Mira's POV

I fell to the floor, my cheek burning in pain. I couldn't dare to bring my face up.

“How dare you eat from my plate? Have you totally lost your mind?” The Alpha yelled at me, and I just sat there on the floor choking on my tears.

“I think I'm being lenient with you. That is why you have the audacity to go into my kitchen and eat from my plate,” he continued, and I couldn't bring myself to deny the fact.

Someone must have seen me yesterday and went ahead to report me to the Alpha. It's the only explanation for what had just happened.

But it's not my fault. If I had not gone to eat those leftovers, I would probably be dead by now from starvation.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” The Alpha asked, and I lifted my face up. Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away, unable to stand his wicked gaze.

“I…” I was starting to say.

“Just shut it. You have no defence. You should be grateful that I adopted and allowed you to live here at the Pack Palace.” He began to remind me of how, according to him, fortunate I am.

“Do you think every Alpha is this nice to their subordinates? I took you in when your miserable parents died.” He added, and I felt my blood boiling in my veins. He does this all the time, always involving my parents.

He knows how much it gets to me, and that's why he keeps doing it. But I didn't dare to show my anger. The last time I lashed out, I was locked in the prison for three days with nothing to eat or drink.

My death flashed me in the face, and ever since then, I stopped defending myself no matter what. I just stare in silence, allowing them to do whatever they please.

I can only hope that one day, they stop treating me like this. I sobbed as those thoughts came running through my head.

“I feed and clothe you. You must think of me as a weak and stupid leader. That is why you will not listen to whatever I tell you and know your freaking place,” he said, brushing his fingers through his hair in anger.

I flinched as I watched him walk towards me.

“Were you trying to challenge my authority as the Alpha of the Bloodfang Pack?” He bent down and asked me, and I shook my head profusely, sniffing back the tears threatening to fall down my eyes.

“Then what did you do that for?” He yelled at me and grabbed my hair, pulling it so hard.

“Aaahhh!!” I yelled in pain, hot tears falling down my eyes. I caught a glance of Martha grinning wickedly, and I knew in that instant that this was all planned by her.

She refused to give me food and made me work so late. She also made me wash those clothes so I would be in the garden, which is close to the kitchen and servant quarters.

She must have planted those leftovers there and had someone watch so the Alpha would find out, and I would be in trouble.

‘What did I ever do to you?’ I screamed at her in my mind, and with a final breath, I lost consciousness.

***

I opened my eyes to the chilly breeze, making me shiver. My clothes were still a little wet, which made it worse. I looked to my left and noticed some guards.

That was when I came to the realisation that I've been locked up in prison once again. Wouldn't be the first time, and most definitely won't be the last.

I drew a sharp breath, trying to collect my thoughts. My throat felt dry and husky, so I crawled to the gate of the cell I was put in and hit a little, drawing the attention of the guards.

“What does mute Mira want now?” one of the guards asked, his voice filled with sarcasm.

“Water…” I muttered under my breath, with my voice shaking as I spoke.

“Would you like to drink my wee? Trust me, when I say it's better than water,” the other one replied to me, and they all burst into laughter, mocking me.

“Please!” I begged my eyes wet with tears. I could feel my throat closing up, and my chest tightened.

“Fine! But on one condition, you will do our laundry for a month,” the guard replied to me, and my eyes widened with shock.

I'm still struggling to keep up with all the chores that I have to do. Martha, with the support of the Alpha, hates to see me breathe.

She delights in my suffering. If I'm to add more chores to the one I already have. I'm afraid I might not make it to the next moon

“Looks like you don't need the water anymore,” the guard said and started walking away from my cell, but I quickly banged the cell gate with my last strength.

“Fine!” I agreed. I'm too desperate and won't even make it to doing any chores if I don't get water right away.

“You have some sense sometimes,” the guard said, and in a few minutes, I was brought a gallon of water. Good thing he brought enough water.

He opened the gate to the cell and threw the gallon at the wall. With a loud burst, the water emptied on the floor.  

“No! No!! No!!!” I cried, tears trickling down my eyes. I looked at the guards who were laughing, horrified and trembling.

“You need to see the look on your face. Did you really think I was going to give you water, you fool?” One of them asked and they laughed more.

“And remember you are still doing our laundry. You can't take your words back,” the other guard said, and they both burst into another round of laughter.

I crawled weakly to where the gallon fell and scooped the little water left, just so I could breathe for a few more minutes. 

