CHAPTER 3 - TO SAVE A FATHER
1262 Words
VIOLET
The cab screeched to a halt in front of the hospital and after paying the driver, I dashed towards the sliding door. It had been just two days, but I was so eager to see my father again and know how he was faring.
The nurse on duty was a kind lady in her mid forties and she always wore a smile on her face. However, she didn't seem very excited to see me that evening.
"Violet..." She muttered. "You're here to see your father?"
"Yes," I nodded. "How is he faring?"
She merely sighed and started walking towards the door at the opposite end.
"Not very good," She muttered.
She opened the door for me to go in, and once I was in, she excused herself to attend to other duties. My father, Alpha Snow had a private ward and so, we were all alone.
"Father..." I said, and took his hands in mine.
His hands were cold and his fingers vibrated at my touch.
"Father, hang in there for me," I muttered. "I would pay for the surgery. You would live."
Tears rolled down my eyes as I spoke and I watched my father struggle to string a sentence together. He was barely even able to call my name.
The nurse walked in with a tray filled with food and some medicine.
"This," she pointed at the pills. "Is to strengthen his immune system, thereby slowing down the process for a while. He might live another week."
"He would not die," I snarled. "Give me a week, and I would get the money."
"We've tried, Violet," the nurse said, a sigh escaping her lips. "You've been a very good daughter and I'm sure he would be so proud of you. Now you have to allow nature take it's course. You must - "
I didn't want to hear one more word from the nurse and so, I turned on my heels and started towards the door. I was going to get the money for my father's surgery, and I knew very well how I was going to get it.
I was going to see Nicholas Ford.
A few minutes past 8, I was at the door of his mansion. I had to make this union work, for the sake of my sick father. I knocked twice and the door squealed open almost immediately. Nicholas was standing in the doorway, scantily clad in a pair of joggers and holding a glass filled with wine in his hand.
He seemed a little surprised to see me, and I wondered why this was so. Was he not the one who requested me to be at his mansion by 8pm?
"You're late," He blurted out finally.
His words caught me by surprise and I found myself glancing at the wristwatch on my hand multiple times. Did it really matter if I was late? Why was he trying so hard to be annoying?
"Little traffic on the way," I replied with a feigned smile. "Are you going to invite me in or not?"
"No," He shook his head in the negative.
My heart skipped a beat as I sensed the finality in his tone.
"No?" I peered at him.
"You see," Nicholas started. "I half expected you not to come."
He pulled his huge frame away from the door, allowing me have a peak inside his little haven and I was even more stunned to see how beautiful his home was.
"I expected you to turn down my offer, Violet," He continued. "To make the chase fun for me."
He paused and his dark eyes ran down my body, sending a cold shiver up my spine.
"But look at you here, at such an odd hour of the day, clamoring over a man you barely know. Doesn't that look a little cheap to you, Violet?"
I could understand if the way I rejected him at our first meeting had bruised his ego, but I had certainly not expected him to turn me down, not like this.
My brain was already working very fast at that point. I needed to do something - to say something to save the situation, and from the looks of things, I didn't have all the time in the world. Nicholas' eyes remained fixed on me, his face a mask of his obvious impatience and irritation.
"Look," I managed to mutter. "Can I just come in and we would talk about this well?"
"Sadly, I don't think that would be necessary," Nicholas frowned and turned to leave.
No! I couldn't allow my father's only hope leave just like that. I grabbed him by the arm and he spun around at once.
"You wanted me!" I squealed. "You said I should be here tonight!"
"I wanted a fun chase," Nicholas retorted. "This is not fun."
He pulled away from my grip and before he could walk off, I tried again.
"Remember you need to get mated to royal blood!" I said, trying my best to sound confident. "I'm your best bet as the daughter of an Alpha!"
"No you're not," He replied with a low chuckle. "There are hundreds of small packs and I'm pretty sure one of those Alphas would be willing to give his daughter's hand in marriage."
Slowly the realization began to hit me - Nicholas didn't need me. I was the one who needed him. At that point, I was desperate. I had to do anything it took, to save my father's life.
Before he could walk away and leave me stranded, I fell on my knees.
"I need this, Nicholas," I pleaded. "We need to get mated - "
"I don't think you understand me," He sighed and shook his head. "You're just like every other girl. You want me just for the money."
"Not for me," I whimpered, tears welling in my eyes.
"For who then?" He asked, c*****g his head to get a better view of me.
"My sick father," I sighed. "I have no money to pay for his bills and my stepmother has abandoned him. I love my father and I can't allow him die."
The emotions got to me in that moment and I burst into tears. Nicholas watched me on the floor for a while, and finally, he got fed up of seeing me in tears.
"Alright, get up," He grunted.
He helped me up to my feet and took a napkin from his pocket to wipe my eyes dry.
"I must say I am impressed," He said. "I haven't seen anyone who loves her father as much as you do - "
As he spoke, my heart pounded in my chest. Was this it? Had he accepted me to be his mate?
" - But despite your very touching story, I still don't think you're good enough for me," He concluded.
"What?" I cried, surprised.
"Guards!" Nicholas growled. "Get this thing out of my sight."
And just like that, I found myself being bundled up like a criminal by two burly men. One of the men hunched me up on his back and the other followed him closely as they made their way out. All the while, I kicked, screamed and cursed, but it was all to no avail.
Nicholas watched with a wide grin plastered across his face, as they took me out and there and then, I realized that the last hope of saving my father's life rested solely on the shoulders of the most handsome and ill mannered brute I had ever set my eyes on.
- Writer
