The Alpha’s Curvy Cinderella - Chapter 111: Chapter 111

Alpha Blaze POV
I felt her body next to me and took comfort from it. I trailed my hand up and down her side, listening to her soft snores, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine, and just relishing it. She was so perfect, so beautiful. I felt the wideness of her hips and the softness of her skin, the roundness of her stomach, and felt my c**k twitch in reaction to it. She rolled onto her back and yawned sleepily. Her eyelids fluttered open and I leaned down to kiss her, tasting the sweetness from her lips, as my hand caressed her skin.
“Good morning” I breathed, and she blinked up at me, a slow smile curving onto that beautiful face of hers. She looked radiant. She had a glow about her, like all pregnant women did. It only added to the natural beauty she already possessed. “Good morning” she whispered back, sitting up as I helped, before awkwardly wriggling off the bed and scrambling for the bathroom.
“Bladder” she squeaked over her shoulder as I laughed. She was at that stage where she needed to constantly go.
She came back out looking sheepish. I climbed out of bed and stretched my arms overhead, getting all the kinks out of my back. I noted with a grin that she was checking my body out and smirked at her. “Like what you see?” I purred. I winked at her for good measure. I enjoyed the fact that my mate liked checking me out. It made me feel good.
Heck, I could easily be persuaded to come back to bed, no problem. Anything to distract me from what I had to do today. She flushed. Damn, that was cute. She bit her lip. “I um, it’s just that” she stammered and then flung her hands up, giving up. I laughed. She giggled.
“I’m only teasing,” I said, sensing she wasn’t up for it. What a Shame. Oh well, there was always next time, I consoled myself.
She looked relieved. We got dressed and then had breakfast together. It was nice to spend some personal time with my Luna. She looked so relaxed and at ease. Her whole face lit up as she conversed with some of the pack members who had been concerned about her. I smiled. She was so good with the pack. I didn’t have any worries about her not fitting in or not being right for them. It was like she had been born to be Luna. It came to her instinctively. Everybody liked her. Well not everybody, but those who mattered.
Thomas came in and joined me. He rubbed his chin, looking tired but flashed me a smile as he sat down and helped himself to some breakfast. “I take it she’s still restrained,” I asked him quietly, trying to prevent Jordan from hearing. I didn’t want her to feel guilty about what was about to happen.
He nodded tightly. “We didn’t want to take any chances” he explained heavily “I know she’s your sister but…” he trailed off.
“It was necessary” I cut him off “I expected nothing less Thomas,” I told him seriously and watched his shoulders slump as he relaxed.
“How long are you going to leave her in the dungeon?” he asked biting his lip “I’m not asking because I’m worried about her, but she’s been screaming the place down since she’s been in there and the poor guards are about ready to kill her themselves.”
“They could have knocked her unconscious” I commented drily. “They would have for any other prisoner” I pointed out. “They were too afraid to,” Thomas said sheepishly “considering she’s your sister and all. They were worried about the repercussions.”
I finished my coffee. “I want to have one last discussion with her before I officially declare her a rogue in front of everyone. I’ve been wracking my brain Thomas” I told my friend, shaking my head “and I just don’t understand where I went wrong with her.”
“You didn’t” Thomas growled “You showed her nothing but love. If anything you spoilt her rotten. But your parent’s influence shaped her into becoming like this. You might not have become like them, but she sure as hell did. If they hadn’t been killed in a rogue attack, you said yourself that you were planning on killing them and taking over to save the pack. Some people cannot be saved, Blaze. Blaming yourself isn’t going to help you any” he added, folding his arms across his chest and narrowing his eyes at me.
Jordan reached over and grabbed my arm. “I agree,” she said quietly. “I want to come with you. I won’t say a word, I’ll merely be there in case you need me.”
I reluctantly nodded, and stood up, grabbing her hand. Thomas stood up and followed as we made our way through the seemingly never-ending corridors until we reached the dungeon. I opened the door and then helped Jordan go down the steps slowly. I could hear Stefanie shrieking in the distance as the guards winced in pain. She sure as hell was using her voice. I wondered why they hadn’t at least gagged her. Poor bastards. It was ear-piercing. Jordan winced in sympathy. We reached the bottom and headed towards Stefanie’s cell. As soon as we reached it, I used my angriest tone on her, startling her into obeying me.
“Stop that immediately” I snarled. My aura pushed out. While my alpha tone might not work, she could still sense the power and it was enough to cow her.
She gaped at me and then shut her mouth, glowering at me.
The guards looked at me gratefully. I dismissed them. Jordan backed away, watching from the shadows, Thomas doing the same. I turned my back to them and focussed on the prisoner.
