Abbott POV
"Don't you get it? I hate you, Abbott. I have never hated a person more in my life. If the choice is all the riches in the world or fucking you over, take a guess you leper!"
I didn't mean to but I flinched. His words cut through my soul like a poisoned dagger and it infected the rest of me. It infected me because I could be ten years old or twenty eight of age and I could never get used to hearing him say those words out loud.
Think them in his head, maybe…but hearing him yell it out loud in his court, never!
I didn't know his words could affect me anymore until I felt myself looking away so he couldn't see the hurt in my soul…I would be damned if he saw it.
But he wasn't done. He is never done.
"You are a disease! You infect everything around you. People meet their blood... their kin for the first time and they rejoice but not you" He took a step closer. " I've hated you from the first time I laid my eyes on you. What does that say about you?"
I was quiet. I hoped he would stop talking. I even wished it but like a hundred wishes I have made, one being him dropping dead, it never came to pass.
"What does it say about you, Abbott?"
"I d-don't know" I answered truthfully.
I wish I knew. It would make life very much easier wouldn't it? If I knew why a father would hate his son this much, it would answer a lot of questions but I don't.
I wish I did.
"I have no idea why you hate me. I stopped trying to figure it out a long time ago, Aldous. But find another way to hate me…find another way to inflict as much pain, just don't saddle me with a wife!"
He started laughing. He laughed for a very long time and the sound of his laughter haunted me.
"You still don't get it. This is my way to punish you even long after I am gone because Abigail, she is a pretty little thing, isn't she? She is very easy to like...hell! I like her with her vivacious personality and those innocent green eyes, you are guaranteed to fall in love with her and then just when you are happy, just when your whole world is shiny and beautiful, she will find out that her parents suffered at my hand but only because you handed them over to me! I will let it slip that you enjoyed it when you cut her dearest papa! When you had them bound and dragged to the dungeon! You are the genesis of her misfortune!"
"You son of a bitch" I murmured.
He laughed harder. "Then she will hate you too. Just like I do"
"Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? Huh? Did I kill my mother during childbirth or did I come out the world legs first? Tell me why?! Tell me!" I screamed at him.
It was the first time I saw an emotion other than anger flash through his face – real grief.. he turned around and went back to his throne to sit down.
"Go home to your wife, Abbott" he said
"I saved your life…I was in coma because I saved your life, your majesty!"
"Yes, you did. It is why I am throwing a ball…a celebration of marriage for you tomorrow. No expenses will be spared. Kings and queens will be here to celebrate you and the best part…I get to watch you die piece by piece"
I straightened up my shoulders. "I could play your game or I could put a dagger through her before I let you have this victory over me"
it wiped the smile off his face and my eyes twinkled just a little. The son of a devil wasn't expecting it.
"She is a Raven now, killing her won't be in your best interest"
"Won't it?"
I asked him before turning around to walk out.
"And Abbott?" he called out my name one last time, I stopped walking. Bastian was standing by the entrance.
I turned around to look at my father
"I left a wedding present for you in the courtyard…for when she gives you a baby. Come! Look at it"
I went with him and he was right. In the middle of the courtyard was a little silver cage, meant for a boy.
I shudder.
It wasn't voluntary and I didn't want to shudder in the presence of Aldous.
"You remember it, don't you?" He whispered with so much amusement it made slitting his throat appealing.
And yes, I did remember.
I remember it so well, it was like it occurred yesterday.
I was eleven.
I had just come off the deep Coma that left my memory little to be desired and my body so injured, even breathing hurt more than a stab wound.
I had no recollection of my life before I woke up, ten years of my life blank and gone forever.
All I knew was what Aaron Darken, my father's right hand man, told me. I was prince Abbott and the king was my father.
I was overjoyed at that statement. I mean what little boy wouldn't want to be the king's heir.
But after days and days of waiting for my father to come see his injured son, I decided I would look for him instead. Maybe he was injured too like me and he couldn't come see me.
Maybe he will be overjoyed at the sight of me.
I made my way to his chambers and hid behind the huge bedpost, hoping to jump out and surprise him.
He was surprised, alright but in place of the hug and the kiss I was expecting. He grabbed me by the neck and he pulled.
I followed him willingly.
He took me to the courtyard and he opened that little silver cage and he pushed me inside.
I have never been so confused. When he locked the door, I tried to grab the handles, it was like hot tar and the silver burnt my hand instantly.
It was my first lesson as an Alpha wolf, silver coated in Wolfbane burns like fucking acid. And he had conveniently forgotten to inform me about it.
The silver Wolfbane cage...It was his favorite past time activity growing up, his favorite torture chamber. My own fucking father!