Chapter 5 The half-breed
GAEL’S POV
For a while now, I haven’t felt this kind of excitement about meeting a new concubine. Entering the room and seeing her in the dress that I had Gemma pick out personally has me very intrigued. I knew she would have a fit when she eventually saw the dress on another lady, but I would worry about that later-probably take her on another wild shopping spree like she loves. My eyes lingered on her as I shut the door behind me. She is shy, her eyes darting back and forth to avoid mine.
“What’s your name?” I asked.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“Nia,” she mumbled in a low tune.
As I got closer, an odd smell emitted from her wolf; it didn’t feel whole. Standing at the foot of the bed, it became stronger. “What’s that smell?” I asked.
She finally looked up at me, and those were indubitably the most beautiful emerald eyes I have ever seen. Damn! Now I remember the exact reason I insisted on having her. Her kind of looks are rare to find. It’s a good thing I jumped on the moving wagon on time.
“Sir?”
“There is an odd smell around here. Is it coming from you?” I leaned in to smell her, and my breath hitched most disgustingly. I furrowed my brows in annoyance. “What are you?”
Nia had a perplexed look on her innocent face. “What do you mean, sir?”
My wolf growled in disapproval. “Are you human?”
She shook her head hurriedly, “No, Alpha. I am a halfbreed.”
Her revelation made the alarm in my head go off. “What the hell? You are what again?” I bellowed, backing away from her.
Her throat bobbed up and down, and the discomfort was evident. “I am half human and half wolf.” Her response sounded like mockery.
My hands shook hard as I tried to keep myself from resorting to strangling her. “I can’t believe this. Did I bring home my death?! Do you know how much I paid for you?! Fifty thousand dollars! I paid that ducking amount for a cheap thing like yourself!” He gritted. “What the hell! To think I even went as far as sending off your damn mate. I should have left you two miserable to be together.”
“You did what?” She yelled.
I hissed in irritation, “what?”
“You made my mate reject me? All for what? What did I do to you?” Her voice was at its peak now.
“Shut up! You disgusting creature! I am so going to kill those two who sold you off to me. It’s no wonder they gave you out with so much enthusiasm.”
“They aren’t my parents! My biological parents are dead!”
“Of course, they have to be dead. It’s what they deserve for birthing a monster like you. I can’t even stand you right now. Your smell is repulsive. I am so going to skin those stupid two alive for fooling me.”
She knelt, “Please, you can take your money back from them; just let me go. I need to find my mate. I deserve to live better.”
“Never!” I bellowed in anger. “I’m never going to let you out among my people and have you jinx them. If you don’t know it, I will be generous enough to share it with you. You are a cursed being, and nobody should be near you. I have to do a ritual bath after this. I can’t believe you ruined my night. You will pay for this. You and the rest of your family. I will make you regret ever messing with me.”
I stormed out of the room, feeling every bit of the emotion raging through my insides. The guards stood rigid when I slammed the door shut. “Bolt the door and ensure she doesn’t step out. If she escapes, I will have you and your generation’s heads hanging by the square!”
As I exited the building, my wolf kept taunting me about my high hopes for tonight. I should have known it would be a catastrophic end with that awful dream I had in the early hours of the morning. She is nothing short of bad luck. I need to cleanse myself to keep the horrible charm away.
I despise humans in every possible way. We are too opposite and shouldn’t be associating. Our worlds are apart, even though some packs have learned to accommodate them. I refuse to deviate from my father’s belief, and he considers humans as low beings who would bring nothing but sorrow to us. My grandmother had met an early death because of a human, and he swore never to have anything to do with those species again. I am thriving on my father’s legacy. He isn’t just the one humans have hurt; many of my pack members have suffered one loss or the other from humans.
We were bred never to accept them. When my mate turned out to be human, I had to ignore all the pheromones that desired her and chase her far away. It’s been over five years, and I don’t remember her appearance. It’s best that way. Hastening my steps towards the woods, Ezra seems to be making his way out of the packhouse at the same time. Because I had left the party excitedly, I didn’t get to address the people who came to the banquet. Ezra knows how to handle things like that on my behalf. So I didn’t need to worry.
“Why do you look so displeased?” He asked as he stood in my way.
My nose flared as the image of the half-breed crossed my vision. “You won’t believe that girl is a halfbreed.”
Ezra gasped, placing a hand on his chest. “How is that possible?”
“I have no idea, and those damn people have a lot of questions to ask tomorrow. Send your men to get me, Levi, and Stephanie Hayes. I am so going to lynch them.”
“Whatever you want. Where are you headed now?”
I snickered, “I need to let my anger sizzle away. Would you like to join me for a run?”
He nodded, “Yes, I want to. I must burn off the stress your party put me through today.”
“Let’s go then.”
We shifted immediately, jumping in excitement as we ran into the woods. After this, I am going to ask Gemma into my room. The bubbles I have saved up to get premium enjoyment with the new girl can’t go to waste now. Someone has to put me in a relief mode.
