Thalia's POV
My stomach rumbles as Blake places my plate in front of me. The cheesy smell of the pasta is comforting, carbs always makes me feel better, and that is exactly what I need right now. Us having dinner like this, is something I will miss immensely.
"What is going on? Usually you talk way more than this." Blake can be extremely observant when he wants to. His is giving me a look that I am unfamiliar with, it feels like he is keeping something away from me. A sigh escapes my mouth, there's some much things in my life that's a mystery.
The couch dips in as Blake takes a seat next to me, he sets my plate on the table next to my glass of water. I move to the edge of the couch and pick up my bowl of pasta. Blake's critical gaze is still resting on me as he takes a bite of his food.
I shrug at him as I take a bite of the pasta. The creamy and favour filled pasta makes my taste buds on my tongue sing in thanks. My stomach rumbles as I continue to eat, too excited to be filled after a day of no eating.
I swallow my bite of food, "I have been thinking." Blake rolls his eyes; I know that the nervousness rolling from me must be putting him on edge. He does not like it when I express any negative emotions towards him.
"What a surprise." His voice is sarcastic, and I know he is using it as a way to get me to talk, because I always come out of my shell when I can match his sarcasm. Although I am not much in the mood for it tonight, too much is happening.
"I do think, unlike some troll I know." I give Blake a mock glare and move on to the topic that has been nagging at me for ages. "I have been saving money." He stops chewing and his throat contracts hard. Blake places his dish down on the dark brown coffee table. I avert my gaze a bit as I try to gather my thoughts.
I look at him and I feel like I am breaking into pieces. In a way this is way more painful than any physical wounds I have ever gotten. "I am leaving." He is shaking his head.
"No, you can't." I shake my own head. It feels like my heart is being broken into pieces. This man is all the kindness the pack has ever shown me, and I already don't know if I will make it without him.
"I have to, Lake." He takes my hand in his and I break even more as I feel his hand shaking. This is not how I thought he would react. I mean I know he cares about me, but I never thought it would be like this. I can feel the pain rolling off him.
"I'll go with you." I shake my head, the pleading in his eyes will forever be with me. No matter how much I want him to come, I know that it is an impossible task.
"You can't." I shake my head. "Even if I want you to go with, you know that being the son of an Alpha you have no choice but to stay." My voice is shaky, and I clear my throat, trying to appear strong.
"You know that the survival of the pack rests on the fact that any prospect Alpha needs to live in the pack."
He rolls his eyes and I smile as I feel him come back to me again. He is himself; the shock is wearing off. He knows that I am speaking the truth. The pack hierarchy and politics can be intense. "I know, but everyone knows that Richard is going to be the next Alpha." There is a bitterness in his tone, and I can understand why.
Blake and Richard may be brothers, but they are the polar opposites of one another. Both are dominant and strong wolves as is to be expected as they are part of Alpha lineage. The difference is that Blake is not cruel like Richard. He is sweet and protective.
"Still." He nods, knowing that running away will not be in the cards for him.
"What about the rejection?" I shudder as I remember that I will have to be whipped in order to "bleed" the blood bond I have with the pack away. This will ensure that I am free from the rule of the Alpha and that he will have no hold over me. The blood ritual may end in death, as every wolf bleeds differently, some bleed more than others.
There are two type of rejection the first being the pack rejection, and the second being mate rejection. Both of them is a ceremony where the wolf that is rejected gets whipped until the pack bond or the mate bond snaps when they are on the verge of death.
"You know that I have no choice. I have no future here. With the Alpha being the guardian of the orphans, that means that I will under his control forever." Blake shakes his head.
"You can die." My smile is bitter as I recall the past, there has been worse instances.
"I have had worse." Blake takes me on the shoulders and shakes me. It feels like he is trying to get all the nonsense I am thinking out.
