Chapter 1: "Mummy, will I ever have a mate?"

Scarlett's pov 

"Mummy?" 

It's nine in the evening and time for dinner when Maya looks up at me from her bowl of porridge.

My heart melts at the way she says that word, like it means the world to her. It makes me feel she sees me as her source of knowledge, so when I look down at my daughter, with her light brown hair and deep blue eyes, a smile lights up my face and I pinch her cheek lightly.

 

"Yes, darling?"

 

"Will I ever have a mate?"

 

I blink as a slightly amused look spreads across my face.

 

"Why are you asking about that? You're still so young."

 

"But let's say hypothetically."

 

My eyes widen and I chuckle.

 

"Hypothetically? Who taught you that word, Maya? it's a big word for a six-year-old."

 

She shrugs.

 

"Mr. Marcus said it when he was asking Miss Sara a question in class today, he said hypothetically speaking..?"

 

Another chuckle bubbles up from within me because I know the teachers she's talking about. They handle the grade one class at her school and Marcus is always making jokes to Sara because he wants to go out with her but can't summon the courage to ask her out. I have a lot of free time sometimes and my daughter is my life. I always make sure to check up on her.

 

"But why would you ask if you'll get a mate? Everyone gets a mate when they come of age, and that's going to be twelve years from now for you at least, you're still six, you should be worried about your fine arts class. That donkey you drew looked like a table."

 

"I don't want a mate mummy."

 

My hand pauses at the tip of Maya's hair and I look down at her. Her porridge has not been touched and she's staring up at me, her gaze, serious. She's peering up at me with emotion in her eyes and I'm confused.

 

"Why do you say you don't want a mate?"

 

Maya turns away and hesitates before speaking.

 

"Daddy's your mate isn't he?"

 

My blood runs colder than the treat we're consuming but I nod and my daughter looks away.

 

"I don't want a mate if my mate is going to act the way Daddy does to you. He always makes you cry and scream and I don't like that. I don't want a mate."

 

Every word my daughter says is like an arrow to my heart and I feel tears prick the back of my eyes as I listen to her.

 

I always hoped this would never happen.

 

"Daddy loves us in his own way, Maya."

 

With the way my voice cracks and my throat closes up, even I can tell I'm lying. Maya snuggles in closer to me and goes back to eating her porridge.

 

'"I still don't want a mate."

 

I have to pull her in closer and let her settle against me before I let my tears slip out. I use my other hand to cover my mouth at intervals when I feel a sob trying to force its way up. I clean my tears the moment they come out so they don't drop and my daughter doesn't notice but Maya still turns to touch a bruise on my forehead.

 

"Does it still hurt?"

 

I shake my head and pull her in for a hug, finally allowing some silent sobs to come out. In all my years of having her, I've always hoped that she doesn't notice any of my struggles. I've always wished for her to have a happy childhood, to not see that her dad beats her mum and to not be affected by it. To live like a happy child, from a happy home, not scarred by her parent's issues.

 

It hurts me deep into my soul that she's noticed and that it's even affected her mindset on mates. Mates are sacred. Her mate will love her and care for her.

We were happy once, Hunter loved me before he married me and we had a grand wedding. He was a handsome young Alpha, the heir to the Nightshade pack, and the most charming person I had ever been chanced to come across. He had come to my parent’s pack to discuss with the Alpha there about a treaty. My father had been on the Alpha’s inner council, and the moment Hunter laid his eyes on me as I accompanied my father to the Alpha’s home, I knew we were meant to be. The pack  I am from is a small one, I was happy to leave with my mate so I could become the Luna of his pack.

Hunter was caring and faithful, but that was before I gave birth and the child wasn't male. He changed like the tides after that. His family already has a history of having more females than males, he has three sisters himself, and as the only male, if he doesn't provide an heir.........

 

Hunter's scent wafts into my nose and I stop crying, moving my head up instead to smell better. I mentally prepare to take Maya to her room, and when the faint pulse of his presence across the mate bond reaches me, I stand up with Maya cradled against me immediately.

 

"Honey, Daddy's back home now so I'll need you to stay in your room" I'm already making my way there as I speak, almost running so I can get my daughter to safety even though she protests.

 

"But I haven't finished my ice cream."

 

"I'll buy you a big tub tomorrow if you go straight to bed. Love you, honey."

 

I drop her at the entrance, close her door, and turn the key in before bringing it out. I wait to hear her footsteps and the ruffle of the sheets as she gets into bed before I go back to the living room.

 

Hunter is waiting when I get there.

 

The way his suit hugs his body makes me wonder if I can look that good in a dress. Hunter is the Alpha of the Nightshade pack, a pack that has me as its Luna but in which I suffer a worse fate.

 

He stumbles and I run to catch him, the scent of alcohol and other women already coming off him in waves. I remember my shortcomings all at once and I hold back tears.

 

"Stay away from me, you bitch!"

 

His slurred words hold all the venom I can imagine he has in him and as tears fall down my face, I wonder why he doesn't let me do that, stay away from him. I've asked for a divorce but he's refused, keeping me with him instead so he can hit me and beat me up.

 

"I only wanted to help you. I'm sorry Hunter.."

 

Hunter stumbles over and grabs my hair, yanking it before I can crawl away.

 

"If you really want to help, then you're going to let me fuck you, right here and right now. Maybe this time your barren womb will bring forth my heir."

 

His breath reeks of alcohol and as he starts pulling at my clothes, a sob forces its way out of me.

 

"Hunter wait, p..please stop."

 

I say the words over and over again but he doesn't listen. Tears are streaming down my face and my sobs leave me shaking, but he doesn't listen and he's still grabbing at my clothes, determined to have his way with me no matter if I want it or not. I'm pulling the parts he's pulled off back on when my eyes catch on something.

 

My breath stills.

 

"Hunter, stop."

 

Maya's in the hallway to her room, tears streaming down her face and shattering my heart the minute I see them but putting a stop to mine. Hunter rips the strap of my dress and drags my panties off my bottom.

 

"Hunter, I said stop! Our daughter is watching!"

 

My husband's eyes rise to meet that of his sobbing daughter and the lethal anger I see in them makes my heart stop.

 

I should not have said that.