Five More Days

1411 Words
Rhiannon Another day had begun in the Yellow Stone Pack, as the sun mercilessly pounded on the old windows of the servant's quarters. My body was rigid due to the scrapes and bruises I had received over the past few days. My heart was heavy with anticipation as the time flew by. I had just five days left until my eighteenth birthday, which should have been a happy or hopeful occasion. Instead, it hung like a black storm cloud over me. Eighteen. The age when the mate bond would fully awaken. The age when Alpha Talon would officially claim me, sealing my fate as his. My wolf, still quiet within me, didn’t offer any solace. I clung to a faint sliver of hope that my true mate might be out there, but that hope had grown thinner with each passing day under Alpha Talon’s rule. The sound of hurried footsteps broke me from my thoughts. It was Lena, another maid, poking her head into my tiny room. Her eyes were wide with unease. “Rhiannon,” she whispered. “Alpha Talon has summoned you to his office. He wants refreshments for his meeting.” A knot formed in my stomach. I did not have to ask why he had picked me among the numerous servants. Talon enjoyed making me squirm, relishing in my discomfort. I nodded silently and rose from my small cot, ignoring the sharp sting in my side as I straightened. I hurriedly walked to the kitchen and prepared the snacks just the way Alpha Talon liked it. I carefully balanced the tray of refreshments as I walked to Alpha Talon's office. The only sound in the eerie quiet of the hallway was the faint hum of voices coming from the room I was approaching. I pushed the heavy oak door open, my heart thumping in my chest. The gentle murmur of Talon's officers filled the room, but as soon as I walked in, their chatter and laughter stopped. Talon was sitting at the head of the table and his penetrating stare fell upon me as a hawk upon its intended prey. His dark hair was combed neatly, his jaw set in a perpetual grimace. Around the table, several men glanced my way, their smirks making my skin crawl. “Ah, the little wolf,” Beta Tom said with a grin. “Always so obedient.” I took a deep breath and walked toward the table with my head down. But just as I was getting close, a foot sprang up ahead of me and tripped me. I stumbled forward, losing my balance and causing the tray to topple violently. With a loud crash, the porcelain cups fell to the floor, and hot tea splattered my arm, burning my skin. I experienced a high level of pain as I hit the ground with such force as to almost sublux my shoulder. Everyone in the room burst out laughing. “Well, that is one way to make an entrance, someone teased. I collected the broken parts in trembling hands, the sting of shame burning in the roots of my cheeks. A porcelain shard cut my palm, resulting in my blood spouting out. I bit my lip, not wanting to make any noise. “Rhiannon!” Talon's voice boomed, drowning out the laughter. His chair hit the floor when he ejected himself from his seat. His face was a mask of anger as he scowled at me, tea staining down his trousers and the shards under my feet. “I… I’m sorry, Alpha,” I choked, my voice barely a whisper. “It was an accident.” “An accident?” He yelled, his voice thick with venom. “You are incompetent and useless. Are you aware of how embarrassing you look in front of my officers?” I lowered my head further, blood dripping from my hand to the floor. "It will not happen again," I promised, but I knew it did not matter. “It better not,” he growled. “You will pay for this later.” Fear shut in around me like a thick but constricting blanket that pulls hard at the tightening knot in my gut. I ignored the men's whispered remarks and snickers and cleaned up as fast as I could. With my heart racing, I rushed out of the room after replenishing the refreshments and wiping down the table. The rest of the day passed quickly. I focused on my tasks in the hopes that Alpha Talon would be too busy attending meetings to recall his threat of punishment. But deep down, I knew he wouldn’t forget. He never did. As the sun dipped below the horizon, I felt the pull of his voice via the mind link. “Rhiannon,” Alpha Talon's cold and commanding voice echoed through my head. “Come to my chambers. Now.” My breath became trapped in my throat. His tone left no room for debate. Reluctantly, I walked to his room, my fear growing with every step. My hands were shaking uncontrollably by the time I got to his door. I raised my hand to knock, but his voice barked, “Enter!” before I could knock. The room was dimly lit, with the light from the fireplace casting long shadows on the walls. Talon stood shirtless by the bed, his muscular body radiating strength and dominance. I felt a knot in my stomach. "Sit," he commanded, gesturing toward the bed. His piercing eyes met mine, and I could tell he felt my fear. I hesitated before advancing to the far edge of the bed, as far away from him as possible. My entire body felt tense, with each muscle coiling like a spring. Talon's lips curved into a smirk. “Afraid, little wolf?” I forced myself to look him in the eye. “No,” I lied, though my voice trembled. He chuckled, a deep, threatening sound that sent shivers down my spine. “You are a horrible liar, Rhiannon. But that’s what I like about you. You’re so easy to break.” I remained silent, my hands clenched around the bed's edge until my knuckles were white. “You embarrassed me today,” he said, his tone low and dangerous. “In front of my men. Do you have any idea how that makes me look? An alpha disrespected by a mere servant?” “I didn’t mean to,” I muttered. “It was an accident.” “An accident?” He moved closer, his presence overwhelming. “You think accidents excuse failure?” I recoiled when he moved closer to my face, inches from me. He pulled on my chin, making me look at his face. "Rhiannon, I have been patient with you," he said in a dangerously low voice. "But I am running out of patience." His fingers moved down my arm, making my skin crawl. Panic rose in my chest, but I kept my expression blank, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing my distress. "Don't," I insisted, my voice firmer this time. “Please, don’t.” He smirked. “You think begging will save you? It only makes it more fun.” With my heart thumping in my chest, I twisted out of his grasp. “You are not my mate,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I am not yours to claim.” His eyes darkened, and for a moment I feared he might hit me. Instead, he laughed, a hollow, frigid sound that chilled me to the core. “Your mate?” he sneered. "Do you believe that some mate will appear to rescue you? I own you, your body, your spirit. You, Rhiannon, will always be mine.” I slipped out of his grasp and ran for the door before he could stop me. He screamed after me, but I continued until I was back in my tiny room, where I was safe. My whole body shook as I fell onto my cot. My eyes were burning with tears, but I forced myself to hold back. Alpha Talon's words reverberated in my head, eroding the shaky hope I held onto. Five more days. Five days until my fate was sealed. Five days to hold on to the last shreds of hope that my true mate might find me. Five days to pray for salvation, or to gather the strength to save myself.
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