I looked at Stefanie. Her eyes glared at me with hatred. Her blonde hair was matted and dirty. She had her hands restrained overhead with silver cuffs. Her feet reached the ground though, a luxury few prisoners were afforded. Being the Alpha’s sister had its perks. There were dried tears on her face. Her clothes were rumpled and slightly ripped from attempting to flee from the guards. Again, she was lucky to possess clothes. Most prisoners would have been stripped naked and left there in the cold.
“Well, well, well if it isn’t my so-called brother” she hissed, her lip curling back in derision “Come to make fun of your prisoner have you?” she hissed.
“You know I would never do that Stefanie,” I said evenly, c*****g my head and viewing her from head to toe with regret. For a moment, all I could see was my kid sister, the little girl who I had adored as the older brother, the one I had chased around and played with. The girl whose tears I had dried when she was sad and who I had hugged and loved unconditionally. My voice grew thick.
“Then why are you here” she snapped “You don’t give a flying f**k about me. You never have” she cried out pitifully. “That is not true” I choked out, moving close to the bars and staring at her incredulously “I did everything I could to shield you from mother and father’s cruelty. I dried your tears when you were sad, hugged you, comforted you, loved you. I did anything I could to help you and never asked you for anything in return. I would have given you the shirt off my back even if it was the last thing in the world I owned.”
She laughed derisively at that. I felt cold inside. There was no remorse, no regret in her voice whatsoever. I stiffened. “Mother and father were only ever cruel to you. They never beat me like they did you. I was a princess to them. They loved me. They were training you to be a strong alpha. You were always so weak though. Couldn’t stand the pain they dished out. Couldn’t toughen up like they wanted you to” she hissed “and then you were glad when they died. As if they meant nothing to you. I was loved. I was adored. Father never lifted a finger against his little girl. All I had to do was look pretty and prepare myself to marry a rich husband. I was happy with that” she breathed “Why couldn’t you be?”
I inhaled sharply. She was bending the truth to suit herself. I had always suspected that father hadn’t laid a hand on her, that she hadn’t been beaten regularly like I had been. She’d always been referred to as father’s little princess. But I hadn’t been undergoing training. I had been beaten, starved, degraded and so much more. They had justified it by saying it was because they wanted me to be a strong alpha but I knew that was a complete lie. They had enjoyed abusing me. They had both been cruel, not just father. The pack had suffered at their hands. Only now, that we were free of them, was it becoming powerful again and wealthy.
“No parent should ever lay hands on their child,” I said firmly “There are no excuses that are justifiable for it.”
“Are you really telling me that you aren’t going to do the same to your son when he comes along Blaze?” she scoffed, her eyes dancing “It’s in your nature. You’ll end up with a pathetic weakling not worthy of being an Alpha if you don’t. Besides it’s not as if you know how to parent otherwise. You don’t know any other way, do you Blaze? I bet you can’t help yourself when it comes to your children” she said sneering “Just you wait and see. You’re no better than them or me. You just think you are.”
I swallowed hard. She’d brought all my fears up to the surface. I was afraid of laying hands on my children, with the childhood I’d had. I was loathe to do it. I never wanted a child to experience what I had. But what if I did? What if I messed up? What if Stefanie was right? What if it was in my genetics? Stefanie looked at me triumphantly. She knew she’d gotten under my skin.
“At least Chelsea would have been able to fight back” she spat out, “and protect her children. Jordan will be weak in comparison to you. Oh well,” she said nonchalantly “can’t say I’m sorry about that.”
I clenched my hands into fists. Jordan’s voice came from the shadows as she stepped to my side, placing her hand gently into my larger one. I clung to her as though she was a lifeline, my heart racing in my chest. “Blaze has been nothing but gentle with me,” she told Stefanie calmly “and I have no doubts that he will be a wonderful father, because of the childhood he has had. The past will always have a grip on him, but it’s how he deals with it, that defines who he is. I trust him with our child and children. I believe he would never hurt them. I feel sorry for you” she said to Stefanie who looked stunned “because you had a loving family right here and you threw it all away for your own selfish reasons.”
“I see now that nothing I did would have made a difference to you,” I said evenly “You would have made the same decisions, would have only looked out for yourself. Your mind has been warped by our parent’s influence. All I can do is say how sorry I am that it’s come to this” I whispered, closing my eyes, Jordan squeezing my hand.
I turned around, leading Jordan with me. “Thomas” I called over my shoulder “arrange for the prisoner to be brought out onto the grounds so that the pack can see their punishment.”
I didn’t wait for a reply, pulling Jordan with me as we made our way to the grounds, mind-linking every member of the pack to come and join us, anticipation flooding through my veins.