A Monster for a Monster
ARAENIA'S POV
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Even born from the darkest dust in the corners with no light, nothing could save me from this.
“Sir...please.” I beg my adoptive father through my teeth, my voice cracking, head shaking with a plea shining in my eyes, but he barely looks at me, barely acknowledges me. Why did I think this time would be any different? This is what they had wanted all along…to get rid of me, and now they could benefit from it, meaning there was truly no going back, no caring left in their hearts. No responsibility keeping them here, at the house my mother had made a home.
My adoptive father and his chosen mate had swapped me for rich lands, hunting lands that practically had palaces built on them. Okay, not palaces. But a big ass house.
“Dad?” I beg through my teeth, daring to use the word that had him once smiling at me, trying once more for that scrap of salvation, but the same coldness is stowed upon my existence. I glance at the woman he had mated after my adoptive mother died, and she's grinning at me like a fool, her eyes dancing with delight of her victory. She's the one that wanted me gone since the moment she showed up here.
“He’s a prince, why fight this?” She croons, acting like she's reasoning with me. She sees no fault in giving me to one of the heartless. My heart rate picks up, my stomach coiling with dread. A prince, not the prince, not the heir, just a prince that saw me the other day in field of flowers and decided he wanted a new toy.
“I’d rather die.” I sneer, my lip curling back from my teeth. Before I could see the incoming hit, a hand strikes across my face, fast and hard. My head snaps to the side with the force of meaning behind it, my golden hair falling over my face with the impact.
“Selfish brat,” Dad’s chosen mate sneers, and I can already feel the redness creep along my cheek. Stupid little me waits for my father’s growl of disapproval, but it doesn't come. It never comes. There’s silence around her sneer. Silence that's louder than any hit.
“You will not ruin this for us, do you hear me?” She grabs my hair, her fingers twisting into the locks and yanks it until my head is tipped all the way backwards, pain shooting across my scalp. “Do you hear me?” She asks again through gritted teeth, her enlonged canines nearing my face, her eyes glowing almost neon. Almost. Half breed b***h.
“Don’t leave bruises,” Is all Dad says, sighing before walking to the kitchen area, which is only a small counter with a sink and a stove. That’s all he has to say to his precious little mate -- don't leave bruises.
“Dad,” I cry out, trying to get free to follow him but his mate's fingers twist into my locks even tighter, pulling me back as she laughs a crow’s laugh. The sound of a carriage pulling up to the house is all that stops her from doing more damage, her head turning to the window before she decides to let me go. Pacing to the window, her body becomes taller as she peers out before turning to me, looking smug. A look I've seen too many times, one that I know like the back of my hand.
“He’s here,” She croons, but all I could feel is my heart dropping into my stomach. My eyes flick to the door and it was a mistake to let that happen before her, to let her see my concern, because she saunters over, walking like she's entering a damn ball, with flare, each step echoing confidence. She circles me like I’m her prey, her gaze drifting down and back up my body.
“There’s no escaping it now,” She purrs with wicked delight, touching a strand of my hair, letting it fall between her fingers, her glassy eyes beaming with delight. Every single part of me wants to tear into her, to kill her, but if I do that…I’ll end up dead due to pack laws. The knock on the door ricochets through the house like a thunderstorm rolling over hills, vibrating through the ground and I hold my breath as my father’s mate saunters to the door, her eyes taunting me as she goes. I watch each agonizing step and how she opens the door and bows like a lady. If only she weren't a fat ass liar and a monster beneath that human skin.
“Hello, Mrs. Fewerwyn,” The prince’s voice is golden, soft and deep. She steps out of the way, gesturing for him to come inside and my breath catches in my throat at the sight of him. Dark hair, light eyes, pale skin and a smile that looks genuine.
“I didn’t know you’d be coming today,” She says, smiling with a sharp jaw, and I wish that the prince could know her as I do, because then he would have heard the anger in her tone, that slight shift in her stance that means the end of everything.
“I see no reason, whatsoever, to tell anyone when I’d be collecting what is mine,” He says nonchalantly, but I’ve mastered the gift of hearing and seeing the things others don’t, so I notice the dominance radiating from his eyes, the cruelty and anger of being questioned in his tone. His dull blue eyes meet mine and it's like looking into glass. Those same blue eyes that traveled down the length of me and back up to my own silver-blue eyes. Goosebumps erupt all over my skin, leaving a shuddering feeling echoing in my bones.
“Extraordinary,” He says on an inhale of breath, eyes sparkling.
“Araenia, is it?” He asks, though he had no nerve to ask me in that field. He only ogled me like a creep. He probably asked around, and then confirmed with my Dad.
“The Prince is speaking to you,” My father’s mate warns, slapping me lightly on the arm like a joke, but I still flinch, still step away from her.
“Why so jumpy?” She asks, laughing, as if she couldn’t think of any reason why I’d flinch away. The Prince’s eyes linger on me, studying me, assessing.
“Yes.” I answer flatly, holding his unwavering gaze.
“Do you not wish to know my name?” The Prince asks with a smile a beat after the silence stretches on for too long.
“You are Prince Elios,” I say, staring blankly at the male. He smiles at me, cold and victoriously like I had pleased him.
“Indeed, I am.” He croons with pride. I only know his name because we are required by law to know it, but all that I’ve ever heard about him is that he was cunning and cruel. I’d be replacing a monster for a monster. At this point, I’m not entirely sure who’s worse.
“Would you like something to drink?” My father’s mate asks. Prince Elios, to my surprise, glances around, inspecting before lifting his gaze to hers.
“No,” He says as flatly as I had answered him. His eyes fixate on me once more.
"Are you sure?" She presses, and his gaze drags back to hers reluctantly, anger sparking in his eyes.
"I have no need to touch your peasant glasses and who knows how clean your taps are?" Prince Elios snorts, looking back at me.
“You and I will have so much fun,” He says in a way that makes my skin crawl with goosebumps.
“How?” I ask, sounding bored, the word just tumbling from my mouth. Surprise flickers across Prince Elios’ face, but he masks it with a grin.
"Feisty," He murmurs, his grin spreading into a smile, "I like it," He adds.
“We’ll rule the world together,” He says. He’s delusional. Utterly delusional.
“Aren’t you like fourth in line?” I ask, and the amusement drains from his face, his smile bleeding away until his lips are in a straight line.
“Araenia,” My father’s mate hisses with a warning. Prince Elios pivots, and within a blink, he’s in front of her, enlonged canines in her face.
“Do not talk to her like that. She is mine and mine alone and she can ask whatever the hell she wants.” He growls, lip curling away from his elongated teeth as he sneers at her.
My father’s mate backs away a step, eyes dropping in submission.
Prince Elios turns to me, his chin held high, his eyes sparkling.
"Fourth, but certainly the most fun," He croons, extending a hand to me as he approaches.
“Shall we?” He asks. This is it. This is where a familiar monster is left behind for a probable worst one. I take a moment to look at the woman who had carved me out of my father’s heart, not a father by blood, but the only one I ever had, and while looking into her cold eyes, I take the Prince’s hand and make a promise to myself.
I will not look back.
