Evangeline
He lets go of me suddenly, his blazing red eyes returning to normal as he stares at me with such intensity I can feel my cheeks burning under his gaze. I feel scared, not knowing what is going to come next.
He turns away from me, pushing the files off the desk as he runs his hand over his head and down his face, exhaling sharply. Clearly trying to calm his raging heart.
Did he have a nightmare?Nervously, I begin gathering the files he had just sent flying to the floor.
“Leave them,” he hisses.
I freeze, looking up at him. “It’s okay, it’s my fault. I… came in to ask you about lunch, but then I shocked you,” I mumble.
“Lunch…” he looks at the clock on the wall, frowning.
Something isn’t right.“No thanks, I’m not hungry.” He frowns. His gaze dips to my neck before lingering on my breasts. I nod, quickly placing the files on the desk and turn to leave when he speaks, making me stop in my tracks. “Where are you from?”
Sadness washes over me at the thought of the Silver Mountain Pack. Grandmother Philomena… Alpha Aeron… Sinclair… the staff… life as I knew it is gone.
“The Silver Mountain Pack.”
“I meant before they took you in." I should have known he didn’t mean that. I turn back to him and shake my head.
“Before that… I don’t remember.”
“I heard Aeron found you in a village full of dead people, that you were the only one living. Tell me, how does one child survive a massacre?" He stands up, now circling me slowly. “How did you alone survive? How did you lose your memory? Did you even lose it, or is it all simply a façade?”
My head shoots up as I stare into those intense eyes of his. For the first time in my life, I feel as if I am being accused. No, not even feel. He is blatantly alleging that I had a hand in what happened back then.
I hold his gaze, trying to hide my hurt. I can’t believe he had just said that.
My heart pounds as I try to control my emotions while he watches me, waiting for an answer. He wasn’t even joking.
“I may not be perfect, Prince Zedkiel, but I am no monster. I was ten when that happened.” My voice shakes, and for the first time, I do not care about being courteous. My chest is heaving as I stare at him, but deep down, I know it shook me because that is a question I, too, have asked myself, countless times.
No one else had ever questioned that, and deep down, I never wanted anyone to, but it is a thought that always lingers in my mind. Fuelled by self-doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
How did I alone survive? I know I’m not evil and wouldn’t dare think of killing anyone, but…“Not everything that glitters is gold either. Looks can be deceiving, Little Mouse,” he murmurs, his hand wrapping around my throat. My breath hitches, and I wonder what he’ll do.
I wrap my hand around his wrist, my heart thumping as I brave myself to speak. “I know I’m just a nobody, but I’m no killer. I promise.”
Tilting his head, he applies more pressure for a second, making me gasp, his gaze dipping to my lips before releasing me. “Maybe…”
He isn’t only a heartless monster, he is cruel, too. Our eyes meet, but I say nothing. I see his eyes flash with irritation before he turns his back on me. “Get out.”
I don’t need to be told twice. Leaving the room, I shut the door behind me with relief.
I am not a monster.But who am I trying to convince? Him or myself?
-----
It is late in the afternoon, and I have gone to eat in the omega’s dining room. It’s almost empty, only two other omegas are here. As Zedkiel ordered, I am wearing a backless dress. I don’t like my skin being on show. He could have branded my arm or wrist, yet he chose a place that was so large. My only consolation is that I didn’t have to look at it.
Alistair had coiled my hair into a braid and bun for me, with strands framing my face. I sigh, pondering over what Zedkiel had said, the sound of the fork scraping against the plate a little too loud for my liking despite no one seeming concerned.
Luckily, I came to lunch late, and the place is deserted. There is an open time between 12pm and 4pm, so anyone can grab food if needed, as it depends on when you get the chance. I came just before 4pm and managed to grab some leftovers.
“Evangeline!”
I turn to see Lucia walking towards me. After the events of this morning, no one even approached me. I don’t blame them.
“Lucia.”
She smiles at me, scanning me and looks relieved. “Thank the Goddess, you’re okay,” she whispers before she sits down on the seat beside me. “Alistair asked me to take you shopping with me today. Of course, after you ask the Prince.”
