Chapter 2: A Father's Disappointment
2029 Words
“How was class today?” asked Luna Kareen.
Royce knew that her adopted mother was being sarcastic so she didn’t bother answering. Royce could never be sure of Luna Kareen’s intentions at any given moment. The woman was lukewarm at best when it came to Royce. She tried to be more tolerable in front of the Alpha as she seemed to realize that he held a soft spot for little Royce Caulder. She, however, never let Royce forget where she came from.
“Well, I’m sure by now, you realize that we are well aware of the fact that you missed it!” She exclaimed in a shrill and aggravated voice.
Immediately, Royce bowed her head in embarrassment. “I…I apologize for my insubordination, ma’am. I-”
“What’s your excuse this time?” asked the Luna. “And I most certainly hope that it is a good one.”
“N-no…Luna, there is no excuse that would justify my absence today.”
“Ah, so…you just missed drills today because you thought that you didn’t need it? That Persephone would and you don’t need to-”
“No!” Royce immediately exclaimed. “I would never-”
“I wasn’t finished talking, girl!” Kareen rushed to her with an aggressive speed. “You don’t ever interrupt a superior when they are speaking. Especially, your Luna!”
“Y-yes ma’am. I apologize for my misconduct.” Royce responded with a submissive, hadly audible tone, her head bowed even lower than before.
“That’s enough, Karee,” Calin finally interrupted. It seemed that he had been watching the entire time. “I’m sure Royce’s intention was not to offend you, was it, child?” he asked in a knowing tone.
He placed his hand on Royce’s flat hair wit a small smile.
“I would never intentionally shame the alpha family. I would never think more of myself than I am. I am…so sorry if I led you or anyone to believe that, mistress.”
Calin continuously watched Royce in silence. He then eyed his mate. With a sigh, he stepped between Kareen and Royce. He then placed his hand on her shoulder.
It was only then that Royce dared look up. She wouldn’t meet the Luna’s gaze, however. She knew that Luna Kareen was still unhappy with her.
“I know that as a young woman, especially one who has lost so much, that things can become overwhelming for you, Royce. I also realize that all those who have not been in your shoes find it easier to cast judgment,” he glanced at Kareen who shamefully looked away.
“Alpha, I…I appreciate empathy, truly I do. However, I don’t mean for you to feel obligated to take it easy on me because of my predicament.”
“Oh, I don’t plan to,” smirked the alpha. “You’ll be doing late night drills. Fifty reps, twenty sets of each exercise.”
It was usually 10 reps and twenty-five for the younger wolves. Royce could hardly finish those. This was most definitely going to be a trying punishment for her. The thought of what the night would bring was intimidating to think about.
“Y-yes, alpha.” she bowed.
“Dismissed.”
“Thank you, Alpha.” Royce said, she then reluctantly met the stare of the Luna who wore a tight smile. She did not like the way that this meeting ended. That much was obvious. “Thank you, Luna.”
Luna Kareen gave a curt nod and without another word, Royce quickly turned on her heels and left the alpha’s office.
“I don’t understand why you insist on taking it easy on that girl, Cal!”
Royce knew that she should just keep going but her curiosity of what the Luna truly felt about her was something that she could not ignore. She used her special ability to cloak her scent and her presence. Then she listened.
“Keep it down, Kareen.” The Alpha was clearly frustrated with his Luna. “The girl has hardly had time to get down the hallway before you’ve started up!”
“It seems like I have to start up with you, Cal. You are always giving that girl the easy way out! Always coddling her! You tend to her far more than you do your own daughter! Which, might I remind you, that girl is not!”
Her words, though Royce was well aware that Kareen Preston wasn’t the biggest fan of the fact that she was adopted into the family, were very hurtful.
“Kareen,” the Alpha replied in a warning tone.
“No! The only thing that girl is…is a disappointment to the great Royce Caulder himself! If he saw her now he would be turning over in his…”
Royce couldn’t bear to hear anymore about the Luna’s feelings about her. Tears ran down her cheeks as she quickly fled the area. The only thing she could think to do was get away from the conversation. Get away from everything.
*********
“I said stop!” Calin growled angrily as his hand slammed against his desk.
Kareen nearly jumped out of her skin at her husband’s aggression. She stumbled back and quickly bowed her head in submission.
“I cannot believe how cold you are being towards the girl. Kareen, that is not-”
His words were cut off by a silent knock at the door. The Alpha knew who it was. “We’ll discuss this later.”
He started to walk past Kareen when she intercepted him, blocking his path. “What…what were you going to say?”
“You’ll know what I was going to say, when we finish this conversation later.” He then walked past her and opened his office door. The Omega of the pack was standing there along with another, a particularly young looking man with dirty blonde hair.
