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Demetrius
I watched her walk away, probably cursing me to got to hell. After all that happened, I reckon I deserve that.
The bond inside of her, inside of me was stirring trouble. Trouble, I beforehand knew that I would have if I mated a pureblood. This little mate of mine was turning out to be a handful. Not for long though. After this dinner party with the wolves, she'd be running for the hills.
I strolled out of the kitchen and headed for my study. There was work needed to be done and shelved. The little mutt had caused enough delay to my plans already.
I pushed past the door and sat down at my table which was spotless as usual. Franz made everything around me immaculate. Just how I liked it.
The setting sun streamed in through the blinds which were shut but I could sense the rainstorm about to break in a few hours. I reached for the top drawer of the study table, getting out the injection.
This should last through the night. It has to.
"Is everyone gathered for dinner?" I mind-linked Franz.
"They are Alpha. Should I have Aurora's meal sent to your room?"
"No. The mutt will eat with us." I stated.
"Alpha..." I read hesitation. A thing rare for Franz. "Aurora... I mean your mate is still unfamiliar to the nature of this pack. Maybe we should allow her a few more days to adjust."
"Time is an luxury, Franz. Besides, I think this will be the most entertaining dinner we will have in a while. It is high-time the wolves enjoy some female company."
Aurora
I brushed away the angry tears with the back of my hand. Who the hell did he think he was? Reeling me in like fish in one moment and pushing me away like an ugly wart the next. Mate or not, he was a jerk.
He must be anticipating the dinner tonight. To humiliate me, of course. He had no other reason to. Well, he would be disappointed. No more. I will not allow him to push me around. Even if the bond made me suffer, I would grit my teeth and smile.
Yes, I was scared witless at the prospect of meeting the pack but at the very least I would know one friendly face. Franz. The others, how I would face then I had no idea. Either this could turn out really good or exceptionally awful. With my fingers double-crossed, I wished it was the former.
Evening came rapidly. I stayed in Demetrius' room for the remainder of the day, purely because I did not want to risk running into him again. He seldom came to his room which was strange. I take it, he stays in his study most of the time he's here.
A lovely aroma of food cooking caught my mind. Better get washed and dressed, I decided enthusiastically. My stomach grumbled for food as I showered and emerged with a towel wrapped around my body.
As I rummaged for what to wear, the door opened. Demetrius entered with the ugliest scowl ever displayed.
I gasped and two bright red spots appeared on both my cheeks.
"I'm not dressed!" I cried, clutching at the towel with both hands.
"I can see that." He ignored me and went to his wardrobe. His back to he, he shuffled around until he got whatever he wanted.
It was a high chance that my were ears were pink from mortification.
He disappeared into the bathroom. He didn't even look at me. Was I suddenly invisible? Making use of the precious time, I clumsily pulled on the first thing my hand found.
It was a plain green dress with a high neckline. But with an open back I registered when I had it on right. Simply great. I wanted to wear something conservative. It seems Demetrius knew how to spoil every plan of mine no matter how small.
Walking to the rectangular mirror, I saw that the dress was good-looking even if it was me who had worn it. This would have to do.
"Admiring yourself?" Demetrius scorned from the frame of the bathroom door. His hands folded and his lips set in a cruel line. How long had he been standing there?
"No," I mumbled. "Am I not allowed to see my reflection without a mocking comment?"
"If you're stressing about your looks then do not bother. My pack members won't look at you anymore than it is necessary."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked angrily despite my earlier resolve to smile and not let him affect me.
He strolled towards me as he spoke. "That you're my mate and they do not give a damn how pretty your sly face is. Your kind has stolen from them more than your pretty head can imagine."
There was roughness and a slight pain in his voice. He towered in front of me and I raised my head to stare him down.
"My kind is a far deal more decent than you'll ever be," I bit back. How dare he accuse the pure-bloods of being the villain?
Out of nowhere he laughed. A cruel and heartless laugh that only made me look at him more defiantly.
"Your act of innocence is shameful." He growled and grabbed my hair which was pulled in a chignon. Reflexively my hands flew to cover his and pull at his hand ineffectively.
Actioning one painful tug, he released the bun and my scalp burned with horrid pain.
"Leave it open."
Agitated at this point, I said, "I will wear it the way I want."
"Then I will only wrench it loose again. I have time."
He spoke as if he actually meant it and I realized I would merely waste my time.
I averted my eyes regretfully and stormed into the bathroom. His low scoff followed me in there. I slammed the door so hard that even I cringed. I waited for him to leave. His footsteps were light and a few shuffles later he strode out.
