ALANA

24

ALANA

As the reception party came to an end, I was getting more tired by the second. My nerves were constantly agitated and by the time mama said it was time to go 'home' I was a shaking mess.

"Alana you look rather pale honey, I know you said you were too nervous to eat earlier but perhaps you want something now" Mama asks as we head towards the cars.

"I do not think I could eat right now, I feel nauseous and overall tired" I explain to her. I am usually not so open with what I am feeling but I think it was a combination of my disheveled thoughts and the fact that Mama never got angry no matter what I said.

"Oh, okay let's get home and I will have the chefs make you something light. You must eat" She says before the Don grabs her attention.

I walk slowly, trying to not sway. A man opens my door and I quickly sit inside the car, noticing only now that Ares is in there already.

I uncomfortably shift in my place, trying to create as much space as I can between us by pressing myself to the door.

My head was swarming with many thoughts of the day and my feet were aching, it is almost as if I can feel my heartbeat in them.

Mrs. Fiore had given me a bag this morning, saying it was for my wedding night. I had forgotten about it until just now and quickly sat up in my place.

"What is it?" I hear beside me. I do not look at him, just shake my head.

What did she mean by wedding night? That was an odd way to put it. Why had she not just said tonight? I keep focusing on her words, and the way she had said it with a hushed tone and the slight hint of embarrassment on her face.

I need to see what is in that bag. Maybe she had meant it was a present? To congratulate me? But had she said to open it at night? As my thoughts spiraled, I felt a warm hand cover both of mine.

"Stop, you will bleed." I hear him say as he removes his hand. I look down to see my wrist red and raw with my incessant scratching. I do that sometimes when I am thinking. I do not know why.

The car stops and another large man opens the door for me. This car is very high and I am wearing heels. I look at the ground with conflicted eyes. How had I managed to get on? I see the man offer me his hand to help me down and I look at it for a second, before deciding to take it. I put my hand on his, feeling his calloused skin against mine as I use him to climb down.

I definitely would have toppled over if he did not help.

"Thankyou" I look at him. His eyes were both a different color. It was beautiful to see. I did not know eyes could be different colors. "Your eyes are pretty" I blurt out in my state of complete ignorance of where I was or even who I was.

A deep, very angry voice quickly makes my head snap in it's direction.

"Alana, come here" Ares growls making my heart drop. I look around to see it is only us and the rest of the family have not yet reached. I look back at the very angry man then quickly cast my gaze down. I slowly walk towards him but I think his patience run out because he grabs my upper arm and all but drags me towards the door.

He takes me all the way up many stairs and through many halls. When we finally stop, I notice we are in a room. It is very large and has a bed and other furniture decorating it.

"You do not fucking compliment my fucking soldier's eyes." he starts, his voice trembling with anger. "You are not some harlot who will go around touching men who are not her husband and you do not fucking ignore me like I am some fucking plague!" he shouts. It is so loud I can barely register any of his words.

All I can do is shake and back myself up against the wall as he steps closer.

"I am sorry, I did not mean it I made a mistake please-"

"A mistake?!" he screams making me whimper in fear. Oh no. "No it was not a mistake, I know what you are doing. You're trying to rouse a reaction out of me, to see what I do when you do not look at me or talk to me but you will a mere soldier. So here is what is going to happen wife" he seethes, saying the word wife with more hatred than anything else.

I know what will happen now. Father always describes my punishment before he does it. I am so tired. My body aches and my brain screams at me to apologize, to beg for his forgiveness. So that is what I do.

I start begging him to not punish me.