"Trust me, Lia you have not had it as bad as a whipping with a silver tip. Your skin will forever be branded with the stamp of pack rejection." It feels like he is telling me that either way I have no choice but to tuck my tail and roll over.
"There is hope." I stand up, his hands slide away from me as I move away. I run my hand through my hair. I hate that I have no choice but to choose life as a rogue wolf. Rogue wolves are often hunted by packs.
"I know that either way I will end up scarred, either because of the abuse or because I am going to be rejected by the pack. The only option I have is to be scarred so that I can have my freedom." I cannot stay in the room with Blake anymore. The disappointment in his eyes is too difficult to see.
I rush to my room, slamming the door behind me. I don't care what Blake has to say. I want to leave and there is nothing that will stop me from doing just that.
It feels like all the energy I have leaves my body. I slide down the door, the coolness easing the fury pain in my body.
The room is dark, and, in some way, I feel happier that way. The darkness is concealing all my faults and weaknesses.
I can hear Blake's boots approaching the door, coming to a standstill in front of my door.
"What about your mate?" I shudder in pain as I think about having a mate. I know that the chances of my mate accepting me is slim.
"It does not matter." My voice sounds devoid of emotion and I know this is the only way to get him to let me go.
"It does, it is your birth month. You know that your mate can be in the pack." Another tinge of pain. Not only am I an orphan but I also do not know when my birthday is, I only know the month.
"Go away." My voice is nothing but a whisper as I feel despair settle over me.
***
Blake's POV
Seeing Thalia like this is painful. She's the only person in the world who I feel cares about me and without a doubt I will do anything to protect her. However, my father ordered me not to do anything when the pack is hurting her. It is just another one of my father's cruel tactics to scare the pack into submission. They know that if he can control his heirs that he is still in charge.
"Go away." Thalia is in her room and I can feel the sadness rolling off her. I nod, walking out the house. I know that she needs her space. I need to do something to stop this. Pure anger radiates form me as I storm out of her cottage.
There is no reason for her being treated like this by the pack. She has never done anything to the pack to warrant their abuse. My father is one sick wolf for making the pack treat her like a stray dog.
I walk into the forest and punch the nearest tree. The crunching is satisfying. It takes off the edge, I need to talk to my father about everything.
I shift into my black furred wolf and run towards the packhouse. My growls reverberate through the surrounding woods. My wolf Lee and I are in agreement that my father and I are going to have a chat.
I don't even get a chance to enjoy the run, as soon as I get to the mansion that is the packhouse, I pull on a pair of shorts that are hidden behind the trees for the pack members. I storm though the back door.
The pack is staying out of my way as they know that a mad werewolf should not be messed with. I go up the stairs and to the red door where I know my father is working in. I can also smell my brother and I feel even more angered by that fact.
I burst into the room without even knocking, having no patience for something so trivial. My father is behind his desk, his eyebrows lifted in question. Richard is standing by the window on the left of the room.
My father goes back to the paperwork he is busy with, giving me a look of disinterest. "What is it now, son, did some bunny get caught in the jaws of a snare?" My father thinks that the fact that I care about Thalia makes me weak.
"You are going to let her go without the ceremony." Richard looks my way with an interest gleaming in his eyes.
"What are you going on about now?" Irritation is filling the air as my father places the papers in his hands on the table in a very forceful manner.
"Thalia." Richard's eyes flash with a look that I have never seen. "She is leaving the pack and you are going to let her go without having the-"
"Pack rejection ceremony." I look at Richard as he talks up. He walks over and I feel like he knows something that I do not, he is wearing the arrogance on his face.
I nod. "If I find out that you are going to do the ceremony, then I will challenge you for the Alpha title and reveal your scandalous past." My father smirks at me, I can see a deep darkness lurking in his dead, blue eyes.
"We will see about that." My father's words are left behind me as I storm out of the room. I give Richard and my father one last look.
There is something sinister going on, they are planning something. I need to uncover whatever it is before it is too late.