HER POSSESSIVE MATE

Penelope's POV

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH! ! ! !"

"What's wrong with you, Penelope? If you don't want to sleep, go to fucking hell!"

Sweating and gasping, I apologized in bed, "I'm sorry... I just...had a nightmare."

Outside, Emma cursed a few words and walked away in anger. I sat in bed gasping for air, unable to hear her because I'd just had a dream that I was about to die the day Scott trapped me in the garden. Since that day, I've had a fever for a few days. Worse, I still hear Scott whispering in my ear like the Devil in my dreams after all these days.

The day Scott cornered me in the garden, just when I thought I was really going to die, the pressure dropped off, and I heard Scott give a loud wail.

"Aah! ! !" Scott let out a painful cry.

I opened my eyes gingerly and only saw Scott spin around the floor like a drum, a few meters away from me, standing in front of my stepbrother Austin Woods.

Austin, dressed in casual clothes, appeared to have just left the house. He looked down at me, naked and huddled on the floor like a shrimp. 

"Do you know why you're a disgrace to the Woods family? Penelope Fanning?"

As soon as his words fell, my tears gushed up, not because of gratitude, but sadness. Penelope fanning... Following my mother's second marriage, I was originally known as Penelope Woods. These years, my stepbrother Austin was the only person who still called me Fanning.

He called me this just because he didn't want to admit that I was part of the Woods family.

"You can't even get away from a mere wolf, let alone fight him. Who do you believe you are to be a member of Woods? Penelope Fanning."

"I, I tried. . ." tried to escape, I wanted to say.

"You're trying to cry, aren't you? With your weak tears? Huh?" Austin smiled and cut me off icily. He withdrew his gaze and walked over to Scott.

Scott tried hard to stop rolling and stand up, but Austin stomped him back to the ground again without effort.

"How dare you? a Young wolf dares to challenge our Woods? Fuck off!"

"Ah!" Scott screamed again, but this time he didn't waste time.Without even putting on his clothes, he sprung to his feet and fled like a stray dog with its tail between its legs.

"Are you going to lie there until the next rapist comes?"

Austin's voice was so icy, like heavy metal, that I briefly forgot my dread and despair. I got up and cleaned up immediately. Yes, I was more afraid of Austin than Charles in this family.

Austin was born Alpha, and I'd never seen someone more Alpha-ready than him. Just one glance from him filled me with chills. Despite only being twenty, he was tall and had the same stature and fighting prowess as my stepfather, Charles Woods. In addition, his strength and speed were still growing.

This meant he would surpass Charles.

I fumbled into my pants, only to find that Austin had left at some point. 

The place was empty except for me, cloudless, windless, and soundless. If it weren't for the burning pain in my wound, I would suspect that it was just a dream, but I know that even if it were, it could only be a nightmare.

This nightmare had been bothering me for a few days, and it didn't seem to be getting any better.

I opened the phone next to my bed and discovered that Mia had texted me multiple times.

"The ball is at the Hotel Versailles, Penelope. Have you bought a dress yet?"

"Penelope, are you okay? Why aren't you answering my texts? I'm worried about you."

"Where have you been these past few days, Penelope? Please get back to me if you hear from me."

Could it be Mia who threw me under the bus?

Yes, it was her, whispered a voice of reason in my heart, but I jerked my head and tried to throw the voice out.

It couldn't be Mia.

I wouldn't even have my final friend if I lost Mia. No one in the world loved me anymore, except Mia, so even if it was a fake love, I would take it.

So it couldn't be Mia.

"I'm all right. Tomorrow, I'll see you at school."

I clicked "Send" while shaking. A tear unexpectedly appeared on the screen as soon as the message was successfully sent.

I looked up to figure out what happened and then I realized that these were nothing but my own tears.

Was it wrong to hate yourself alone? Was it wrong to want someone to love me? I was not weak. Austin's words were wrong. I consoled myself; I just... I just valued friendship. I simply cherished what I have.

Early the next morning, I packed my bag, ready to go to school. I was surprised to see Austin having breakfast at the kitchen table as soon as I arrived downstairs because it was a rare occurrence when he was either early for practice or early for school.

For two seconds, I gave him an awkward look as I recalled how I had sobbed in front of him while completely nude and without self-respect. I wanted to hide in my room, but realized I had to go to school today, so I had to bite the bullet and move on, pretending like no one was there.

"So Emma tells me your prom is coming up, right?" As I passed Austin, he remarked abruptly.

I paused and glanced around. No one was there.

I was astonished. Did Austin speak to me?

"Did you give the teacher back the manners you learned at school?" Austin used his index finger to tap the table. I took a close look up and found out hee just looked at me impatiently, so I hastily averted my eyes from his eager gaze and then answered in a mosquito-sized voice, "Yes."

Austin halted pounding on the table, mute.

I bowed my head sheepishly like a misbehaving child, unconsciously biting the skin on my lips, and I realized that Austin had asked me two questions and I had answered only one, so I quickly explained, "I mean, yes, the prom is coming."

"Don't be there." Austin cut me off with a chilly tone, his voice cold, as if he hated me to death.

In the past I would have said yes, but today I was so overcome with hatred that I only could look straight at him and ask, "Why?"

Actually Austin was very good-looking— blond hair, blue eyes, like a star on TV. I know all the girls in the Dark Wood Pack liked him, all wanted to be his mate, but I was the exception—if you'd ever been looked down on by those cold, hateful eyes, you could be the next exception.

Apparently, Austin was not satisfied at my answer. He jerked up and walked over to me suddenly. I was startled and tried to summoned the whole body strength and courage to let oneself not retreat but set to stand in situ.

"How's Scott's cock?" It was a whisper, but loud enough for me to hear and humiliating enough for me.

My face flushed, and I looked at Austin in disbelief, feeling deeply insulted.

"You..." you bastard. I wanted to shoot back.

"Look," Austin cut in, sneering at the corners of his mouth, "all you can do is cry and beg? Penelope Fanning, that's why I don't want you out in public. You're a shame. You will only embarrass our family."

Austin's gaze wandered from my eyes to my neck. He appeared to see something and was forced to squint, but it happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to think about it before he left.

I watched him go, fighting back the tears, even though the humiliation made it hard to breathe. To be honest, Emma picked on me a lot more than Austin did, but Austin always made me feel like a deserter. I clenched my fists at my sides.

I'd get out of here.

Soon.