Chapter 5: Pains
I woke in the middle of the night, heaving, feeling the sensation of my heart being pierced with a thousand daggers. I changed sides to other, hugging myself with the sheets to try and subdue this pain that came but would not go away. I lay down on the floor, believing the cold, hard tiles could grant me some sort of relief, but I was hurting even worse than before. After a couple of minutes, the atrocious pain ceased and I heaved a shaky breath of relief. I went to wash my face and then again to lay down in my bed, expecting for once to get some sleep.
In a few minutes, the pain began again, and I clasped my chest, screaming in agony, wondering exactly what was causing the pain. Again, after some time had repressed the pain, it kept up after a moment.
I continued to sleep and wake to the agony in my chest; by dawn, I was a mess since I barely slept, and my eyes looked bloodshot. I looked like I had been dragged through the forest. I got up forcibly, dressed, pinched my cheeks so the color could rise to my ghostly pale face, then went downstairs to the kitchen.
"Oh my goddess! Althea, what happened to you?" Teagan asked in a concerned tone. "I didn't get much sleep last night, but I'll be fine", I replied in the most convincing tone I could use at that moment. Teagan said nothing but kept on giving me concerned and suspicious stares as we went about our duties.
A moment later, Alpha Cassius came in, and everybody stopped whatever they were doing to bow to him in greeting; his scent was mixed with Selene's. Confused, I looked up to meet his eyes, but he avoided locking eyes with me. Just then, Selene walked in, proudly displaying Alpha Cassius's mark on her neck.
"Congratulations Alpha", they all said in unison but I stared at Alpha Cassius with disgust, as I realized he was the cause of my pain the previous night. He had sex with Selene all through the night at my expense, our mateship bond was a joke to him. My mind came back to the present when I felt eyes on me; looking up, I saw Alpha Cassius staring at me, the pain and regret in his eyes. But his eyes turned cold, emotionless again-almost as if I'd imagined what I had seen.
"I call upon all to accept Selene as she is to be your Luna, and the official ceremony will happen soon; anybody found showing disrespect to Selene in any manner is to be thrown into the dungeon," said Alpha Cassius in a raised yet stern tone.
Moisture immediately brimmed over my eyes, but I wiped my eyes in time before any person could glance at me. I lifted the breakfast tray and, accompanied by some workers, walked to the dining room. As I set the table before Alpha Cassius and Selene, bitterness and pain welled up in my heart as I looked up at Alpha Cassius, hoping to catch his eyes, but he was determined not to make eye contact with me; his eyes fell on everyone and everything else apart from me. Having served, I stepped backward and waited, should my help be needed in one way or another. I could only steal glances at them, the way Alpha Cassius was touching Selene lovingly-my blood boiled at the scene before me. He never touched me like that, except we were having sex. I then looked at Selene with jealousy; I was supposed to be the one seated at the table with Alpha Cassius, not her. And in my head, I repeatedly cursed myself for being a weak omega, perhaps if I was stronger, I would be accepted by my mate. Being in the dining room with them was suffocating and painful so I bowed my head,quietly excused myself and I went to the kitchen.
I did my chores with a gloomy face throughout the day, thinking of the pain I would experience that night if Alpha Cassius and Selene decide to have sex that night. After finishing my chores, I headed back into my room, hoping to get some rest in preparation for the pain I would experience at night. Down the hallway, I kept my head low, a poor attempt to render myself invisible. The flash of turning down the corner propelled me onto another girl's vision: Selene just happened to be standing square in the middle of that corridor, her face distorted by a mask of outrage.
"You klutzy omega", Selene spat, her hand raised to slap me. In an instant, I caught Selene's hand before it could touch my cheek. With a disgusted expression, Selene tore her hand from mine and started yelling, "the filthy omega wants to beat me up".
The noise attracted the guards, who ran to the scene of the commotion to see what was going on.
Selene lied to them-with crocodile tears in her eyes-that I hit her. Within a few seconds, I lay on the ground, pinned by the guards. Then I was dragged and presented to Alpha Cassius, and after listening to only Selene's side of the story, he turned to me, "You will be dealt with for your insolence." His voice was void of emotion. I was shocked, not expecting that Alpha Cassius would actually do that to me, “I did not do anything, please listen to my side of the story”I cried out and bowed my head, begging for forgiveness but Alpha Cassius shook his head, his expression remaining unchanged. He turned to the guards in a firm voice, "have her whipped for her misdemeanor." As I was being dragged away, my head was spinning and my heart, racing. In a desperate attempt to change his mind, I said the only thing that came to my mind. "You can't do this to me,I am your mate!"