Whipped and Abandoned

CHAPTER 2

Freya’s pov

“Look at her hair,” someone whispered, barely above a breath, as if speaking any louder might give away her uncertainty. “There’s no way she’s really the Alpha heiress. An omega?” another voice cut in, low and filled with nothing but disbelief.  

But just as I felt something within me stir and begin to align, to rise and meet the part of myself I had long been separated from, it slipped away. 

The connection shattered, and I was left as I had been before,powerless and ordinary like everyone believed. The pain hit all at once, sharp and unbearable, and I dropped to my knees, unable to hold myself upright any longer.

“I can’t believe you all almost believed her, can’t you see she’s trying to steal my identity. She’s trying to get Rowan back.” Selene cried, her voice soft and innocent. She turned to Rowan, her eyes watering. “How can you believe her over the person you really love?” She cried. 

But I knew it was all for show. 

My body still ached, I couldn’t bring myself to even look up. 

“How dare you?!” Rowan fumed, his voice firm and eyes blazing. “You didn’t only try to deceive me but my people as well…for that you will pay.” He said. 

My head snapped up immediately, but before I could even think to react, a loud crack split the air and a whip seared across my back. 

The pain tore through me, and a loud cry tore from my throat. “Please…” I begged, my voice breaking as my body trembled from the pain.  

But my pleas didn’t soften them. If anything, it felt like that was a signal or some sort of an invitation for Rowan’s guards to strike again, harder and faster than before.

“I am the Alpha heiress,” I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath even as another whip hit against my skin and my blood spattered across the cold tiled floor beneath me.  

“I am the Alpha heiress,” I whispered again, clinging to the words like they were the only thing keeping me from shattering entirely.

It was the only sane thing I could bring myself to say. I couldn’t do anything or fight back, I just laid there helpless, my mouth filled with blood hoping for death to come and take me. 

Rowan immediately raised his hand and the whipping stopped. I let out a gasp of relief, hoping my misery had come to an end. 

“I don’t think the ordinary whip is doing any harm,” he said, his voice calm in a way that made my stomach twist, and for a moment my breath caught in my throat.  

“Bring out the whip with thorns,” he ordered. 

The crowd began to gasp around me and I heard footsteps approaching. I almost passed away when the next whip landed on my back, it was unbelievable, the thorns digging into my flesh, my skin burning. 

I almost forgot how to breathe. “Please..” I whispered but the next whip was even louder than the last and finally I gave up, accepting my fate as a helpless punching bag. 

“I heard the Alpha King is on his way…” Someone announced from within the crowd, just before the next whip hit me. 

Selene immediately walked towards me and crouched down to meet my gaze. She took a handful of my hair in her hands, pulling my head up. “Confess now, Freya. I heard the Alpha King detests liars and weak people; guess what? You’re both.” She laughed, cold and menacing. 

Immediately, I heard loud footsteps, like the stomping of boots on the floor….. Was he here already?

“Stop this madness immediately!!” 

It wasn’t the Alpha King, it was my best friend Aurora. “Oh my goddess Freya, let’s get you home.” She whispered, pulling me into my arms. 

“You’re worthless to me now Freya, or else I would have had your head on a slate but I’m sure you’ve learned your lesson.” Rowan said, his voice cutting through the air. 

Aurora arrived with some of my mother’s men so it meant my mother was already aware of this madness, the shame I had brought upon us. 

I cried. From pain and disappointment. 

My subordinate Matthew stepped forward, his face carefully neutral as he scanned the crowd that surrounded me, watching my humiliation. His eyes found mine and something fierce flashed across his expression.

"Miss Valenwood," he said, his voice carrying across the sudden silence. "Your mother sent us to bring you home."

At that exact moment, everyone began to whisper, while he lifted me into his arms and began to walk away. 

"Valenwood? Did he say Valenwood?"

"That's one of the four great families on the Royal Council."

"No, that can't be right. She's just an omega."

Matthew dropped me in the back seat while Aurora got in beside me. As soon as the car began to move, my lids closed shut, my body still shaking from the pain.

I knew the exact moment the car stopped in front of the main pack house, I wasn’t asleep but my body was too weak to move. 

The air was familiar and a bit soothing, I'd grown up here, but after three years away, everything else felt foreign somehow. 

Like I no longer quite fit.

“Take her to her room, I need to get home first but make sure she doesn’t see her mother yet.” 

Aurora ordered, I could barely keep my eyes open as Matthew carried me in his arms. His steps were heavy and he tried his best to avoid the places the whip bruised. 

“I called ahead.” He muttered, his voice a bit muffled. “Healers are already in your room to take care of your body.” He explained. 

We finally reached my familiar room, and he set me down on the bed with careful hands, making sure not to touch the wounds that still burned beneath my skin. 

The healers moved in immediately, stripping away the tattered remains of my clothes, the clothes I thought I’d get married in, so they could begin their work, while Matthew quietly stepped out and closed the door behind him to give me some privacy.

Immediately a young maid ran in. 

“Miss Valenwood, Lady Valenwood is outside.” She announced. 

My mother…