Chapter Seven
Riley's POVI felt something moist on my skin in a very small amount, and then in larger amounts and I wondered what it was. Then, I felt it again, this time, all over my body as I jumped to my feet in record time."Wake up, you sloth!""I'm sorry, ma'am."I fell asleep on the floor as I worked for the alpha's daughter. Close to me was the rag Iwas cleaning the windows and the furniture with. I couldn't remember sleeping though. The last thing I could think of was the fact that I felt really weak but was determined to finish up the task given to me. It was true, what they always said, that you can't cheat nature.I was so cold. I couldn't tell if it was the water that was poured on me, the clothes that I wore, which had become very soggy or the fever that was building up within me. All I knew was that I was very cold.I clenched my teeth as I stared at Sharon, hoping she could take pity on me and let me rest for just a while. I had hoped that deep down that outward beauty, some beauty dwelt within. How wrong I was!It didn't take long for me to realize just how wrong I was. I felt something hard on my legs and I staggered, doing my utmost to stay on my feet. She had tried to tackle me and for what? I saw that she held a cutlass in her hand. While I was so busy trying to get some sympathy from her and staring right into her beautiful brown eyes, she must have held out the cutlass for me to take but my mind was too occupied and my eyes didn't spot that."I didn't see it," I managed to voice out, stretching forth my hands to collect the cutlass from her. "I'm sorry, ma'am.""I see you're good at always apologizing and it's starting to get annoying," she said, coughing a bit before continuing. "Due to the recent events, there's so much work to do and that means less rest for you. You'd have to be very fast with whatever you're told to do. The alpha of alphas would be arriving soon and I don't want you messing this up for me. Am I clear?""Yes, ma'am." Something in me wanted to protest or at least subtly mention that it wasn't so convenient but it'll only get me into more trouble so I kept my thoughts to myself."You'll be working on those muddy areas in the compound and just outside it. You'd see a hoe when you get there, you could use that too. I want all the long grasses cut and all the little weeds uprooted. That place should look like a place where grass has never grown before. Surely, you can do that, can't you?""Yes, ma'am.""Yes, what?""I can, ma'am. I can clear the whole area."A big smile appeared on her face. She did enjoy bullying me a lot. It probably gave her a feeling of superiority and she seemed to crave that a lot."I'd take you by your words but seeing how lazy you could be, I'd be foolish to do that. You'd be having someone supervise you. His name is Bruce. You know him, right? The beta's son; surely you do know him, don't you?""I do."I couldn't believe my ears. Of everyone that she could have picked, Bruce? That jerk? He had never liked me and he always tried to hit me at the slightest opportunity. He had tried making passes at me twice in the past but I didn't give him a sni . Since then, he had resorted to making my life worse than hell. All thanks to Sharon, he had another chance to do as he wanted to."That's not all," she continued. "When you're done with that, you'd also need to sweep the entire compound; the one you weren't able to do due to the little misunderstanding that transpired between you and the guards. Then, you'd get all the restrooms tidied up. Any questions?""No, ma'am. No questions at all.""Good, then get to work!"I slowly walked out of the house, dragging my feet as I left. I hoped she wouldn't notice because she may have read that to be a show of defiance or rebellion. It wasn't. It was just a sign of extreme fatigue.As I stepped out of the room, the jerk was already waiting, smiling for reasons best known to him. "Hey," I said, as I walked past him. I had work to do, and as long as I did it well, I was less likely to get abused. I'd still get abused though, just not to a certain extent.As we got to the muddy area of the compound, I bent down and began to cut the grass. Tall, elephant grasses and a few shorter ones which were as stubborn as anything I could think of. I had to strike some of them about three to four times before I could level them. I swung my arms as much as I could, in a bid to finish up as quickly as I could.Bruce just stood there. He could have helped but he didn't. Rather, he kept his gaze steadily fixed on where I was. Whether it was the work that he was looking at or my backside which he always admired and talked about shamelessly, I could tell. All I could say was that he was supervising something. He was simply pathetic.After a few minutes, the tiredness began to show up again. My bones felt so weak