The Unlikeliest of Mates

Chapter 1

Achilles' photo up top 

Achilles POV:

Sore and tender muscles pulled and twisted as Achilles got out of bed. Bright blue-purple bruises were littered all across his body, scratches upon his face and arms. The dark blue comforter and white sheets pooled around his abdomen as he stretched the sleep from his body. Bunched up pajama pants move against the fabric of the sheets as he stands to his feet, the hardwood floor lost beneath the rather comfortable cow-print fluffy rug. It was forgiving against his blistered toes. 

The toils of yesterday's sparring session with his father left him feeling beyond lethargic, his body screaming for relief. Jong-In, Achilles' father and current alpha, was beyond the typically ruthlessness many strict fathers possess. Psychotic would be a better term for his type of treatment. Long hours, few breaks, sparring until both parties are bloodied, broken, and near dehydration. He was a mad man who made no exceptions, especially for his son. Fathers were supposed to nurture their sons but he did no such thing. Instead there was little to say positively towards Achilles and instead made it a mission to constantly remind him of his weak points.  

Achilles painfully makes his way to the bathroom and faces himself in the mirror. Bruises and cuts as he suspected, a deep gash across his left eye and an open cut at the corner of his lip. It stung like hell. Grabbing peroxide, he cleaned his wounds, wincing at the sting and covered them with Band-Aids and Neosporin. 

With the open wounds taken care of, Achilles turned on the showerhead and got to work cleaning off yesterdays grime. Pink tinted water washes its way down the drain as Achilles works body wash into his tender skin. More, older scars become more visible as the hot water does its job of cleaning him off. The gentle sent of jasmine imprinted lightly on his skin. With a quick shampoo and rinse, Achilles removed himself from the rays of water and quickly dried himself off with a rather fluffy towel. 

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, making sure to re-apply his bandages, Achilles left the warmth of the bathroom to get dressed. His closet was by no means ginormous but not modest either. An oak wood walk in with ceiling lights with a lush cream carpet. He walks in immediately heading the his sweaters, looking over the greens and blues before settling on a rich emerald green turtleneck and a pair of black slacks to match.  Black socks and brown oxfords complete the fit, however shoes are not to be worn in the house so they stay where they are. Accessories chosen, a simple brown leather watch and a pair of black studded earrings, Achilles makes his way down to the main dining hall, where his parents await his presence. 

"Mother, father. Good morning." 

"Hm. Nice of you to join us, I would have thought you would have ignored family meals for a second day in a row."  his father utters in a rather condescending tone. 

" It was unfortunate that I missed the last two dinners, but I was unfortunately bussy, however, I am here now, for our family." 

" Family is put first, never forget that. And do not think I did not notice your absence at dinner last night. You will be dealt with later."  and that was that. The dishes were then brought out for their consumption. A traditional Korean meal of rice and banchans soon graded the length of the table and then they began to eat. Unlike some Koreans, his father was not a Christian, he was a firm believer in himself and nothing else so there was no grace to be had, only a personal acknowledgement of their meals and to wait until he began eating for the others to begin to do the same. 

The meal carried on in silence until they were all full (in reality they maily stopped eating once his father, Jong-In,  did) and then they all dispersed to do what they felt like. At least most days is how that would go. 

"Come with me." 

*tw for physical abuse*

"Come with me"  The two begin walking out of the dinning hall and turn to the right down a long hall and come to a stop in front of a door at the end of the hall. Inside is Jong-In's personal office. 

They push into the room and his father takes his place behind his desk, standing as he desk so and Achilles stands facing him, near the door, unmoving, hands held behind his back. 

"You understand why you are here don't you? Why you are being punished?"  it was rhetorical but Achilles still nodded affirmatively. 

" You embarrassed my yesterday, made me look weak. Made me look like I had no power. I'll show you power."  and then the blows came. He crossed the room in a blink and punch Achilles in the face, causing him to fall onto one knee. A cut appeared on the corner of his mouth. 

"Did you think beating me in training was going to make you seem more of an alpha? More of a man? Better than me? Huh? Did you honestly think that trying to best me then trying to appear weak by letting me beat you was going to instil any positive ideas about me as a leader? You are as daft and stupid as your mother you stupid piece of shit."  he berates and yells as he kicks and digs into Achilles' ribs and spleen and all he could do was lay there taking the blows silently. 

The rage continued to build and boiled inside of him as his father continued to unleash his own embarrassment and shame upon his son. For years this was the case in their relationship and would probably remain until he died. But Achilles hopes that soon he would be able to be freed from him and be able to leave the pack to go his own way. At least he could dream that will be the case soon. 

The blows came less and less until his father, out of breath, stood back behind his desk. 

" Get up. We have business to discuss."  he says, directing him to the chair. 

Achilles stands and sits gingerly in his seat, careful to not further irritate his wounds. 

"You are to be betrothed soon, after the new year. I will hear no complaints; you will meet your mate in three days time. Be ready, be prepared, and above all do not embarrass me again. Clear?" 

"Crystal. What pack are they from and what is their rank?" 

"Unimportant, you will know once you meet them imperson. Do not dwell on the unnecessary. Now get out." 

He got up quickly and left the same, careful to shut the door quietly as he left. Once shut he let out a labored breath before swiftly making his way out of the corridore, back up the stairs, and into the safety of his room. 

Once his door was closed he clasped to the bed with a sob. Tears flowed freely into the pillow as the ache in his heart grew and grew. All he wanted was love. To be loved. To be enough. When would he ever be enough. His cries became quieter and quieter as the tears soon stopped and all that remains with the shuddering breaths from his mouth. 

He sat up, taking in one stable breath before heading back into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror the once unnoticeable cuts and scraps were now blooming purple bruises and a bloody nose. He sighs and his head hangs. He grips the edge of the sink and takes a deep breath. Achilles wills away the tears the threatened to spill and got a towel to clean his wounds. A silent prayer echos in his mind as he hopes the person he has to marry will be able to free him from his familial prison. 

Author:

heyy so this is the beginning of the re-write! i hope you all have enjoyed it thus far and look foward to more updates from here on out.