The King

chapter 55

My father said we had a lot to catch up- seven years worth of it, and he delivered.

He had to be taken out of the room by Jeanne- claiming that she needed something to leverage over Lucas and a dead mate wasn't the way to get it.

I still hadn't uttered a single word, even though they tried to get a rise out of me.

Right now, I was alone in the damp room. I didn't dare to move. Every inhale, every exhale already hurt. Mrs. Ross stood in front of me, a devilish smirk on her face as she took in my horrid state.

She looked me over, her viper-like eyes scanning over my body. "Would you care to see what you look like?" She asked. "I think this quite of look is really befitting."

I shook my head, immediately wincing at the pain that the action had spread throughout my body like a wildfire.

She laughed, before pulling her phone out of her pocket. "I'm sure Alpha would love to see just exactly how wonderful you look."

I shook my head again, by now Lucas probably realized I was missing. I didn't want to give him any ache if I could help it.

The sound of a click and a bright flash cut me off, and I felt a tear drop onto my marred cheek. Burning the raw skin.

She walked towards me, her focus being solely on the device in her hands. "Here, have a look."

My eyes glanced at myself, and I had to hold back my bile. I snapped my head up at her, not believing I had been beaten to the extent of looking like that.

"Mrs. Ross." I started.

She let out a fake gasp, "Look, she speaks!"

"Do you have a child of your own?" I questioned, and her proud smile fell from her face.

She put her phone away, not looking me in the eye. "You finally open your mouth, and that's the first thing you have to say? To ask if I have a child?"

I shook my head, now ignoring the pain. "That's not an answer."

She narrowed her eyes at me, crossing her arms over her torso. "You are not in the position of asking questions, what makes you think you can?"

I shrugged, my neck sending pain throughout my body I felt I would collapse. "There's nothing else to do, you weren't nice enough to leave a stack of cards here for me to entertain myself."

She walked away, sitting down on a chair a couple of feet away from me, my head followed her every move. "I don't have to answer that." She muttered.

"I never said you did."

She bit her lip, "I see what you're trying to do! You think you can just- just-!"

"Just what?" I interrupted her. "There's no motive behind my question, you can't even think of one."

She stared at me before speaking, "I had a child." She started, and I let myself relax slightly into my chair.

I egged her on, trying to get her to open up slightly more. "Had? What do you mean by that?"

She seemed uneasy, but she seemed like the type of person who loved to talk about themselves. I just prayed that she would go along with what I was planning.

"Stillborn."

"Mrs. Ross, could you imagine your own child sitting here? In my place?" I guilted her.

I saw her eyes soften before they hardened, I cracked her resolve slightly. "You're trying to make me feel bad!"

"Look at me, Mrs. Ross. If the sight of your own child looking just like me doesn't make you feel bad, I'd be concerned."