Elara felt like she was going to be sick. She knew that she could never lose the weight fast enough, and the thought of Damon finding another woman to carry his child filled her with dread. But she can't try to lose weight now, that might hurt the baby and she would do anything to keep her baby safe.

"Please, Alpha," she begged. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep this baby. I promise."

Damon let out a cruel laugh. "We'll see about that," he said. "I'll be watching you, Elara. Don't disappoint me."

With that, Damon released Elara's arm and stormed out of the room, leaving her.

______

The night was dark and cold, as Elara sat huddled by the fireplace in her large, empty bedroom. She was staring blankly into the flames, her hands protectively cradling her swollen belly. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, her heart heavy with the weight of her reality.

Elara heard the door to her bedroom slam open, and her heart leapt into her throat. She turned to see Damon standing in the doorway, his face twisted in anger.

"How dare you make decisions without consulting me first? You dare waddle out of the house and let people see you? You're my omega, I know you're useless but the least you could do is not embarrassing me." he snarled, his eyes glowing with a feral light. "You are my mate, my property. You have no right to leave this house without my permission. Not for a walk or anything at all."

Elara shrank back against the sofa, her heart pounding in fear. "I-I just needed some fresh air and…exercise, and taking a walk really helps me think healthy." she stammered, her voice shaking.

Damon strode towards her, his steps full of purpose. He grabbed her by the arm, his grip bruising. "You don't need to think," he hissed. "You need to obey."

_____

Elara's heart was racing as Damon dragged her out of the bedroom and down the hallway. She could feel the hardness of the floor beneath her feet, the roughness of the walls against her back. She knew what was coming, and she couldn't stop it.

Damon threw her onto the floor, and Elara cried out as her belly hit the ground. She curled up in a ball, trying to protect her unborn baby, as Damon began to rain blows down upon her.

She could feel the pain, the bruises forming on her skin, the blood trickling from her lips. But she didn't fight back. She couldn't. She was too weak, too afraid.

The aftermath left her laying on the floor, her body battered and bruised, her spirit broken. She could hear Damon's footsteps as he left the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

She knew that she couldn't stay here, not after what had just happened. But where could she go? She was pregnant, alone, and vulnerable.

With a sigh, Elara pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, wincing at the pain that shot through her body but she managed to get herself into the bathroom and started preparing a warm bath to help her aching body.

_____

Elara had been cooking his favorite meal, hoping to appease him, but her efforts were in vain.

As she placed the steaming plate in front of him, he sneered, "You think I'd eat food prepared by a worthless omega like you?"

Before she could react, he grabbed the plate and flung it against the wall, shattering it into pieces. Elara's eyes widened as he rose from his chair, towering over her.

"You're lucky I haven't kicked you out of my pack yet," he snarled, his fingers digging into her shoulder. "But I won't tolerate your failures any longer."

Later that night, when Elara crawled into bed, hoping for a reprieve from Damon's anger. Instead, she found herself subjected to a barrage of insults and threats.

"You're nothing but a burden," he spat, rolling over to face her. "I should have never been saddled with a weak omega like you. You'll never be a real wife to me."

He reached out, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her head back. "If you ever disappoint me again, I'll make sure you regret it."

_

Tears streamed down Elara's cheeks as her thoughts returned from the painful flashbacks, now faced with her own shattered reflection in the mirror, feeling utterly defeated. She had been raised in this pack, loved by Damon's grandmother, and yet here she was, a prisoner in her own home, trapped in a marriage to a man who despised her.