The Thorn in Their Side

As the days turned into weeks, the routine of torment continued, and there was no possible stopping date in sight. Elena had gotten used to all of it, taking it all in and bidding her time until she would take action.

She had learned to dress quickly, keep her head low and prepare to face whatever challenge Nyla had in store for her.

On this particular day however, there seemed to be a strange energy in the mansion. Nyla and Lucia whispered to each other more often than usual, and their steps looked more hurried as if driven by anticipation.

Elena tried not to notice or pay any attention to them. She had learned that the safest way to avoid them was to make herself small… silent, and invisible. Yet she could feel their eyes on her constantly, gleaming with satisfaction whenever she flinched or hesitated. They were always hunters circling prey, and she was their chosen sport.

Their trap was fully set by mid morning.

It was Lucia who suddenly appeared in Elena's path as she headed to the kitchen to check on the meal being prepared by maids. “Here, take these to Damon's office,” she said, stretching out a bunch of papers. “They are very important, so don't drop or wrinkle them.”

Elena was frustrated, but she simply nodded and arranged the stack carefully as she turned and headed towards Damon's private wing. Each step she took carried serious consequences, but she had no idea what was waiting for her.

When she eventually knocked on the office door, she braced herself to face those cold and intimidating eyes again.

“Enter.”

The voice was indeed cold, and neutral like she expected. Damon was seated behind his desk, focused on a pile of documents in front of him, but he gave her a brief look before returning to what he was doing.

Elena approached quietly, placing the papers on the edge of his desk. He didn't thank her… not that he had ever done, but he stole enough quick looks to make her heart tremble.

Damon watched her leave and close the door behind her. It had taken so much control not to pull her close and claim her right there in the office… he just couldn't understand why she had that effect on him.

…

By late afternoon, there was total chaos in the mansion, and Nyla was practically glowing with venomous delight. She and Lucia stormed into the corridor, violently dragging Elena with them by the hair. “The Alpha wants you,” Nyla hissed cruelly at her.

Despite her feeble protests, they mercilessly marched her through the hall, past the pitiful look of other servants who dared not interrupt. Elena's body was filled with pain as they finally shoved her forcefully into Damon's office.

The Damon that was seated in the office this time looked nothing like the one she knew… the one she had seen only that morning when she brought him his papers. There was an unforgiving look on his face, and she could finally see the ruthless Alpha that struck fear and terror in the heart of all who dared to challenge him.

“Where are they?” He asked in that low and dangerous voice of his.

Elena was completely baffled by the question. “I…I don’t understand.”

“The financial agreements. The merger contracts. The ones you brought in earlier today.” Damon leaned forward as if to make her get the point clearly. “The most important one is missing.”

Elena's heart almost stopped in panic. She shook her head aimlessly, unable to speak properly when she finally managed to find her voice. “I left it all on your desk… exactly as I was told to.”

“Or maybe you happened to have peeked at them and decided to keep some as a form of revenge,” Lucia sneered wickedly.

“What are you planning on doing with them, Elena? Nyla asked with disdain. “Do you want to sell it to the highest bidder? I wouldn't be surprised anyways since you low born girls are capable of such savage behaviors.”

Despite being hurt by the many accusations, Elena kept her head high and ignored the trembling in her knees. “I didn't take anything, and I'm not going to take the blame for this.”

Damon rose up slowly from his chair, casting a shadow over her as he came closer to her. He paused a few inches away, clouding her senses with his powerful cologne. “Are you trying to tell me that you have no idea about what we're talking about?”

Elena's lip trembled slightly, but she stood her ground. “Yes.”

His eyes softened briefly, but Elena knew it wasn't sympathy. A few seconds later, the anger was back again and this time it was a verbal warning. “If I discover that you lied to me and actually had something to do with this, I will make you beg for death.”

The threat hung in the air, and no one breathed as they came to reality with it… They all knew Damon. He never made empty threats.

Lucia smirked with satisfaction, while Nyla folded her arms, smug with anticipation. Surely Damon was going to punish Elena, maybe finally rid of the girl who refused to break. But then, to their disbelief… he simply turned his back on them.

“Get out,” Damon ordered coldly.

Elena was the first to react. “What…?”

“I said get out. You’re dismissed.” He snapped again.

Elena exhaled in relief, bowed her head and backed away from the office as quickly as she could before Nyla and Lucia could find their tongues again.

When she was finally safe in her room again, Elena shut the door and placed her hand over her chest. Her heart was still beating heavily as she had been expecting punishment or confinement, or something even worse. But Damon had only dismissed her instead. He may not have fully believed her innocence, but he had not condemned her either.

For Nyla and Lucia, that was the worst insult. As soon as they were out of the office, Nyla exploded with that rage she had been carrying since Damon simply dismissed Elena.

“Why didn’t he punish her? Why does he always hesitate with her?”

“Because she plays the victim very well when he's watching,” Lucia said thoughtfully. “Maybe her supposed fragile innocence amuses him, but it won't last forever.”

It was obvious from their bitterness that Elena's torment was far from being over.

…

As Elena stayed awake in her room that night, staring at the ceiling. She wondered why Damon had been so merciful. Not that he had ever physically hit her before, but he always ignored her torments at the hands of Nyla and Lucia. But today… it seemed like he was trying to stop them.

Was this the beginning of something different? She couldn't tell, but she didn't want to hope too much either.