Shopping? I would love to get out of here, even if it is just for a few hours. “I’d like that, I… if I’m even allowed.”
“You know, life isn’t bad here. In fact, we are treated better than many omegas who live like servants,” she says gently. “We chosen omegas are treated so well.”
I nod, although I don’t believe her. I mean, I am living, not knowing if I’ll even survive a week. His hot and cold moods confuse me, and his latest accusation…
“Yeah, of course.”
She looks at me sympathetically, and I am sure she knows how I feel. “I’ll ask the Prince." I stand up, needing a few moments away, and quickly leave her at the table.
“If he agrees, I'll be waiting by the back side door!" she calls out after me.
Hurrying back to the room, I’m not sure he’ll allow me, not after me trying to escape. But still, I want to ask. So, gathering my courage, I enter his quarters. He is still in his office, so I make my way there, knocking lightly on the door.
“What is it?" his cold voice comes.
Taking a deep breath, I push open the door. He is standing staring at the wall that holds maps, notes, and pinned images of what look like pictures of bloodied dead bodies. I shudder, and it takes me a second to realise that this wasn’t there earlier. There was a bookshelf here before, wasn’t there?
“What do you want?" he asks, making me blink and turn to him startled.
“I… may I go to the shops with Lucia?” I ask as he walks over to me and circles me as he did earlier.
“Who?”
“Prince Ch-Chasyn’s omega,” I explain, my heart thumping when he stops behind me.
I gasp when he runs his knuckles down my back, tracing his mark. “Do you want to go?”
“Yes, Alistair said I could do with more clothes… and other items. So, if I could please go-”
“Fine." His hand suddenly leaves my back, and he walks over to his desk. Opening the drawer, he takes out a black wallet. “Take my card.”
I look up at him as he takes out a single card and holds it out to me. I hesitate for a moment before slowly taking it from him. Perhaps I can get those oils instead of waiting for Alistair and the online request to get them.
I wish I could earn my own money, I don’t want to rely on him forever. Was this how life was going to be? Me asking him for money every time I needed it?
“The code is 6363.” He narrows his eyes and observes me intently when I don’t reply. “I’m warning you, Little Omega, if you try to run… I will hunt you down.”
I shake my head, “No, I wasn’t thinking of leaving. I promised not to run again. I was wondering if I could do something to earn money.” I brace myself, readying for his wrath as I squint my eyes shut, only for silence to greet me. I crack open an eye, peering at him, my heart thumping, only to find him watching me with a sharp, calculating look.
“Why? When I’m offering you money?”
I look down for a moment before taking a breath. He hates it when I stutter. “Because I don’t want to mooch off others. When I lived with the Welhavens, I did a lot of extra jobs to earn a little extra.”
“Like what?" he asks, sitting in his seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him.
Like what? “Well, nothing big, but I tutored some pups, babysat, and even worked in the café in the city centre one summer, too.”
He scoffs. “You’re mine now. You don’t need to do such measly jobs.”
I guess that is a no… “Oh, okay.” I turn away, pausing, and look back at him. “I-I could do something in the palace? Maybe help in the kitchen or library?”
He raises his eyebrow, and I feel a wave of anger roll off him. “You belong to me, Little Mouse, not the castle, and I would prefer it if you remembered that,” he growls.
“Yeah… I know, I’m sorry for asking,” I reply quietly. I walk to the door, and when I look back at him, a thought comes to my mind. He had claimed me, but does he even know my name?“Spit it out,” he snarls, making me flinch. I guess I have wasted enough of his time.
“I wanted to say… My name is Evangeline… Evangeline Rose. N-Not Little M-Mouse or Little Omega.” Why does he call me little? There is nothing little about me.He simply smirks coldly but says nothing, and so I leave the room, hurrying downstairs as I slip the card into my pocket.
Oh, I should have asked him how much I am allowed to spend! Oh well, I’ll be sensible. I just hope Lucia is still waiting for me. What if she has left already?I breathe a sigh of relief when I see her by the door with two guards.
“You came! Great!”
“Yes,” I respond with a smile.
Maybe I do have more than one friend here. Lucia is nice.-----