Chapter 2

Persephone’s POV

The dinner was an extremely dull and boring affair to say the least and I was thankful to mother that she hadn’t put me in between the werewolves and Nyra was on one side of mine and we had the option of gossiping. Nyra was a mermaid, and she had come to her powers during her puberty. It wasn’t that big of a surprise that she would be a mermaid because her family was a strong one of water elementals who could create typhoons and cyclones and tsunamis and combat with them as well.

“My idiot brother has gone now and found himself some stupid human girls to fuck with. I mean, I don’t understand what is this strange obsession of his with human beings?” she asked as we finished the soup and placed our spoons down. Immediately the maids came in and took away the bowls and changed it with the plates. I know, I know how it sounds. It sounds like an old English royal family with too much money to know what to do and now they are still treating people like the archaic traditional ways…but that is not how it is.

With mother, she definitely wishes so but Grandmaman has still not allowed it. And I am glad for that. The starters were served which varied between chicken and prawns for those who preferred which and I ate the lemon peppered prawns which I knew would taste marvelous because our cook, Maria cooked the sea food to taste heavenly.

“I think, Myr has come into some new powers and he doesn’t want you to find them out. That is the reason that he is hiding with full humans. Do you think he can be a siren?” I whispered the last words so slowly that only she would be able to read my lips. Nyra’s eyes widened at my words and she slowly took a deep breath as she took a bite of the chicken and nodded. The rest of the dinner went by without any particular issues where everyone behaved perfectly. I mean, of course, they were here at an auction where I was the prize, like a prized brood mare so why would they not.

Finally the main course was over and only the dessert was left to be brought out when my mother stood up from the table and tapped her champagne glass with her fork. Everyone who had been speaking to their partners on the table fell silent as Lenore smiled. Her smile was perfect, like she had practised for hours smiling before my Grandmaman put a stop to it.

“Well that was a lovely dinner with all of you I must say and I have to say that I did have my scepticism,” she said with the smile and I could see that everyone was nodding. She continued,” We all are the part of a community which had lied mostly hidden since the beginning because we all have faced persecution at the hands of human beings. And after that, we all had our own particular problems as well and we have been fighting amongst ourselves for so long that it seems we have forgotten how good it feels to actually mingle with people of our own.”

Most of the men clapped and whistled at her words and she smiled.

“But we have in our family decided that this is not the way that we should be going about it and we will bring change.” As she paused everyone applauded and Nyra gripped my hand beneath the table. She had baited them and they had all swallowed the bait like unsuspecting fish. Uggghh!

“My only daughter, Persephone, has turned eighteen a few months back and as is our culture of betrothal at a young age, I have decided that she will be betrothed to the young, handsome and dashing Alpha heir of the Blood Ruins pack. Theodore, if you would stand please,” she urged the same man who had been crowing about hotel chains as I had run away from him. Nyra urged me to stand as well and Mother smiled at me as she took a look of my face. “Now if you applaud the new young couple who are going to be engaged and married very soon. The dates will be announced later on but isn’t this a wonderful news?”

The young man smiled at me toothily as if he could not think of his good luck and I had to smile as well.

This was like facing the worst nightmare of my life…and I did not have the option of saying no here. Many people did not know about Lenore Masquiat but I did. I knew who she was and so did her mother. My father was smiling but I could see that his eyes were grim and he did not accept or agree to what she was doing.

“Now let’s celebrate this wonderful new union with some cake and champagne. Maria, please, have you baked your special lychee mango chiffon cake?”

Maria nodded and said,” Yes, Madam.” She gestured with her hand as two of our servants brought in a huge colourful cake and set it on the table and Mother looked ecstatic like a small child. Only I knew the act that she was putting up. Soon everyone had cake and champagne in their hands and I was standing before the fire place with this strange guy named Theodore by my side and everyone clapped and wished us the best for our new futures.

“I can’t wait to get to know you better when we have the time, later on,” said the guy with a shit-eating grin on his face and the way that his eyes twinkled it made me sick to my stomach. This was going to move south fast but soon Nyra came in by my side and said,” I want to know all about your pack…” she said with a pout as I had to smile gritting my teeth. Then she continued,” You guys are so handsome and sexy…I have always considered so…you need to introduce me to the singles in your pack.”

“Of course, of course. As Madam Masquiat said that this is just the beginning and we have never even thought that this would be possible. But all my brothers and friends would be so glad to meet you. I heard that you are a mermaid, is that true? You truly can shift into one?” he asked with too much glee and I rolled my eyes. I moved away as Nyra gave me the only chance that I would get tonight to run away.

“Where are you going?” my Mother stopped me and I turned towards her with a sour face.

“Please Mother. You have sprung a lot upon me tonight and I haven’t said a word and accepted everything. But I need to eat my cake in peace. I can’t stand beside that idiot you have chosen for me and he smells like…ughhh..”

“Yes I know…they have this strange wet dog smell coming off of them always. I know, it hurts but sweetheart, you are my only option. If I had any other children…then you would have..”

“You would have pawned them off in the same way if it supported your political ambitions, Lenore. I really wish you had looked at the family with the love that family deserves when you have a daughter who can put the entire world to shame with her brightness,” said Grandmaman as she sipped her champagne. Then she said,” Ler her have tonight. It is the least you can do. And, sweetie, I will make sure that you have some more cake for yourself so that you can watch some of those K-dramas you love and eat in peace.”

“You are the reason that I have never been able to get her on my side, Mama. You keep on spoiling her so much that..”

“Yeah, you could only give me one, so she deserves every bit of love and adoration I have. Now get out from this boring party, Persephone and please, enjoy the rest of the night in peace.”

“I am sorry that I am not the daughter you wanted, Mama, but I am trying my best. Thank you, Grandmaman.”

I took the plate of the cake and went upstairs and immediately locked the door. Grandmaman had already sent the gift bag upstairs and I went in my closet and unlocked it with a combination which only I knew. Nyra had left the beg packed and I checked the contents and smiled.

I changed into fitted black jeans, some more tactical gear and then I slid in knives in all the sheathes that had been sewn in the dress and my jeans. I also took a few more things which my mother didn’t even know I possessed, amongst them was a beautiful Browning.32 which Grandmama had gifted me the night I turned sixteen. I checked everything and opened the window and jumped below.

It wasn’t a hard drop but I rolled on the grass and I quickly started running southwards. I didn’t have much time on my hands and had to cross the boundaries at the time of the guard change. That left me with only three minutes which seemed doable and I quickly leapt over the fence and soon was in the forest.

But as I ran I quickly felt someone behind me and I came to a stop. And no sooner than that had happened someone or something punched me on my left temple so hard that I lost consciousness and fell on the ground with a muffled thud.