Chapter Three – Fight with Sasha
*Rihanna’s POV*
“Thank you. My Betas and I will do a good job,” Prince Chris responded to the toast with a bow, and there were more cheers.
Jake Justin nodded, and the other Alphas gave him a friendly pat. Raymond was there, and he also bowed to the Alphas. They did the same. It seemed they searched around for me but couldn’t see me. I noticed Jake Justin looking above the hills, but he looked down again. I felt more important all of a sudden. The other Alphas didn’t think I was irrelevant, and Prince Chris didn’t, either. Lana swelled in pride inside me.
“I like these guys,” she smiled. I nodded. I really, really like these Alphas.
Lana pushed me forward, and we slid down the hill. Jake Justin’s head popped up again, and he looked above the hills. I forgot Black Rose wolves lived in the forest, so their sense of hearing was very sharp. If he was hearing something from the hills, he’d be alert.
Walking towards them, I had an air of intoxicating pride released by my silver wolf. However, my mind link was broken into, and a hoarse voice ordered, “Rihanna, return NOW!”
My wolf whimpered; it was our Alpha King. I saw Raymond look up at where I was, and Jake Justin followed his gaze. They all wanted to see me, but dragging my feet, I went back to my room. Who was I kidding? Even if other packs thought I was good, my own pack would think otherwise.
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I cleared up the place along with Sasha, a maid’s daughter. She swept into my pile of clean plates and smirked. She was a jerk. I ignored her and rinsed them again. I wasn’t even supposed to be doing this. A Beta’s daughter shouldn’t work with maids. I was only allowed to come close after the birthday party. And for what? Cleaning and washing? I was tired of such living but didn’t dare complain. Raymond always tried to clean my mess up and hurt himself by doing so. He took care of the physical pain, so I should handle the mental pain.
I can’t remember the last time I was allowed to train like other wolves, making me very weak except for my wolf powers. Raymond did teach me some skills from time to time. Sasha swept towards my washed plates again, and I dropped the one I was washing into the basin.
“Sasha, don’t try me.”
She had a mock and surprised expression. What, she thought I wouldn’t talk to her? Or she felt I wasn’t strong enough to whoop her ass?! Maybe I wasn’t—she was trained by Prince Chris. I was jealous of that, but I could bite her and leave an injury that’d take three hours to heal.
“Lady Rihanna, I didn’t know you speak, honestly. And what are you gonna do?” She swept more sand into the plate. My eyes darkened. She called me ‘Lady’ yet disrespected me. I knew Lana was getting angry. If Lana joined this fight, then it’d be more than biting we’d be doing.
“You don’t want to know, Sasha. You don’t want to know.”
But she did, as she swept more sand in. “Tell me, my Lady, what are you going to do!” Mockery laced every word.
I let Lana take charge, and her silvery self grabbed Sasha’s arm, twisting it harshly, and she wailed in anguish. Lana stepped back and created a boundary but charged at her again, throwing her off by the invisible boundary. Sasha shifted to her own dark brown wolf. I dashed to her legs to bite her, but boy, was that a wrong move, as Sasha flung from her leg. What kind of power was that?! Lana felt weakened. She wasn’t strong without her powers. Sasha dived down at me on the ground and landed punches that paralyzed me and shifted me back. I headbutted her, but it only made her stagger.
Lana groaned in disbelief. How could her blow be this weak? Sasha should be crying! But no, she spat at us, calling us a weak wolf. Sasha tore my face with her claws, and I let out a shrill cry. I wanted to put my hands in my mouth to stop myself, but it came out. She had a victorious smirk, rising from me, and I just laid there, blood oozing out from my face. Lana wanted to heal me, but I stopped her. Let them all see this. Wouldn’t they punish her?
