Penelope

“Penny?!”

I groaned as I heard Lily's voice. My body ached as if I had been hit by a truck.

“Penny, please…”

I came back to my senses as soon as Lily's desperate plea reached my ears. Was she in pain?

All I remember is making her a strawberry cake for her sixth birthday.

I forced my eyes to open as I looked around. It was dark as the moon shone brightly through the window. Wait, our room didn't have this big a window.

My heart came to my mouth as I looked at Lily's teary face.

“We are back.”

Lily whispered to me. A few tears slipped down her cheeks. My mind couldn't register her words. Back as in taken…

Then I remembered it. I looked around to see that the letter from Ivory was nicely tucked below the pitcher on the nightstand,

 She helped me escape this place, and now she lured me back into the lion's den. Why?

I quickly opened the letter as I read the content in it.

Dear Penny,

I know you feel utterly betrayed by your best friend right now. 

But trust me, what I am doing is for Lily and your safety. Just hear him out once. I know it is hard to forgive him for everything. But please, for my sake, hear him out. He isn't evil, Penny….

I snorted as I crushed the letter in my hand, not wanting to read it any further.

How could you, Ivory?

The air left my lungs as the realization hit me. Not again. 

We are back in my mate's pack. I wrapped my arm around Lily, trying to console her. 

“It will be fine. I am here with you, right?”

I said softly, begging the moon goddess that my words would soothe her. She has been through a lot.

We have been through a lot. 

I took a glance at my surroundings while angrily throwing the paper away. We were on a queen-sized bed, and I couldn't help but frown. We were never provided with a bed, so why now?

“Lily, let's get out of bed first.”

Lily nodded her head as we got out of bed. I tiptoed towards the window to see that it was locked.

Fuck!

My wolf was dormant due to being away from our mate for so long. 

Curse the mate bond!

I couldn't break the lock with the human strength that currently resided in my body.

Before I could think of an escape plan, I heard footsteps coming our way. A shiver ran down my spine in terror as I signalled Lily to hide behind the bed. 

Lily nodded her head as she quickly hid behind the bed.

Just in a few seconds, the door opened up. 

Cinnamon and dew. 

The smell that haunted me reached my senses, hitting me like a ton of bricks. My wolf purred in the back of my mind. The scent of her mate was enough to bring her back to life, completely dismissing the things he had done to us.

Suddenly, the rules came rushing back to my mind.

Eyes on the ground.

Head bowed.

Hands in front.

I did exactly that as my mate walked inside the room.

I could hear a whimper from the back that belonged to Lily. She was terrified. Just like me.

“Mate!”

This was the first word that left his mouth as I started to shake. I knew well what he was capable of.

His tone was raw and deep. Before he could say anything, I dropped to my knees.

All I could do was beg him.

“Alpha, please forgive us for running away. I just wanted my sister's safety. If you want, I would stay in the pack, remain as an Omega here without telling anyone, anything about our bond. Just let my sister, Lily, go.”

I begged as tears streamed down my chin.

I was having a hard time breathing as I rushed the words out of my mouth. It was true. I didn't care about myself, but I surely did want to give my sister a better life.

Even if it meant going rogue and living among humans. Just like we were doing for the past eight months.

“No!”

Lily came out of her hiding as she hugged me.

“Lily, move back!”

I tried shoving her back. Using myself as a shield.

‘Thud’

Suddenly, I heard a nois,e but I dared not look up. Only when I felt my mate's scent extremely close did I realise…

“Look at me, please.”

I heard him say softly. His voice was tender, but I knew better than to fall for his tricks. But I couldn't refuse his wish.

As I slowly lifted my eyes from the ground, I realised that he was also on the floor on his knees. 

After eight months, I was looking in his eyes as I felt all the air leave my lungs yet again. He looked just the same. His blue eyes were slightly red from crying, and his black hair they were disheveled and a light growth on his jaw. 

But he still looked handsome. Fucking matebond!

But I knew better than to trust those tears and his look. I knew who he was…

A monster. 

A man who has caused my sister and me immense pain.

Only if he never ignored me and accepted the mate bond. Things could have been so much different.

As his hands tried to reach me. I flinched back, pushing Lily further behind me.

Another mistake. He hates it when I flinch away from him. Why was I making it harder for us?

I expected him to snap and shout at me, as I have made more mistakes than I could count. But when a moment or two passed, and nothing of that sort happened, I looked back to see he looked… broken?

An immediate ‘why’ came to my mind. Yet I bit down on my tongue. 

Now is not the time to worry about others when you yourself are in grave trouble.

Suddenly, his eyes turned dark as if mindlinking someone. Soon, there was a knock on the door before a woman I had never seen before walked in.

“Jade, kindly take Lily with you.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, my mind froze. 

No. Not again.

“No, no! Please, Alpha, I would do anything. Just don't send my sister back to the orphanage. Just let Lily go.”

I begged with all my might in hopes he would change his mind.

“Penny!”

Lily sobbed as she looked at me. Begging me to do something.

“Please…”

I looked towards Alpha Zanthus, completely stunned. His voice was heavy with emotion. He never bothered to request anything. At least not when it comes to us.

Is it one of his other tricks?

I questioned myself.

“Lily must be hungry. Jade will take her to the kitchen so that she can have a quick snack. Meanwhile, I need to talk to you. I promise you, after our talk, I will take you back to her.”

Alpha Zanthus stated in a pleading tone. I knew I was completely defenseless. It won't matter what I say or do. 

