CHAPTER ONE

Eleanor's pov

The sunlight hit my eyes the moment I threw the bedcovers away from my face and I closed them immediately. With a low wince, I gently opened them again, looking around me. Where was I? How did I even end up here?

The last thing I remembered before everything went out was Sebastian twirling his wine in his glass while smirking at me. Now, it all came back to me. I had eaten a walnut. Sebastian had tried to poison me! He knew I was allergic and tried to kill me. That bastard!

I tried to get up but a force jerked me back in bed. I turned to see a chain tied to the bedpost and around my wrist. He even had the effrontery to chain me up.

“Sebastian!” I yelled his name as loud as I could but got no reply.

“Sebastian!” I yelled again. It was still the same. No one answered me.

I gritted my teeth and turned to rip off the chains but the more I tried to, the more they cut into my wrist.

Just then, heat pooled in between my legs. A moan escaped my lips and I gripped the sheets with my free hand, trying to fight the heat building up in me. I let out a sharp wince when an invisible weight pressed down on me and I bit down on my lower lip. Sebastian, that bastard.

Tears filled my eyes but I hit back a sob. No, I wouldn't give in. I wouldn't let Sebastian win this time.

The passion became intense and I cried out.

“Sebastian, you bastard.” A quiet sob escaped my lips and I buried my face in the darkness of my knees. Sebastian was with one of his mistresses and because of our mating mark, I felt whatever he felt. He took another woman to bed when he was married.

A giggle tore through the air from the next door and I began to sob.

Why was I the one suffering and not Loretta?

I was perfectly fine on my own before I met that devil called Sebastian but no, father wouldn't let me be.

“Lycan King Sebastian is a powerful man.” He said.

“He is powerful enough to protect you and wealthy enough to make you happy.” He said.

But look at me, chained up in my own bedroom while my own husband was sleeping with another woman on our matrimonial bed.

The door burst open and Sebastian staggers inside, his hand hooked around a dark haired woman's waist. From the way she was thinly dressed, it was clear they just concluded their pillow talk.

I tried to move but the chains held back my right arm. “You bastard!”

“Look at her all chained up like a dog.” His mistress snickered and Sebastian joined her.

I sneered at the woman who looked a bit older than me.

“Come closer let me show you what a real dog looks like, bitch!”

The next thing I knew, Sebastian made a beeline for the bed and smacked me across the face.

Then he grabbed my chin, pressing his shape nails into my face.

“How dare you speak to Alessia that way, you wench!”

“Let go of me, you womanizer!” I yelled back and got another slap for my troubles.

“The only reason I'm keeping you alive is because of the deal your father and I made otherwise I would've killed you already.” He sneered.

“Why don't you kill me already!” I screamed in his face and he tightened his grip.

“That will ruin the fun, won't it?” His red lips curved into a smile and he leaned his face closer for me to smell his cool breath. “I want you to suffer a slow and agonizing death, Eleanor. Killing you immediately will be boring.”

Tears streamed down my face and I said with a low hiss.

“Go to hell.”

“I’ll put in a good word for you with the devil. Maybe he'll give you a mansion with a nice view of the lake of fire.” Sebastian smirked.

“I hate you.” I screamed at him again.

He barked a laugh and his stupid mistress joined him.

“The feeling is mutual, love.”

Sebastian shoved me backwards and I fell on my back on the bed.

“You haven't had breakfast, have you?”

As if on cue, two maids entered the room with a trolley of food.

They stopped right where he stood and bowed their exit.

Sebastian let go of his woman and she uncovered the plate.

Sebastian picked it up and gave it a good sniff.

“Hmm. Smells delicious, doesn't it?”

He wasn't lying. The food smelled delicious. I could feel my mouth water already.

Sebastian brought the food to my face and turned it upside down letting the contents fall on my face.

“Happy birthday, Eleanor.”

His mistress giggled as the food contents streamed down my face. “Happy birthday, Eleanor.”

“Shall we?” Sebastian said to her and they both walked out of the room.

I flinched when the door slammed heavily. The silverware on my lap stared at me along with shrimps and mawney, my favourite dish.

Quietly, I pushed back the bedcovers with my free hand and pulled my knees up to my chest.

2 years. I’ve been married to Sebastian for 2 years and it has been the same torture ever since.

If only I hadn't replaced my sister in this marriage. If only I hadn't given in to father's selfish request, If only I had known Sebastian would treat me like this, I wouldn't be in this mess.

I had met Sebastian 2 years ago at my first mating ceremony. The moment our eyes held each other's, I knew he was my mate. When father had told me I was to get married to Sebastian, I said “yes” without blinking. I had thought I was going to get married to my fated mate and become his Luna. I now know it was going to be impossible. 2 years into this charade called a marriage and I'm sitting in my bed with scars on my body, food over my head, and a husband who tested my patience. Maybe, death would be a better option.

Night fell over the pack and I was still in the same miserable position.

I looked up when the door creaked open, peering into the darkness.

“Are you here to finish me off?”

“Ma'am?” A quiet voice called out. It was Grace, my maid.

“Grace?” I called out with relief.

A candle light pierced the darkness and she entered. Worry formed wrinkles on her already aged face and she rushed to my side.

“Oh my goodness. What happened to you?” she said as she kept the candle stand on the bedside table.

“The usual,” I said with a deep sigh. “Please, help get this thing off me.”

“Right away.” Gracie reached for a bunch of keys in her dress pocket. “I had snatched it from His Majesty's bedroom while cleaning.”

The lock clicked and she pulled the chains off my wrist. “I'm so sorry, ma'am.”

My eyes met her teary ones and my heart broke. Out of the wolves in his castle, Grace was the only one who treated me well. The others scolded and bullied me whenever they had the chance including the guards and maids.

“Thank you, Grace.” I massaged my wrist which was beginning to hurt.

“Let’s get you into a bath.” Grace helped me up and I followed her into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, I had bathed and was in clean clothes. The windows were open to let out the smell of my supposed lunch. I stood by the balcony staring at the full moon with a frown on my face.

“I’m not sure what's more impressive, your ability to create werewolves or your ability to create more problems for me.” I said obviously taking a jab at the Moon Goddess.

“You managed to create a world where Sebastian and I would existing. Bravo. I'll be sure to thank you when we meet on the other side.” As I turned to leave, I felt a tingling sensation within me.

It was just a personal thought but I stretched my hand towards the trees and immediately, it caught fire.

“Fire!” A guard cried out.

I stared at the moon with round eyes. I have powers now?