3 A gift from Nick

As I scrubbed my bleached ankle with a ragged towel in my room, I felt a rush of exhaustion almost overwhelm me. My wet clothes hung in the corner to dry, and I could lick my wounds like a mouse back in the den, but the distant din of the party was a reminder that my day was not over, and I still need to work.

 

In the spacious hall, the long mahogany dining table was covered with smooth wax, and silver chandeliers were arranged on the gray silk tablecloth in the center of the table. The bright light from the candles illuminated the faces of the four people at the table. My father sat at the head of the table, Bernice on his right, his favorite nephew, Nike, on his left, and since my mother's death, I've gradually lost my place at the table, standing aside in my gray smock, like an out-of-place maid.

 

"Bernice, how was the banquet today?" My father put down his fork and knocked on the table. I immediately put away his cutlery and put it on the small table beside him.

 

"Of course it's going well, father. Everyone knows that Kral is coming to pack and marry me tomorrow. Our pack will be more prestigious in the future." Bernice lifted her chin proudly, replied with a voice that tried to suppress ostentation and feigned indifference.

 

"That's great, Bernice. You're such a good girl. You'll never let me down." Our father almost smiled. Standing beside him, I felt a pain in my heart. I had never made him so happy, but Bernice had always done it so easily.

 

“Uncle,” Nick said, running his fingers through the back of his hair, “My mother has sent Bernice some gifts, hoping she'll look even more radiant when she meets Kral tomorrow.

 

He took out a black velvet box and opened it. Inside were sets of earrings, necklaces, and rings in the shape of irises, made of diamonds and pearls. The perfectly cut diamond glowed, and Bernice picked up an earring from the velvet cloth and stroked it with satisfaction. I watched quietly as the beautiful diamond adorned her face, then I hung my head in the shadows and thought of the last pearl necklace left by my mother.

 

Though I had been careful not to let the three people at the table pay attention to me, Bernice really wanted a bigger audience.

 

"You," she knocked on the table, and as I walked past my father to pick up her dinner plate, she gave me a sidelong glance from the corner of her eye and held out her hand. "Put this ring on me.".

 

I saw the other ring on her finger that I'd been looking for in the pool. The biting chill seemed to strike me again from the icy water. I thought I had a cold. I felt dizzy and nauseous. I tried to hold it down, ready to pick up the iris ring on the table and put it on her.

 

"Wait," Nick suddenly looked at me and smiled as if he'd just seen me, it's my fault for forgetting my uncle's another daughter. I brought a present for Bernice and forgot yours. Don't be mad at me, Delia.

 

He looked at me with a smile and seemed very friendly, but Bernice's face had darkened, "Come on, Nick, she's just a loser who doesn't have a wolf. She's a disgrace to our pack. What jewelry do you have for her? Is she going to meet the noble Kral tomorrow? It would embarrass us."

 

I froze, afraid to look at my father's face.

 

“Bernice is right. Finish your work early tomorrow and leave. We have an important meeting tomorrow. Don't disturb us,” our father said.

 

"It's a shame that Delia can't come to the meeting tomorrow. I heard there are a lot of werewolves in the royal family, so maybe Delia will find a good choice." Nick's voice was soft, his eyes wandered over my old sackcloth like a stain that could not be thrown away.

 

"Well, no one's going to like her. Look at her skinny frame, her sickly pale skin and her dry hair," Bernice said, looking at me critically, as if I'd been stripped and displayed in front of their eyes.

 

Hold on, I told myself I couldn't cry here.

 

“Well, don't talk about such trivial matters. Bernice, you have a good rest tonight. You must make sure that Kral is satisfied with you tomorrow, Understand?” Our father got up and left.

 

Bernice took the velvet box from the table and took our father's hand. As they walked away, Bernice gave me a look of contempt and menace, which I knew was a warning not to disturb them tomorrow.

