"Mark!" Evelyn panicked and quickly covered his mouth. "That's not a good thing to say. I heard he's protected our kind for almost a century. We owe him, so don't badmouth him."
"But I'm not wrong. He doesn't have a mate or offspring. He's cursed–"
"Stop it, Mark!" Evelyn's gaze flickered around, frightened. "What if he's somewhere around here? He could kill you."
Markkus chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "Don't be scared. My father said he's not been in the kingdom for three decades. Who knows if he's dead?"
Seeing the unpleasant glare from his mate, he laughed and kissed her forehead. "I was just kidding. I brought you here this time because there's a dense energy here. It helps with my cultivation," seeing her face slowly regaining its warmth, he added, "Alright, I won't say that next time. I'm sorry for making you upset, my love."
He pacified her with a passionate kiss that lasted for a few minutes, before they put on their clothes, unaware that his statement had fallen into the wrong ears.
The lycan was being held back by his beta, who stood like a mountain in front of him.
'Forgive my impudence, my Lord. But if you want her, killing her mate in front of her would be the easiest way for her to despise you. Besides, she could kill herself too.'
Barak mindlinked the lycan who grunted in response and retracted his claws. He was displeased, and wanted to snap that boy's neck. But since he couldn't, he could only watch in silence as Markkus transformed into his grey wolf, while his mate got on top of him, and then took off and disappeared into the fog, in the opposite direction.
"Bring her to me by nightfall," Vlad uttered and walked away slowly, with his hands to his back.
….
Blackmoon pack..
Just as Evelyn entered the servant quarters, a group of servants encircled her, their eyes gleaming with malicious lights.
"Where are you coming from, Evelyn? You didn't sleep in the quarters," one of them stated.
Evelyn ignored her and continued heading forward, but she suddenly felt a strong kick from behind and she fell flat on the floor. The servants roared with laughter.
Evelyn didn't get up. She lay there, letting them bask in victory.
What she's learned over the years of getting bullied was that being defiant, and showing resistance, without strong backing only fueled the bullies. Instead, she had learned to succumb to admitting defeat earlier. That way, they would end their businesses quickly.
"Look at that, a powerless wimp like her dares to become Markkus's mate. She wishes to become our Luna. The nerve! Ptui!" a servant spat on her and another kicked her side.
Evelyn groaned and curled up, still not resisting.
"You should be thankful that Lady Miranda is very kind. If it were me, I would have gouged out your eyes and fed them to the snakes. Shameless dog!"
"What do you expect from a daughter of a harlot? Like mother, like daughter!"
They continued to berate Evelyn, until they heard the housekeeper's voice, then they scattered like chickens.
"Evelyn? What are you doing on the floor so early in the morning, when you should be working?!" The housekeeper barked as she marched forward.
Evelyn slowly got on her feet, and bowed in greeting to the middle-aged woman, clearly looking unwell after the kicks.
There was no point reporting her fellow omegas to this woman. Everyone in this pack house bullies her, but Markkus has no idea. Not that she hasn't tried to tell him in the past. She did, but he didn't believe her.
There was no evidence to show for it. Her wounds heal twice faster than others, including Markkus's.
"Report came to me last night that you didn't sleep in the quarters. Where did you go?" She narrowed her eyes at Evelyn.
Evelyn remained silent. Last night, she was sent to get firewood in the woods, even if it wasn't her job. They threatened to starve her for four days if she didn't go.
Evelyn knew it was a scheme, something that wouldn't benefit her, yet she went. After all, if she didn't go, they would truly starve her. With her wolf still sleeping, she couldn't afford to go hungry for too long.
On getting to the forest, Markkus's cousin, Kael and his friends stepped out of hiding and bullied her. They transformed into their wolves and made her a prey. They scratched her, bit her, and slammed her against trees.
It was normal for them. Any chance they get was used to bully her. They once said she was a better 'sparing partner'.
They enjoyed seeing her whimpering in pain, but with no injuries to show for it. After they had had enough fun, they left Evelyn in the forest.
She took a few more minutes, gathering firewood before leaving the forest, but on her way, she met Markkus, who said he'd been looking for her, and only found out her whereabouts from his cousin and his friends, whom he saw on his way there.
Markkus handed her bundle of firewood to his soon-to-be beta, took her hand, and led her to the Lycan's sanctuary. And they spent the whole night having sex.
"Am I not talking to somebody?!"
Evelyn snapped out of her thoughts to see the woman's face contorted in deep rage.
Before Evelyn could speak, the middle-aged woman began to lament. "Because you're the soon-to-be Alpha's mate, you feel you're better than everyone else now?"
Evelyn just stared blankly and didn't retort. She started hearing those words when she was 16 - at the time she found her mate, and now, they were no longer foreign to her.
Almost 22 years of continuous bullying, Evelyn knew nothing else, but to apologize when those at the top bullied her.
Because they had the power to bend her life more than it already was. And what she feared the most was having no roof, or a pack to call her own. The lives of rogues and powerless humans were far worse than hers, and she didn't want that life.
"Don't be angry. I'm sorry."
"I don't need your apology! The Governess wants you in her quarters, immediately."
Evelyn bowed and hurried away. But the second she stepped into the Governess's room, a harsh slap landed on her face.
"On your knees!" the old woman thundered.
Evelyn dropped to her knees, head lowered.
"You little tramp! What did I tell you about not seeing Markkus anymore?"
Evelyn's head lifted, staring at the woman without speaking. This order was one she's never, and would never adhere to. Markkus was her mate, and nothing, unless Markkus himself, can make her stop seeing him.
Let alone, she's never initiated a meeting with him before. For 5 years, ever since they were mated, whenever he returned from the Academy, Markkus had always been the one to look for Evelyn.
"Are you glaring at me?" The old woman asked with a start.
"I wouldn't dare," Evelyn dropped her head.
She wasn't glaring at the woman. She wouldn't dare. That woman was only looking for excuses to punish her.
True to her thoughts, the Governess took out a thick cane with spikes. "I'll teach you a lesson that you'll never forget. Somebody, take off her clothes and hold her down–"