Chapter 7 STUCK IN THIS HELL

"What?" Ophelia screeched, spinning around to face Alexander squarely, eyes narrowed to slits. "What do you mean by Luna?"

Around us, murmurs had begun to arise as the maids whispered to each other, some going on to either pass me a look of pity or pure distaste. This couldn't seriously be happening. My skin crawled from their stares and obvious disapproval.

"I didn't stutter." Alexander scowled coldly. "Her name is Venus and she's my mate." Right there, with the unfolding chaos, he wrapped a hand around my waist, pulling me protectively towards his solid frame until we were standing side by side.

All eyes were on us now and a pair of green eyes specifically shot death arrows my way. Ophelia bit out a bitter laugh and shook her head like the prospects amused her. "Your mate looks like she's in desperate need of new clothes and a good shower. That awful smell is suffocating. Hey, honey. What pack are you from? Have you ever heard of a shower?"

For some reason, the eerie smile she wore while questioning me directly reminded me so much of Ivy, my stepmother. That comparison sent a shiver down my spine and my heart began to thud, fingers subtly trembling. Oh, god. Was this the start of another nightmare? The similarities I'd spotted between Ivy and Ophelia caused me to see her in an uglier light, no longer the gorgeous lady from earlier. Her raven black hair didn't look so glossy anymore. Her green eyes reminded me of nonexistent green monsters and beasts. Even the smile, oh that red-clad smile, quickly painted an image of a feral wolf baring its teeth before tearing into your flesh. I drew myself further into the security the Alpha provided.

"Ophelia." Alexander growled and his grip around my waist tightened.

"Chill, big guy." Ophelia playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm just joking around. I think Venus is really pretty. We'd get along just fine. Right, honey?" She smiled sweetly at me. Sickenly sweet.

I nodded, hesitantly. But deep down, I didn't miss the edge to her eyes and voice, the promise of providing exactly the opposite of her words.

"Splendid!" Ophelia gleamed, then turned to Alexander one more time. She traced her finger up his perfect jawline seductively. Dropping her voice octaves lower, she whispered into his ear, "I have a sexy little surprise for you, Mister. Tonight?"

My heart dropped and I couldn't help darting my eyes to Alexander, curious to know his response to this. However, I watched carefully as his eyes grew hooded under this woman's bewitching spell, hinting of explicit lust and a long-awaited hunger. It broke something inside of me. When Alexander promptly nodded, Ophelia passed me a little victorious smirk, before pulling back and sashaying away gracefully. My eyes stayed glued to Alexander as he kept his steady gaze on her retreating ass.

She had him wrapped around her devious little fingers...and I hated it.

I felt irritation build in me and I cleared my throat, rather rudely. Alexander withdrew his focus and switched them back to me. So much for the whole mate talk we'd had a few minutes ago.

"Who's she to you?" I couldn't help it.

Instead of responding to my question, the man rolled his eyes and waved a finger at the maids, dismissing them from their still fixed positions. They all scampered away to attend to their various duties, but not without the unending speculative stares at me.

"That woman was my Mistress. She's a bit on the overdramatic side, but she's mostly harmless." He chuckled.

What exactly was funny? The fact that she'd insulted me in front of you or the reality that you'd be going to meet up with her tonight to do god-knows-what? I'd wanted to say that so badly, instead I bit my tongue, literally, and settled for my next question.

"Why...why do you need a Mistress?"

Alpha Alexander's eyes took up a glint as he arched a perfect brow at me. "Why don't I?"

My heart plunged into my stomach. I swallowed, jealousy and envy, rearing their big ugly heads.

Alpha Alexander either didn't notice my sudden violent distaste, or he simply didn't care - which hurt even more.

"I'm a man." He added, that glint never leaving his eyes.

"D'uh," I couldn't resist the urge to say.

He scowled at me, letting my disrespect slide as he continued. "Men have their needs."

I rolled my eyes and waited until his attention was diverted somewhere else before I mimicked sarcastically. "I'm a man. Men have needs."

"My attention is needed elsewhere," he told me now, coming back to my side. "I'll send a maid to take you to your room."

Sudden disappointment made my stomach sink to my feet and I swallowed and nodded my permission, however irrelevant they were. He nodded, eyeing me softly like he could see somewhat through my disappointment. But then, he walked out either way and I was left standing in the antechamber of this huge mansion.

"M...Ma'am?" A squeaky, timid voice spoke up behind me.

I whirled around in shock and stared at the tiny little girl in maid's clothing, short wisps of wheat-colored hair had escaped her white bonnet.

"I was told to take you to your quarters," she said, too shy to even meet my gaze. For some reason, that surprised me. "If you'll come with me." She didn't waste another second before briskly sprinting up the stairs.

I followed her up gradually, eyes roaming every inch of the premises, through the hallway, and stopped at a huge double door with ornate designs etched into it. She pushed the door open and led the way in. I struggled not to gasp at the impressive room.

It was as beautiful as I imagined. Perhaps the most elegantly designed room I'd ever seen! With an impressively huge queen-sized bed, white and pink covers and feather-stuffed oversized pillows. A mosquito net court made of fine gold and silver thread fell over the bed, and pastel pink and soft purple lined every piece of the white painted mahogany furniture, intricate designs had been painted into the ceilings and walls, and large windows let in a lot of air and sunlight.

The entire place screamed of opulence and wealth and for the umpteenth time since I stepped foot here, I wanted to shrink into myself at the aching realization that I didn't belong...and I probably never will.

"What's your name?" I asked the soft-spoken maid as I walked awkwardly into the room, my mind still wrapping around the fact that this was going to be my new home.

"June." She smiled shyly at me, pausing from dusting up a corner of my new wardrobe.

Eventually, she bowed and took her leave, promising to come fetch me when it was time for dinner.

I sighed and walked into the en-suite, drawing a bath and stripping out of my clothes because, believe it or not, Ophelia had gotten the better of me with her biting words.

After soaking for a good amount of time and scrubbing my skin until it was raw and aching, I sifted through my new clothes, searching for the best one I had to put on, just in case Alpha Alexander decided to visit me tonight. However, the excruciating weight of embarrassment settled on my shoulders as I realized that even the best dress in the closet wasn't flattering enough for my me. It seemed like they were made for someone with a curvier shape - someone like Ophelia. Just the thought of that dug into my insecurities.

I dressed quickly in a cheery pink gown, a floral dress that was somewhat appealing more than the rest, then perched on my bed restlessly, anxiety, taking huge chunks of the courage and hope I had possessed when I first arrived this morning. I sat drowning in absolute despair as thoughts of Ophelia's mocking words bit at me. At the way Alexander had ogled her endowed body. At the way the maids had seemed too disappointed at the fact that I was Alexander's mate. At the glaring reality that I would never fit into a place like Silver Dawn. At how much I missed my best friend.

This sudden feeling of reminiscing made my heartache and I pulled my knees to my chest, deflated. If my best friend, Renee, was here, she'd give me an earful on how I shouldn't back down from the challenge Silver Dawn posed. But how could I not? How could I stand to fight for a place here when even my own mate didn't seem excited at the prospects of me being a half-baked werewolf? I mean, who would? My eyes pooled with tears and I bit back my lips from trembling. I missed Renee so much it hurt. She was the only one who cared, asides father. She was the only friend who bothered to sit by my side through my good and bad days. Now, I'd possibly never see her again. I was going to be stuck in this hell with the domineering Alpha Alexander and that cruel lady, Mistress Ophelia.

I was going to be stuck in this hell forever.