As long as she remained in the pack, her presence could provide me with strength. If I managed to mate with her, I could even absorb her essence and strengthen myself.
I will become the most powerful young alpha in the region.
I had turned and left the laundry room without alerting her. But from that day on, I couldn't help but notice her. Whether it was when she served food, when she was running errands for everyone but herself, when someone got annoyed by her presence and beat her up for no reason.
I stood far away and watched all this happen. At times when I thought the mate bond was too compelling, I would get angry and give her a few slaps or when I didn't want to dirty my hands, I would send her to the dungeon.
However, today was different. Karl's intention of sleeping with her had awakened something in me that I couldn't explain.
Even though I hated Valerie with every fiber of my being, even though I wanted nothing more than to watch her suffer, and even wanted the mate bond gone, I couldn't stand another man coveting her.
I knew she was close with Karl and if she ever chose to be with someone, it would be him. Especially since she hadn't awakened her wolf, and didn't seem to notice the mate bond between us.
She seemed to feel nothing for me at all, and that irked me more than I would care to admit.
It made me angry when I looked into her eyes in the kitchen that morning and all I saw was blankness in her eyes.
She didn't have the slightest reaction to me being so close while I on the other hand was dying to touch her skin, to smell her scent up close, and to sink myself inside her.
It made me so mad when I thought of the conversation Karl and I had had the previous night.
Even though I claimed that I would take her virginity then reject her, I still couldn't bring myself to let another man touch her.
I wanted her all to myself, regardless of my hatred and disgust.
However, I didn't want to touch those protruding bones, so I had made a decision to feed her occasionally and increase the curves on her body so that it would be comfortable to hold. That was why I gave her that plate of pasta.
The way she looked at me when I offered the pasta had my heart nearly screaming in joy. Because it was the first time in years she had looked me in the eyes.
Her eyes are the most beautiful I have ever seen, so clear with the green pupils reflecting light. It made the shine straight to my heart. But I also hated the feeling because I wanted to feel that way with Innocent, she is a strong she-wolf. The most perfect Luna for me. Yet all I felt towards her was lust.
I wanted to have crazy sex with her, but I could not feel my heart shake the same way Valerie made it. This bothered me.
I wanted Valerie to feel the same way. To want me, to need me, to beg me.
I had noticed long ago that she was like a normal human being who couldn't even feel my alpha presence.
That made me feel as if my authority was challenged and no matter how many times I threw her in the dungeon for torture and whipping, it never seems to change.
Today I had meted out that punishment on purpose. When I heard Valerie talk back to that woman in the kitchen, I wanted to elicit a reaction from her.
I thought that Valerie would beg for my forgiveness.
I thought it would stir something inside her, and cause her to look at me with a different expression in her eyes.
Yet I got nothing.
She just accepted the punishment like she always did and then walked past me like I didn't exist.
Something felt as if it was stabbing my heart. Why won't she look at me? Did she really not feel the mate bond or was there something she was hiding?
I couldn't get the answers to these questions, so I turned around with a huff and left.
One day, I will make Valerie beg for my attention.
As I walked to my room, I asked a maid to summon Innocent to my room.
I needed a good fuck to get Valerie out of my head. I needed Innocent to help me feel like I matter.
Valerie's POV
Slipping through the familiar paths and corridors I had walked countless times before, I arrived at my room and pushed the door open.
I slipped inside before shutting the door behind me. I really needed to be alone.
The space inside was cramped. The stale air that hit my nostrils as soon as I entered greeted me like an old friend.
I leaned against the closed door and my composure finally cracked.
My breaths came in short and hard.
I felt my chest tighten painfully as if invisible hands were squeezing my heart.
It was something I hadn't experienced before.
The images I had forcefully locked away broke free and roamed in my mind. The way Mike looked at me that morning, then Karl's voice from last night and the casual cruelty in the way they discussed my body as payment for their bet.
My knees finally gave out and I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the cold floor.
Yet, I refused to shed tears. I would not cry for two people who didn't deserve my tears.
I pressed my hand to my chest, my fingers curling into the thin fabric of the dress.
It was as if in this way, the pain would lessen.
But instead, the pain seemed to multiply all of a sudden.
I felt a pain in my heart I would not even wish on my worst enemy.