Shattered Petals

Chapter 3: Kol Is Your Mate!

Zella's POV

The sun slapped my face, and I slowly opened my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room.

"Good morning, lady Zella." A little girl greeted, and I almost jumped out of bed.

"You startled me..

Good morning, beautiful girl. Are you lost?" I asked calmly, and she shook her head.

"I'm the maid assigned to your room this morning," she said, and I stared in shock.

"Don't worry about my size, nobody else was willing to take it so I was pushed here because I couldn't stand up against them," she said and picked up my clothes from yesterday from the floor and put them in a basket.

"Your bath is ready, I already cleaned up, and breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes," she said and lowered her hips to courtesy before leaving.

"What a wonderful way to start the day," I muttered to myself as I had my bath, put on a casual corset dress, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Take these dishes on your way, young lady. Maids shouldn't lazy around!" An older woman exclaimed and shoved a pile of plates into my hands. Her chubby face and round eyes glared at me to get my response, but I simply ignored her and kept walking towards where I thought was the dining area.

I got to a large door, and as I pushed it open with my hips, a good number of unwelcoming eyes turned to look at me, and silence fell. I swallowed hard and sighed heavily before gathering the courage to speak.

"Uhhmm, good morning,” I say into the intimidating silence.

“I uh, I came to return the plates.” Nobody said anything in response to that. Just great.

I stood there, fidgeting on my own, feeling the hostile stares burrowing deep into my skin for what feels like hours until someone blessedly signals to me.

“Over here,” a woman beckons from the far back.I hurry over to her, plates outstretched when I suddenly crash to the floor, the tray falling with me and causing the ceramic plates to crash.

I was tripped.I look over to see a group of people, three girls, and four boys, giggling at my debacle.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” one of the boys said mockingly.

“I really didn't see you there.” The statement caused the entire group to break up into raucous laughter.

What the hell is so funny about this? I stared at them in confusion as I wondered what to do with that mockery of an apology he just tendered.

"It is okay, I guess. Not everyone can boast of perfect eyesight.” The group went silent at my words, making me smile inwardly.

I might be loathed and unwanted here, but that doesn't mean anyone can step on me.I have handled the lunacies of a witch for the entirety of my life, I can handle a bunch of immature brats.

“What did you say to me?” the boy asked, standing up.

I quickly got to my feet. There was no way I would let him catch me in a disadvantaged position. I turned to him with wide, innocent eyes. I knew they were innocent because I practiced them a lot.

"I don't understand. You said you didn't see me there. Or… did you?” I asked and blinked my eyes a few times.

"What?” the boy asked in confused anger.

"Are you saying you intentionally tripped me over? I don't even know you, nor do you know me. So why would you treat me with such cruelty?” My voice slowly broke at this part, wobbling.

“What is going on here?” the voice echoed from above the din of the room. I looked over to see Lucas walking our way, his face screwed into a scowl. He took one look at my watered eyes and raised an eyebrow in quiet amusement. Turning to the boy, he demanded,

“Pan, what is the meaning of this?” he asked and crossed his arms behind him.

“Beta,” the boy greeted with a bowed head before turning to me and pointed aggressively, “This girl just insulted me!" He whined, and I gasped softly.

“Did she? What did she say?”

"She said… she said my eyes were bad.” he replied and almost started crying so I had to save my head.

"Actually,” what I said was ‘Not everyone can boast of perfect eyesight."

"See!" the boy exclaimed as he turned back to Lucas.

Lucas turned to me with a raised eyebrow and I knew where this was going already.

“And why did you say that to him?” he asked.

“Well, you see, I was passing by and tripped on his foot. He said he didn't see me there, while he and his group were laughing, I might add. So, I told him it's okay that not everyone can boast of perfect vision. Did I say something wrong?” I asked and the little boy lowered his head.

Lucas sighed as he pinched his nose

“Beta! You can't-”

“Pan, for goodness's sake, go sit down and stop making a nuisance of yourself,” he snapped.

The boy looked shocked at being snapped at. It's probably something he really isn't used to..

“But-”

“Now!” Lucas scowled and the little boy scurried off with his group, and as I smiled at him, he sent threatening glares at me.

"Wow, another enemy," I muttered and sighed.

"It's fine, Pan should be the least of your problems." Lucas assured and I shrugged my shoulders as I bent over to pack the broken pieces of the dishes I crashed.

"Leave them, someone will clean that up.

And by the way, what were you doing with a tray of dishes in the first place?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

If I told him the truth, he wouldn't hesitate to pay Miss Chubby a visit, and that would mean another unnecessary enemy.

"I volunteered to help clean them up, no big deal," I lied and dusted off my clothes as I followed him out the door.

"I wanted to speak to you concerning all this ruckus," he said.

"Did I do something wrong?” I asked and he sighed.

“Not necessarily,” he replied bluntly.

"What does that even mean?”

“You have to understand. Yesterday the whole pack was in a buzz with excitement with the Alpha getting mated with Kiana. That was disrupted by your arrival and not only that, this very day, Kiana left. People have imaginations and those imaginations paint you as the culprit,” he said and I rolled my eyes.

“Right, my fault. Don't worry though, I plan on leaving as soon as possible. I will be out of everyone's eyes as soon as Alpha Kol and I figure out how to deal with that witch,” I said and stopped in front of my door.

“What do you mean?” he asked again in confusion.

“I mean, I am planning on leaving. Soon, I hope.”

“But- but why? Kol is your mate! The sorceress proved it, everything else proves it. Both your lives will be on the line if you leave." He said.

"Ironic right?"

"Since when did this decision to leave even start?"

"Since this morning. Nobody here wants me around. I ran from one prison only to fall into another. My stay here grows dangerous by every new day and I'm very certain someone will successfully end my life if I breathe around the corners of this castle again. Kiana can have her husband back, so what if the alpha and I die? Nobody cares so why should I even care?" I asked and slammed my door in his face.

I kept inhaling and exhaling continuously as I paced back and forth from one end of the room to the other.

"Do I really want to leave or am I just overreacting?

But whether I stay here or not, I'll die eventually," I muttered to myself and beads of sweat formed on my forehead.