𝙲𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚖(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶

I'd met Rhys a few months ago. He was a friend of my brothers. I didn't think he'd find me interesting. I was just his friend's little sister.

But he was quite kind. He would talk to me while we waited for Tam to get ready for their hunt together.

   While we had a rough start, we were now sort of friends. I'd never had a friend before, so I wasn't exactly sure.

"Rhys, I don't need your judgement," I was saying.

"I'm not judging," he chuckled. "I just don't know any females your age who have dolls."

"My mother gave her to me when I was little," I defended, holding the brunette doll in my lap. "Samantha means a lot to me." 

"She has a name?" he laughed.

"Of course she does," I defended. "All dolls have names."

"My little sister never named her dolls," he insisted.

"How do you know?" I demanded. "Maybe she just never told you."

"Maybe," he admitted with a sigh. "She's nearly ten, now. You two would get along." I smiled a bit.

    I heard my brother coming down the stairs. I felt a slight bit of disappointment, knowing Rhys would be going off with him now. 

When Tam and Rhys went off to hunt, I sighed, standing up and brushing the skirt of my dress off.

"Befriending the prince of the Night Court?" Maxwell teased me as he and our eldest brother entered the room.

"We were just talking," I mumbled.

"How would Father like you talking to him?" Hunter asked.

"Same as he would like you going off with that low born Autumn Court female nearly every night," I snapped, turning to him.

His open palm made contact with my face, and I stumbled, catching myself before I fell.

    Our father was a sensitive subject with Hunter. The scars across his face were still thick and ugly, even thirteen years later. As were the scars on my shoulder.

"Are you going to whore yourself out to him?" he sneered at me.

"Hunter, we were just talking," I repeated, rolling my green eyes. "And even if I was, it doesn't matter. I'm eighteen. I can do as a please."

"You can do as you please," he agreed. "But you aren't free from the consequences if Father finds out."

"He's nice to me," I said quietly, my hand cradling my stinging cheek. They both snickered at me, and my face heated. "He's the first friend I've ever had. Please don't tell Father. Don't ruin this for me, please."

"What are you gonna do, Mariangela? Poison yourself, again?" Hunter taunted. I flinched, pathetic tears welling in my eyes.

My attempt to end my life hadn't been taken seriously by my family. None of them asked why I had done it, or offered me any help. The healer had told my mother that I should seek counseling, but Mother had scoffed at that and said I didn't need it.

Rhys was the only reason I hadn't tried again.

    I awoke with Feyre in my bed, breathing softly beside me. I studied her beautiful face, so peaceful in sleep.

    Her lips were so pretty, so full and soft. I wanted nothing more than to kiss them. I mentally scolded myself for the thought, sitting up in the bed.