2

Lucinda stood at the door watching me and mum. She must have heard everything already. I heard repressed and low murmurs around the room, surprised that Lucinda is even more beautiful than looking from afar.  She is the living definition of grace. She’s the gem, the princess. She is everything we can never be.

With a small, gentle smile on her face she walked toward us, and bent down to say to mom, “Let me borrow your daughter for a while, will you?”

The other omegas had scattered around to their works, but the wonder and astonishment on their faces still remained. What a lady, acting so politely even to an omega.

Mom nodded her head, wiping the tears from her face, “Of course, miss.”

Lucinda straightened, “August? Storage room.” and walked out of the kitchen, knowing I will follow.

Just as I started standing up, mom grabbed my arm and snatched me back. Her lips moved barely, asking worriedly, “Why is miss Lucinda looking for you? Are you going to be punished by her too?”

“No. No, of course not.” I immediately rested my palm on her arm, petting gently, “don’t worry, mom.” I bent closer so only she could hear my voice, “she is courting the alpha’s son, Adrian. I am helping her by making desserts. She’s just here to ask for my help.”

“Oh.” mom whispered, the worry on her face fading just a bit, “okay. Okay, it’s good. Miss Lucinda is a nice girl.”

“Yeah.” I whispered, forcing a smile on my face, “I need to run after her now. Just go to your room after finishing the work, okay? Don’t think about anything else. Just get some sleep.”

I was about to straighten when she grabbed my arm, pulling me back down, “Come back straight home after work, okay?”

I kept silent. Peter’s punishment awaited me.

“You will NOT go anywhere!” she said strongly even though her face was tainted wit tears, “once your work is done, come back home. I will take whatever punishment Peter gives to us. I will find a way.”

“Mom. We are not going to survive forty whips. And if I don’t go… you know-”

“Whatever he will do, I will take it on me.” she said, wiping the tears off her face, “but you are not sacrificing yourself for us. I will never let you do that. You understand me?!”

I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded my head.

I dreaded this night too. I was terrified. But mom is weak now. I have to do whatever I can to keep us alive. Just like she did.

Silent, and fearful, I walked toward the storage room, and shivered as soon as the door got closed behind me. 

SMACK!

Lucinda slapped me hard and ruthlessly. My right cheek burnt with pain and shame. “I told you to bring that fucking cake to me half an hour ago, didn’t I? And you go off fighting with your damn supervisor?!” she hissed, her light brown pupils wide with fury, “how much mouth did you run in front of him? You told him about the cakes you are making in my name to please Adrian?” 

“I'm sorry,” I said immediately, “I didn’t tell Peter anything.”

Lucida was furious. She rarely leaves scars on me, afraid it’ll damage her reputation. 

“You foolishly smashed your face onto the shelf, is that right?” She threatens me quietly.

“I’m always careless,” I replied quickly.

Her face curved in irritation, “Who do you think you are? Now you have learn to talk back to me?” Her hand squeezed my cheeks painfully. 

“You think you can do anything just because you have pretty face, don’t you?  First your supervisor, and then who? Maybe I underestimated your ambition before.” I frantically shook my head. 

She let go of my face.

“Let me tell you who you are,” She said blankly, stepping close to me and gritting, “you are even worse than omegas. You are a bastard, August. You were never one of us, you will NEVER be one of us! So take the scraps we throw at you, keep your goddamn mouth shut, and do whatever the hell I order immediately or I know a thousand more ways to make yours and that mother of yours’ mouths have a taste of blood.”

I gulped hard, and nodded my head. It was not a threat. She was the daughter of beta. She could throw us in the dungeon today and no one will ever know.

“And remember- if I ever catch you speaking, no, even showing your pathetic face in front of Adrian…I’m gonna have you and your mom’s hands and legs cut off before I throw you out in the wild.  I know many beasts would enjoy your succulent body as delicacies. Do you hear me?” she said in a deathly calm voice.

”Yes, yes. I’ll never do that.”  