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NIA’S POV
Even though no one returned to the room that night, I couldn’t close my eyes. I felt out of place. For a moment, I was glad that the Alpha didn’t touch me and refused to get close to me. But my heart blew up into pieces at the pure hatred in his eyes when he heard of me being a halfbreed. I have never gotten such a cold reaction from anyone before. They bullied me, but it didn’t go on for too long.
The morning had me twitching my eyes as it burned hard like it had some vendetta against me. I groggily dragged myself off the bed and sat at the foot of it, staring into nothingness. If I were back at home, I would have gotten myself busy with chores, hummed nice tunes to my ears, and tried my best to avoid Mindy and her mother. The two of them are the most devilish.
It might sound unreasonable now, but I would prefer returning to Hayes’s home than staying here. At least, I am well aware of what they all can do to me. But an unfamiliar and unfriendly place like this worries me so much. I don’t know if this will be my last day of living. With the Alpha’s threat the previous night, Levi and Stephanie will have it tough. This time, I hope he won’t take his anger out on them and do whatever he wants with me instead.
However, things don’t work that way around here. Alpha Gael is known to never go back on his words. He doesn’t joke with anything that comes out of his mouth. All I can do now is cross my fingers and wait for the verdict. My heart races at any sound from behind the door. I’m trying not to hope to be alive anymore cause death is the perfect way out for me. I have had enough of this miserable life. The tears I thought had seized last night came gushing like an open dam.
I wanted a better life, an escape. I had grown up thinking that all I needed was a mate. The moment I met him, I would have nothing to worry about. But I was wrong. I don’t need someone to save me. I needed to protect myself. I should have gotten some cash from the house and made a run for it. They wouldn’t bother too much about finding me if the money stolen wasn’t too much. The mistake I made was waiting this long.
I jerked in shock when the door opened, and two guards came in, grabbed me on both sides of the arm like before, and dragged me out of the room. It’s useless trying to struggle with them. I want to save my energy even if I would eventually fight for freedom. I haven’t eaten for hours, and my belly is in a silent war.
The door to a vast room that looked like a hall opened, and Alpha Gael sat on a royal-like chair, staring intensely at me like an eagle. On my side laid my adoptive parents, punched to the ground. It made me wonder how long they have been enduring the hit.
“Now that she is here, what must you say?” The Alpha’s voice echoed in the whole area.
Stephanie cut me an icy stare as she adjusted herself, kneeling. “I can assure you, my Lord, we thought you knew of her abominable state. That was why you were keen on her.”
There was a silent pause, and we could all hear the Alpha mumbling profanities under his breath.
“You still didn’t tell me, and that is enough to tell how treacherous you all are. I paid such a large bounty on a mere pussy, and you handed me the worst of all. You don’t deserve to live.”
Levi knelt straight with his palms clasped together, “Please, Alpha. You can take Nia and the money back; just let us go.” Stephanie seemed to disagree with Levi on the Alpha taking back his money. She nudged him on the side, causing the poor man to wince painfully.
Alpha Gael had a vividly amused look on his face. I feel like a shadow in their midst, as no one seems to notice me. “I see you have a different opinion, Stephanie. What do you think we should do?”
She glared at me again. “If you will allow me, my Lord. I want to give a summary of how we came to this.” Stephanie said, wiping at her bloody lips. Alpha Gael gave her the go-ahead with a nod. “I know this isn’t much of an excuse, but my husband and I have been nothing short of a guardian angel to this girl. She was getting beaten by heavy rain underneath a tree in front of our house, and we helped her, fed, and clothed her. When we found out she was a half-breed, it had us heartbroken, and she didn’t shift early like every normal kid. For a long time, we thought of a way to get her to move on with her life until you sought her hand. I think it’s best to take your money’s worth from her by making her work for you unpaid until she has worked for all of the money.”
My mouth went agape at her suggestion, and this woman does hate me with so much passion. How can she say something like that? I observed everyone’s expressions, and they appeared entertained by my crazy family and me.
“So, you think taking her in as a maid would be enough to cover for my money and time?” Alpha Gael pressed on.
Levi responded this time, “Definitely, Alpha. We did quite well in teaching her domestic work, and she does them well. All you must concern yourself with is working until she can’t move her feet.”
The tears formed again, and I felt a painful stab in my chest. What exactly is the essence of my existence? These folks are the worst set of people I have ever come across. Or maybe I am just unlucky when it comes to meeting good people.
The Alpha looked like he was weighing the options. His face morphed into a tight frown. “That’s it. You will work as my maid from now on. My maid.” He repeated with a spiteful glare in his eyes.
“Please, just take your money back and let me leave, please,” I begged shamelessly. I wouldn’t say I like the thought of being a maid for the rest of my life.
“You don’t get to decide for yourself under my roof. Take the filth out of my sight!” He ordered. “Now let me warn you, I never want to see your face. I was hoping you could do your best never to show yourself in front of me. You disgust me, and I might want to skin you alive if you do as much as breeze past me.” His threat resounded in my ears, and they sent shivers down my spine.
My adoptive parents had satisfied grins on their faces, and just like that, everyone walked out on me, leaving me to be dragged out by the guards, feeling my world crumble.