The Alpha King Marked Me. I Still Haven't Told Him I'm A Girl novel Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Four

Weak.

Completely useless.

You should crawl into a hole and die.

These are not my words. They are Crown Prince Rafe’s words to me as his wooden sword hits the mark on my face for the fifth time today.

I feel pain everywhere. Blood trickles down from my nose and there is an awful metallic taste in my mouth. I have two dark swollen eyes and an entire horde of werewolves laughing at me.

There are tears in my eyes but I won’t let them fall. I am on my knees but I won’t beg. Thane is somewhere beside me, telling me that I am the chosen one who will lead Silvermoor to victory.

I think Thane is a drunk fool.

I am pathetic and I should just run from here and let the archers shoot me dead.

"Mediocrity won’t cut it here!" General Rafe’s voice booms across the yard as the tip of his wooden sword raises my chin so I can meet his gaze. "You think this is hard, runt?"

Runt?

The men behind me snicker and I swallow hard, trying not to break down.

Men don’t cry. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"You either fight back until your limbs no longer function—even then, you crawl with whatever part of you works, or you die. Do you wish to die?"

Men don’t cry.

"No," I whisper over the pounding in my head.

"Good." He withdraws the stupid sword and tosses it aside as he rests back on his heel. "Come at me with all you’ve got, runt." His voice is as dead as his eyes. I hate him. I hate him so much. I hate that he isn’t going easy on me. I hate that he is merciless. I hate that I have no control over my anger at everything.

A rush comes over me at the thought of hitting him. Fingers tightened into a fist, I run for him, and when I get close, I swing for him. He makes no attempt to dodge my blow. It hits him square in the face and I half expect it to hurt at least, but it is me who cries out at the impact. It jolts my entire arm and a sickening crack fills the air.

I have barely enough time to register my fingers breaking when he strikes. His fist connects with my cheek and the blow echoes through my skull. I pass out before I hit the ground.

******************

I limp into the swarmed hall, grabbing a plate from one of the many scattered across the disgusting muddy floors.

"Ay! Look who woke up in time for dinner! The Runt!" someone barks and everyone laughs at me as I try to navigate my way to the line, swaying heavily on my feet. I can barely see through my swollen eyes and I bump hard into someone.

"Watch where you step, worm."

I raise my head to meet a cruel dark eye, with the other missing. Leander Silverthorn bares his teeth at me, expecting me to cower in fear or run from him, but I’m too tired to care. I woke up in the middle of the training yard to the cruel beats of the rain, left alone to die or recover, I’m not sure. I am drenched and cold to my bones. My fingers are bent the wrong way and they hurt so much, they are now swollen and numb.

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