~Orion's POV~
I couldn't bring myself to look at her, not because I hated her just like everyone else but because it hurt too much to.
As her desperate cries rang through the air, and the noise of the agitated pack members filled the tense space, I could only think of one thing:
She'd tried to leave.
Fuck, Dahlia had agreed to be with me, she had asked me to speak to Zarek about allowing me marry her… to protect her; but all this time, she's always wanted to leave. And what was I to her? A distraction! Something to pass time with until she found the perfect opportunity to flee.
And that stung.
My heart ached as I watched the guards force her to her wobbly feet and when they dragged her out of the slaves' quarters, I glanced away, not wanting to see more.
My chest felt tight and breathing soon became a tough sport. Knowing that I couldn't watch her be degraded any more than she already was, I turned away, unwilling to follow the jeering crowd to wherever they intended to take her, but just as I turned away and was about to walk out, something grabbed at my upper arm… someone. I barred my teeth in annoyance at the person— to scare them off— but I instantly backed down when I saw who it was.
Jennifer.
She smiled at me, her eyes bright and then in her soft feminine voice, the one she always managed to use to pull at my heartstrings, she asked;
"Aren't you coming with us?"
I shook my head. "I feel unwell so I'll like to retire to bed now."
"But it's only 6:25pm!" She whined in a childlike manner. "… and you'll miss all the fun!"
Gladly.
But I didn't say that. Instead, I simply pried her hands off mine and gently placed quick kisses on each of her fingers. "I understand that… but no."
Her face fell. "Orion…!" The way she called my name made me unreasonably irritated, and for the first time in my life, I had this irresistible urge to smack her across the face. Hard. I wanted to… and maybe I would have if she was someone else, but I didn't. I needed to chill.
"I'm sorry… I need to go to Tiffany." I said and with that, I sidestepped her only to stop when her voice floated through the noisiness in the background, momentarily halting my movements. She snapped;
"Speaking of Tiffany— oh poor child! That runt's child lives with you both! You can cast her out as well! Make her suffer the same fate as her mother… truthfully, they both deserve it!"
For some reason, her words made me see red. It infuriated me… clawed deeply at my soul. I opened my mouth then but clamped it shut when I realised that the words about to tumble out were nothing but insults. Insults directed at her, and knowing the sort of person Jennifer was, knowing that didn't have the heart to take something like that, I bit them back.
I exhaled. "I'll take that into consideration… but just so you know, she's a kid of about four years old… or five. She has no idea what has happened and should not be treated unfairly for something she has no power over."
"But she's still the outcast's daughter!" Jennifer argued.
"And a child!" I growled, blinking when I noticed how close my wolf was to the surface. Maybe Jennifer noticed this too because then she took a step back, her eyes wide. Tears slipped through them as she mumbled;
"I'm sorry. I was only trying to look out for you because I fear she may be a thief too, just like her mother."
I inwardly rolled my eyes at her but then pulled her into a hug. "She's just a child. What does a child her age want to steal? Toys? Food? Come on, Jennifer!"
While I spoke, my eyes darted over to Alpha Zarek and I could swear that I saw something akin to guilt fleet past his face; but before I could be sure, it quickly vanished, replaced instead by his usual stoic mask. The one he used around people he cared less about… and the one he's begun to use around me for the past couple of days.
I do not know why, and frankly, right now, I do not care.
I heard Jennifer mutter something along the lines of; "they're mutts… both of them. Mother and daughter, they're just the same," under her breath, but I paid no attention to her. I didn't even try to acknowledge Zarek either as I pulled away from her, turned and then left, with my heart feeling heavier than it has ever felt before.
I felt like a piece of shit; and worst of all, I felt shattered for having rejected Dahlia like that. That was my one chance at having her. The only time I was sure that Zarek would willingly let her go but I had blown it.
Why?
Because I'd been too embarrassed to side with the pack's runt.
I'd discarded a friend to maintain my stupid reputation in the pack.
Lost in thought, I walked through the overly busy pack streets, ignoring all the name calling directed at Dahlia and the gossip— she had fast become the topic of many conversations— and by the time I finally arrived at my manor, I felt tired, dry… and extremely exhausted.
I had hoped to secretly retire to my chamber. To hide away from the children, at least until I felt even the tiniest bit better; but as the goddess would have it, I was immensely unlucky because they were the first people I ran into.
"Daddy!" Tiffany squealed as she rushed over to me and Amara, the little viper said nothing as she just came to hug one of my legs instead.
Her beautiful innocence clawed at my heart. It made my soul heavy especially as I knew just the amount of agony her mother must be going through at the moment.
Zarek had gone too far with the punishment. Too too far. It felt as though, just like me, he'd done it to maintain his reputation… but right now, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd also done it to get under my skin.
If he had, then somehow, he had succeeded.
"How are you both?" I said to them with a smile, and while Tiffany beamed a bright smile at me, Amara carefully looked away, her brows furrowed together in worry.
"I am fine." Tiffany said, but Amara was speechless. Quiet. She watched the floor instead.
Her attitude seemed off. It worried me immensely. And so with a gentle nudge, I pulled her forward so that she could stand before me and asked her; "what is it?"
But she didn't respond right away. Tears sprung into her big blue eyes and my throat went dry when she said;
"I miss my mommy… I want to see her."
Oh shit.
Not now, innocent Amara… please not now!