I gasped when Papa slapped my cheek, meeting his eyes burning in rage. "Did you just do that to him, Dominixe Lilith Cantavalle?!"

I bit my lower lip when he slapped me again. This time, I was shoved to the floor. I couldn't utter a word as that would be disrespectful since he was already furious.

He grabbed a handful of my hair and coerced me to look at him. "Say... Are you retaliating since I made you kill your Alpha mate, Domi? Is that what you are planning? Is this what you are going to do to your father?"

I hated this. I did not even want to be wed to that man! I only wanted Valerian Leveaux as my husband! I wanted to be with him and followed him.

But no words came out of my mouth, as usual.

"Do you even know who you just tackled down, Dominixe? Do you? He shall be part of this family! We need his resources!"

I accepted how he kept slapping my face. I endured all the pain searing on my cheeks. I didn't shed a tear but was devastated that this was happening to my life.

Was this karma I got for killing all the Alphas Papa had sent me for missions since I was 12? Or was this karma from betraying the love of my mate, who I could never fight for being a scared little girl?

"Lock yourself in your chamber, and you cannot be fed for a week. Do you understand me?"

I mustered up all of my strength to stand up and curtsied even though my face was bathed with my blood. "As you command, Papa." I glanced at his furious expression before I turned around to leave.

But I happened to meet Zoey, Papa's 1st wife, who was already at the door watching how Papa punished me.

"Next time, you should learn manners, Dominixe." Her lips were stretched out to a smirk.

I ignored her and stormed out of the study room. I sauntered to the staircase and met Maria, who looked like she was waiting for me.

"Looks like you have fallen out of favor, 1st sister." She stuck her tongue out to make me irritated.

I walked past her and didn't say anything.

This was what they wanted. I was Papa's favorite, and he always focused on me. However, ever since I met Valerian, I have started to learn what it felt like to be a human being.

I learned to feel emotions other than resentment.

I had changed for the better, and Papa did not like what was happening to me when he knew that he saw his daughter fated to an Alpha he did not expect that Valerian would be my mate.

When I was near my chamber, I creased my forehead, seeing Niccolo looking like he was waiting for me. "What the hell is this stalker again?" I mumbled, frowning. "What do you want?" I asked in a hostile tone. "Don't you have anything to do? Britanny is going to look for you!" I hissed. "Out of the way!"

I was about to open the door, but Niccolo offered me a first aid kit. "If you may, please use this, Lady Dominixe."

I looked at him in disbelief. "You certainly do not understand that you are making it worse, do you?" I pointed at his forehead and pushed him away so he could distance his creepy face from me.

But his face was never creepy. He was actually handsome. Handsome enough for Britanny to be obsessed with him.

I had a small crush on him, but I must distance myself from him since my second sister was quite territorial with her toys.

Before I slammed the door, Niccolo's melancholy expression was what I saw.

Suddenly, that expression made me remind about Valerian... It was the time when he knew that I did not grow properly in our noble household. Back then, I opened up to him when I infiltrated his pack to pretend I was head over heels for him.

At first, that was supposed to be the plan by playing his feelings even though we were each other's mates. But as soon as I realized how lovable person and quite cruel he was, I had come to love him at the time I was staying at his mansion.

Remembering how he hugged me and adored me by that time had made my heart wrench. I couldn't help shedding tears.

The pain of losing Valerian was more anguish than being scolded and punished by Papa. Had I known my life would be like this after fulfilling my last mission in the Nocturnal Crest pack, I should have tried to defy my father.

"Honeydew, I missed you..." I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle my cries. I did not want to displease Papa anymore if he happened to know that I was crying about Valerian again.

But I missed him. I missed the only person who never treated me as a tool...

I did not get to see his dead body being buried. I was even too late to admit and tell my feelings about him when I took everything from him.

It was so painful I wanted to die right now.

I endured the one-week punishment. I had never gotten to eat a proper meal, but my maidservant, Anita, tried to sneak some food into the kitchen so she could bestow them to me.

"Lady Dominixe, please..." Anita pleaded when I ignored the apple she offered.

All I could eat and drink was water. That had kept me living.

"You must leave before Papa finds out you are defying his orders..." My stomach grumbled after that.

"Please... At least, eat this..." Anita gave me the apple and placed it on my hand before she stood up.

When she left, I stared at the apple seeing how red and luscious it was. My mouth watered seeing it.

Tempted, I ended up eating it before I threw the remains outside the window. It was then I looked down and saw the creep who was looking up at my balcony. His emerald green eyes had this kind of adoration, looking at me, worried.

I was getting frustrated every time I would see Niccolo. The emotions he was showing had similarities with Valerian. But I felt like Niccolo. He pitied me and said that I was being mistreated.

This was so annoying...

Shaking my head, I returned inside and sat on the couch. I had contemplated for almost one week that my life would never be the same again. I should blame Valerian for this.

The only thing that would make me remind of him was the few strands of his hair I cut and placed in a small compartment with a transparent cover. I stared at it over and over until I fell asleep.