Chapter 5

Erica's POV

I was in pain as they were kicking me in my abdomen. I screamed, "Please let me go!"

They were stubborn, ready to kill me. I gathered my courage and pushed the two men away and started running.

I was alone on the border, and two rogues were following me to kill.

I had no idea how I reached here. I had no weapons with me to defend myself.

I was an omega who did not have the strength to fight against the two men.

But soon, another two men started to rush in my direction. They grabbed me. A punch landed on my cheek.

"Ahh!"

My face turned, and I felt my jaw break.

The four men gathered together. I saw lust in their eyes, which scared me to death.

A man's hand reached my dress; he was ready to tear it when the other man stopped him.

"He is Alpha Justin's mate. We can't use her body. But we can do what we are told to do."

Then, as if it enraged them to damp their lust, they started hitting me more.

I cried, begging them not to hit me. But they kept hitting me, kicking me, and telling me to die.

"Leave her!"

A familiar voice came to my ear. I turned my head and saw my nanny, Salma, rushing in my direction.

"Let her go!" she yelled at them.

They got mad to see her. One of them pushed her away and then grabbed my hair.

He had a stone in his hand, and he was ready to hit my head with that stone.

My eyes widened in shock. With pain and fear, I screamed.

"Ahhh!"

And then…

My eyes flung open, and I jolted awake.

I looked around myself, and I realized I was having the same nightmare again. But it was the reality that I felt that night at the border six months ago.

My body was full of sweat. I heaved a sigh and glanced at the window.

"Oh, no!"

It was already morning!

I glanced around the house and saw no one. "Where is Kael? Didn't he say he would wake me up?"

I got mad. How could he be so irresponsible? The whole night I was sleeping! I missed my night shift!

Fear rose in my heart. I thought about my nanny, Salma. What if Justin would punish her for me?

I took a quick shower and put on another simple white dress that I wore here. The color of the white dresses faded from the dirt of my regular hard work.

Looking at my empty house, I was confused.

"Where is Kael? Did he leave? Why did he not wake me up before leaving?"

I wondered if he was okay. I could not forget how he helped my wounds.

"My wounds..."

My eyes went larger when I glanced at my hands and found them healed. I looked at my legs and saw they were healed too.

"I have been here for six months; I know about many herbs that can heal wounds faster. But herbs like that powerful which can heal wounds overnight? I never knew about it!"

I wanted to thank Kael, but he left me without saying a word.

An unknown itchy feeling grabbed my inside for that strange man.

Suddenly, I heard someone knocking on the door. I rushed to the door, thinking it was Kael.

"Where were yo—"

I paused when I saw it was not Kael but Lima, the companion whom I got here.

She never hurt me or insulted me like others. She was always nice to me, and she was also wrongly framed like me.

"Were you waiting for me? How did you know I was coming here?" Lima asked with a surprised look.

I shook my head in response. "Well..."

I paused for a moment, then said, "I thought you were here because you learned from others that I didn't go for my night shift."

Lima tilted her head. "No, Erica. Don't worry about your shift. No punishment today," she said with a not so happy tone.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"Because an important guest is coming here to visit today, so everyone is busy thinking about how to please that guest."

"Oh, do you know who the important guest is?" I mumbled.

She looked away from me. I raised my brows and held her hand. "What happened?"

​She gave me a look of pure sympathy. "It’s Alpha Justin.”

I stared at her, stunned. The name hit me like a blow. Not him. Anyone but him.

He was the one man I swore I would never see again. There was no way I would go and see that man.

“I am not going,” I told Lima.

You don't have a choice, Erica. The supervisors called you personally. Just hold it together for one day. If you won't go, they will be mad and give you punishment for not listening to them."

I didn't fear it. My fear was for my nanny and her life.

I took a deep breath and gave in.

Before leaving the house, I glanced at the mirror.

My body became frail, my skin sallow and hardened. The beauty I once had was gone, buried under skin that had grown as tough as the life I was living.

-

​I was late. By the time I arrived the prisoners were already lined up in a silent assembly.

I moved only to see the ranks broke, everyone filtering off to their daily duty.

I made my way to join them, but my supervisor blocked my path. She thrust a heavy tray into my hands.

​"Change of plans," he barked. "Take this to the headquarters office.”

“But my duty…”

“This is your duty today,” she replied.

I held the tray tightly, glancing at the glasses and a transparent kettle of water.

Lima waved at me as she went for her duty. I gulped and proceeded to the headquarters office.

When I reached the office, the door swung open and I collided straight into a woman.

The tray buckled in my grip, causing the glasses and kettle to fall on the floor.

The noise caused everyone outside the office turn their heads at me. But I looked at the woman who bumped into me.

Nova…

“Oh, look who's here! The troublemaker murderer,” she muttered, glaring at me.

She became more youthful, beautiful, and alluring in the last six months.

“What are you looking at? Clean the mess right now,” she ordered.

I could not move as I stared at her. She was the one who wrongly framed, making my life hell here.

​"Eyes down and clean it up!” She gritted.

I did not want to have any trouble. So I crouched low, keeping my head down. I stared to gather the jagged shards of glass, ignoring the sting as I piled them back onto the tray.

When I began to wipe the floor with a small cloth, Nova pressed her heel on my hand.

It was so painful that I could not hold my scream.

“Ahh!”

My scream grabbed everyone's attention, including the rulers and the man who was also there seated with them inside the large office.

​“Is there a problem, Miss Blackwood?” One of the rulers asked from inside.

Nova quickly moved her shoe away from my hand. ​Before she could even open her mouth, the rulers marched toward the door with that man.

​The man's eyes fell on me, and he stepped forward. I slowly raised my head.

I froze, my body turning to ice as I looked into his eyes.

‘Justin’