She reached for a potato first and looked at me as if waiting for me to beat her, but once she realised I wasn’t going to do anything, she bit into it. We stayed silent as she dug in. Even though I knew she was starved, either she was far too weak to eat faster, or, from what I could tell, she was eating with manners. Tears streamed down her cheeks silently as she ate, and they were beginning to irk me.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring a spoon or fork,” I stated when the silence and awkwardness became too much, thinking I had forgotten tissue as well. Instead, I tore off a square of my pyjama sleeves and gave it to her.
“It’s okay, this is more than enough. I really am grateful for it. What is your name?” She asked, taking the square of fabric and patting her lips. I frowned. Was it important? Well, she was probably not going to live long…
“Enrique. Enrique Ignacio Escarra, future Alpha of the Fuego de Ceniza Pack,” I claimed proudly. Her eyes widened as she looked me over before fear flooded her eyes, and she shrunk into the wall.
“That man... was he your papa?” She whispered, utterly terrified, visibly beginning to tremble. I looked over the bruises on her tiny body and frowned.
“Yes.” She nodded, gulping, but I could tell she was tense; her heartbeat was erratic, and she was shaking. “Finish the food, I don’t have all day,” I added coldly, getting up and turning away from her.
“I-I’m done. Thank you,” she whispered.
How foolish… did she not realise that she wouldn’t get any more food here? Well, that was her loss. Silently, I wrapped the remaining food back up with the foil and shoved it into the plastic bag.
“Drink the juice,” I commanded, glaring at her. She quickly obliged, fat tears rolling down her cheeks, but they only annoyed me even more. “Padre is right. Girls are useless.”
I pushed the empty orange juice bottle into the plastic bag and stood up, shoving it under my top, and made my way up the stairs without even looking back. I had just about reached the door when it was pulled open before I even managed to knock, revealing none other than Father himself. His nostrils flared, and his eyes blazed goldish brown.
Oh, damn…
“Did you give the girl food, mijo?” He asked me. His voice was scary, and I knew I would be punished.
“Yes, I did, Padre,” I admitted, lowering my head to him in submission.
He scoffed before he backhanded me across the face, sending me reeling into the door to the basement. The food packet slipped from under my top, falling to the ground as my vision spun from the sheer force of Father’s hit. My head pounded.
“Well… well… well… Enrique… what have I told you about rules and law?”
“I must always abide by yours, Padre…”
“And yet you didn’t.”
I heard a quiet sob from down below and the sound of scurrying footsteps. Realising what was about to happen, I frowned. The foolish chica was going to help me? She really had a death wish!
Father smirked as Kataleya appeared behind me.
“P-please don’t hurt him, I promise I won’t-”
“Bitch!” He growled, suddenly lurching forward and kicking her square in the chest and back down the stairs. I heard her tiny body tumble down the stairs, but no sound escaped her. My heart thumped in my throat; I shouldn’t have given her food! This was my fault!
Father was about to go down the stairs when I stepped in his way.
“Padre, I disobeyed and commanded her to eat. It is I who needs to be punished for defying you,” I stated, praying the silly girl stayed down. Father frowned before smirking coldly.
“Indeed, mijo, indeed…” He grabbed me by my hair painfully, pulling me away from the door. “Lock the fucking door and make sure no one sees her!” Father hissed, and I knew what was to come when he dragged me outside. Lashing or a beating.
The moment Father took his belt in his hand, I raised my head, prepared for what was to come. After all, I had learned how to take this…
I closed my eyes when the first hit connected to my back. Father would unleash all his anger upon me, but it was the right of the Alpha…
That was how I would learn to be the best kind of alpha…
Just don’t feel…
The House in the Countryside
Kiara
