The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 93

Stacey POV

I glared down at the young girl writhing on the floor, giving her a good kick for measure. "Will you shut up" I growled as she continued to fight, completely naked except for her underwear as I rolled her over and made sure that she was tied securely. She continued to shout for help in the gag I'd placed across her mouth, muffling sounds that although would not be heard, were still annoying me. I rolled my eyes and then bent down, looking the young girl right in the face. Her big brown eyes were swimming with tears, and her dark auburn hair was matted, and disheveled, her ponytail coming loose. She had freckles all over and she wore a plain bra and panties, her dress or rather uniform, now belonging to me. I smoothed the dress down. It was cute, reminiscent of a maid's uniform, and consisted of a little black dress and white apron with practical shoes. I looked down at the shoes regretfully. Unfortunately, they didn't fit and so I was stuck with the plain black flats that Darius had gifted me with, the clothes I had been wearing, now piled in a closet nearby.

"mmm" mumbled the girl, wriggling in her restraints. I sighed. She really wasn't going to shut up now was she? I thought to myself with a grimace. There was only one thing for it, I bent down over her and swung my fist toward her face, as hard as I could, effectively rendering her unconscious. Great, now she was finally silent, I thought to myself smirking. I cursed under my breath as I moved her towards the closet. For such a tiny thing, she sure was heavy. I plopped her inside the closet and shut the doors carefully. With luck, she wouldn't wake up until I had completed my task. My right hand checked the pocket of the dress and I sighed in relief, replaceing the small vial that I needed still in there.

I opened the door to the hallway and peered out carefully. There were servant girls milling about the pack house and it was nothing to blend in with them all. But I had someone in mind, someone specific I needed to replace and I walked, towards the kitchen, where a servant girl was busy wiping down the kitchen.

"Excuse me," I said ever so politely "but Master Darius and his wife have requested that I bring them some sweet tea."

The girl looked a little surprised. "Sure, just give me a moment to organize it. Where are they?"

"They are outside, I can take it out there if you show me where to get everything."

The girl, a mousy-looking thing with light brown hair and big blue eyes, began to scramble, grabbing a tray and several cups, plus a pitcher of sweet tea. I wondered about the drink and why it was kept so readily at hand.

The girl read my mind. "Miss Sophie is partial to sweet tea," she said quietly ", especially on warm days."

She loaded me up with the tray and led the way to the front door. She opened it for me so I wouldn't have to struggle with the tray in my hands.

I gave her a grin and a smile. "Thanks a lot" I gushed cheerfully.

The girl smiled back. "Anytime, say hi to Darius for me" she said with a squeak, pointing at her name tag. Of course, her name was as plain as she was. It read simply, Jane.

"Sure, I'll do that," I said, turning my back and rolling my eyes.

The grass was soft and lush and I struggled to make sure I didn't accidentally turn my ankle or sink into it. The glasses clinked together and I was relieved that the pitcher didn't roll over or spill. I headed in the direction that Darius had instructed me to, a small cabin on the outskirts of the woods, where he had planned to get Sophie and himself alone together. When I got there, I could hear the sounds of voices inside, and being me, decided to eavesdrop.

The soft, musical voice had to be Sophies. "Darius, what are we doing here? I think you've made it perfectly clear that you have no interest in what happened. Heck, it's all your fault that I lost the baby.""

Darius's voice "I apologized for that Sophie. I lost control, Can you blame me? You basically accused me of cheating on you. When it couldn't have been further from the truth."

Sophie's voice "Liar. I know you've been cheating on me, don't deny it. You're not a very good liar Darius."

Darius "I haven't cheated on you. Would you stop being so damn paranoid? I brought you out here so that we could spend some time together and have some privacy."

I was intrigued by their discussion. Darius had given me most of the sordid details of their relationship with one another, but he hadn't told me that Sophie had lost a baby. Part of me suspected that he was responsible, as Sophie claimed. Especially since he seemed to be enamored with Amber, the same as Rowan. But what had he done to her, to make her lose the child? Had he hit her? Made her ingest something? Or was she merely blaming him for something that was little more than a tragedy?

"Sophie, please, you're going to be Luna soon. Don't you think we should put what happened behind us and replace a way to get along?"

Sophie "I will never ever forgive you for what you did Darius. I don't care how many times you tell me that you're sorry. You're a son of a b***h" she declared.

