ALANA

25

ARES

"Please please I will be good please dont" I watch her small figure shake and tremble as she begs me. Her voice breaking at every word her eyes looking into mine, the brown looking sad and fearful. Her face look terrified as she incoherently says sorry over over again.

Something snaps inside of my head as I watch the small girl I married just hours ago begging me not to 'punish' her. She looks white with fear her entire body trembling before me.

What the fuck am I doing? I take a step backwards but she doesn't stop or even notice. It is like she is in a trance, desperately trying to avoid her 'punishment'.

What the fuck does she think I would've done? I wouldn't hit her. I wouldn't. She is much smaller and weaker, I have principles, I am not some monster. Does she think of me as one? Is she really this terrified of me?

Am I that horrible to her? I take a few steps back, my brain unable to comprehend her extreme reaction. Nothing seems to make her feel better, infact I think my moving makes her beg and cry harder.

I decide to leave the room, unable to think of anything else as I walk away to my study. What the fuck just happened.

ALANA

As my breathing hitches and my body starts to get tired, I think of how difficult my life is. I think of how easy it would be if I weren't such a burden. If I wasn't always, in every persons life, an unwanted presence.

I curl up on the floor, trying to stop myself from shaking and crying. He had left but what if crying made him angrier? He would come back. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to stop my tears from spilling. Oh no.

ARES

I rub my temples trying to find the courage to go check on her. It has been hours. I have never felt like I am in this moment. I have never felt remorse for being angry at someone. I have never celt remorse for a crying pathetic puttana.

But she is not some random person. I have married her. She is now my wife. I recall my vows. I vowed to protect her. I know this is not a marriage of love. But the least I can do is respect her. As a woman.

My mind flashes with images of her begging and crying making me groan. Fucking hell.

I hear a knock at the door then it cracks open and Mama's head appears.

"What? What are you doing here? You are supposed to be in your room with your bride! Xander, what is this? Have you been here the whole time? I was just heading to bed, I thought you would be in there. Where is my nuora?" she asks all these questions in one breath. I sigh running a hand through my hair.

"Um, she's sleeping, I had some work, you should go to bed I'll head there soon aswell." I say, my poker face saving me. She skeptically nods, turning and leaving.

As soon as she disappears down the stairs, I walk down the hall to my room, opening the door but the sight of Alana, laying limp on the floor makes me curse aloud.

Oh fuck. I walk to her, checking her pulse. Her heart is beating slow. It is not faint but slow enough that I think she may have passed out. I look at her limp figure, cursing under my breath.

I cannot tell anyone can I? What would I say?

I pick her up, off the floor, carrying her in my arms to my bed. Putting her down, I pull out my phone to call the one guy I know would know what to do.

"Aren't you supposed to be having some hot sex right now?" he answers making me snarl.

"Shut the fuck up Damon, what do I do if someone passes out?" I ask him.

"From orgasming?" He asks.

"No you son of a bitch. I think she passed out. I found her on the floor when I came into the room" I tell him. He finally senses my tone.

"Shit really? Okay um, how long do you think it has been?" he asks and I hear cluttering.

"I dont know a couple hours maybe, I was not in the room for the past three hours" I tell him.

"Did you check her pulse? How slow is it? Check her hands, are they cold?" He asks.

I quickly take her small hand in mine.

"Yeah her fingers are ice, she looks much paler than normal" I tell him. I feel a strange feeling of a weight in my chest. "Mama told me she has not eaten anything all day"

"Okay, lift both her feet onto a pillow so they stay up, get some water, splash some into her eyes, see if she wakes up" I do everything he says and as I drip water onto her closed eyelids I see them move.

"Cazzo, I think she is waking up."

"Okay, when she does get her to eat something, and.."

But his voice fades in my head when I hear her groan and open her eyes. She blinks multiple times, her eyes adjusting to the light, then fall on me. She whimpers, quickly sitting up and backing away in fear.

"I- I didn't mean to sleep, I didn't I was just trying to to, I was" I stop her rambling by shushing her.

"Alana I am not angry, you passed out I was trying to wake you" I tell her.

I had tried to sound comforting, I really did. But my voice came out strong and heavy as always and she did not look eased by my words at all. She just nods quickly as if trying to get me to go away. I stand up which makes her back away even more. I sigh.

"Damon she is up" I say picking up the phone that was still on.

"Brother, what the fuck did you do to make her that scared?" he asks, his voice sounded serious for once.

"I will talk to you later" I hang up, looking back at the girl on my bed who is now looking around. She sniffles, looking back at me, her eyes turn scared again. "I will ask someone to bring you food, you should eat then sleep." I say. She nods timidly which makes me let out a frustrated sigh.

It is like I have permanently scared her.

With one last look in her direction, I step out of the room. Fuck.