ChapterFour
1326 Words
Thane’s POV
I was just rounding off building my pup’s cradle in the nursery when the nurse walked in with her in her arms.
She had been scrubbed clean and her milky blemish-free skin was now in sight.
I took the baby from the nurse and held her close to my heart. She was the most beautiful thing I've ever set my eyes on. And she was all mine.
Mine to love and care for.
I gently placed the pup in her bed to allow her to sleep peacefully, before stepping out of the nursery, leaving her with the nurse.
Once I was out of the nursery, I was hit by a familiar scent. A scent that I hated so much. It was the smell of death.
Who could it be?
Nobody I knew had died recently. Maybe it was one of the numerous servants of the palace. I shook off the heavy feeling that came with the scent as I walked off to my study. I had a few administrative tasks to look into.
I had barely sat in my work chair when a knock came at the door.
“Come in”, I said.
The door opened and the doctor who had just delivered my pup walked in. His demeanor worried me. He was wearing a long face and walked with his shoulders drooping.
All my senses were alert as I knew that this could only be bad news.
“What’s wrong doctor?” I asked impatiently.
The doctor sighed heavily before announcing, “I’m afraid we lost her”.
“Who?!” I yelled in panic.
“Avery. Avery is dead”.
My heart sank and for a moment my brain wasn't grasping what he was saying.
“What do you mean Avery is dead?!”
“She’s dead, Alpha Thane. After the surgery, she wasn't healing as expected. Her wolf couldn't take the pain”, the doctor explained.
“What do you mean? Her wolf was supposed to heal her! She can't possibly die from a mere surgery unless there was a mistake on your part!”
The doctor was now trembling at my rage.
“I assure you, there was no mistake. Her wolf just wasn't strong enough to heal her”, he insisted.
I stood up and instantly closed the distance between myself and the trembling doctor. I wrapped my hand around his neck in a tight choking grip.
My voice dropped to a cold whisper when I spoke.
“Did you know this before embarking on the surgery. Did you know that she was going to die?”
The man attempted to speak but couldn't since my palm was still wrapped tightly around his neck. He managed to shake his head negatively indicating that he had no idea that she would die.
“Argggggghhh”, I growled as I flung him against a wall roughly. “Get out!”
I watched him scramble out of my presence as tears began to form in my eyes. This was the first time in decades that I had tears in my eyes. The last time was when I watched my dad being overpowered and made paralyzed by his mate, my mother.
I bowed my head in shame as regret washed through me like the waters of the sea against the body of a shark.
I wish I had treated her better. I wish I had shown her how much I cared about her. Hell! I wish I could go into that operating room and bring her back to life.
She was the sweetest and most innocent girl I knew. Despite the way I treated her, she treated me with utmost respect and care in return. That was why I found it hard to believe that she had tried to poison me. I still don't believe it.
But the elders had insisted that she must be punished as a form of deterrent to anybody who wanted to try to commit treason. I had even bargained with them, putting my neck on the line so she wouldn't be sentenced to death.
All for what? For her to still die on my command?
I feel foolish. I had let my fear and distrust for women steal something this beautiful from me. For this, I will never forgive myself.
XXX
Thane’s POV
“She’s dead, Dad. Avery is dead”, I said as I felt emotions clog my throat.
The worst mistake I could make was letting my father see me get emotional. He had groomed me to be a strong man who never showed emotions that indicated weakness.
I squared my shoulders as I sat up in the old rocking chair which my dad loved so much when I was a kid. He would sit in it while he told me tales of our pack’s history.
Now he was bedridden and the roles had changed. I was the one who rocked the chair as I shared stories of my reign as the Alpha and King of Redmoon Valley.
He knew all about Avery and how I had treated her like she was not worthy because I was not about to allow her to play a smart one on me just like my mum did him.
“I really didn't mean to kill her. I know it's hard to believe but I didn't. The elders had insisted that she should be put to death for attempting to kill me but I refused. I don't believe she did that. She might have been set up. However, they didn't care. I managed to bargain for a lesser punishment which was to torture her before rejecting her as my Luna. But, you know that I couldn't let her go with my pup so I got a doctor to deliver the pup surgically…”
Dad’s pinky finger moved slightly at my last statement. I knew by that movement that he agreed with me. The pup was the most important factor in the story and I was glad that I didn't lose consciousness of that.
“…but she didn't survive the surgery for whatever reason. The doctor said her wolf wasn't strong enough to bear the pain. I had assumed that it was. I mean, I saw her transform into her full wolf the other night, despite being an omega. Dad, I feel foolish and I hate being the reason she’s dead”.
When I was done rambling, I was met with silence. A strong deafening silence.
XXX
Avery’s POV
I gasped as a sudden rush of oxygen flooded my throat. My eyes flicked open instantly and everything I saw had a hue of red.
The moon goddess gave me a second chance.
I was still bound to the table where I had been killed. I pulled against my restraint and they snapped like elastic around me.
I was confused at the ease with which the metals broke off of me but I didn't care much about that at the moment.
I touched my belly which had been torn open just some hours ago but I felt no pain whatsoever. It felt nice not to be in pain anymore.
I flung my legs to the side of the table and hopped to the ground. Once I was on my feet, I walked slowly towards a mirror at the far corner of the dimly lit room.
When I looked into it, something was different. Something had changed about me. My eyes were glowing red.
“I’m an alpha now”.
The moment I said the words, my wolf let out a strong howl. It wasn't the howl of a weak omega wolf.
“Thank you, Moon goddess”, I said under my breath.
The moon goddess had blessed me with more power to make up for the injustice I had faced. Now with this new empowerment, I had only one mission.
Vengeance.
- Writer