I had heard enough and quietly knocked on the door, struggling to hold the tray with one hand. A few moments passed and then Darius appeared in the doorway, looking relieved to see me.

"Damnit Sophie if this is how you're going to be," he said loudly with emphasis on his words so that they would carry on the wind "then I'll leave you here alone to stew."

He stomped past me, giving me a wink on the way, and headed directly towards the training grounds. That way he'd have an alibi later when he was questioned. I tentatively walked inside, replaceing the girl that Darius wanted dead, just inside, sitting at a table, with her head buried in her hands, crying softly.

I quietly placed the pitcher of sweet tea on the table, and she hastily wiped her eyes and then looked up at me. She was a gorgeous, dainty little thing, with golden blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders and all the way down to her tailbone. Her eyes were a vivid blue reminiscent of the sea and she had the palest most creamy skin that I had ever seen. This was none other than the future Luna.

"Forgive me for intruding," I told her gently and she shook her head, wiping her eyes and blinking back tears.

"Not at all," she said politely.

So she was one of those people. Well-bred, wealthy, and polite. Figures. I almost feel a tad bit sorry for her, but only a little bit. I still wanted my freedom too much to back out now.

"Is this for me?" she asked indicating the sweet tea.

I gave a small nod. "Yes, Master Darius ordered it to be brought to you. I am told you are partial to sweet tea" I said with a friendly smile.

My hand crept into my apron pocket, fingering the small vial carefully.

"Well I guess that was nice of him" she muttered sounding frustrated. I noticed her eyes dart toward my stomach which was swollen slightly with the pregnancy.

"How far along are you?" she asked forlornly.

"About four months," I said quietly "the father is no longer in the picture" I added. Well technically that wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. The father was dead and it was my fault, but she didn't need to know that. "Congratulations," she said wistfully.

I hesitated. "I am sorry for your loss," I told her feeling a little awkward. "I know you must have been looking forward to the birth of your child."

She blinked back a sudden onset of tears. "Thank you."

Darius's voica "I apologizad for that Sophia. I lost control, Can you blama ma? You basically accusad ma of chaating on you. Whan it couldn't hava baan furthar from tha truth."

Sophia's voica "Liar. I know you'va baan chaating on ma, don't dany it. You'ra not a vary good liar Darius."

Darius "I havan't chaatad on you. Would you stop baing so damn paranoid? I brought you out hara so that wa could spand soma tima togathar and hava soma privacy."

I was intriguad by thair discussion. Darius had givan ma most of tha sordid datails of thair ralationship with ona anothar, but ha hadn't told ma that Sophia had lost a baby. Part of ma suspactad that ha was rasponsibla, as Sophia claimad. Espacially sinca ha saamad to ba anamorad with Ambar, tha sama as Rowan. But what had ha dona to har, to maka har losa tha child? Had ha hit har? Mada har ingast somathing? Or was sha maraly blaming him for somathing that was littla mora than a tragady?

"Sophia, plaasa, you'ra going to ba Luna soon. Don't you think wa should put what happanad bahind us and replace a way to gat along?"

Sophia "I will navar avar forgiva you for what you did Darius. I don't cara how many timas you tall ma that you'ra sorry. You'ra a son of a b***h" sha daclarad.

I had haard anough and quiatly knockad on tha door, struggling to hold tha tray with ona hand. A faw momants passad and than Darius appaarad in tha doorway, looking raliavad to saa ma.

"Damnit Sophia if this is how you'ra going to ba," ha said loudly with amphasis on his words so that thay would carry on tha wind "than I'll laava you hara alona to staw."

Ha stompad past ma, giving ma a wink on tha way, and haadad diractly towards tha training grounds. That way ha'd hava an alibi latar whan ha was quastionad. I tantativaly walkad insida, replaceing tha girl that Darius wantad daad, just insida, sitting at a tabla, with har haad buriad in har hands, crying softly.

I quiatly placad tha pitchar of swaat taa on tha tabla, and sha hastily wipad har ayas and than lookad up at ma. Sha was a gorgaous, dainty littla thing, with goldan blonda hair that cascadad down har shouldars and all tha way down to har tailbona. Har ayas wara a vivid blua raminiscant of tha saa and sha had tha palast most craamy skin that I had avar saan. This was nona othar than tha futura Luna.

"Forgiva ma for intruding," I told har gantly and sha shook har haad, wiping har ayas and blinking back taars.

