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“Stop!” my heart sank as I ran toward mom to sheild her and take her place instead 

SPLASH!

Drenched from head to toe in the dirty water in the middle of the kitchen, I tried to breathe deeper to calm my erratic heartbeat. And then the one thing I was dreading, presented itself.

“God damn it! You stink!” Peter blasted, throwing the empty bucket of water directly at my face. It hit my head and fell down on the ground with a loud tumble. It hurt, but I did not dare to dodge. 

Peter is old and ugly and reeks of alcohol all the time, but he has power. The omega supervisor. If I offended him, mom and I will be doomed.

“August, move.” mom whispered from behind, trying to shove me aside as her hands trembled on my arm. She was timid, and always remained quiet with her head down. She said as long as we did not offend anyone, we will be able to survive as omegas without getting harmed. 

I followed the advice. I remained like her, with my head staring at the ground without talking to anyone to keep to myself. Always eating after everyone finished their meal, always being the last one to leave after all the work, always taking up more work than my body allowed to make sure no one calls us worthless so we are kicked out. Live like I don’t exist to make sure I don’t offend anyone so I could stay alive. But it didn’t really work all the time so we had to endure. 

I stood still, not moving and not lifting my head to even look at Peter’s face because I knew the punishment will be severe. Shivering in cold. 

I would never let any harm come to mom. She rescued me from a dumpster from outside the pack when I was just a baby. She took care of me more than a real mom would since then. And now after years of cooking and doing kitchen works as an omega when her hands don’t work right, how can I let her take every hit and insult?

“If you are so fucking blind that you don’t even know how much salt to put in the damn dinner, then why don’t you declare yourself useless and get banished from this pack? Are we running a charity here to keep dumb bitches like you to stuff your mouths and keep getting fat without moving a fucking limb?!” Peter bellowed furiously. 

The other omegas watched in dumb silence, hanging their head in obedience in front of Peter with their hands clasped in front of them. Their fingers were clenched tightly in each other, afraid Peter was going to punish them too for the mistake that mum had made.

He ignored my presence and continued speaking to the whole crowd this time, “I’ve been offered this important task to watch over you and report your behaviour.  Because omegas are a bunch of slacking trash by nature. Do you know what happens if you are deemed useless by me?”

No one dares to make a sound.

“OPEN YOUR FUCKING MOUTHS AND SPIT IT OUT YOU BRAINLESS BITCHES!” He roared.

“Alpha made a rule.. the useless one..” Says a trembling voice among the crowd, “will be banished, and left to die in the wild.”

Peter turned his head toward us, his eyes filled with hatred while his lip curled in disgust as he spat at mom, “And you, Laura, are counting your last days here.

Mom’s body trembled even more, almost falling on the ground because of being terrified out of her mind.  

Before I could say anything else, mom walked around and came in front of me, bending down to her waist halfway in a bow to mutter meekly, “I am s- sorry. I will never make the same mistake again. I promise.”

Peter was not even looking at her. His gaze was fixated on me during the whole talk. When mom bent down, his eyes stared at my breasts. Because I had gotten soaked, the thin t shirt I wore was now clinging to my flesh.  The terrible chill I always felt when Peter is around ran through my veins again. 

"Who do you think you are to shield that worthless woman?! You and your so-called mother that you roam around protecting- you both will be whipped forty times for your mistakes and your disrespect toward me." he announced viciously.

My head snapped up in horror. Forty whips?! Mom will never survive that!

His face remained emotionless. The horror on my face even gave him a thrill of excitement. I knew because I had seen it so many times.

“Come here.” he ordered.

I gulped hard, the blood draining from my face. On shaking legs, I crossed the distance between him and me. 

His eyes were staring into mine with a knowing look. When I was right in front of him, he bent his head down close to my ear, and muttered in a low voice, “if you want to avoid the punishment, come to my bedroom tonight to give me a massage.”

My fingers tightened in fists. My heart thudding so hard in my chest. I could not even utter a word because I was so scared. He whispered those words that made it clear what he wanted. And I did not have the courage to say no. 

To make it worse, his fingers slid up and down on my waist, inching up to the side of my breast with each stroke. I suppressed the urge to flinch away and swallowed the bile that was rising up to my throat.  Mum looked about ready to faint. Her face had turned deathly pale.

 I could not move. I… I can not see mom get whipped. And the mere thought of Peter’s hands on me made me sick to the stomach.

“I will take her share of whips, mr. Peter.” Mom’s trembling body fell on the ground on her knees, her voice low and whimpering, “I will take all eighty whips.”

Peter’s hateful gaze fell upon mom. He immediately moved toward mom to kick her in the face, but just as he lifted up his leg midair, I grabbed it instinctively, gently shoving it down, “No. No, please. I will come to your room tonight. For the massage. I will come.” I breathed out fearfully. The eyes of everyone in the kitchen felt like cuts of knives. Especially mom’s. How can I meet her eyes now? We both know what Peter wants, and I… I had just agreed to it.

Peter scoffed, turned around, and stormed out of the kitchen. The moment he was out, mom broke down in sobs. Her body falling forward as her hands covered her face. The thick tears falling down on the ground as her body shook with each sound of cry.

“Mom.” I fell down on my knees, “mom, don’t cry like this. Please.” my own voice trembled. How pathetic is it that I can’t even control my own emotions?

“I’m so sorry. I’m so, soooo sorry. I am getting old now. My hands tremble when I do chores.” mom grasped my hand in hers and couldn’t stop weeping, “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a better life. You deserve a better mother, a better..”

“You are the only reason I didn’t starve in the wild to death!“ I can’t bear to hear those words out of her lips, ” I will find a way out. I promise.” I lied.

Mom still looked worried sick. 

I continued to lighten the mood, “And you know, I am eighteen now. My wolf will show itself before I turn nineteen, right?”

Mom nodded her head silently as I continued rambling, “Who knows what shock it will bring?! I might even have an extra-strong wolf! No one would dare to bully us then.” I gasped with wide eyes and a dramatic look on my face. “And  we’ll live happily ever after.”

Mom’s lips curved into a small smile.

“Oh, is that so?” A voice coming from behind startled us.