“Oh! Apologies, Alpha, Luna!” The young woman expressed timidly. “I didn’t mean to intrude-”
“It’s fine, Lora, we’re done here.”
Calin moved toward the door, allowing Kareen space to exit the room. The Luna hesitated for a second and then tested the waters a bit by approaching her husband.
“Can I at least get a kiss? To hold me over till later?”
She lifted her lips to meet his, and reluctantly the alpha accepted them. Kareen tried to linger but Calin pulled away from her. She got the message and quickly walked out of the room.
The Alpha accepted the the young man that was with Lora into his office. The door closed behind them, and Lora bowed to Kareen in passing and then disappeared down the stairs and toward the lower floors. Kareen, however, slowed her pace. She was curious as to what was being spoken about.
She’d never seen that young man before she was sure that if her husband was taking a meeting with the seemingly unimportant young man then he must have been more important than she thought he was.
The door closed and immediately, the conversation started.
“I imagine the alpha sent you here for a very important reason, Deedrick. What is it?” questioned Calin. “If it is not about a potential partnership between our packs then your alpha knows that there is very little that I have to say to him.”
“Well, Alpha,” started the young wolf. “That is exactly why I’m here,” said, Deedrick.
“Hm,” the alpha seemed interested by what this Deedrick had to say now. “What’s changed?”
“Tha Alpha has reason to believe that his mate resides in Marsh Haven.”
“What?”
“Yes sir. What’s more, however, is…well,”
“What? What is it Deedrick? Spit it out.”
“Well, he thinks that the mate in question..is one of your daughters. Which is why he would like to schedule a visit to…..”
“One?!” Kareen mouthed furiously. “One of his dau-” she was so livid by the Omega’s word choice, she couldn’t stand to hear another word. Immediately, she sped off.
“That’s it!” snapped Kareen once she was out of earshot of her husband and everyone else. “That is it! She has to go!”
Curfew was almost near. The Alpha wanted Royce on the field by ten, and it was already fifteen minutes till.
Dressed in her sports gear, Royce braided her fine, wavy hair into a ponytail anda headed out of the door. Hopefully, she could get a few brownie points for beating him there.
As she stalked toward the field, Royce couldn’t help but feel a bit forlorn about the conversation that was had about her earlier.
It was a tortuous thing living with a family who could not even stand to have her around. At least where the Luna was concerned. The alpha seemed accepting enough, but Royce sometimes even doubted that Persephone wanted her around.
“Let’s just run away.” The sound of Royce’s wolf echoed through her thoughts.
“Where would I go?” Royce asked her other half.
“Anywhere but here.We will never compare to our father. Leaving this place…at least we will be able to build our character and our life without being compared as an inferior disappointment to our father.”
Her beast had a point. One that…Royce found herself considering more than she thought she would.
“But what about the Alpha?” Asked Royce. “He has always been so kind to me. How could I do that to him?”
Before her counterpart could answer an alarm sounded throughout the area, startling Royce, but only for a moment before she decided to see what was going on. There was a raucous going on near the forest by the west gate.
When Royce arrived, the area was clear. The West gate was unguarded. Odd, considering the fact that Marsh Haven was guarded in every direction.
The gate open and marred. It was evident that something large got in. Where could they have gone?
“Royce?!”
The sound of Persephone’s voice made Royce quickly face her. “Persephone?”she started for her adopted sister when Persephone quickly took a step back from her.
Royce immediately halted. Why would she step back from her? “Perseph…Persephone, what…what’s going on? What happened?”
“You…I can’t…I can’t believe you would do something like this, Royce!” She cried in a hushed voice. “How could you do this?!”
“What?! What did I do? Persephone, what’s going on?”
The words hardly left Royce’s lips before a crowd of pack members arrived.
“Someone died because of what you’ve done, Royce!”
“Wha-what did I do? I…Persephone, I didn’t do anything! I…” the Beta appeared and immediately grabbed Royce.
As she was snatched up, Royce tried to get some clarification as to what she had done.
“Please! Please tell me! What have I done?”
“A feral was let into the west gate! It rampaged through the territory, killing two children and a pack member!” He growled.
“Oh, god!” Royce cried. “No, I’m-wait…you think I did this?” she asked incredulously.
“We have a credible witness who saw you at the gate, tinkering with the lock before it happened.”
“N-no, no! It wasn’t me! I-I only just got here!”
“Tell that to the alpha!” The beta growled as he carted Royce off.
“Persephone, please! Please! You know I would never do something like this! Please! I didn’t do this! Please!”
Royce fought hard to get out of the Beta’s grasp. She was innocent and no one would listen.
Eventually, the beta got tired of fighting her and knocked Royce unconscious. As her vision blurred, her eyes fell on the only person that she could trust. Persephone, and the last thing she could she before she blacked out was the disappointed, and distraught look of her adopted sister.
- Writer
