Chapter 5 : Hurting

*Valeria*

My eyes burned as I opened them to the early morning sun.

As much as I had told myself to stay strong, that hadn't stopped the tears from running all night. It was probably the worst sleep of my life. Restless. Anxious.

Unhappy.

Declan had stuck to his word though and was giving me space. At least, that's what I was assuming since he didn't come to bed throughout the whole night. A shudder passed over me as I shoved aside the thoughts of who else's bed he could've slept in…

I hurried through my morning routine, spending just a little extra time to add some makeup to the large, deep marks below my swollen eyes.

Even with all of that, I beat most people to the dining room. Not being able to sleep well had caused me to rise much earlier than most of those still sleeping off the party from the night before.

I sat down with a plate of eggs and sausage, but just pushed it around as I thought about how much had happened in just twenty-four hours.

For instance, twenty-four hours ago I was still head over heels in love with my husband…and now…

"Good morning," a low voice spoke up, sending a shiver down my spine.

I looked up to see King Dominic standing over my chair. How unlucky could I be? The one person I didn't want to see today.

My body jerked to the side and then up, grabbing my plate.

"Aren't you going to finish eating?" he asked, and I couldn't tell if that was concern that laced his voice.

Surely not.

"Not hungry," was all I said as I dumped the untouched food and set the plate on the tray to return to the kitchen.

I turned to walk out, but he was standing in my path, frowning down at me. Damn wolves and their fast speed. Lycans were supposed to be even faster, so there would be no getting away from him unless he wanted me to.

Just great.

"What?" I snapped, looking away from him.

"Are you sure you are alright?" He asked slowly. "You don't look well."

"I'm fine," I said instinctively, looking up at him through my lashes.

He was still staring as if leaving it open for me to keep going.

Did he actually care?

No. No way. And I definitely didn't want him to know what happened last night. There was no doubt that he would mock me and laugh at me, proving that he was right and I was wrong.

"Humans must have a different definition of "fine" than us Lycans," he said, still not moving. "Or are you still just as stupid as before?"

"None of your damn business," I said, without thinking. "First you insult me as a human, and then you call me stupid? Seriously? What is wrong with you?"

His eyes flashed. "Careful, doll. You said you've heard my stories…I'm guessing they tell you that I don't take kindly to disrespect."

"I don't care!" I said, all of my frustration coming out. "I will say anything to just get you to leave me the hell alone!"

I was breathing hard in the silence that spread between us, finally daring to look up at the Lycan King's face. It flashed with something when our eyes met, but it was quickly smothered.

"You don't have to worry then," he said, his voice sounding like it was carrying a threat. "The Lycans are leaving today, so you will never have to see me again."

I hated how my heart ached at that, but I didn't let it show. "Good."

He moved to finally walk past me, then stopped once more beside me.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay in your lovely home," King Dominic said.

Was he…condescending me??

I opened my mouth to snap something back, but he was already nearly out of the room. With each step he took my heart pounded louder, as if summoning him back. With an irritated huff, I whirled back around.

I walked out before he had a chance to say anything else, my heart pounding with each step I took. I was so distracted by my encounter with the Lycan King that I didn't even notice who was walking up to me in the hall.

"Good morning, Luna!" A bright bubbly voice said, making my skin crawl.

Melissa was standing in front of me.

I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at her. She had the audacity to stand there and smile at me like that. The girl must be truly psycho…wait a minute!

"What are you still doing here, Melissa?" I asked, unable to control the shake in my voice. "I told you to leave."

Melissa shrugged, the smile not faltering at all. "And Declan told me to stay."

My blood ran cold, a sharp contrast to the fire the rage had been before.

"What did you say?"

"Declan told me to stay," her grin widened. "And I listen to my Alpha…isn't he just the best man you have ever met…or ever had in bed?"

My mouth dropped open in shock.

"Or maybe not?" Her eyes turned wicked. "Perhaps that's why he has to keep me around."

"You bitch!" I screamed, reaching out and clenching her arm in mine.

"Ladies!" Declan's Beta and Gamma suddenly jogged up to us, attracted by the commotion. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Melissa said suddenly turning her face upset for the two men. "Valeria and I were just talking, and she got mad at me."

"That is your Luna," scolded Beta Marc. "Treat her with some respect."