and Icould hardly hold on to the cutlass. I had covered quite some ground so I felt I needed to take a break. "Can I rest a little, Bruce?" I asked."No, you can't," he replied, almost as quickly as I asked as if he was expecting it. "That's exactly why I'm here, Riley. I'm here to make sure that you won't have any rest until you're done. You wouldn't have me disobey Sharon's orders, would you?""Please, Bruce, just this once, I promise." I pleaded with him, knowing that he could let me rest if he wanted to. He just didn't. It wasn't like he was bound to follow Sharon's orders. It was merely a request. He was the beta's son and not some guard to send on errands. Being mean was just a part of him he couldn't let go of.He pointed to the grass and I got the message. I picked up a hoe, which I thought would be a tad easier for me to work with, seeing how exhausted I was. I bent again and began to pull out the weeds, using the hoe. As I tried to move forward, I lost my footing and fell on the muddy floor. My dress was ruined and it was my favourite.Hahaha!Somehow, Bruce found it amusing. He laughed so hard that I felt like punching him, but that was all that it was; a feeling. There was nothing else I could do but simply stand to my feet and continue the work. I picked up my hoe and kept weeding, albeit very slowly as I felt the strength leave my hand with each strike."You should be faster, Riley. We don't have all day.""This is the best I can do, Bruce," I answered, breathing out of my mouth. I felt very lightheaded like I was about to faint.""Perhaps, you need a little motivation, don't you think?"I felt something long and strong land on my back, drawing a loud wail from my lips and sending shivers down my spine. "Ahhh!" I screamed, as the hoe fell from my hand and I turned to see what just happened.There he stood, a long whip in his hand and a wry smile on his face and I understood just what had happened. He must have picked up the whip along the way as I was sure he didn't have it when we were heading to the place. I felt unimaginable pain. Tears flowed freely down my eyes and there was no holding back from screaming."You'll do well to be a bit faster, Riley, so we won't have to go through this again," Bruce said.I quickly picked up the hoe and this time, I dug faster than before. I didn't want any more of what I had just received. I cursed Bruce in my heart, yes, I cursed myself also for being who I was."One day, this would all be over. Everything would be just okay," I said to myself. "Please, dear goddess, make my su erings go away. Let my tears which fall to the ground wash them all away."Darrius' POVI opened my eyes to see that the darkness remained. Yet, it wasn't as it was before I went to bed, so I guessed it was quite early in the morning. I yawned, still feeling a bit weak from the intense sex that I had with Lita.I stared at her as she lay right next to me and caressed her hair gently. I didn't want her to wake up. She looked so beautiful even as she slept and I wondered what kind of man would leave a woman as beautiful and charming as Lita for anyone else. Yet, Iknew she wasn't my mate and I wasn't willing to be with anyone who wasn't mine. My father married his mate, his father too and his grandfather also. I wasn't going to be the exception, as tempting as it was. Lita was truly tempting.She was all that any man could wish for. She knew just how to do things and exactly when to do them. I would have said that I fell in love with her but if I did, I wouldn't be thinking about being rid of her. Yet, I did feel something for her, something very strong and if
Darius’s PovI stood up and left my secret chamber immediately. I got to do something real quick. The affection I had for Lita has just been destroyed by her.“Tell Danny to meet me in my chambers.” I said to one of the wolves guarding the palace: He bowed and left immediately, while I headed for my chamber.I opened the door and went in.The scent of Lita still lingered. I am an alpha, and I can pick up the tiniest scent from anything or anyone.I looked at the bed and was reminded of the hot moment I had last night. I still admired her, but not anymore. That scent and the bed disgust me now.She involved my mom in this. I wouldn’t forgive her for that. I always made sure not to get my mother involved in anything I did so I wouldn’t cause her any trouble at all. She is the only family I have left, and I wouldn’t put her in trouble for any reason.Danny walked in and closed the door behind him. “Darius, what did you do to Lita?”“Nothing. I just cut ties between the both of us. "I am
