Chapter 4

Clara

I fell only a few feet from my goal. The other maids caught up and surrounded me.

Ella grabbed my arm and yanked me upright.

“How dare you shove us aside and run from us?” she demanded. “You think you can injure us and get away without apologizing?”

I shook my head in protest. I hadn’t injured anyone! They bumped into me.

Ella shook me, hard, and punched me. My hand flew to the side of my jaw. Even with werewolf healing, I would have a nasty bruise there.

I tried to sign some kind of defense, even though I knew it was pointless. None of them understood me. And if they did, they wouldn’t care.

Ella dropped me. The rest swarmed at me, kicking me while I curled into a ball. They slapped and punched me down any time I tried to stand up.

They shouted that I deserved punishment. For daring to strike them. For running from them. For looking at the prince. For existing.

They were even crueler than they had been the day before. Kicks and punches rained down on me. There were too many to fight so I had to endure it until they grew bored.

All I could do was curl into a ball. I covered my face and neck with my arms. My back and sides were pelted with kicks, and a few thrown stones.

One of the maids yanked my hair and forced me to my feet. I tried to kick that girl so that I could escape, but Ella caught me by the wrist and yanked me off balance.

Ella yanked my arms back and pinned me so one of the other girls could punch me in the face. Another maid held my legs so that I couldn’t block their kicks. I struggled, but it was no use.

After several minutes of that, they finally grew bored. They walked off, leaving me on the ground. I knew I would be covered in bruises for days. My face felt tender and puffy. It was probably swollen. My cheek and jaw ached fiercely.

I heard footsteps approach and struggled to open my eyes. They were swollen shut. I managed to get the right one open and saw Nora hurrying towards me.

I was relieved that she was okay.

She helped me sit up.

“I delivered the pen for you,” Nora said. “I’m sorry it took so long. What happened to you?”

I shrugged. It took a few attempts to sign an answer. Both of my hands were badly bruised.

“Offended other maids,” I signed. My answer was halting and painful.

“I’m sure,” Nora sighed. She didn’t bother to suggest I report them. We both knew there was no point.

She helped me to my feet.

“Well, one problem is solved anyway. I was able to see Beta Jasper and give him the pen. I’m sure your guest will be gone soon.”

“Thank you,” I signed.

Nora shook her head. “I’m happy to help, but we need to take care of your injuries.”

“Work,” I protested. I assumed Nora would understand I meant she should get back to her own work before she got into trouble.

“I’ll say I was ill,” Nora said. “Let’s get you back to your room.”

I wanted to refuse, but I quickly realized that I could barely stand on my own. I certainly could not walk without Nora’s arm around me.

Every step was agony. The journey felt like an eternity. More of my weight was on Nora than my own legs by the time we reached my room.

“Do you need help with your wounds?” Nora asked.

I shook my head. I wasn’t bleeding, much. I didn’t think any bones were broken, although one or two ribs might have cracked a little. I could handle everything myself with some wound salve. I would just need extra sleep so that my wolf could heal me.

Nora left to go back to her work. I would have to come up with an explanation for my absence. I could claim I fell on my way to work.

Nora would confirm my story.

The handsome stranger was waiting for me inside my room.

“Were you able to deliver the pen?” he asked.

I struggled to cross the room, so that I could write my answer, yes, on his hand. I didn’t mention Nora was the one to actually speak to Beta Jasper. I didn't want to involve her in this situation any more than I already had.

He looked relieved for a moment.

He tilted his head, and I saw that his eyes were still glassy and vacant. His vision hadn’t healed yet. Well, wolfsbane poison was serious. It might take a while yet for him to recover.

He sniffed at the air. “There's more blood than before. What happened?” he asked.

I wrote my answer on his hand. I explained that the maids were still bullying me, and that they had caught me on my way back.

“I’ll repay you for all your help,” he promised. “I will get you away from them, and protect you. I promise.”

It was very nice of him to want to do that, but I doubted anyone could make my situation any better. I thanked him anyway and went to tend my wounds so that I could rest. I fell asleep to the sound of the stranger pacing the room.

When I woke up, the stranger was gone. There wasn’t even a note. I could only hope that Beta Jasper had come for him, not whoever had hurt him so badly.

Although I still ached in every part of my body, I had to get back to work. I could not skip two days. My supervisor shook her head when she saw me, and assigned me to clean the Second Lycan Prince’s floor in the palace.

I scrubbed the entire floor despite the pain of my injuries. It took hours and I hurt so badly that I could hardly stand by the time I was finished. Still, I did a good enough job to earn a single word of praise from my superior.

I gathered my supplies and stood up to return to my room. Before I reached the entry to the main palace, a senior maid stopped me.

“Thief!” she shrieked, pointing to me.

I turned, baffled by the accusation. I hadn’t stolen anything!

Several higher ranked maids and my supervisor approached. The maid insisted that I had stolen several of the Second Prince’s possessions. I tried to protest my innocence, but no one paid any attention to my signs.

The guards believed the other maid’s claims. They dragged me in front of the Second Lycan Prince. They threw me at his feet.

For a moment, I hoped that he would recognize me as his mate, but he only looked down at me with visible annoyance. He listened to the accusations against me.

I wanted to protest my innocence. I tried to sign for a slate to write on, but the prince ignored me.

He turned to the guards. “Throw this thief into the dungeon,” he ordered, voice casual. He might have been telling them what he wanted for dinner. “The punishment is thirty lashes.”