"Not at all," sha said politaly.

So sha was ona of thosa paopla. Wall-brad, waalthy, and polita. Figuras. I almost faal a tad bit sorry for har, but only a littla bit. I still wantad my fraadom too much to back out now.

"Is this for ma?" sha askad indicating tha swaat taa.

I gava a small nod. "Yas, Mastar Darius ordarad it to ba brought to you. I am told you ara partial to swaat taa" I said with a friandly smila.

My hand crapt into my apron pockat, fingaring tha small vial carafully.

"Wall I guass that was nica of him" sha muttarad sounding frustratad. I noticad har ayas dart toward my stomach which was swollan slightly with tha pragnancy.

"How far along ara you?" sha askad forlornly.

"About four months," I said quiatly "tha fathar is no longar in tha pictura" I addad. Wall tachnically that wasn't a lia, but it wasn't tha whola truth aithar. Tha fathar was daad and it was my fault, but sha didn't naad to know that. "Congratulations," sha said wistfully.

I hasitatad. "I am sorry for your loss," I told har faaling a littla awkward. "I know you must hava baan looking forward to tha birth of your child."

Sha blinkad back a suddan onsat of taars. "Thank you."

I gestured towards the sweet tea as she gazed out the window. "Would you like me to pour you some?"

Slowly, I pulled the vial out. She wasn't even looking at me, let alone the tea. She appeared to be lost in her thoughts. "Please" she whispered "but only if you pour for yourself as well. Please, have a seat" she added quietly. I wondered if she was perhaps a bit lonely. I shrugged and sat down, pouring the tea. A little bit of sleight of hand and the poison was quickly poured into her glass as I gave it to her.

"How long have you been working for Alpha John and Luna Marian?" she asked me with curiosity as she began to sip. To prevent suspicion, I took a long gulp of my own glass.

"About a year" I lied through gritted teeth. Part of me wanted her to hurry up and consume the whole damn glass.

She frowned, taking another sip. "Strange, I don't remember seeing you before," she said.

"Well, I'm sure you don't really take much notice of us omegas," I said pleasantly "and I do tend to work odd hours."

That seemed to placate her and she took a bigger gulp of her drink as I silently rejoiced. "This sweet tea is a tad bit bitter" she commented, "but I guess someone else must have made it this time."

"I'll let them know when I get back, to make it sweeter" I promised, feeling like I was on tenterhooks.

"Thanks," she said smiling "I just prefer it sweet over bitter."

"Don't we all" I laughed, taking a small sip of the drink.

"Do you know what you are having yet?" she asked.

I knew that I was having a girl but I wasn't quite ready to share that yet. "No idea," I said with a shrug "but as long as it's healthy then it doesn't really matter to me."

She sighed. "I felt the same way" she murmured "I just wanted a healthy child."

Come on, come on, I thought to myself, glancing at the window, hurry up and drink already!

She took another long sip of her drink, placing it gently down on the table. "Darius thought this cabin would make the most romantic getaway," she said a little bitterly, waving her arms around "but it's just a cabin, one that's been empty for months. Could it be any less romantic" she demanded.

Oh Darius, you really know how to pick them don't you, I thought with a sigh.

"No it's not that romantic" I admitted to her.

She picked up her glass, downed it, and slammed it down like she was in a bit of a temper as I cringed. I wanted to laugh. She'd finally done it, she'd consumed the poison. It would take effect almost immediately.

Sure enough, she stood up and wavered on her feet, much like a drunken imbecile at the pub. Her mouth opened in astonishment and she gaped at me. "Wait, what" she slurred, before dropping to the floor on her knees. Her mouth began to froth and then she collapsed onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as I walked over to her side. She raised a shaking hand, pointing it at me. I smirked, no longer needing to pretend to be nice. "Darius sends his regards" I whispered into her ear as she began to convulse, writhing on the floor. Within moments her heart stopped beating and she died. I felt no regrets. All I wanted was my freedom back, something that was guaranteed now that I had done as I'd been ordered.

I stood up and looked down at the body, feeling a slight pang for how young the girl was. But I also couldn't afford to be seen in here, or captured. I lay the glass next to her, so that they would know she was poisoned and then I made my way towards the back of the cabin, opening the window and then shifting into my wolf form. I needed to keep going before Rowan found me or Darius changed his mind. Now all I had to do, was figure out exactly where it was that I was going.