It was my father that came first, and then Raymond. Sasha had wiped off her smirk. What replaced it was a scared and sorry look. “Beta, I’m sorry, she attacked me suddenly, and my wolf pounced on her.” I was glad she wasn’t trying to blame it all on me, as it wouldn’t have worked, seeing her face was barely injured while I had a pattern on mine.
Raymond asked what happened through our twin mind link only we could use. I glanced at the dirt in the water, and he understood me.
“Sasha, you were under punishment to clean with Rihanna. Rather, you caused more problems by fighting with her!” Prince Chris barked. I didn’t know he was there. I felt safe being around my father, Raymond, and Prince Chris. My father hadn’t said anything, just studied my wounds.
“Why don’t they heal?” he asked gently.
“It hurts badly. She clawed my face.” I sniffed, burying my head on him.
Sasha forgot her act and cursed at me, making them turn to her. I smirked. She was a bitch; she could never hide herself.
“So, you started causing trouble with her, didn’t you?” Raymond barked at her. She flinched, looking down. My brother was a damn Beta; she should be scared. I felt horrible with the way I lived. I didn’t have any aura as a Beta. I was born one, but I wasn’t trained as one. I wanted to be free to let my silver wolf exact vengeance for me. But she needed to be strong enough to do that.
“Why won’t anyone believe Sasha's story? Rihanna might have attacked her first.” Princess Vanessa walked in with her father, the Alpha King. They both wore matching caps, having their father-daughter bond time again.
The Alpha King’s eyes tarried on my face, and I felt he pitied me, but then his gaze became cold again. I was barely feeling pain anymore. Lana bore it all.
“Vanessa, Rihanna is the one injured. And Rihanna is not strong enough to attack Sasha. Stop siding with Sasha!” Prince Chris growled at his sister.
I loved the energy, but I was embarrassed they all thought Sasha was stronger than me. She was, but that’s not how it should be. I’m a Beta.
“Chris, handle this. We have a meeting with the other Alphas before they leave. Come, Sam. Raymond, too,” the Alpha King called. He pulled Princess Vanessa with him.
My brother and father left with them. Raymond gave me a small smile, patting my head. I don’t know what Prince Chris said to Sasha—it was through mind link, or my poor hearing couldn’t pick it up—but she cried and ran off. We were left alone, and I felt those flying butterflies again! When did I goddamn eat butterflies?
Prince Chris stooped down at me, still on the ground. I wanted to get up so he didn’t have to stoop, but he stopped me. His face was close, and I could see his green eyes peering into my brown ones.
“I’ve handled Sasha! Now tell your wolf to heal you.” He smirked. How did he know I stopped my wolf from healing me? I chuckled nervously and let Lana heal me.
“Those scars... your body is weak. They won’t disappear on time for your birthday. It’s in a week.” He helped me get up.
Sparks erupted in me every time. I don’t think he felt them as he didn’t react. I arranged my black hair, detangling curls and brushing sand off my body.
“The day would pass like other days. It doesn’t really matter.”
“Didn’t you hear those Alphas? You are on your way to being my Beta. Everything about you matters. I’ll start training you after your birthday.” He placed his hands on my shoulders.
I looked down, fighting the flush rising to my face. “Thank you. I can’t wait for my birthday, then.” I said it casually, but I really couldn’t wait. I’d be strong enough to whoop Sasha’s butt, and I could be free to show off Lana, my pretty silver wolf. She purred in excitement. Those who hated me would have no choice but to fear me. I didn’t need their love anymore.
“Yeah, Raymond would also be legally my Beta, even before coronation. Oh, and he’d find his mate, right?” Prince Chris chuckled.
My eyes widened. I’d be finding my mate, too. The flush rose to my face when Prince Chris turned to me. “You aren’t in pain, are you?”
I shook my head. Did someone blush when they were in pain? Or he couldn’t read my expression? I exhaled and shook my head again. It was good he couldn’t.
Whether Prince Chris was my mate, I hope he was, or whoever was my mate, I knew he’d treat me better, and I could be myself.**