Riley’s Pov I rushed out of the house, heading for the Alpha’s house, dressed in one of my rags, but at least better than others, even though the yellow gown was much better. It got torn yesterday while working. I was able to finish up my work at nightfall and rush back home, but here I am, rushing back to the Alpha’s house because Sharon called and said my service was needed at the Alpha’s house. How miserable can my life ever be? I am feeling very sick, but no one would even give me a stare or ask why I was so sick. I am worthless to them and mean nothing. “Riley…” Mother called behind me. I halted and turned back with my head bowed. “Yes mother?” I felt dizzy at that moment and so had to close my eyes, trying to get stabilized. I heard footsteps walking towards me and then stopping right before me. What does Mother want again? I opened my eyes and wanted to raise my head, but a hand connected to my face and forced me to shut my eyes again. I should receive the award for bein
Chapter eleven Riley’s Pov My breath hitched and my legs gave way, making me fall to the ground. I began to panic as she stared down at me in disgust and hatred. “This is who you truly are; you tried to kill the son of the beta." "You will be punished for it.” She said it angrily. “Please. He tried. He tried to force himself on me. I pleaded, with tears falling from my eyes. I looked at Bruce beside me and noticed that he wasn’t moving. My world came crashing down. My life, which I never started, is over. This is it for me. Bruce is no more, and that means my life is over too. “You murderer!” she thundered, making my body hairs rise up. I am done for. “Please forgive me. Please.” I pleaded, but there is no way I can be justified. Oh my life! “Guards, take this thing away.” She yelled. Why does she have to come in? Why Sharon of all people? The guards, hearing her call, quickly rushed in and took me away, not hearing my pleas for mercy. “I can explain. is not what you think.”
Chapter twelve Darius’s Pov Unfortunately, the horse was sick, and that was why Danny called to tell me there was a problem. My planned fun ride was ruined. It is decided that I will just go in my wolf form; that will make it even faster for me. I left immediately. I got my bag containing what I will be needing. Some guards wanted to come with me, but this is a journey I must take alone. I shifted and went on my journey. I will be going to the Misty Night Park in Alpha’s. I might find my mate among his daughters. The sun was shining so brightly between the tall trees, whose branches were spread out, giving a covering to the forest. The sun was scorching, but the trees gave the forest a relaxing atmosphere. I walked down the forest, not in my wolf form but in human form. I just wanted to have the feeling of the cool breeze in the forest. It’s been a while since I took a walk because I've been busy trying to be the best, and I haven’t done anything fun since forever.
Chapter thirteen Sharon’s pov Darius is here. I can’t believe it; Darius is standing right beside me. I couldn’t scream out loud, but I could scream in my mind. This is a dream come true for me, but first, I have to maintain my emotions if I want to win a space in his heart. This is my opportunity. I must get this Alpha, because he is mine. I let go of that servant because I wanted to impress him, and from his expression, I could tell he was impressed. He couldn’t stop staring at me, and the way he bent a bit to get a sniff of me changed my world for that moment. I want him now. Before we got home, I had one of the warriors inform Dad about the arrival of Darius, and Dad seemed prepared when we arrived. I could tell how pleased he was to see Darius. Well, Darius is not only the alpha of the most powerful and richest kingdom; his family is also prominent and influential. They are big shots. While they were about to talk, a woman ran in and fell at the feet of my fa
Chapter fourteen Darius’s Pov That strong scent from earlier filled my nose again, and immediately Sharon went out. I felt my insides tightening because of it. This is not something that happens to me. This scent raised my desires, and I just wanted that person—the owner of that scent. My wolf wanted to come out, which it never does unless I permit it to. It was struggling to come out. Alpha Jerry was speaking, but I didn’t hear a bit of what he was saying. All that filled my mind was the thought of having that person. I can’t explain this new feeling. It is something I have never felt before. I was battling with my wolf because it was losing control, and at the same time, I felt the urge to mark that same person. I have perceived many scents before, but this one is doing something crazy to me that I can’t explain. This is not from Sharon. It wasn’t this strong when I was with her. This scent must be from my friend, who would be outside at that moment. I stoppe
