Chapter 2
1730 Words
/-Valerie-/
The ice-cold water forced me back to consciousness. I shivered, waking to see Miss Felicia’s unpleasant expression, alongside the bucket dangling in her hands.
I sat up, aware of the dominating presence behind me. I slowly turned back and paled out once again when I realised it wasn't a dream.
The dreaded Adolfe Kendall was standing right, a warrior's build with intimidating height, long white hair and half scarred face.
Those amber eyes darkened as I stared at him in shock.
“Don't. Look. At. Me.” He said icily, hands clenching into fists.
My eyes dropped immediately, along with my head in a bow. He was always in a mask and even then, no one dared look at him.
The last person who did called him ugly and had his eyes plucked out. I didn't wasn't hoping for the same fate.
“Did you not know you were supposed to clean this area?” Unlike his appearance, his voice was a deep, rich, honeylike combination that made my heart skip.
“I don't want to repeat that question,” his tone dropped in a warning, and I swallowed thickly.
“I didn't,” I answered. “I was told to clean a pool, so I just assumed Miss Felicia here was referring to the public pool. I didn't know she meant yours, Alpha.”
My lips quivered as I spoke. I didn't want to end up like those he killed in anger. The anger was known for his poor anger management.
One little mistake and your head is falling off your body, rolling on the floor like a ball.
Even though I wasn't looking at him, I could feel the heat from his gaze.
“You may leave, Felicia.”
My heart drummed heavily against my chest. I couldn't imagine what he was planning to do with me since he sent my mistress away.
He walked to the pool lounge chair and took a seat. All that time, I made sure to keep my eyes on the ground.
“Five minutes, clean the pool or I will be forced to flush out the water, along with your body,” he spoke with such softness that one wouldn't even believe he was threatening me.
I got off the floor immediately, desperate to stay alive. Luckily, the cleaning equipment was just lying around. I grabbed it and set to work immediately.
As I swept, I quickly noted that the place wasn't even dirty to begin with but I didn't have the time to complain about that.
I began mopping as fast as I could and with every move I took, I felt his eyes on me. I was almost done with mopping when I heard him stand.
I panicked as marched towards me. In my attempt to get away from him, I strutted backwards until I fell into the pool.
That was when the real panic began.
I couldn't swim.
“Help!” I screamed as I flapped in the water, but he just stood at the edge of the pool, staring at me.
“I can't swim please…”
It was getting hard to keep my head above the surface yet he didn't move from where he stood.
Was he really that heartless to watch me die when he could easily save me?
I was going to get my answer dead or alive.
My body sank in, and just then, I was about to give up, there was a deep splash in the water and in less than a second, someone was pulling me back to the surface.
Once my head was above water, I coughed, gasping for as much air as I could.
He swam with me securely in his arms to the edge of the pool and lifted me high enough to climb out.
He climbed after me shortly.
On catching my breath, I met his eyes.
‘You watched me drown!’
The words were just at the tip of my tongue but I didn't have the courage to say them. So I went on my knees in fake gratitude.
“Thank you, Alpha for this act of kindness. I am indebted to you,” I spat out the words like they were poison.
He was silent for almost two minutes.
“You speak words you do not mean,” the statement startled me.
I found myself looking at him once again and those eyes burned with irritation. I quickly dropped my gaze, mumbling an apology.
“You are not grateful to me for saving you. You, in fact, spite me for wasting time,” he stated.
I clicked my tongue, aware that I was going to say something I would regret but I said it anyway.
“Forgive me for not jumping for joy over the fact that you let me drown,” I said in one breath. Then cursed myself again.
This wild tongue of mine will be the death of me. When he didn't say anything, I found my eyes shifting to him again.
Looking him in the face was more terrifying by the second. I was tempted to ask how he got such an awful scar. It took half off half of his face.
I was so focused on it that I didn't even realize when he moved until his hands clutched around my neck.
