Marked by the Demon Wolf

YOU DISAPPOINT ME, LOVE(4)

I am so hungry.

A sigh escapes me as I curl up on the bed, hoping to ease out the hollowness in my belly.

Wait — why does this actually feel like a real bed?

My eyes snap open.

Sweet moontits, where is this place? I know for sure that my father cannot afford this type of extravagance. It doesn't smell like home either. I lay in bed stiffly before everything comes crashing down.

Talien is dead. So is my father and probably half of the whole pack and I am now a prisoner.

I sit up too fast, the silk blanket slips off my waist. My head spins as a result. I can't feel my wolf. It's like I'd lost her at the back of my mind.

Consequently, I rip the blankets off and stand. The plush blue rug of the room feels soft against my feet. I freeze at the sound of voices near the door.

A young, blonde woman walks in without knocking, holding a tray with a man in blue strutting behind her like he owns the place. Maybe he does.

"Ah. It's good to see you are already awake." The man speaks up first while the blonde drops the tray on the bed stand. "I am Sebastian by the way. What's your name?"

"I am pretty sure you already know that"

He almost laughs.

"Ooookay, feisty. Save the act for Azrakel when you see him, my business here is done"

"Do well to eat and get ready" says the blonde beside him.

"Get ready for what?"

She pluckers her blood red lips forward and c***s a brow.

"What do you think?" When I do not respond, she gestures to the tray with a smile.

"What's in there?" I jerk my head in its direction roughly. "Talien's head?"

Blonde stares at me for an uncomfortable moment before roaring into laughter. Her laugh is just like her, beautiful and bold.

"That was cute but no, it's a dress and you are going to wear it before your meeting with Az."

"I am not going anywhere."

"Not going? He said to cripple you if we have to." She says, twirling her hair and glancing at my legs. A shiver shoots down my spine.

"Let me know if you need my help." Sebastian cracks his knuckles. "But it'll be such a pity though. You have such beautiful, beautiful legs"

"Nah, I should be able to handle her just fine on my own"

And all I can do is bite my tongue and watch as they talk about me like I am merely a room decoration item, easy to blend to their will.

"Well, if you want me to change, you both need to excuse me."

"Chop chop" Blonde mutters at me before heading out. Sebastian gives me a two finger salute and closes the door behind him.

That was too easy.

That is why I need to come up with something fast. I race to the window veiled by fine, purple curtains.

My jaw drops at the detail of their architecture from this viewpoint and how high this room actually is. It will be a miracle to jump from this height and not at least break an arm or bone.

Strangely enough, there's no one in sight and scent at all. This is all too easy. But I can't stay in this room any longer than this. It's enough that I have been stripped and bathed in my unconscious state.

I drag the curtain aside and rip my current dress at the knees. I wait awhile before perching myself carefully on the edge of the window.

Just as I am about to leap and probably fall to death, someone grips me by the hair and yanks me back.

I stumble and slam against a hard chest.

"You disappoint me, love" He purrs in my ear. "I thought you would be smarter than that."

Shame, dread and something I can't name makes its way to my chest. And creeps up my neck as he sniffs me like an animal.

"The people you sent said they would cripple me. I really had no other choice." I grit out resentfully, unable to move because the fucker is still fisting an handful of my hair. Dull, throbbing pain explodes all over my skull.

He chuckles and I forget how to breathe properly.

"I told her to carry you if she had to. Typical Belle"

So her name is Belle. I already don't like her.

"You didn't wear the dress." If I didn't know better, I'd think he is sulking.

"Let go of my hair first, then we can talk."

He considers it and complies. I can barely hide my scowl as I massage my scalp.

"Uh huh. Not so fast, love. I want to see you wear that dress."

The said dress cannot even be considered a dress. It looks like some feral wolf raked claws across the chest area, stomach and the back. To top it all, it is so small, you'd think it was meant for a child.

I hold the slip of fabric between two fingers. "Er. This doesn't even look my size. It is—"

"Perfect." He completes. His eyes drilling holes into my skull. There's something about his eyes that unsettle and clash with the very core of my being.

"I can't wear this." I announce, straightening my spine as I add. "I'd rather die"

Stifling silence follows.

Before I know it, his hands are on my throat and I am on the edge of the same window I attempted to escape through. Soon, I am gasping for air while I desperately claw at his arm, collar or anything within my reach. He doesn't bulge an inch, instead his fingers tightens even more until air is knocked out my lungs.

Hot tears threaten to spill from the corner of my eyes as a crippling feeling of helplessness seeps into my bones.

I have never felt this powerless in my twenty nine years of living. Not even during my hellish nine months. He doesn't even seem to be expending any extra energy. Hell, he doesn't even look angry.

Like I am not worth it. I doubt if I am.

We stay like that for a minute too long and black spots begin to fill into my vision.

"P-please!" I manage to croak out. He doesn't respond.

Just when I think I am going to die, he releases me.

I fall to my knees, coughing hard because my life depends on it.

"Now" he says as he squats down to meet me on eye's level. "Shall we try again?"