Page 6 of Forced Pregnant Mate

The others go back to talking, working on how they will open negotiations to the other pack. Bae gives me another wry look, but I just nod and tip my glass again. I’d walk through fire for my alpha. Surely an arranged marriage can’t be that bad?

Chapter 3 - Lena

My eyes are so tired, they feel warm, as if my brain is overheating, slowly cooking my whole body. The hideously bright fluorescent lights above the bar only make my headache worse. I blink hard several times, hoping to soothe the ache, but it just makes them sting.

“Are you falling asleep now?” a sharp voice snaps at me. “I didn’t think anyone could sleep standing up, but I wouldn’t put it past a lazy bitch like you.”

I turn around slowly, facing Kelly, my stepmom, who’s sitting at the end of the bar. She has her arms crossed, long, shiny red nails tapping against her arm as she glares at me.

“I was just resting my eyes.”

“I don’t care what you call it. Table nine have been waiting for a rum and Coke for over ten minutes now!”

You could have gotten off your scrawny ass and—

“Did you hear me?”

“Yes, Kelly, I heard you.” I try not to sigh. That will just give her more ammunition. It’s also not worth mentioning that I’m on my own here, and it’s very difficult to run the bar and the tables with just one person.

I mix up a rum and Coke and hurry over to table nine. One of the guys leans back in his chair and gives me a slow look up and down.

“I’m so sorry I took so long. Here you go, enjoy your drink.” I just want to drop it on the table and run.

“No problem, sweet cheeks. Why don’t you hang out here with us for a bit? After being so late with the drink, I think you should make it up to me.”

“I’m very sorry. I have to go back to work.” I try to keep my voice even, but it isn’t easy when I’m this exhausted.

“Suit yourself, snob,” he snaps. “I was just trying to be nice.”

I hurry back to the bar, thinking about how many glasses I have to clean, how many customers are left to serve, and if straws need to be refilled.

“Lena!” Kelly barks as I return to the bar. “What did you do to upset those customers?”

“Nothing, Kelly. I apologized for being late. I didn’t offend anyone, I promise.”

“That’s not what it looked like from here,” she says, shaking her head. “Pete! Hey, Peter! Your daughter is lying again, right to my fucking face.”

“She’s what?” Dad’s face pokes out of a nearby door. He’s supposed to be restocking the main cool room, but he’s been messing around in there for ages, moving between the storerooms and back dock. I don’t know what’s taking so long.

Not like he’d help me, anyway.

“Lying,” Kelly answers with great relish. “She is lying to me.”

“Lena.” Dad comes out into the bar area and stands beside Kelly. “We talked about this.”

I try not to tremble as I meet his gaze. The pounding in my head has increased, and my eyes are stinging so hard, I’m sure I’m about to cry.

“Yes, we did,” I say softly. As I look at him, I try to feel something, anything. I’m sure, somewhere inside, there are happy memories of him. Happy days when he swung me into the sky and cuddled me against his chest and told me stories at bedtime. If these memories are even real, then they were so long ago, they don’t deserve to be remembered.

Mom died when I was about three. Sam was only a baby. The only thing I really remember is hate and pain, as much of it from Father as from Kelly, the woman he married almost immediately after Mom died.

“You are utterly useless,” Kelly says to me, shaking her head. “You stand there and admit that we’ve told you how things should be done, but you are too dim-witted to do it.”

“She’s right, Lena,” Dad glares at me. “You admit that we’ve talked about this, and you’re still fucking everything up? It makes it seem very deliberate.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say. The tears are really coming now, and I know that even if I fall apart, I’ll be forced to keep working. Walking amongst the lonely drunks with my tray of drinks, tears running down my cheeks.

“Back off,” a loud voice cracks behind me. The shock that runs through me now is more than fear. There is only one thing that affects me more than the constant abuse of my parents.

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