Chapter 2 Annabella

Annabella prologue

It's funny how things work, if you asked me: do you think within the next five years you'd be married to the richest man in the world, I’d say no?

If you asked me what secrets I hold: I’d say nothing, I hold no secrets because I don't have any.

And if you ask me do believe in love after everything that happened to me: I’d say no, because love is just a word people use to make others feel good.

But today I think differently, why?

Is it because a man who sits in a wheelchair has shown me more love and affection and attention than anyone in my entire life has shown me?

He looks at me every day and tells me he loves me, that he's happy I barged into his life on that fateful day, but why? Why am I afraid to repeat those words?

Is it fear, or fright or is it my mind's way of holding me back, what if he gets better and leaves me behind? Or what if he gets tired and can't take it anymore?

An orphan girl with nothing to her name, what can I possibly offer him, what could I give him?

Chapter 2

How did I get here?

Standing in front of the door of our broken Alpha, Who’s looking at me like I'm some sort of germ, by the way.

Right!

I remember I was forced to.

Who would have known my life would have turned out like this?

I'm Anabella, the adoptive daughter of Beta Bryan and Sophia porter, I lost my parents at the young age of 6 years old, and I was adopted at the age of 8

My life with my parents started pretty well, late night walks, freshly baked cookies, and on a Sunday my favorite meals.

But that all changed when Hendrix was born, nine pounds six ounces, a healthy baby boy with beautiful black eyes and a wide smile.

Instead of being a sister, I was now a nanny, maid, and most of all a babysitter. My father worked alongside alpha Francisco the first, and my mother loved going to the spa and salon to get her hair and nails done.

And seeing that my father made good money, she was gone at least four times in one month.

And on the days she’d stay at home, she would spend little to no time with Hendrix and more time on the phone.

One night, Hendrix caught a fever and so did I, she left us both to fend for ourselves.

Father came home and found me passed out and Hendrix crying at the top of his lungs.

Instead of taking me to the doctor along with Hendrix, they took him alone and beat me almost half to death because I fell asleep.

Things got worse from that day. She'd beat me for the littlest things such as laughing, dropping a spoon, spilling water, and worst of all when I took too long in the bathroom.

Hendrix eventually grew up into a handsome young man.

He would look out for me when his mother started getting out of control with her punishments.

And on the nights she cooked and didn’t give me food, he’d sneak a plate up to my room.

But enough about my background, let’s talk about how I got to where I am now, the Alpha of our pack came to my home one night with his wife.

They were talking to Mother and father more

like venting about how frustrating it is to care for Alonso; mostly the wife, and she threw the idea out there of finding him a mate since his first mate rejected him for being a cripple.

I’ve hardly ever seen him both before and after the accident, but from what I’ve heard, after losing feeling in his legs he became a grump, gets irritated easily, and sticks to himself.

He even got rid of his beta.

I walked to the living room and placed the tray of finger food on the coffee table, trying to make little to no noise and no eye contact. As I was walking back towards the kitchen Sophia stretched her foot forward tripping me and I smashed my head against the floor.

They both laughed as I stood up and dusted myself off,

“Stop stand still.” Alpha’s wife said,

“What is it, Mariah?” Mother asked.

“How’s about we marry off this orphan to my cripple?” I froze.

“She’s good at cooking and cleaning, and let’s be honest he can’t even have sex, and well looking at her wouldn't give anyone any sort of erection.” They both laughed,

“What’s in it for me?” Mother asked,

“I’ll give you a check every month, how do those five thousand dollars sound.” My eyes almost popped

Out their sockets,

“Ha… That sounds like a deal to me.”

“I’m not marrying him.” I blurt out,

They both looked at me wide-eyed, mother stood to her feet and smacked me across the face, sending me stumbling.

“ Shut your mouth, you don’t have a say in this.”

“It’s my life and besides I haven’t found my mate yet.”

SLAP!

“I said shut up and besides if you don’t marry him I’ll just have to reveal that deep dark secret of yours, the one where you STO……”

“Ok, ok, I’ll do it, I’ll do anything, just don’t tell father, please,” I begged,

“Good, now stand here and when they come in you tell your father and the Alpha you’d like to marry Alonso. Or else.”

Alpha and father walked into the living room and I swallowed,

“Alpha Francisco, I’d like to marry your son, I’d like to marry Alpha Alonso.”

They steered at me clueless for a while, then father stood up and walked over to me, his hand ran across my cheek and I saw a hint of concern swirling around in his eyes.

I pulled away, he never cared for me, not once, and now he wants to care for me after I’ve been beaten and abused by them both.

“Why?” Father asked,

“Are you certain?” Alpha asked.

Am I certain?

I look around at the house that only brought forth bad memories and shook my head.

“Yes, I’m certain.”

The next day, after saying my goodbyes to Hendrix, mother dropped me off outside Alphas gate in the pouring rain, she rolled down her window and waved me goodbye.

Luna came outside sporting a grin, twirling her finger around in her hair,

“Up the stairs and knocked on the first door before opening, he's waiting for you.” She turned on her heels and closed the front door in my face.

I hurry up the stairs, knock, then enter to find a handsome man sitting in a wheelchair steering at me.

And that’s how I ended up here at the front door of Alonso Francisco, my husband.

One of the most handsome men in the world, slim, but fit, tall with mesmerizing brown eyes and full pink lips.

Perfect facial bone structure and a smile that I once saw in a magazine that could brighten up any room he walked into.