Leonidas ✔️

Chapter 5 - Eleanor

Staying in a hospital was new to me; granted, I wasn't fully conscious at the moment, but it felt strange to be lying in a bed. The only time I'd been in the pack hospital was when I was born, then it was right back to the house for my mother and I.

The doctor residing at the hospital was a friend of my father, and he came over to our house quite often. Knowing how I was treated and often joining in, he would watch me in pain rather than helping. He had to help sometimes when the injuries were severe, but rarely was I allowed out of the house, let alone in the hospital.

When I woke up in the hospital, the visiting pack's Beta was waiting for me, and the relief in his eyes didn't go unnoticed.

Noticing my fear, the Beta explained that he was only there to make sure I was okay and would be leaving that night to go back to his mate. He waited for me to speak but I never did, knowing I would already be punished for having another male in the room without my father's permission.

The Beta stayed for longer than I had anticipated, and the time consisted of me staring at the clock counting the minutes. For every minute he was here, my father would add to the punishment. The man sat in the chair next to my bed, staring intently at me, for sixty-seven minutes. Why wouldn't he leave?

After apologizing profusely for not being able to stay anymore, he left. His footsteps were quiet as he exited the room, and I was slowly drifting back to sleep.

When I woke up the next time, I was unhooked from all the machines and back in the basement.

I knew the peace wouldn't last long, and now all I could do was await my punishment. Though he was unaware of the damage he was causing, I blamed the Beta for it. I knew it was unfair, but I didn't ever want to see them again; they would only create more damage.

"Eleanor? Why are you not upstairs?"

I closed my eyes. I was foolish, taking time to myself.

"I'm coming!"

"Not soon enough, get your ass up here before I really get angry!"

I opened my eyes again; he was already pissed. Hurrying upstairs, I headed to the kitchen immediately. His breakfast was late, he would be adding that to punishment later.

"I apologize father, it won't happen again."

He grunted. He started to walk up the stairs, and I knew I needed to have his meal done before he came back down. I whipped up some scrambled eggs and toast and set it neatly on a plate before placing it on the table. I stiffly walked to the cabinet to grab a glass, and when I went to grab his drink my eyes widened; we were out of orange juice.

I let out the slightest of whimpers, rushing downstairs to the basement. Not being fed often, I saved small things when my father was looking. Since I had been asleep for so long, most of the food was eaten by critters, therefore inedible. The small bottle I used to hold any drink in the corner, and it had just enough orange juice for him to be satisfied.

Was I willing to add more to my punishment when it was already going to be a lot worse than normal, or did I give him the only thing resembling food or water I had left? I didn't have much time to think so I quickly chose the latter, trying to keep myself out of as much pain as I could.

I raced back up the stairs and poured the juice, then threw the bottle away and stepped off to the side, watching as my father came back in and slammed his body into his chair. In no time, he was slurping up his eggs, not even realizing the moment of panic I went through seconds before.