Riley's Pov Was I born cursed? Why do I have to go through all these? Luckily, I was scared by a man whose face I couldn't see clearly because my view became blurry, but I could perceive his scent from a distance. It was so strong and comforting. His scent brought comfort and an assurance that I was safe, but then I blacked out and only woke up when I felt a strong hand on my face. Mother didn't stop there; she continued hitting me, telling me how much trouble I had caused her. how much trouble I have just caused her family. She wanted me gone. I remembered every word she said. Like she has always told me, she picked me up as a baby by the lake. My parents left me because I was bad luck for them. She kicked me and hit me without minding the pain I was going through or if I died at all. It hurt so much. I want all these to end. I am tired of this all. She left the house in a hurry, giving me some time to nurse my pain and the fresh wounds she just gave me with her whip. After some
“What am I going to do?” she silently mumbled to herself as she frantically tried to come up with a plan to avoid facing her own wrath. All of a sudden, she felt a firm grasp upon her arm, pulling her back behind the safety of a pillar near a nearby window, away from prying eyes. She felt relieved and surprised – until she realized who exactly had grabbed her and whom she recognized.. Her heart sank slightly. Of course. Why wouldn’t it? It was Rachel. She had heard rumors that there was a consummated marriage between Darius and Rachel after her mating ritual to Darius. Apparently she’d had no intention of marrying either of them, much less Darius, but Rachel had always loved Darius anyway. Now, it seemed like they were having problems reconciling their differences over Darius. That didn’t matter anymore though, she supposed. Rachel hadn’t shown herself to be happy or supportive during Darius’ mating ritual, which was why she’d refused to speak to him when she’d returned
For the longest time, she hadn’t even thought about whether or not her feelings were reciprocated. To hear such heartfelt reassurances was definitely overwhelming…but what was she supposed to tell him? That she wasn’t interested in anyone right now, even though he was the one person she most desired to spend time with? How could she possibly confess something like that without sounding like she was lying to him? And yet…how could she convince him otherwise? Couldn’t he tell she was just playing along? Hadn’t she been doing the exact same thing? Before she could respond, a knock came to her door, effectively cutting short their discussion. Both of them turned to find a servant standing outside her chamber door. “Excuse me Your Highness, but your chambers are ready,” the servant informed her politely. “Please follow me.” Darius glanced in her direction briefly before nodding his consent. Once the servant had withdrawn, he released Riley’s hand and made his way inside his room w
Darius’s expression hardened once again, and he motioned towards the door. “Go to your chambers,” he instructed, his voice distant. “We’ll talk more later. But for now, I suggest you start by apologizing to the guard at the door for your behavior.” Feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension, Riley nodded and stood up, her legs feeling weak beneath her. She made her way towards the door, aware of the lingering gazes from the pack members around her. Whispers filled the air as she passed by, and she couldn’t help but feel the weight of their judgment. As Riley approached the guard at the door, she noticed the hesitance in his eyes. He seemed wary, as if unsure of how to react to her presence. She mustered up a small smile and spoke softly, trying to convey her sincerity. “I’m sorry for my actions,” she said, her voice filled with remorse. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” The guard’s gaze softened slightly, but there was still a hint of caution. “Just don’t let it happen
Finding Clyde.Jason:Clarissa’s resilience was the strongest I had ever come across, to apologize for an offense she had it committed, to hold back her anger and pain as though she too did not need to be taken care of. She was in so much by the conversation concerning Clyde’s pack, It worse obvious that we were digging up old wounds that had clearly not healed. Maybe that was why she was distant from me, and ask why she channeled her pain into trying to build a family for the lost ones like her. She inspired me so much, and I felt her pains so much that I wanted to pull her into my arms and ease all the pain away with my warm embrace, but I knew I could not do that, so I just watched.Apart from the stories they told, I was also very concerned about the whereabouts of Clyde. There’s no how he would have survived the dungeon for that long alone, without food, water. We had brought back all the war prisoners with us and we were slowly planning to begin a plan for a bigger and better p
