Chapter 14: Chapter 14

DUSK

I recovered with time. Seline and Ethan checked up on me every single second of the day. I am not complaining; I just find it very satisfying and intriguing. I felt happy for once in my life, and Belle has also gotten closer. She visited me most times when Seline was out.

Sighs. Like it always does, my life started to cascade down again. Lucius returned, and from what Belle told me, I knew I was in big trouble with no one to save me. Lucius was a full-blown Alpha who didn't take shit from anyone; even Ethan, his Beta, knew better than to stand against him. Talk more about Seline. I was alone in this. You might be wondering what all this is about. Well, let me give you a sad preview of how it started.

//FLASHBACK//

"OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Belle practically yelled as she barged into my room. Seljne paused mixing the balm, and we both looked at her with an eyebrow raised. Personally, I thought it was just a silly prank to get us scared, but Belle wasn't the one to engage in such things.

"Here we go again." Seline muttered with humor, dropping the plate on the bedside table. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff, and we both looked at Belle in anticipation.

"Lucius is back." My eyes widened. I sat up immediately and clutched the sheet of my bed. My heart raced; it didn't stop even when Seline placed a reassuring hand on mine.

"So?" Seline asked nonchalantly, No, I shouldn't be scared.

"Things aren't going to be good this time. Ariadne lied to Lucuis and his father about Dusk being proud and rude." Belle informed me; my breath seized on hearing her statement, but her next one made life jump out of my chest. "Lucuis says he is going to punish you, and his Dad was livid with anger."

"When is he not 'livid’?" Seline quotes with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, there is nothing much we can do. Ethan tried talking to him, but he wouldn't listen, I guess.”

"You guess nothing!" Seline retorted angrily. "He is just an alpha, not a god, a demigod, or even Zeus. There is nothing much YOU can do about it, but there are tons of things I can do about it. So if you're done, leave! Your message has been well received."

“No, Seline, stop it. You shouldn't talk to her like that. She's just trying to help." I chided them, getting down from the bed to prevent the brewing anger between the two of them. The last thing I want now is a fight.

"Trying to help? Can you hear yourself?" She gestured towards Belle in anger. "She is saying we should just dump you and let Lucius do whatever he likes to you, and then we are back to square one. No. I won't let him treat her that way."

"Seline…" I called softly, but she turned away, facing the window angrily. Turning my gaze back to Belle, my heart dropped. Seeing tears in her eyes, a lump formed in my throat. "I'm sorry, Belle. She didn't mean it, I-"

“Yeah, right, enough of the apologies. She didn't mean it. I'll get going. You know where to find me if you need me." Belle said hastily, trying hard but failing to hide the sadness in her voice.

Before I could talk to Seline, a guard walked in, telling her that Lucuis wanted to see her. Seline, who was ready for a confrontation, barged out of the room. Ignoring my calls to calm down.

I had not finished wrapping my head around what happened when a maid came in. She told me I was in room confinement and wouldn't be allowed to go out unless the alpha came to see me.

My heart dropped.

//END OF FLASHBACK//

That was why I was dreadfully waiting for my punishment for a crime I didn't commit.

I never thought I’d hate the sound of footsteps, but now each step sends chills down my spine. Especially when I knew they belonged to Lucuis.

As I lay on my bed, still recovering from the night before, the door opened to reveal Lucius. His eyes sparkled with malice, and he towered over me, causing my heart to race with fear.

"Isn't it the arrogant Dusk?" He said with a sly smile, his voice like a strong breeze that put me on edge.

I lay in silence, hoping he would leave or maybe ask me what happened, but he walked over to my bed and sat beside me. His hand made its way to my cheek, and I recoiled at his touch. I didn't want to be touched when it wasn't a loving one.

"Don’t like my touch, eh?" he sneered. "You’ll come around, Dusk. Do you think sneering at everyone that you are my mate is ideal? Disrespecting your seniors?"

"I didn't, I-"

“Oh, come on, shut up, mate. Don't lie to me. Your imagination is telling you that you are my mate, aren't you? That you can win my love, change me?" He laughed sinisterly. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. You are just a good decoration. You don't meet my standards. Well, the only enticing thing is how soft you are down there." Was he drunk, or was he doing this to taunt me?

His demeaning words hurt me, but being a tool for his sexual satisfaction broke me the most. I willed myself into control, trying to hide my arousal as his hand wandered around my thigh. I was just recovering, and I didn't want sex. When it was even without love, my throat right now

He leaned in for a kiss, and I turned my head away from him. But he grabbed me roughly and forced his lips on mine. I struggled against him, but his strength was too much for me.

