POV: Lena
"What? This must be a joke!"
"What do you mean what? I just told you that the guards brought the news. It's right here in my hands", he said nonchalantly, leaning to the edge of the door with a death stare.
"Read my lips: YOUUURRR FATHERRRR ISSS DEEAADDD!" He said those words slowly as he pointed to his lips without an ounce of empathy from him, he watched me drop to the floor in dismay.
The news of my father's death struck me like a heavy blow on my face. Being the last man of our clan and the only one I could call my own, I could only wonder what life has for me onwards as the only living member of the Farcas clan.
"But he promised to stand by me, he promised to be with me to the end. He asked me to do this. And now he's not even here to see my sacrifice?" I muttered in anger with tears in my eyes.
Yes, anger! It's safe to say that I have gotten to the second stage of grief within a split second. I'm not angry at my father nor his passing, but angry that I'm stuck with a mate that doesn't love me simply because my father asked me to.
'It's for the pack', he said.
Out of love and respect I have for my father, I obliged. But people think I'm Abel's mate because he is the Alpha of the pack but behind closed doors I only knew that I am doing this for my father who has now died without even telling me why.
"But he promised me!" I sobbed. "The only thing he said was that it's for my own future", I fell on my knees sobbing. "Where do I begin?" I cried even more.
My father knew what strange relationship I had with Abel. He knew how ill treated I was already by Abel. He knew how vulnerable I was even while he was alive. And now that he's dead? I'm only but hopeless and helpless.
Abel, being the Alpha of The Shadow pack was a man of strong aura and defiance, some see him to be fierce but I see him as an arrogant bully who sees me like he's doing me a favor by being in my life. Right from when I was declared to be his mate up until now, he never has been affectionate towards me. Not even the slightest. For a man of his caliber, he attracts all the women in the pack and of course, they're being smitten by him.
I can't deny his built body, muscular arms, stiff abs dark hair, piercing black eyes that could drill a whole through any woman's chest and chiseled jaw so sharp he could tear through a skin. His sex appeal is top notch to others of course but when he gets to me, it's rather abuse and disgust than appeal.
I could feel him when he lays with another woman or women in most cases. His mark on me burns, literally.
"But why does he do this to me?" I thought. "I've only been good to him despite all he has put me through". And I have. Regardless of whatever Abel does to me, I was always receiving it in good faith and no rebellion. Or is that why he keeps doing it? Is that why He keeps being unfaithful to me?
Like the infidelity was not enough, he disrespects me and humiliates me publicly. He bullies me to the mockery of the pack like I wasn't his Luna. Why do I have to go through this? Why do I have to suffer? Why is life unfair to me.
"Are you done mourning?" Abel gloated while interrupting my thoughts as he walked up in the room. He walks to where I was seated on the floor, stooped to my level and stroked my hair. Picking up a few strands of my hair and twisting it, looking directly in my face, he grunted.
"See, I'm all you've got now. Nobody is coming to save you from me. The earlier you humble yourself and come to terms with that, the better for you. Maybe, just maybe you will find your spot in the pack cos right now, I am your mercy", he whispered with baritone close in my ears. I could perceive his masculine stench with was mixed with the whiskey & tobacco I smelt from his breath.
That's Abel. An average alcoholic who is always frolicking with women or abusing me when he has no serious royal engagements to keep him busy. One might say this is coming from a place of hate but I always wonder how he became the Alpha of the pack. A man with his heart colder than the winters of the north.
"I'm going out for a ride with the boys, I would like to have steak for dinner on my return. I'm not asking you not to mourn your old man but I don't wanna see a drop of tear or gloom when I get back", he said to me coldly while getting up to his feet to leave. "And please, I don't want a Dry steak, your pussy does that for me already" he chuckled while walking out of the room whistling in the satisfaction of what he has just done to me.
I screamed in rage and flung over the flower verses beside me until it shattered.
"Is this what becomes of me? Is this my life now? This humiliation is what I am to take for the rest of my life?" I cried even more and suddenly Annabella, my olderly maiden rushed to grab me as I collapsed helplessly in her arms.
"Hush now, Child" She shushed me and lifted me up to my bed.
The last thing I remember was arguing with Annabella while sipping the tea she got me. I remember that She asked me to sleep and she was going to make the dinner on Abel's return. I insisted to make the steak as commanded out of my fear of what Abel may do to me but she could sense my panic and told me to lay still while she gets me some more tea to calm me.
Oh, Annabella... apart from my best and only friend, she is the only person that has my interest at heart in the whole of the North. I'm grateful for her. On sipping the tea, I can't really say what happened next. I drifted off into dreamland. Annabella had put something extra in this chamomile tea, I knew it but I was way too weak to protest against it as my body gave in to the call of deep sleep.