Gamma Troy was looking at the grip I still held on Melissa's arm, so tight that my nails were creating little crescent impressions.

"Don't you think you should take it easy, Luna?" Gamma Troy asked tentatively. "I mean, she's just an Omega…don't be cruel."

Shock passed through me for the second time in merely minutes. He really thought that I was the cruel one in this situation? What are the fucking odds? Declan wasn't the only delusional one it seemed.

With a huff of frustration, I threw Melissa's arm away from me and stomped off. Maybe not the most classy thing to do, but I was at my breaking point! And I knew who was really responsible.

"Declan!" I shouted, happy to find him in his office and not someplace worse. "What is Melissa still doing here? You promised that-"

Movement shifted from behind the chair and I halted my assault as King Dominic appeared.

Shit. I should have made sure nobody was here before I started spewing stuff. The King had taken me off guard for the second time, and it took me a moment to recover. I could feel Declan's eyes on me the entire time.

"I apologize, King Dominic," I said, bowing my head slightly as my cheeks flushed. "I didn't see you there, I did not mean to interrupt."

How embarrassing…though, he had already known the truth…and I had been too dumb, no too damn self-righteous, to listen.

I thought I had the perfect life.

Look at me now.

"It's alright, I was just leaving anyway, I will give you your space," he said then turned to Declan. "I will be in contact soon about the things we have discussed this morning. Thank you for allowing us to stay with you for the night."

"Of course," Declan said with a small bow of his own.

Despite his words, the scowl on his face seemed to say "like I had any choice".

King Dominic moved to walk past before bending and whispering slightly in my ear. "It's good to know that you can be polite when you want to be, doll."

I looked up at him, trying to decide if he was scolding me, or teasing me. There was no smile on his face, but I swear I could see just the littlest twinkle of humor in his eye.

Second chance mate…

No. No way. I couldn't even think about that.

"What do you want, Valeria?" Declan asked, breaking the King's and my staring contest. He moved past and I shuffled closer to Declan as I heard the door close.

All the wind had left my sails though. The anger was gone, and in its place was just an empty feeling. I almost felt…lost. My anxiety was climbing through the roof with each heartbeat.

We stood in silence for a few minutes. In the distance, I thought I could hear a car starting, but my hearing was not as good as the wolves.

"Valeria, now please," Declan said, impatiently.

"Excuse me?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I don't think you have any right to talk to me like that."

"What do you want me to do, Val?" Declan asked irritatedly. "I've already apologized, what more do you want from me?"

"Well, getting rid of Melissa-"

"No! I don't want to hear it anymore!" Declan yelled, stepping up to me. "I'm busy and I don't have time to deal with this; to deal with you."

"But you had time to fuck Melissa," I snapped.

"You're damn right I fucked her!" Declan snapped back. "It's not like you feel it anyway, you're human! You just need to be a good Luna and sit back and take it."

I felt the tears stinging my eyes. Declan had never talked to me like this…and he had just admitted openly to the cheating. He was getting closer and closer to me, bearing down on me. Always an Alpha trying to get me to submit.

"Don't be worried, I won't reject you. You're perfect for me, and rejecting you would just weaken me in the long run," Declan continued. "So just do your job and look the other way. And don't worry about us either, I'll still fuck you too."

My hand flung up and slapped across his face without a thought, but I did not regret it…

Until he turned his face.

"You dare disrespect your Alpha?!" he growled, so loud that I winced.

Then before I could defend myself, his hand was flying towards my face. The contact to my cheek was so hard that it knocked me to the floor where I let out a cry of pain.

Hit me.

He had just hit me.

I shook on the floor as he stepped to tower over me. Over the entire six years we had been together I had never been afraid of Declan. Despite his true shape and his power, he had always made me feel safe, not afraid.

Not any longer though.

Sobs broke from my body now; both at the pain and at the idea that the love of my life had hurt me.

"You will pay for that, Valeria," Declan growled. "I have been too lenient with you since the beginning. If you want to be a part of our world so bad, then I will show you the reality of our world."

His voice didn't even sound like his own. It was cold. Distant. Another sob broke free.

"I'm s-s-s-s-orry," I managed to choke out between sobs, desperate for him to go back to normal, to be the loving man I had been with for all these years.

"Not yet," he bent down to whisper in my ear. "But you will be."