#Chapter 6 Harmed
1431 Words
Elena’s POV
I awake to the morning sun, gently caressing my face.
What day is it? And where am I?
A look around the room shows me I am in the same room I had passed out in. Feeling my forehead, I feel no fever. My body no longer aches.
I slept all day.
Counting on my fingers, I conclude that tomorrow night is the night of the full moon. Time is short again and my heart begins to beat irregularly.
Am I ready to be mated with? In two days, there is no way I can escape.
“Human. There is a visitor for you.” Another maid appears to the right of me, and even though her tone is cold, it is not malicious like the last two maids.
She is new to me with soft brown hair and a very gentle voice.
Did King Harvey speak to her? Did he threaten everyone here?
“She is just some lowly human… nothing…” She mutters as she walks out of the room.
I sigh, placing my face in my hands.
I shake it off with one deep breath, deciding to focus on the fact that if I wasn’t needed, as the only human here, King Harvey would have killed me, or allowed them to. I am needed. As terrifying as that thought is.
It weighs heavy on my heart.
Getting back to my sister weighs heavier on my heart.
I get up and follow the maid slowly, careful of my wounds. Even though I feel more stable, I will not be pushing myself and making my situation any worse than it is.
Walking into a soft red living room, I look around. It smells of soft florals and tea. There are several red plush chairs around a small golden round table. The walls are covered by paintings of wolves and werewolves at war.
A small fireplace crackling catches my attention until a man clears his throat.
Turning, I see my father standing behind me. He must have popped up from behind the doorway.
He stands slightly leaning to the left, his grey hair combed, in a clean simple white shirt and blue pants. I have not seen those brown dress shoes since my mom’s death.
My heart begins to beat irregularly.
“Father, why are you here?!” I cry out. “You should not be here!”
My eyes widen as I begin to pant, unable to control my breathing. I didn’t expect him to come looking for me.
He steps forward with a smug smile that I wish would melt him where he stands.
“I heard you become King Harvey’s mate?” A look of pure ecstasy and hunger smothers his wicked features. “He must have given you a lot of money.”
My mouth drops open in utter disbelief, he doesn’t care about my injury at all! Or how I have been or even tell me about my sister. The first thing he asks about is money.
My jaw clenches as my vision blurs into a bloodied red. “Father,” I whisper hotly. “What do you want money for, are you going to gamble again?”
His dark eyes that were screaming delight die in one swoop. Pure rage takes the light from his eyes as he frowns deeply, his face now twisted and ugly.
“Why are you asking me?! I gave you life, give me my money quickly!”
“No! I won’t give you any money. You have lost your mind and entire family. Stop it, please, Father.”
Tears of rage rim my eyes and burn, I know they are red, and I hope for my sister’s sake he wakes up and stops this.
I don’t expect his face to fall all at once as his shoulders fall.
His head snaps up to me a second time, this time, overflowing with fury. “Why won’t you give me money, I am your father!”
“No, you are not good with any money, and King Harvey has given me nothing.”
Father inches closer to me and snarls as he presses his fist to my face with slight pressure.
My mind flies to the knife I still have, but oddly to King Harvey as well. He stood in front of me when that maid was howling. Would he protect me here?
Would my dad be doing any of this if he was in the room?
His knuckles mark my skin. “If you do not give me money, I will sell your sister!!”
I swallow dryly. I know he will do this. I tremble at the thought of him dragging my sister by her hair to sell her. I look him in the eyes as I shake, unable to think of anything to say to calm him.
Digging into my left dress pocket, I place in his swollen palm worn-out change from it, which is the tuition I have saved for my dear sister.
He laughs ruthlessly as he counts the money.
In one strike, he raises his hand and slaps me full across the face.
I sway with the hit and blood fills my mouth. Exhaling, I taste the blood and remember Gamma Kevin. My body goes numb all over.
“Why so little money,” he hisses, pointing his crooked finger at me. “Haven’t you slept with the Alpha King?”
Pressing my shaking hand to my face, I feel the heat of my new wound. My body feels weak all over, and I fall to the ground from the shock.
“Father,” I start as tears stream down my face.
The demonic rage in his face proves to me I have no father. I am an orphan now. Perhaps I have always known that.
I bow my head.
Father or whatever he is, wraps my hair around his sweaty palm and pulls me up to my feet, then punches me in the face. Gasping against his rage in fear, I summon up courage to reach out to claw his face, but I miss.
Blood floods my mouth and I allow it to drip down my face.
I don’t care how I look anymore. There is no one to impress in this room.
“You better give me $10,000 dollars next time, if you do not, I will sell your sister!”
A sharp sword cuts through my heart as tears roll down my face. I openly weep against his rage and shake.
“You are our dad!! You are our dad!! How could you?!” I scream as he throws me to the ground.
Memories of my childhood as a family now drown in my blood and tears.
I hear a cluster of maids in the background snickering.
He kneels one final time and punches me in the face once more. Pain explodes against my face and leaves me flat on my back.
I remain unable to breathe for minutes.
The maids openly laugh now.
Spots appear before my eyes as rage pumps through my body. I wish I had the energy to reach for that damned knife!
Covering my face with my hands, I weep. I can’t think of anything to do but sell myself.
I lost my father and virtues in a handful of minutes.
My eyes ache against my tears, they are heavy. My nose is clogged shut so I force myself to sit up just so I can breathe better.
I have no father.
Damn my mother for marrying him! Damn my mother for loving him! Damn those werewolves for killing my mother!
All I have been since my mother’s death is a punching bag for everyone. I need to take care of myself.
I need a protector. For myself and my sister.
Quietly, I walk away, numb and bleeding. Limping.
King Harvey is walking down the hallway to my room to train; I see a gun on his back.
In a flash, he is in front of me. “Who did this?” He whispers lethally as he lifts my chin with one finger.
Looking away I swallow, unable to speak. He always makes me feel so embarrassed.
The thought of my sister being sold by my father at any second drives me down a spiral of sickness. I will not be able to come up with the money he wants.
“King Harvey,” I plead softly. “Please, can you help me protect my sister? You can have anything in exchange.”
Including my virginity.
- Writer
