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"Crash!"
Beta Kyle pushed me to the ground roughly, "Are you being lazy? Alpha Trey and I are expecting company, and you still haven't cleaned the office."
I gritted my teeth against the pain and struggled to stand up. I picked up the nearby cleaning basket and wanted to slam it over his head, but I didn't dare.
The reason why he was so arrogant to me was because he had my brother Alpha Trey's support behind him. From the moment he firmly believed that I killed our parents, he allowed everyone to bully and abuse me.
Of course, he was one of them.
I was treated as the lowest servant in my own home, forced to do all the dirty work, and a mistake meant facing hunger and beatings.
Over the years, similar things have happened far too many times, and I've had enough.
"We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!"
I donāt answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didnāt have to look at his face.
"He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!" Beta Kyle continued.
He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the ass as he shoves me towards the office. āUseless Wolf.ā He mutters as he moves away.
Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office.
Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone.
Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don't quite look right.
His eyes suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded.
"Is this the way you greet all Alpha's?" His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone.
"I'm sorry." I whisper. "Iā¦I thought I was alone." I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf.
I guess he's Alpha Dane, the distinguished guest whom my brother has ordered to be entertained.
I had only ever heard rumours about him. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn't mess around and he had the largest pack.
"Come forward." He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat.
I step around the corner, doing as I'm told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst.
"You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?"
I nod, though I couldn't tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me.
"I would prefer it if you spoke to me." He growls, "I'm not in the mood to play games."
"Yes." I whisper. I couldn't help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week?
"Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me."
"Iā¦" I hated the question.
"Spit it out, I haven't got all day!" He takes a swig from his drink.
I knew why I couldn't scent him. I knew why I hadn't been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me.
"You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It's rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?" His deep voice sends a shiver through me.
Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. "My Wolf abilities were bound," I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn't interested in that part.
He leans forward. I could feel him staring at me, "Why would someone do that?"
If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. "It was a punishment." I whisper. It wasn't far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give.
There's a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn't tell.
The door swings open and my brother screeches at me "Neah, what are you doing in my office?" He turns to the crimson eyed man. "I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane."
My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me.
I habitually close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Alpha Dane's voice rumbles through the room.
Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist.
He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. "Neah," My name rolls off of his tongue, "was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal."
What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me.
My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight.
Then he turned to Alpha Dane and his face immediately became calm. "All right, let's sit down and talk about the contract."
"Pour Mr. Dane a drink."
I hurry to the drinks cabinet and then approach the small table by Alpha Danes chair.
He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass.
I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me.
"Neah is your sister, correct?" Alpha Dane questions my brother.
"She is." Alpha Trey mutters with disgust.
"Why are you so mean to her?"
No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too.
"Neah was responsible for our parents' death." Alpha Trey spits
I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free.
"Responsible how?" Alpha Dane's voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry.
"She served them Wolfsbane."
Don't make a sound. Don't make a sound.
I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in.
There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn't squeeze. "You poisoned your parents?"
"I was six." I splutter. "I just made them lemonade." My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day.
His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. "Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old."
"A six year old should know the difference between plants." Alpha Trey snaps
"Sounds to me like she was set up." Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. "We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn't affect us anymore. We evolved from that shit centuries ago."
What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn't lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk.
"Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane." Alpha Dane mutters
"You weren't there, Alpha Dane." My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. "It was Wolfsbane."
He nods his head. "You are right, I was not present."
Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago.
"But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?"
"I didn't ask you here to talk about my slave!" Alpha Trey spits. "Or what happened to my parents."
"You're right and now now I have a condition."
"I thought we agreed." My brother exclaims.
"Nothing has been signed, right? Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal."
I suddenly raised my head, staring at Alpha Dane with wide eyes in disbelief.
Me? Why would he want me?
A person who murdered her own parents?
My brother was obviously shocked as well. He looked at Alpha Dane in disbelief, "Are you serious?"
"Of course. I don't think you have any reason to disagree. After all, you need this deal, don't you?"
"I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow. And you, little girl, when I arrive tomorrow, you must make sure you have everything packed." He looked at me deeply, then grabbed his leather jacket from the chair and strode away.
I was still lost in shock when suddenly I was jolted back to reality by my brother's furious roar. He first lashed out in a fit of rage, then suddenly erupted into maniacal laughter.
He stared at me, his voice as cold and creepy as a venomous snake, "Do you think you have been redeemed? People like you who killed your father and mother will never deserve it!"
"Let me tell you, do you think Alpha Dane wants to marry you back as a treasure? Before you, he had married nine brides, and none of them lived for more than half a month? Guess why?"
"Or you can guess how long you'll last in his hands?"
I looked at my brother's almost crazy expression and thought of Alpha Dane's unusually red eyes.
A terrible chill suddenly rose from my body......
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