Mira's POV 

It's been a week since I have been here, and I have no idea when I would be getting out. To be honest, I love it here. I don't get to work from early in the morning into late hours at night.

Right here, I can get enough sleep, but out there, I couldn't even get four hours of sleep. Apart from the fact that I can't get leftovers to eat here, I can't take my bath, and the guards are always teasing and mocking me.

I will very much prefer to be imprisoned if I have my way around. I don't even have a wolf that would have loved to roam around.

“Time up!” I heard one of the guards' voices, and I looked up at him. He's probably here to tell me how pathetic my life is. I hear that all the time, and I'm even used to it now.

But to my surprise, two other guards came into the cell and grabbed me. I didn't bother to ask any questions or struggle with them. I will only be putting myself in so much trouble if I confront them.

They dragged me along and brought me to the Alpha's office. I inhaled sharply. There's absolutely nothing that they want to be done to me that has not already been done.

“Here she is, Alpha,” one of the guards said, and before being told, I went on my knees with my head bowed.

“I hope you have learned your lesson and won't dare to cross me like that again. Take her away, Martha. I'm sure you know what to do with the wench,” the Alpha said, and Martha pulled me up by my hair.

I followed after obediently wincing silently in pain as she pulled me along. We arrived at the kitchen, and my stomach churned at the offensive smell slammed at me in the face.

I may have been in prison for a week, but my sense of smell, I'm sure, is still as sharp as ever.

“I asked the maids not to touch a thing for the past week that you have been away. I'm sure you will be excited to do all the dishes and clean the kitchen. The maids will be back to prepare dinner. So make sure everything is done by then. I want the entire kitchen and hallway sparkling clean,” Martha said, and I felt my heart beat stop for a second.

“You wouldn't mind, right? Well, unless you want me to go report you to the Alpha and let him know you have no interest in following his orders,” Martha threatened, and I shook my head.

“Good! So get rid of that smell,” she said and pushed me away. I almost fell to the ground but quickly caught myself.

Martha walked out, laughing her way out of the kitchen.

I wiped the tears off my eyes and the sweats that I gathered on my forehead. I packed my long black hair into a ponytail and grabbed one of the aprons. I tied it around my waist and got to work.

The sooner I start, the faster I'm able to finish up. I dried the last plate and placed it on the countertop. It's almost five in the evening, which means I've been here for six hours.

I cleaned the hallway already and eliminated the offensive stench. I could hardly breathe in here a while ago.

I picked the garbage neatly tied in a big nylon and headed for the woods where the dirt is being disposed of to be taken care of later, by the community guards.

I must count myself lucky that I'm not charged with the duty of doing it myself. I got into the wood and disposed of the dirt. I found a bird chipping on the tree, and the sound coming from its mouth provided me with some comfort.

I decided to stay a while. I needed all the breaks I could get. Besides, everyone will be too busy preparing the Alpha's meal of wish I am not worthy to be behold. They won't even realise that I'm not there.

The bird continued chipping, and I listened, humming some songs to go along with. If only my life could be as easy as this bird's, I would trade anything to be in its place.

But a girl can only dream. I exhaled sharply and decided to go back to the pack mansion. I should be available in case I'm needed to run errands.

My knee snapped and went numb the minute I tried to walk. I stumbled on the floor, hitting my leg on one of the tree branches.

“Ouch!” I cried out in pain, scaring the bird away.

“No birdie, please don't go away. Don't leave me too.” I pouted my mouth heartbroken that I might have scared the poor bird. Now I'm all alone again, like always.

I pushed myself up and managed to stand. I began walking but froze on the spot to concentrate and be sure I had just heard right.

“Help…” I heard that distressed voice again, and I froze in shock.

“Help?” I repeated wanting to be sure I'm not in some nightmare.

“No!!!” I heard another scream and began walking towards where the voice came from.

All of a sudden, I heard tree branches tumbling over each other, and I felt fear gripped me. I gulped down some air as I took each step nervously.

“Who's that?” I called out, but no one answered me.

At first, I thought my mind must be playing a trick on me.

“Am I going crazy?” I muttered under my breath, but I quickly snapped out of my thoughts as I heard more tree branches break, thereby making a loud noise.

I walked faster, but my knee would not let me run. I followed the sound and tripped again, stumbling on some rock.

“Ahhh!” I screamed in pain. I lifted my eyes and almost collapsed again with the sight in front of me.

“Run!!” I yelled. 