 

The moon had risen to its highest point, and the whole pack was asleep. I picked up the cutlery and went to the laundry room to get the dry clothes back. I don't have too many clothes. This old sackcloth is too torn. By contrast, this gray smock is ugly but strong. I took off my sackcloth and headband at the window and let my long chestnut hair fall down. The moonlight shone on my naked skin. I touched my emaciated body, thought of what Bernice had said, and hugged myself tightly, as if someone could comfort me.

 

“clack”

 

A long hard life has trained my senses. Although I was still indulging my emotions for a second, I immediately became alert for the next second. I promised my mother that I would live well, and I will not break that promise.

 

I quickly put on my clothes, crept to the door and pulled it open. "Who is it?" I asked loudly, but there was nothing outside. The laundry was out of the way and it was very late. No one was supposed to be here.

 

I went out again and looked around, but still no one was there. Just when I thought I was too tired to hear voices, a pair of strong hands suddenly tied me tightly from behind. I only felt a pain in the back of my neck, and I lost consciousness.

 

I felt heavy all over, like a stone was pressing down on me, and the back of my neck and ankles were aching all the time. I opened my eyes wearily, and in the blur of vision, I saw Nick.

 

"Are you awake? My cousin?" Nick crouched in front of me, and I realized that my hands were tied behind my back. A few wisps of his hair fell on his forehead, and his face had the same friendly smile, if his hands hadn't been on me all the time.

 

“Let me go, I'm Alpha's daughter. Are you trying to anger my pack?” I tried to look angry and arrogant, but my trembling body betrayed my vulnerability.

 

"Alpha's daughter? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. That's funny." His fingers pressed against my face, forcing me to moan in pain. His forehead was pressed against mine, and I could see the sarcasm and lust in his eyes. “You're your pack's trash, okay? Nobody wants you but me.” His husky voice rubbed against my ear, his teeth were about to bite my neck, and he was enjoying my fear, which is a common way for wolves to play with their prey.

 

This is the lakeside forest, the edge of our pack. I have no wolf, and no one will save me. I couldn't fight him either. The fever took the last of my strength, not to mention I was tied up.

 

I could only confront him with words, "If you wanted me, why didn't you go to my father and tie me up here instead?" I looked at him and laughed, “My father likes you more than me. Are you afraid that he won't agree? After all, even if everyone thinks that I'm trash, I'm still his daughter. You don't have the right to have me.”

 

I stared at him, trying to see a guilty look on his face, but he didn't relax his fingers around my face. As he got closer and closer, his other hand began to slowly pull my clothes off along the buttons.

 

"You're smart, Delia, but you don't have a wolf, or," he said with a teasing look in his eyes, and I felt something was wrong. My clothes were slipping off, and I was so scared that I felt like I was going to throw up. The moonlight seeped through the gaps in the leaves, leaving my body with a trail of light.

 

"You think I would have brought you here tonight without your father's permission? Don't forget, we werewolves have a very strong sense of smell."

 

There was a flash in my head, as if I'd seen the tears my mother had shed the day she died, and the cold look my father had given me the day he returned with Bernice.

 

He grew more and more excited, licking my tears, tearing off his clothes, pressing himself against my body, his body hot, his heart beating like a drum, his teeth left marks on my quivering body, but I was like a log frozen in the moonlight. He began to be dissatisfied, and he pulled my hair, made me moan. I looked at the Moon. Is this what the Moon goddess has planned for me?

 

Who else can save me?

 

If only I could have my wolf...

 

"Whoooooo" the wind brings a faint howl of anger, distant and dignified.

 

Nick stopped what he was doing to me. He suddenly turned to look deep into the forest. Two golden eyes locked on him coldly in a dark, moonless corner.

 

"F.uck!!!" Nick's werewolf blood makes him feel powerful. He looked at me who was almost naked. The threat in the darkness grew closer and closer, and the struggle made his eyes redden with bloodshot. Finally, he chose to run away.

 

The next moment he turned and ran, a huge black wolf rushed out of the shadows and stood in front of me.