"Stop, Lucius, I don’t want this." I cried out, my voice muffled by his lips. "I'm not feeling too well; please stop!"

"Silence!" he growled. "You thought you could do whatever you wanted because I left the pack, but let me remind you that I am still your mate. You’ll do as I say."

I sobbed against him as he continued to touch me against my will. He raised my gown up, roughly pulling off my underwear. He stuck three fingers at once into me, and a yelp came out of my mouth. The pain was unbearable; his hands forcefully came in and out, and all I felt was pain. Satisfied with how injured I was, he brought his hardened c*ck and throbbed it right inside me, harshly. I cried and wailed, but no one came to my rescue. His hands squeezed my neck, and his breath tickled my ears. He went on for as long as he decided, and when he was done, he roughly pushed me to the corner of the bed.

"Why didn’t you just kill me?" I asked, still shaking from the ordeal. "At least I'll know that my life has ended."

"I determine if you live or die, Dusk," he said with a smirk before walking out of my room.

I lay there, tears streaming down my face, wondering how my life had taken such a turn. I knew that I couldn't go on like this. I knew it, but what could I do? Hot tears brimmed my face. I went in for a hot shower, letting the water wash away the pain I felt, but it didn't. When I was done, I went back to my room, sadness and darkness taking over.

…

LUCUIS.

I tried to ignore the guilt gnawing at my insides as I left Dusk’s room. Part of me knew that what I had done was wrong, but I pushed those thoughts aside as I made my way to the night patrol.

As I walked with my fellow pack members, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in me. I tried to put on a brave front and be my usual self, but something inside me had shifted.

After the patrol, I retreated to my room and fell into a deep sleep. The next day came quickly, and I made my way to the pack house for some coffee, hoping to clear my head before the day’s work began.

As I walked through the corridors, I was met by Ethan. His expression was stern, and I knew he was going to challenge me about what had happened with Dusk.

"What’s wrong, Ethan?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"You know what’s wrong, Lucius," Ethan said, his eyes locked onto mine. "What you did to Dusk last night was wrong. You can’t just treat her like property. You need to start seeing her as your mate."

I felt a surge of anger rise up in me at Ethan’s words, but I tried to keep my voice calm. "That is why she is my mate, not yours."

“No, she isn't. You aren't taking her as a mate; you treat her like a slave and encourage others to do the same." His voice rose in frustration.

"Whatever you say. I decide how she is treated, and instead of sneaking up into my business, why don't you put that effort into your post as the Beta?" I said it harshly. Ethan was the last person I wanted to show how guilty I was. No one needed to see that.

As I walked away, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease at the thought of Dusk being my mate. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I wanted to hate her, not be drawn to her like I felt myself doing.

I sat in my office, surrounded by stacks of paperwork that seemed to never end. My head was pounding, and I knew I needed a break, but I couldn’t let anything slip through the cracks.

As I was deep in concentration, Alpha Jake entered the room, and I stood up to greet him. We exchanged pleasantries and caught up on pack matters before turning our attention to strengthening the bond between our packs.

After discussing business for a while, we decided to settle down with some drinks. As we sipped on our whiskey, Jake brought up the upcoming ball.

"Are you bringing your mate, Lucius?" he asked bluntly.

I tensed at his question, knowing that bringing Dusk would be a risk and a dent in my image as a powerful Alpha. "I haven’t decided yet," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

Jake raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on his face. "What’s the problem? Is she not up to par for a pack event?"

"It’s not that," I said, feeling a surge of frustration rise in me. "She’s weak and pathetic."

Jake chuckled, swirling his drink around in his glass. "Dusk is an outsider to our pack, I know. But you need to decide whether you’re going to fully integrate her or not."

I felt a twinge of uncertainty at his words, knowing that my loyalties lay with the pack, but something about Dusk kept pulling me in. "Do you think I should reject her?" I blurted them out, surprising myself with the words.

Jake raised an eyebrow, considering me for a moment. "I think it would be the best thing for you," he said finally. "But only you can make that decision."

I nodded, feeling a sense of numbness wash over me. "Thank you, Jake," I said, feeling like my thoughts were tumbling out of control.

Jake finished his drink and stood up, patting me on the shoulder. "Think about it, Lucius. It’s not an easy decision, but you need to do what’s best for yourself and the pack."

As he left, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me. The thought of rejecting Dusk was like a weight on my chest, but the pack was my priority. I needed to make a decision soon. I should also save myself from the eternal torture of having to deal with my guilt as I constantly abused her because I wasn't going to stop.