Mira's POV 

The tall, huge wolf shifted right in my presence, and I shivered to my core. I completely forgot to breathe as I scurried my body through the woods.

I saw the little boy lay on the floor looking lifeless, and my heart beat accelerated in fear.

Strength surged in me, and I stood up swiftly, running to the boy. The wolf hovered over the boy's body, and I stiffened, wondering what he was about to do next to him.

“Let him go!” I yelled fearlessly at the wolf as I watched him approach the boy. He stopped what he was doing and turned towards me with his sharp eyes breathing fear into me.

He shifted back into his human form and smirked at me. He then began approaching me, and I knew for sure it was coming to attack me.

The little boy shook, and I sighed in relief, knowing the boy was still alive. If only I could distract him so the boy could escape.

But that seems impossible right now. I can hardly run, and this wolf is a rogue. Rogues are known to be ruthless. He will shred me into pieces before I even make my first move.

I exhaled sharply, breathing heavily. I staggered back as his footsteps approached. I quickly hid behind one of the trees. I picked up one of the tree branches and used my teeth to sharpen it.

I held on to the tree branch so tight my palms were starting to bleed.

“Urrrghh!!” I grunted as I pushed the sharp edge into the wolf's body.

“Aahhh!” He yelled and slumped on the floor with blood gushing out from his chest. I stood there in shock as I wondered what had just happened. My hand trembled, so I quickly dropped the tree branch and stared at him for a while.

All of a sudden, he grabbed my leg, and I panicked. Without thinking, I marched on him and stepped on his chest, where he was bleeding.

“Aahhh!” He yelled more loudly this time as I used my boot to carve a mark on his already wounded chest.

I managed to pull my leg from his grasp and escaped. I staggered to where the boy was and pulled him up.

He was quite heavy, but it was the only choice I had if I wanted to save us both. That wolf is only wounded and would be up in a matter of minutes.

I successfully carried him and managed to make it back to the pack mansion alive.

“Who's that?” I heard one of the guards in my subconscious and had no idea how I was still breathing.

“Mute Mira?” Another guard noticed it was me and moved swiftly towards me. I dropped the boy weakly and held my leg that was already bleeding so much.

Apparently, when the wolf grabbed my leg, he scratched my leg with his claws, leaving a deep wound.

I slumped on the floor as I struggled to breathe. The last thing I saw before my eyes closed was the guards rushing towards the young pup. No one cared if I was even dying. A tear escaped my eyes, and I really wished that I was dead.

I opened my eyes to a burning sensation on my leg, and I groaned in pain. I tried to move, but something seemed to be pulling me back.

I heard a shaky sound as I moved my body and didn't understand what was going on. My stomach churned at the weird smell filling my nose, and I was forced to sit up.

But I couldn't do that as well. My eyes widened with shock the minute I saw myself in chains. I wiggled my hand, drawing the attention of the guards, and one of them turned towards me.

“She's awake,” one of the guards said, and the rest of them all surrounded me as if an ambush was taking place.

“One of you, get the Alpha over here,” one of the guards said, and I heard footsteps reseeding.

I gasped as I remembered my leg was bleeding from the injury I incurred. I shook my leg, but it was all numb, and I couldn't feel anything. Tears trickled down my eyes as I couldn't help but think of the worst-case scenario.

What if something had happened to my leg? I wouldn't put anything past these people. If they can put an injured person, who risked her life to save a pup from a rogue in chains. Then, surely they can do anything.

I heard footsteps approaching, and my heart gripped in fear. I have no idea what they have in store for me, so I just closed my eyes, not wanting to acknowledge the presence of the Alpha.

I've been around him too many times not to recognise his scent. I might be a wolfless omega, but my senses are very active.

“Where is that little wench?” The Alpha roared, and some of the guards came to me. They pulled me up and loosened the chain.

“Uhhgg” I groaned silently in pain. I was finally able to see my toes, and I sighed in relief seeing my leg was still intact. Only it was in bad shape.

I looked up at the Alpha, and as usual, he smacked me in the face without giving me the chance to explain or defend myself.

Dizziness washed over me as I struggled to keep my eyes open. Tiny drops of salty tears trickled down my eyes. I didn't even have enough tears left to cry.

“How dare you put the Pack in danger like that? You went ahead and invoked the wrath of the rogues?” He yelled at me, and I looked up at him.

For a moment there, I wanted to grab his neck and strangle him to death.

“I saved the boy,” I managed to say.

“Of course you had to save him. It was your fault he was attacked in the first place,” the Alpha accused.