Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Father barely spared me a second glance, walking away from the training grounds, and leaving me there alone. I hesitated and then hurried, rushing in the direction of the Alpha twins, practically sprinting after them. They paused, hearing the sound of my footsteps, turning around, both of them raising a brow in question. I put a hand to my chest, coughing slightly as I tried to catch my breath.
“I wanted to thank you” I wheezed, my voice finally finding itself “I know you didn’t have to help me back there but…” my voice trailed off, at the expressions on both their faces.
“It would have looked bad if we hadn’t intervened” Xander interrupted, casting a glance at his brother, “She broke pack rules and only a coward would shift and attack somebody in human form” he added cuttingly.
I flushed. Xavier eyed me thoughtfully. “How come you don’t train with the rest of us?” he asked unexpectedly as I blinked at him.
This was the first time, they had asked me anything, out of curiosity or interest. I was taken aback. Did this mean they wanted to know more about me?
“Well, um, my father doesn’t see the reason for it as Isabelle was the one who was more likely to take over his position, well until, you know” I gestured to them both, blushing bright pink, “Until you decided to become chosen mates with her.”
“But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn to defend yourself or make the effort to train” Xander’s voice was cold, and his expression was unforgiving. “Even those who are in a low ranking in the pack need to be able to help protect it. Do you think you are above everyone else?” he asked icily.
“No” I blurted out, looking between the two of them and seeing nothing but judgment in their eyes “Of course not. I…I” I continued to stammer, my anxiety increasing as they continued to tower over me.
Why didn’t they understand that nothing I did was by choice? Were they that oblivious to my life and the circumstances in which I was forced to live? I should have known better than to chase after them like this.
“When we become Alpha’s of the pack that will change” Xavier’s voice was lower but no less cruel “You’ll be required to attend mandatory training and most likely extra sessions to make up for all the ones you’ve missed. You’re already the reason for one of our most beloved pack members being killed, do you really want to be responsible for the death of another?” he was callous, as I flinched from the accusation.
“I didn’t kill my mother” my voice was weak, “It wasn’t my fault” I protested, even as I knew it wouldn’t make a difference. It never did.
Xavier looked slightly uncomfortable, but Xander merely sneered at me.
“Please, we’ve all heard what a troublemaker you are. You think you’re above the rules, that none of them apply to you” he made a rude motion at me, his eyes beginning to blaze “Do you think that Isabelle hasn’t told us about your true nature and how much of a bitch you are?” he snapped.
Isabelle. Of course, she would make it sound as though I was the problem. If only these two knew what her true nature was like, but like everybody else, she had them completely fooled. I blinked back tears, looking at Xavier who merely avoided my gaze. For some unfathomable reason, I felt hurt by their opinions of me.
“Is that really what you think of me?” I asked, my heart giving a pang.
Why did it matter so much what they thought? Why did I care? Everybody considered me to be a murderer or a weakling, but why did it hurt so much to think that the Alpha twins thought the same? Since when did their opinion matter so much?
“There’s no point trying to act the part of the innocent victim” Xander regarded me coolly. “According to Isabelle, you treat her like she’s nothing more than a slave instead of a sister. When we make her our mate, you’re going to find out very quickly what it’s like to be ordered around” he smiled, the smile chilling me to the core, “and what it’s like to have to do everything you’re told. I hope you’re prepared for that” he added, before turning his back on me and deliberately walking away.
“I’m not” I began to say and then stopped.
I’m not this evil person that you believe I am, I wanted to shout. I’m just me. Why can’t you see that? It took me a moment to realize that Xavier was still standing there, looking down at me as I eyed him uncertainly. “Shouldn’t you be following your brother?” My voice was slightly waspish.
Screw him. Screw him and screw Xander. They were just like everybody else in this damn pack. They weren’t interested in the truth. They only cared about becoming Alpha and leading the pack. I was merely an inconvenience and a burden to them. I could feel myself fighting back tears and digging my nails into the palms of my hands as I breathed in and out, regaining my composure.
“For what it’s worth, your fighting was quite good for somebody who hasn’t attended a single training session” Xavier offered at last, a small smile on his lips before it faded and he turned away, resolutely heading after his brother.
I blinked. Had Xavier Dominion just complimented me? Surely, I had to have misheard him. But I had heard him with my own ears. He had praised me, reluctantly, but it still made me feel a tiny spark of happiness inside. I watched the back of them, unable to drag my eyes away from them, marveling at what a handsome pair they made and grateful that nobody was here to see me looking at the twins in such a way. Or at least I thought that I was alone. That small moment of happiness did not last long.
I felt a hand pinch my arm, causing me to gasp out loud and turn my head, meeting Isabelle’s cold eyes.
“Don’t even think of going near my mates again” she snarled, as I tried to pull her hand away from my arm, her eyes narrowing “Don’t think I don’t see what you are doing, trying to get their sympathy so that they will show you attention” she hissed as I looked at her dumbfounded.
“Isabelle, I was just…” I trailed off, not sure why I felt the need to defend myself from such a ridiculous accusation.
“Acting like a slut,” she tightened her grip as I inhaled sharply from the pain “Those are my mates Regan, mine” she emphasized, as pack members walked past without stopping to offer help “and if you so much as look at them the wrong way again, you’ll be very sorry” she snapped.
She pinched me hard again, as though to prove her point and I winced. She dropped my arm, and I grabbed at it, rubbing the pain, watching the bright red mark slowly go a pale pink.
“Next time I won’t be so nice” Tiffany warned me, lifting her head and looking down her nose at me “You better remember that when I’m Luna, Regan, you’re very existence depends on me, so I wouldn’t make me too angry if I were you. As for what you did to poor Tiffany” she shook her head and then her hand thrust out fast, catching me in the nose, causing me to double over, clutching at it, blood spurting out onto the grass and down my clothes.
That hurt. I looked up at her with tears trailing down my cheeks. She smirked “Tiffany gives you, her regards.”
I watched through tears as she walked away, my hand holding my nose as I stumbled to my feet. I dreaded the day when she became Luna. Who knew what torture she would put me through once she was officially in charge. The only people who ever saw her bad side was me. Isabelle Ramona was no angel, but the pack certainly thought she was. It was too bad the twins couldn’t see the side of Isabelle that I could. Maybe then, they would know the truth and that I wasn’t as bad as they thought I was.