I eyed the woman Jade in front of us. I haven't seen her before in the pack. She could very well be…

“Please, Penelope.”

As soon as my name left Alpha Zanthus' mouth, I could feel a zap of electrifying impulse course through my body. 

My wolf was on high alert, purring and wagging her tail in the back of my mind. 

Now is not the time to drool over your mate's voice!

I simply nodded my head while looking down at Lily.

“Please, Lily.”

I told Lily as she nodded her head while walking out of the room with Jade. I could only pray for the well-being of my baby. 

I didn't trust his promise. Not at all. But I didn't have much choice.

“Please sit down, Penelope.”

Alpha Zanthus asked gently, unlike his usual self. 

I simply nodded my head as I decided to sit criss-crossed on the floor.

“Moon Goddess! Not the floor, Penelope. Sit on the bed.”

Alpha Zanthus urged.

I merely nodded my head as I sat on the edge of the bed. Just incase he changed his mind.

Alpha Zanthus sat on the floor near my legs. I was about to shriek and get up.

But the desperate look on his face and the way his palm pressed down on my knees urged me to keep sitting. I didn't question him.

The place where his palm rested was warm. The tangible spark that was prominent from the mere touch was delirious. But his deeds came flashing back to me.

No, Penny. You can't get weak. There is no good in him.

I kept chanting this in my mind. Meanwhile, my wolf was purring in the back of my mind, making the situation even worse. It felt as if my mind and heart were having a battle. My palms started getting sweaty, trying to control my beast from coming out. Her libido couldn't rationalize between the good and the evil. 

All she cared about was her primal instincts.

“How are you?”

He asked softly. 

My mind started overfunctioning. If I said I was good, then he would shout at me, telling me I was a bad mate. If I said I was bad, he would mock me and pull me down.

I felt my heart thudding loudly. Maybe it was a trick question. Tears blurred my eyes at my helpless situation. 

I didn't know what to say. Thus, I did what sounded right to me. 

Apologise. For mistakes that were not mine.

“I am extremely sorry, Alpha. For everything. Please forgive us. If you don't want to forgive me, then also it is fine. Just let my sister go. Please.”

I begged softly.

A sigh left my mate's mouth as he suddenly got up.

This is it. He is fed up with his own good demeanor and my constant begging. I quickly got up as I shrank back, expecting him to send guards to throw me again into the dungeon. But after a few minutes, when no guard barged inside the room, my stomach twisted in a knot.

What was he planning?

“I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you, Penelope. ”

Alpha stated in a burdened tone. His eyes held unshed tears in them as my wolf whined to see her mate in pain.

Sorry…

The word rang in my head as the knife in my heart twisted deeper. Does he really believe a single apology is enough for everything? All the sleepless nights, the taunts, the shouts, my screams, and over everything, Lily's pain.

“I - I…”

I started fumbling with words, failing to form a sentence.

“Shhhh… Relax love. Just listen to me.”

My mate stated, and as much as I hate to say it. His words calmed my nerves. Stupid mate bond!

“I am a lycan, Penelope.”

I staggered back as soon as the word lycan left his mouth. My mouth went dry as I looked at him to make sure he was bluffing in an attempt to terrify me.

But the look on his face said he wasn't.

Monster

I knew my mate was a monster to me. But I never knew he was a real monster, a lycanthrope!

No, no. They are dead. It is impossible. The council killed them all centuries back. This can't be true.

“You… No?!”

I tried forming a sentence as my mate passed a guilty smile.

“I am one, my love. I am a lycan.”

He stated. Ashamed of the fact.

“St-stay away from me.”

I pleaded as I backed away from him until the back of my knee hit the nightstand's edge.

I knew I was a mess. But who wouldn't be when they realise that their mate is actually the deadliest predator to have ever existed?

My mate has never abused me physically; all he did was give me a cold treatment, refrain me from telling anyone about our bond, and make heartless taunts over my insecurities that broke me. But he also never noticed what the others were doing to my sister and me. 

Though this new revelation makes me doubt the theory that he won't hurt us now.

I could see the pained look in his eyes, but I didn't care. I needed to get Lily out of here as soon as possible.

“Penelope, please just listen to me once.”

The lycan in front of me urged. But lycans are anything but gentle. They don't urge. They take it by force.

“I was cursed, love. Please hear me out once.”

Cursed. 

Oh no! That means he has been shunned by the moon goddess herself.

“Please…My beast. I had no control over him. Thus, I pushed you away. I only wanted to protect you, my love.”

He begged once again, but I knew it was a sick lie. Only then did I remember he asked a woman to take Lily somewhere. 

Moon goddess, how could I have been this big a fool? 

“Lily - Lily!”

I started to shout as it started getting harder to breathe.

“Fuck!”

I heard the lycan in front of me shout as he started advancing in my direction. I started to scream as tears freely fell from my eyes. This is my end. 

But unlike what I thought, his arms gently encircled my waist, pulling me towards his chest.

 Sparks; it felt like my body was a firework after being deprived of my mate's touch for so long, but I kept reminding myself about who he was.

Monster…

Lycan…

Mate…

These words played in my mind like a broken record. I couldn't take it any longer. Suddenly, my vision started to get hazy as my body started to sway in Alpha Zanthus' arms. 

His touch couldn't even comfort me now. I couldn't make out the words he was saying. Until my body finally decided to give up.

Only to hear him say,

“I will tell you everything in your dream, my mate.”

As my body shivered in fright. 

He would do what?!