After the Alpha’s Death

The door swung open and then slammed closed against the doorframe. She closed her eyes tight hoping he would think that she was asleep. He sat down on his side of the bed next to her. The smell of whiskey and the women he had just been with filled the air. She felt bile rise in her throat as she tried to keep her breathing relaxed but she knew the pretence was over as he reached down and pulled her onto her back. His hand slipped from her shoulder and the soft fabric of her nightgown provided little protection from his large hand that roughly rubbed over her breast. “No” she said with as much authority as she could muster. “You stink of whiskey and your whores.” She pushed his hand away and tried to roll back onto her side, to face away from him. As soon as the words had left her mouth his hand was around her neck and his body on top of hers. His eyes flashed black and his handsome face took on a hateful look. “You do not say no to me!” He roared. His lips so close to hers. Please no, not again, not tonight she thought to herself. She closed her eyes as tears welled and began to fall down her already tear stained cheeks. “Daddy!” A voice called from the doorway. His eyes returned to their normal deep green and a smile took the place of the sneer that had been there seconds before. He released her from his grasp and strode the few steps to his beaming daughter. He lifted her in his strong arms and held her close to his chest. He loved her with all his heart and although she wasn’t the heir he so desperately longed for she was his pride and joy, the one person in the world who lit him up and caused him to smile. He kissed her cheek and walked to her room with her still cuddled to his chest. “You should be asleep little pup.” He whispered playfully into her ear. “I heard a bang and it woke me up. You were being too noisy.” She accused. “Will you tuck me in and read me a story?” “Of course.” He replied cheerfully, all desires for her mother now gone. As her mate and their daughter left the room she wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath. She gingerly sat up and reached for the small key for the bedside table from her dressing gown pocket. She slowly turned the key in the lock with trembling fingers, opened the drawer and her fingers reached in and closed around the handle of a silver bladed dagger. She could not live like this anymore. The excruciating pain of betrayal was happening more frequently as his want for a male heir grew. He wanted and needed a son and he didn’t care which she-wolf it was with. He would have preferred his mate and Luna to birth his son but after their daughters birth 4 years ago, she had not gotten pregnant again. It didn’t take long for his eyes to wander and his advances towards other she-wolves to lead to betrayal. The first time she had felt it she had been so angry and had confronted him, slapping him so hard across the face that she had seen his blood on her hand. He took it and did not fight back but he did not deny the betrayal either. He never had. He knew that she knew what he was doing, and she would feel it, but he didn’t care enough to stop. She had thought she could make him realise the pain she was suffering when he betrayed her, it’s like a dagger to the heart, she had screamed in his face. She thought she could make him be faithful to her, but the pain continued. Her anger at the betrayals had faded over time replaced with an overwhelming sadness. Her whole body hurt when he was with someone else, starting in her heart then radiating out in waves until even the tips of her fingers and toes curled in agony. She felt like the pains were getting worse lately, but perhaps it was just her tolerance to them as her body became weaker and weaker as she lost her appetite and her ability to keep food down. She could not continue living like this with the man she despised. She could not leave the pack with her daughter and she could not bare the thought of leaving without her. She placed the blade of the dagger to her chest. Please look after my child. Send her a mate to treat her right, not like her father. She sent a silent prayer to the moon goddess. She knew her child’s father would look after her. He was a terrible Alpha and a terrible mate, but he was a great father to their child. She took a final breath and pushed on the handle of the dagger. The sharp blade slid between her ribs and straight into her heart.