Sent Away To die, Mated to The Apex Sovereign

Henrietta’s POV It was my wedding night. I should be excited and jumping for joy but instead, all I felt was anxiety. Not out of fear, don’t get me wrong. I was just too nervous because I knew what was supposed to happen. Tonight was the beginning of everything. For as long as I could remember, my marriage to Will Ashford had been arranged since we were born. But I loved him. It happened years ago when I was presented as an Omega in a family that valued dominance and strength above all else. My father treated me with disappointment, and the pack members either ignored me or constantly reminded me of how weak I was. Except Will. He was the only one who had treated me differently then. And tonight, we were going to consummate our marriage. Will finally stepped into the room, unbuttoning his shirt. He was handsome, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes that gave nothing away. When he looked at me, his lips curled. My breath hitched as he closed the distance between us. Then he reached out, his thumb gently tracing the line of my jaw. The warmth of his skin made me shiver. I looked up into his eyes, my hands reaching up to rest against his chest. "Look at you," Will murmured, “you’re very eager for this, aren’t you?” "Will..." I whispered, and he chuckled, then leaned forward and captured his lips in mine. For once, I didn't hesitate. I reached for him, years of wanting him exploded into a myriad of emotions. His hands moved over my body, fondling and squeezing all the right places. He didn’t look at my face once, even as he placed me on top of the bed, his eyes were screwed shut. Still, I held onto him. His mouth found mine again, and I whispered his name. “Will.” He didn't answer. Instead, he took off his shirt then mine so I was lying naked underneath him. When he looked at me, there was no desire in his eyes but I smiled and reached up to touch him. I’m giving him my first, so this had to mean something between us, I told myself with conviction. Will kissed my body, taking my breasts into his mouth and kissing his way down. The rest happened quietly, and it was without the words I had imagined hearing from him for years. When it was over, I turned toward him. “I love you.” Will went still, then he sat upright on the bed and started to get dressed. “Don’t confuse what just happened with affection, Etta.” I froze. “What?” “I’m only doing this to fulfill my obligation as your husband,” he turned to look at me. “Do you think I’m happy to be stuck with a weak omega like you?” My face burned, a furious rush of shame flooded my chest. "This marriage is a contract between our fathers," Will continued plainly. "And until you prove your worth to me, I will never treat you as an equal.” My heart dropped to the floor. So it was my fault after all… if I wasn’t so weak then Will would love me. “I’m sorry,” I choked out, looking down at my trembling hands. “I… I didn’t know… I thought we-“ He pulled me into a hug before I could blink and his warm scent enveloped me. “It’s fine, Etta. It’s not your fault.” “Really?” I croaked weakly, holding onto him as he nodded. Will pulled back and the expression on his face was so raw that it made my heart clench. “In fact, I have a solution for it. Thornwick academy. You're leaving for Thornwick Academy tomorrow morning." I blinked through the blur of tears. "Thornwick? But... that's a boarding facility on the coast." "Yes, but it’s also a training place for wolves with defective powers,” he smiled and leaned forward, his lips brushing mine. “Once you train there, your true potential will be unlocked, and you will stay by my side.” He was right. I had to try this out. He was giving me a chance to prove myself after all. “Will-“ he was already standing and dusting his clothes. “Where are you going?” He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Go to sleep, you don’t wanna be late for tomorrow.” Before I could say another word, he walked out of the room. Was he that eager to send me away? Did the s*x mean nothing to him? I pushed the tears away and sucked in a deep breath. I needed to talk to him again and tell him that I would go to Thornwick so that I could become someone he could accept. When I reached the balcony downstairs, I heard his voice and followed it to see him talking on the phone. "I know, baby," Will was saying and my heart stopped. "I know it was hard waiting through the ceremony," he continued with a laugh. "It was torture for me too. Having to stand next to her and hold her hand... it made me sick, Lia." Who was Lia? I wanted to ask but my tongue was tied. "She's completely clueless," Will said, leaning back against the wall. "It’s almost sad how desperate she is but don't worry. I sent her off to Thornwick. She'll be out of our way by tomorrow, and then I'm coming straight to you." He paused and then his smile widened. "I love you too. And I'll see you soon." He pulled the phone away and ended the call. I ducked behind a curtain, my hand pressed hard against my mouth to keep from letting out a sob. The hallway spun around me. It wasn't just that he didn't love me. He hated me, and while I had spent years dreaming of our future, he was giving his heart to someone else. Why did he agree to our marriage then? What even was I to him? ******* By sunrise, a car was waiting for me in the driveway. I packed a single suitcase, wearing a grey dress that felt as dull as I felt inside. Will didn't bother seeing me off but I swallowed the hurt. At least, he left a note wishing me the best of luck. Till now, I wasn’t sure if I heard his conversation clearly last night. My mind was spinning with too many questions but there was no escape for me. Will was my husband now and he was all I had. I just needed to prove that I wasn’t useless. The drive to Thornwick was very long, I fell asleep halfway and when I woke up again, it was raining. "Miss, the weather is getting pretty bad," the driver called out from the front. "We might have to slow down." "That's fine," I replied, looking out at the passing trees. I caught a silver SUV tearing out from a side rail and driving straight toward us. "Look out!" I screamed. The driver slammed on the brakes, but the SUV didn't stop. It rammed into the side of our car and we spun out of control, flipping over the main road, and rolling down the slope. When the vehicle finally came to a rest upside down, everything went dead silent. I could feel blood dripping down my forehead and I was trapped sideways in the backseat, my legs pinned beneath the crushed door. I tried to pull myself free, but a sharp pain in my ribs forced a scream from my throat. The driver in the front seat was completely motionless. "Help..." I gasped, my entire body throbbing in pain. "Someone... help." I could hear a roar and feared it was thunder. I had to get out of here… but how. My head towards the roaring sound and I spotted the blurry shapes of motorbikes ahead. “Help!” I wheezed out, fighting against the darkness clouding my vision. Before I could blink, the crushed door was literally ripped off its hinges and thrown aside. A tall figure crouched down beside me. He wore a dark leather jacket soaked with rain, his eyes sweeping over. "Hey," he said. "Are you alive in there?" "My... my legs," I choked out, gasping for air. "I'm trapped." He reached inside, bracing his heavy boots against the door and using his bare hands to bend the metal structure away from my ankles. Then he reached in, and pulled me out of the vehicle. He held me against his chest, shielding me from the rain as he walked a few paces away from the wreck and set me down against the base of a large tree. He knelt in front of me, his brow furrowing slightly as if he was looking at something he couldn't quite believe. "What's your name?" he asked. “You look familiar.” "I’m Henrietta," I rasped, wiping blood from my mouth. "Henrietta Ashford." He froze and his eyes flickered with surprise. It was gone almost immediately but I caught it. "Do you... do you know me?" I asked, clutching my bruised side. He didn't answer but insisted. "Where were you heading? Do you remember?” "Thornwick Academy," I whispered, shivering against the cold. "My husband... he sent me there." The man went still. He looked down at me, taking in my torn dress, and the wedding ring on my left hand. The shock on his face vanished, replaced by a knowing smile that didn't reach his eyes. He leaned down, his face inches from mine and I sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry to break your bubble, darling," he said softly, "but your husband just tried to kill you."