Darius blushed furiously, averting his gaze. “Uh, yeah. Well, um,” he stumbled and cleared his throat nervously. “You see, I just…uh,” he struggled to find words as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “What I mean to say is…um…” he muttered, glancing back up at her. His pale cheeks flushed even deeper red as his eyes met hers. “Well, um, I’m just…hmm…I guess I like talking to you.” His face grew impossibly more crimson as he spoke, his blush becoming nearly unbearable as he attempted to justify himself. Riley giggled, enjoying the way he floundered. “Well, Dai, how come you never spend time with me?” I asked. “ I’m busy” he abruptly replied her. “Besides, why do you care anyway?” Riley’s eyes narrowed as she gazed sternly at him. “I know what kind of life you lead,” she told him bluntly. “We’re not really friends, are we? You never ask for my advice or my help. In fact, your attitude towards me has always been completely hostile.” A frown m
She was no stranger to the hurt she felt after each rejection. Her heart ached as she realized that Darius didn’t feel the same. She smiled as she gazed at Darius’s beautiful blue eyes, a smile so tender that Darius felt his heart tighten. ‘No, it isn’t you.’ She thought with a bitter laugh. ‘How could he possibly return my love if he cannot bear the burden of keeping secrets?’ She glanced away. ‘Perhaps I should just leave him and live out the rest of my life alone.’ Her voice cracked slightly, as though her resolve was crumbling. As tears brimmed in her eyes, she fought the urge to cry out, ‘I’ve lost everything! Why should he care? What does he see in me? A sudden, sharp pain erupted in her chest, as if a dagger had pierced it. She gasped sharply as she doubled over in agony, clutching her injured heart. It felt as though someone had stabbed her repeatedly, rendering her unable to breathe or move. Pain shot through her entire torso, threatening to ri
“Darius, I have received some distressing news,” the elder began, his voice laced with concern. “Your father’s sudden withdrawal has put our community in a precarious position. We have made commitments to Rachel’s family, and we cannot afford to break them.” Darius’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean, commitments? I thought my marriage to Rachel was already arranged.” The elder sighed, his gaze fixed on Darius. “Yes, it was. But your father’s decision has created a complicated situation. We need to salvage the agreements and ensure the stability of our community. There is an alternative plan we have devised.” Darius leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “What is this alternative plan?” The elder’s voice dropped to a hushed tone. “We can arrange a consummated marriage for you with Rachel, in secret. This way, we fulfill our obligations to her family while maintaining the appearance of your marriage with Riley, as was originally planned.”
She needed someone who would guide her. Someone who would help her. Her head snapped upright suddenly as a loud, deafening sound filled the air. The noise pierced her ears, making her wince. The sound continued to grow louder and louder, shaking her whole being, until it became impossible for her to hear anything else except for the terrible shrieking noise that was echoing around her and reverberating inside of her skull. Suddenly it stopped, leaving a painful emptiness in its wake, as she lay on her side, panting heavily. She opened her eyes wide and stared blankly into space, her hands covering her ears. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she struggled to breathe. She looked up, searching blindly for the source of the sounds; the sudden silence made her panic and she screamed for help. She waited for several minutes, trying to make sense of the events surrounding her, trying to grasp what was happening. Suddenly she realised that a door had creaked open somewh
She pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “Me too.” She whispered. He turned his body so they were lying on their sides facing each other, mirroring each other’s position. He gazed down at her with pure adoration in his deep brown eyes. “I love you,” he whispered. She raised herself up on her elbow, reaching out and stroking his stubbly chin with her finger. “I love you, too.” Their gaze locked into each other, feeling the same overwhelming emotion. They both leaned forward until their lips were only millimetres apart. Rachel’ eyes widened as he began to lean towards her, pressing their bodies together. Their lips met in slow motion as their tongues mingled together in an intense, sensual embrace. As their lips parted they remained connected as they savoured the moment, breathing heavily. He moved his arms underneath her bottom and picked her up, carrying her over to the bed and laying her down gently. She s