“You seem to enjoy looking at me, don't you?” His eyes flashed red, betraying his anger, unlike his calm voice. “Tell me, little slave, what do you see?”
My logical brain told me to go lie. Adolfe was clearly aware of his hideous state, which was why he wanted all eyes on the ground.
Also, the reason why there were no mirrors in the whole of Silverstone.
I should have told him that he was handsome. That the scar was nothing but a beauty mark.
His grip on my neck tightened and I knew I couldn't afford to keep him waiting.
“You are not beautiful,” I gulped. “Your scar is just as scary as your demeanour…”
I found myself flying across the room. I slammed into the wall and dropped to the ground with a loud thud.
A loud groan escaped me but I was lifted off the ground again.
“A mere slave like you dare call me ugly to my face?” He was pissed and something told me I was not going to get out of this unscathed.
It terrified me the more.
“I didn't think you'd want me to lie to you…” I choked out.
Those red eyes glared into my hazel eyes like they had the very answers he'd been looking for.
His grip on me suddenly loosened and I hit the ground once again.
“The next time you look at me, you will lose your eyeballs,” he muttered. “Get out!”
I didn't need to be told twice. I got off the ground and took to my heels.
A FEW DAYS LATER
My eighteenth birthday shouldn't have been a joyous day for me but it wasn't.
I was afraid.
Terrified of what would become of me once I got my wolf. I could see the lustful glances from the men intensify.
Usually, I screamed that I was seventeen and called them paedophiles. The shame associated with that term made them stay off me.
But now, I couldn't use that term on them anymore. They would smell my wolf and know at once that I was ripe.
“Happy birthday, Valerie,” my mistress said, offering me a cupcake.
I smiled. Even though she was hard on me sometimes, she still cared enough to make me a cupcake.
“The full moon is almost out. Then you will get your wolf and if the goddess looks upon you with mercy, you might find your mate,” she said.
I forced a smile. How could I tell her that I wasn't looking forward to being mated to any of these men? I was doing a countdown to my breakthrough instead.
I wanted to be free.
Which was why I planned to escape. The minute I got my wolf, I would run as far from this place as possible and never look back.
Maybe I should have prayed harder.
Under the full moon, with the moon rays hitting every corner of my skin, I waited in anticipation.
At first, nothing happened, but then my head started feeling heavy. I tried to wave it off but the pressure in my head became stronger until it was pounding with a heavy migraine.
I winced, staggering backwards as my head felt like it would give out.
I was on the verge of passing out when it seized immediately.
‘Damn, it feels so good to be awake!’
My eyes widened. The strange voice in my head sounded so different from mine.
Is this how it feels to have a wolf?
‘Apparently. Hello, Val, I'm Slyvia.’
“Hello, Sylvia,” I responded with a genuine smile, then waited for her to transform.
Two minutes. Five minutes. Ten minutes.
Nothing.
I waited for an extra five minutes, but nothing happened.
“Sylvia? What's going on? Why aren't you transforming?” I asked.
There was silence, so I made myself assume she was preparing to shift, but still, nothing happened.
‘I’m sorry, Valerie.’
“What? No! No! No! You can't do this to me. This was my only shot at freedom. Please do something… anything…” I pleaded but nothing happened.
“Sylvia please…” I sobbed but she didn't give me any response.
My knees went weak, dropping to the floor and I cried my heart out. Every single plan I made came crashing down before my eyes.
The harsh reality sent my heart aching in a way that made my lungs clench.
I was stuck in Silverstone forever.
I clutched to my chest, unable to breathe. Just then, a sweet cinnamon scent rolled into my nostrils.
My head shot up.
That scent…
I got up immediately. Wiping my tears as hastily as I could and followed it.
That was how I ended up barging into a pack meeting. As soon as my eyes connected with those fierce amber orbs, the word fell out of my mouth before I could stop it.
“Mate!”
- Writer
