October 11th

Leonidas shoved me through the bedroom door before slamming it behind us and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"This bullshit ends now. Stop doing everything you can to be difficult."

I stared into his eyes for a few moments before his hand shot forward and grabbed my face, "Now."

"Or what, Leonidas?" I asked, "What are you going to do?"

The room filled with a deadly silence as I stared at him, examining his face.

"Or what did you say?" he asked as he towered over.

"You aren't going to hurt me."

Squeezing my cheeks in his hand, he shoved my head back before sauntering over to the window.

He glanced out at the bleak day and sighed, "So or what?" he began, "Let's see. You care a lot for your brother, don't you?"

I got to my feet, "You wouldn't..."

He turned to reveal an evil smile, "Oh, I would. Don't underestimate the lengths I will go to get what I want, Sweetheart."

"You have a dark soul," I replied with as much spite as I could muster.

He shrugged, "What's it going to be? Behave yourself or I will hurt your brother."

I stared at him for a few seconds before closing my eyes, "Don't make me say it."

"So long as we both know, I don't care if you say it."

He slowly approached me and put his hands either side of my face.

"Not hard, is it? Submitting?"

I glanced out the window and gritted my teeth.

"Giving into a threat and submitting are not the same thing. My father taught me to value myself far more than you clearly do. I am not your property and I do not want to bow down to you. You can force me and threaten me into doing as you please, but I will never be happy like this and I will never love you. I am a woman, not a pet."

He smiled in an irritating, condescending way.

"It's fortunate your father isn't here to witness you disappoint him. You will submit to me, sweetheart. And when you do, we will stop fighting and you will have no choice but to be happy and fall in love."

I clenched my jaw, my lip curling.

"What makes you so sure?"

He smiled and put his hand on my cheek.

"You're weak and pathetic."

"Maybe I am. But I'm also pretty fucking stubborn. When I have set my mind to something, I do not back down. You can thank my dad for that trait."

I shoved his hands off me and folded my arms. He raised his eyebrows, slowly blinking as he stayed totally still.

"You've got nerve to stand up to me, Nelda. I'll give you that. You're the only person in this damn pack that dares."

I gave him a sarcastic smile, "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

He examined me, "Where has the scared little thing I found in the woods gone? Why don't you fear me anymore?"

"Should I?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"You know my reputation."

"And now I know you aren't going to hurt me too. You would have done it already."

"You don't know that. You don't know me," he replied, shaking his head.

"I have hit you, disrespected you in front of Luca and tried to run away twice. But do you see any bruises? Every time I step out of your line, I get more certain of the fact that you will not lay a hand on me. That is why I don't fear you."

He hummed, "But all I have to do is beat you and that will all change?"

A dark smile grew on his face.

"As easy as that?"

I paused, his shadow casting over me as he leant closer. I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again when no words flowed out.

He smiled, "There it is... the fear."

He placed his fingers under my chin and lifted my head.

"You're smart, Nelda," he said. "But you haven't got me figured out, so don't get too comfortable."

He kissed my cheek and left the bedroom.