Chapter 7 For revenge
TARA:
I was taken to the pack house, my former workplace, to get cleaned up. It was still dark and gloomy, and everyone was in their mourning clothes. My eyes rummaged through the place. It was dirty. It seemed I was useful after all. They didn’t know what cleaning goddess they had.
Against the wishes of the maids, they prepped me up and presented me with a nicer dress. I was supposed to ride with the Alpha in his car and I needed to look and smell my best.
“I don’t know why we have to do this. It's like dressing a corpse.” They sneered. But what hurt them the most was that they couldn’t do anything to me. As soon as they finished, they left me in the room alone, harsh words still leaving their lips.
I stared at my face in the mirror; I couldn’t recognize myself. I was still touching my face when I heard Ellie's voice.
“Do you like it?” I turned sharply to see her leaning against the door, an icy look on her face. Her hands were folded and her eyes were locked on me.
I didn’t know what to answer because I didn’t know the reason behind the question. Maybe she was asking to be sarcastic or maybe she was genuinely asking.
“Why did you do it? Is it because she hits you or drowns you with so much work?” She asked further. I wanted to remain mute and let her blame me for the death of her mother but I figured this would be the last time I would see her.
“I have nothing to say at this point. I had been in my room for three days. You and I walked out of my room together and you asked me to go to the storage because nobody goes there. How was I supposed to know that she would be there? When did I have the time to plan that?” I said too much.
I took in a long breath, easing the tension I was feeling.
“I thought about it. It just didn’t make sense.” She confessed, her eyes on the floor. “But you were holding the knife.”
“Because I pulled it out. It was a silver knife. The poison was spreading rapidly throughout her body. I couldn’t leave her like that.” I explained myself. “I wanted to run away and lock myself in my room. Thinking about now, maybe I should have done. I shouldn’t have done anything to save her. I wouldn’t even be in this mess.” I could hear the tone of my voice growing colder with each word.
“Why are you saying this now? Back then, I begged you to believe me but you refused. I think it's rather too late to say this now.” I bent down and tied the straps of my sandals. With one last look at the mirror, I made for the door.
“Goodbye, Ellie. And thank you for all you did for me. I’ll never forget you.” I walked out with waiting for a reply. I could hear her cry and sob loudly. My tears too wanted to follow suit but I blinked them back like my life depended on it.
“The Alpha sent me to get you.” A man in a suit approached me when I got to the pack house's garden. It was my favourite place and I would spend my free time playing and catching insects. Ellie joined me sometimes.
“Alright,” I muttered and followed him to the car that was parked in front of the house. He opened the door and ushered me in but I was hesitant.
Stepping inside meant stepping into a new life. I wasn’t ready but the Alpha's harsh voice made me rethink.
“Get into this car before I blow your head off.”
Just like that, I found myself entering the car. The door was shut and the cold breeze from the AC was the first thing that met my skin. I had never experienced such. I only heard from Ellie's stories.
“Good evening, Alpha.” I bowed my head lower than ever and stayed like that.
“Do you want to snap your neck before I do?” He asked. I raised my head, unable to even steal a glance at him. I was scared I would get caught.
It was still evening and the sun was up. Along the way, I got to watch the sun set beautifully. I made sure to stay in one position, breathing as silently as possible.
“I want him alive. Make sure that happens.” Alpha Lucian spoke authoritatively.
He had barely spoken a word, not until a call came in. I noticed how calm he was and how he reacted whenever I tried to straighten my dress. He was unusually alert, in control, and exuding danger.
“What is your name?” He suddenly asked. I looked at him but he didn’t seem to be on a phone call. Was he talking to…me?!
“When I ask a question, little thing, you reply to me like your life depends on it. You are nothing but a slave and a slave you shall remain until your last days. Know your place,” His orbs glowered with fury when we mistakenly locked eyes. I quickly looked down at my dress and held it tight.
“I'm sorry, Alpha. I didn’t think you were speaking to me. My name is Tara Vale.” I spoke lowly but enough for him to hear. Sounding loud would have made me come up as rude.
“Don't you know how to speak loudly? I could barely make out whatever you were saying.” He groaned.
“I'm sorry, Alpha.” I simply let out, my head still bowed low.
“Look at me when I'm talking to you!” He half-yelled and I straightened up immediately. This was why I chose death. Being around him was torturous.
“What about your parents?”
“They died when I was a baby.”
“Hmmm,” He drawled. “You're an orphan. That makes sense. Let me see your palms,” He commanded and I opened them. All that while, I hadn’t turned my head to meet his eyes, even when he had instructed me to. I was trained to never look my superior in the eyes. It would take time for me to adjust.
He hummed again and asked me to close them back. He didn’t tell me why he asked me to do that. The car ride became silent again, the whirling breeze replacing the tranquility in the car.
There was a question bugging my heart. I wanted to let it go but I knew that after now, I might never ask it.
“Can I…ask you something, Alpha?” I asked and immediately gulped hard. He was scary to speak to.
“Go ahead,” He replied almost immediately.
“Why did you buy me? You could have gone for anyone else but you bought me, a nobody.” My body shook while I was speaking. I didn’t know if it was from the cold or from fear. He didn’t reply to me and I felt terrified he was mad at my question. From the corner of my eyes, I saw him unwrap something.
“For revenge.”