“Repeat that for me like a good pet now.” she tilted her head to the side and and muttered with a sweet smile on her face. 

“I’ll never appear in front of Adrian or talk to him. I promise.” 

The smile on her face widened, “You are a smart girl, and those desserts really are great in taste!” Her voice turned innocent as a dove and sweet as honey. “But rules are rules. “ She pointed at the sack of pebbles sitting at the corner. “You were late to bring the dessert today. What Adrian must be thinking of me?! So now go over there and kneel on those pebbles for an hour before you start making the dessert today.”

Nodding my head, I walked over to the rocks and bent down on my knees.

She started to walk out, but then turned around and asked, “And who told you to kneel on these pebbles, August?”

“Peter.” I said quietly. I knew what she wanted. She is never wrong. And she is never cruel. “He insisted on punishing me. Miss Lucinda tried to talk him out of it but he insisted that rules are rules…”

Lucinda smiled in satisfaction, walked over to me and patted the top of my head. Her attitude changed to the loving princess again. “Thank you, darling. Now chop chop. You have lots to do. I promised Adrian to bring him apple pie tomorrow morning.”  

Finally, she left.

One hour passed by slowly. A motion detector was bound to my thigh that Lucinda had given from the very first day of our interaction. One move, and the alarm will be activated. My knees had started to ache terribly by the time the last second clinked on twelve. The moment the hour was over, I got up on my feet,  and tried to get some feeling back in my knees which were now red and swollen.

I could barely feel my legs as I rushed toward the kitchen, stumbling in pain. I had to cook the cake, and then go to Peter’s room. If I delayed any of them, they will torture mom and me again.

‘Just a pat on the leg and you will be good.’ I assured myself as the terrible feeling of blood rushing through my veins started to make me dizzy.

I stumbled to my feet and moved around the kitchen gathering up all the ingredients to make an Apple Pie. I cut out the dough into many little maple leaves, and pasted them on top of the pie as the top crust, then put it in the baking tray. The heavenly scent of cinnamon, caramel, butter, and apple-filled the kitchen completely. There’s no better smell to remind of the burning fireplace and home. Lucinda had specifically mentioned that everything needs to be made from hands. Even the syrups that I put in the dessert. Adrian deserves perfect things. Like a perfect homemade pie, and Lucinda.

 “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh”

Suddenly a wave of women’s loud screams shook the kitchen and then several voices that were high pitched to low whisper followed it. 

Alone in the grand kitchen, at night.  The oven is on. And the wind is blowing.

No one else is around except for the screaming. There was a constant, fast and a faint sound of footsteps, getting louder with each passing second.

My heart thudded in fear. This is exactly how horror movies start.

I tried to calm myself down by petting my chest. I was alone in the kitchen. No one was here to save me. If someone barged in to kill me, I will be like a mouse trapped in a cage with a cat.

The rapid footsteps get closer to the kitchen. The screams were getting louder. I quickly roamed my gaze around the table. Where the fuck are all the knives when you need them to kill somebody?!

There was nothing deadly on the table except my horrified reflection. Maybe I can scare them all with my ghostly appearance.

The footsteps were now right outside the kitchen.

“Oh, what the hell?!” I grumbled under my breath in frustration and grabbed the first thing off the counter.

A bowl of flour. Damn it!

I patted flour all over my face to make sure I look like a ghost, and ran to the back of the kitchen door to hide. The bowl is kept tightly in my hand, and ready.

 A man barged inside the kitchen.

ATTACK!

My hand flew up in the air. The bowl of flour was right on his face! Score and HoorayyyyyyWait?

I froze the minute when I recognized the face. Oh, how can I ever forget?

Adrian…

‘And remember- if I ever catch you speaking, no, even showing your pathetic face in front of Adrian… I will show you a suffering worse than death! Do you hear me?’ Lucinda’s haunting voice rang in my head.

…Moon goddess heard me too early. It was time for me to die indeed.