"Everybody in the pack is talking about you. Because you share a home with him and you have the status of Alpha..."
Selena dropped her fork. It made a loud crash as it clattered against the dish and the vegetables as it fell.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that." Millie jumped to her feet in a hurry to retrieve the fork.
"It's okay. It is entirely my fault." Selena pitched in to help clean up the mess.
"It just surprised me. I have no other status than that of a prisoner of war. If your Alpha is looking for a mate, it won't be me, that's for sure." Selena said firmly.
Millie nodded, her cheeks reddening. "I believe it is time for me to return. If I don't come home soon, my mother is going to look for me. I'll come back at a later time to pick up the plates." She wheeled the shopping cart up to the entrance while casting a glance in Selena's direction over her shoulder. "It was a genuine pleasure getting to know you."
Selena speculated they could get along and become friends.
As Millie quickly exited the room, while flashing a bashful smile, the lock on the door clicked into place, and suddenly Selena felt perplexed. What exactly was the point of that? Why did Cayden send someone friendly when she was to be locked up again?
Selena took a deep breath and pondered. Perhaps she ought to learn more about Cayden and his history. Why did he despise her so much? What did her father do to him he couldn't forgive? She took a trip down memory lane to relive her childhood, back of her father's pack. She recalled spending time with her mother when she was a child. Her mother strictly banned her from going out on her own without supervision. She was terrified that Luna would hurt her. Her mother was gone a lot since she had to protect the pack from the various rogue attacks and pack conflicts that occurred. There used to be a lot of wars. It was a crazy time.
The word "mercurial" best described her father. After her mother Jenifer became pregnant, Luna Sierra was in an uproar. She wanted to kill Selena's mother, but her father declared Jennifer as his mistress, and he took several more. Luna Sierra seethed in anger, but she could not defy her mate. Selena was aware of her position in the pack. She was the illegitimate offspring of the Alpha. When she was younger, she believed it was typical for an Alpha to have many mates. But that was not the norm in most packs.
Whenever they were alone, she and Jennifer made each other laugh, and this helped them live happily. Her father engaged in some perilous activities for fun, such as making enemies when he did not theme, pursuing power through financial means and destroying relationships. When Selena was ten years old, she recalled that a commotion in the living room woke her up. Her mother and her father were having a heated argument. This was odd, given how infrequently he visited them at their house.
"How could you do this? People are being killed and for what? Money? We didn't need all this. We didn't need any of this." Jennifer waved her hand, gesturing to things surrounding them. Conard Hawk avoided the question.
"Those packs deserve it, Jennifer. We are wolves. It's survival of the fittest. That's how it's always been." He swirled the scotch in his glass and sipped the rest, savouring his last drink.
"You can't possibly be punishing the helpless wolves, can you? You cannot hold their children as hostages."
"Jennifer, it's ok. If I leave those pups, they will grow up and take revenge. Also, the council and the others must never know about this. It's for our good."
"For our good? In what way?"
"Consider the case of Selena. Where would she go if something were to happen to you or the rest of the pack? She would be at the mercy of the people we are fighting against. They are going to kill her!"
Jennifer's face soon became covered in tears as she sobbed. "How could you even consider doing that? I have forgiven you for shattering my heart when you picked someone else to be your mate; but please don't make me do this."
"Jennifer, I've wanted no one but you."
" It doesn't matter what you want." Her reply was delivered without a single hesitation.
"I couldn't let you go, Jennifer. I loved you. I love you. I have always, without a doubt, loved you." His statements could be interpreted as a request for comfort or reciprocation.
"How did you become like this, Connard? You were good and kind. We were happy."
"We were poor, we were also helpless and at the mercy of more powerful packs. I'm going to change that."
"I still refuse to be a part of your debauchery." Jennifer was adamant.
Connard was silent for a while, "do you love your daughter Jennifer?"
She spun around to stare at him. "Of course. What kind of silly question is that?"
"Yet you are being so naïve. You know her status. You know how much Sierra hates her. What would happen if her protection was removed?"
Jennifer narrowed her eyes.
"Are you trying to threaten me? By harming your own daughter?"
"No, I would never harm Selena. I am just giving you a reality check. We are surrounded by enemies. You can't even escape from here. No other pack would accept you and Selena, and I don't want to punish you for treason." His voice was icy.
"You wouldn't dare!" Jennifer hissed in anger.
"I don't want to, but I will if you do not obey me."
With a defeated look, Jennifer nodded.
**************
Selena, then only 10, didn't understand much, but the events of that night were going to affect her future.
After that, her mother's schedule became more hectic. She would go away for days, then come home and sob into her pillow at night. This behaviour continued for a while.
"Mom, why are you so upset?" One day, Selena asked her mother.
"Don't worry about it, love, I'm just exhausted." Her mother responded while dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
"Mom, David was just telling me that dad has some captives locked up in the dungeon, and he is going to execute them," Selena said.
Her mother froze. David was her half-brother and the one who would succeed as the next alpha. Luna Sienna's kids barely tolerated Selena.
"Where did you get this information?"
"David is often bragging about the harsh punishments he would hand out to the captives."
"Selena, you may not hang out with your half-siblings. And there are no prisoners. You are forbidden from going anywhere near the dungeon. Do you understand?" There was an urgency in Jennifer's voice.
"Sure mum," Selena promised, but her interest was piqued.