Cautiously, I stepped out as though expecting him to jump at me from a corner. And then I realized. The mark had stopped burning. Where there had been blistered and sore skin remained a beautiful mark of the faint red moon with the enclosure of my original mark.
Slight at most but one good thing had happened. I sighed thankfully at the feeling of peacefulness that pervaded.
Now I had to tackle the pack who most likely had a colored opinion of me. Thanks to their high and mighty Alpha they might've started hating me before they even met me.
I slipped on a pair of shoes and left the confines of Demetrius' room for the second time that day. No make-up, no jewellery and virtually no hope.
Straining my ears to trace their conversations, I barely heard anything. It appeared that no one was in the dining area at all. These people were beyond doubt strange! Where did they have dinner? Remembering the defences they had, the blue wall exactly, they could have floating tables and chairs out in the night sky.
I made my way down. No one there. Then I heard faint murmurs. I charted the voices out of the mansion and saw a perfectly normal wooden table around which were seated a dozen or so men and some were standing here and there with glasses of alcohol in their hands.
Expecting a sombre affair of eating, I was surprised to see that the mood set was one of casualness.
I was standing very far away from them. At sudden, the entire lot stilled and several heads spun around to observe me. Instantly, I blushed a deep red at the uncomfortable attention.
Slowly, I ambled forward. My heart hammered in my chest as a dozen worst case scenarios blazed through my head.
What Demetrius said was untrue. Almost everyone had their eyes boldly fixed on me and no one attempted to turn away. Unsure of what to do next I, much to my shock, scanned the lot for Demetrius.
"G-Good evening," I greeted in a small voice. At that moment I saw Demetrius looking irritated and fuming. Was this reaction a surprise to him as well?
Some of the men nodded curtly while others snapped back to their earlier musings. Self-consciously, I padded lightly towards an empty chair which by God's grace was the farthest from Demetrius.
As I sat down, I gathered a bit of calmness. Immediately, the people seated around me lowered their eyes. Respect or fear.
After that everyone proceeded to ignore me although sometimes I saw some of the pack members stealing glances at me. Was I so alien to them? Despite my appetite, I found that I could eat very little and sipped on water instead.
"Fighters," Demetrius rose silently and addressed the crowd. "Ready for the main course?"
His eyes bore down on me in a mocking stare. I thought we had finished dinner. What did he mean?
One by one, they all got up. Only Demetrius left behind now. They were running into the forest and swiftly while running they morphed into their wolf forms.
"You will come too," Demetrius spoke in finality.
"Why?"
"To see them hunt. To see me hunt. You won't be treated like a dainty princess here, mutt." There he said the word again –mutt. Each time he spoke it a hot ball of pain dropped down my throat.
Next I said the thing I would come to regret later.
"Fine. I will come."
If he was taken aback he did not show it. Instead he whispered, "Not only that. You will hunt also. With us."
He tugged me to my feet and dragging me by my upper arm strode towards the dark forest. The trees loomed like cloaked figures bathed in moonlight.
He let me go. Within seconds he stood on all fours three times my height. He brashly nuzzled his head against my back burying me in a wave of fur.
I walked a few paces away and shifted. Though this time it was my own will to morph, the pain was there still.
"Try to keep up." Demetrius taunted and shot at full speed. Luckily I was a fast runner and much to his annoyance I stayed at his heels.
After some sprinting we stopped by a small lake. The black silken water was smooth and without ripples. Demetrius lapped thirstily at it creating large circular waves of disturbance.
He stilled and his ears perked up. On the other end stood a fawn unaware of the beast that lurked. He could've easily jumped the distance of the lake and snatched the poor creature. And I figured that was precisely what his plan was.
"No! Don't do it!" I pleaded.
"Stay quiet! You do not tell me what to do!"
'Please! It's just a baby!"
That seemed to seep through him and he growled at me. Maybe he had some compassion after all.
He went behind a tree and returned with a black t-shirt in his mouth. He tossed it at me. "Change."
Grateful that I had diverted his attention from killing the animal, I quickly took the garment and behind the cover of a tree changed to my human form.
The shirt hung to my knees and in the darkness it was fairly decent in that it didn't reveal anything. I returned and saw him pulling on a pair of pants.
I stayed a length away.
He stormed towards me and grabbed me by my shoulders. And only then did I feel the pain of the bruises that covered my body.
"What is all this?" He asked ragingly.
I whimpered in pain at the pressure he pressed on my shoulders.