Chapter 14

Ava's POV

Her laugh echoed through the room as she stepped in deeper, pushing Briane aside like she was a curtain in her way. She walked toward me, her brown flowy gown sweeping the floor, then she stopped in front of me.

I couldn’t breathe.

Her presence sucked the air from the room as Lyra quickly stood up. My heart slammed against my chest, cold dread pooling in my stomach as her eyes locked on mine and the only thing I felt in this moment was to disappear...my usual feelings whenever I see her. That was what Alina did to me without even lifting a hand. She made me want to erase myself.

“Luna Alina—” Briane stammered, reaching out instinctively, her fingers trembling midair. Alina didn’t even spare her a glance.

"I thought they said you fainted?" she bellowed. I opened my mouth to respond, but my voice wouldn’t come. My tongue felt stuck to the roof of my mouth.

Before I could gather a single word, she snatched the cup of tea from my hands and then she spat it out on my face and it landed on my right cheek giving a little burning pain. I flinched and gasped, eyes watering instantly from the sudden sharp pain. My hands went up too late, trembling and useless.

Alina’s eyes were wide, filled with disgust. “What did I just do?” she spat, her lip curling. “I can’t believe I just sipped from the same cup this filth used.”

I didn’t speak. I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I just stared straight ahead, frozen, the sting still radiating across my cheek like a brand as my body trembled silently.

Then with a disgusted sneer, she upended the entire cup, and poured the rest of the tea directly over my shoulder. The liquid was hotter than the first splash, soaking into the thin fabric of my gown, scalding my skin beneath.

I let out a gasp that was barely a whisper, my body jerking instinctively. My breath caught as I bit down hard on my tongue to stop the sound. I didn’t want to cry. I didn’t want to show her how much it hurt. She'll just enjoy it more.

“I ought to make you lick it off my shoe,” she sneered, turning slightly to glance down at the tea that had dropped onto her heel. “But even that would be too much of an honor for a gutter-born like you.”

Behind her, Briane stood frozen. Her eyes wide, hands trembling. She looked like she wanted to scream—but fear sealed it shut. Her hands trembled at her sides, fists clenched in helpless fury.

Lyra’s face had gone pale with rage. Her hands were fists now too, nails digging into her palms. Her eyes lingered on the ruined cup on the floor, the tea soaking into the rug, my burned shoulder. When her gaze snapped to Alina, I saw it—a flash of unfiltered, murderous fury.

But she didn’t speak, nor speak. No one did. Because we all knew how this ended if anyone raised their voice. She's the Luna and we are just maids, no, slaves.

Alina turned back to me, leaning in until her breath brushed my damp cheek. The scent of mint and something floral made me want to vomit. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” she whispered, “Hiding in here like some fragile little bird. But even birds get their wings clipped when they try to fly too high.”

I said nothing. My gaze stayed glued to the floor. My fists trembled where they lay in my lap, clenched so tightly my fingernails dug into my skin. The fabric of my gown was damp now, the pain in my shoulder settling into a hot, throbbing ache.

“You need to be punished. You deserve it." Alina sneered.

“She’s injured, Luna,” Lyra said suddenly in a low voice. “She fainted earlier. I brought her here to rest—nothing more.”

Alina turned her head slowly. “Did I ask you why she’s here?”

“No, Luna,” Lyra said through gritted teeth, her jaw tight. “But she hasn’t eaten. She has burns on her hand and now her shoulder. She has scars all over her body. She’s in no condition—”

Alina raised a hand, and Lyra flinched back like she'd been slapped. “Spare me the dramatics,” Alina said coldly. “This little sob story doesn’t move me. She could be half-dead and she’d still be nothing more than a hole to be used.”

"But she's not..." Lyra was shut up by a slap on her cheek. Lyra’s head snapped to the side. She staggered back, one hand flying to her cheek, her expression stunned.

"How dare you question me?!" Alina roared. “How dare you speak when I’m speaking? Have you forgotten I am the Luna? Have you forgotten that speaking back to me is the same as defying the Alpha himself?” she stepped closer to Lyra.

I moved without thinking, rushing between them. “Please, leave her,” I said quickly, my voice cracking. “She’s just trying to defend...” Alina shoved me so hard I flew backward.

I crashed into the corner of the room. My back hit the wall, and I crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.

"This girl has been through a lot already. Let her be, at least for some days," Lyra spat, voice hoarse with fury.

Another slap resounded as Lyra was slapped on the face again. Lyra dropped to the floor, her legs giving out. Blood trickled from her nose as she clutched her cheek, eyes dazed.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Alina growled. Her eyes gleamed. Her fangs peeked past her lips.

"Lyra, please don't say anything again," I whispered, dragging myself to my feet. I stumbled forward, my legs shaking. I dropped to my knees in front of Alina. “Luna, please,” I begged, tears blurring my vision. “Leave her. I’ll take any punishment. Just leave my friends alone.”

Her claws were extended now. Without hesitation, she dug them deep into my shoulder. I couldn’t help but scream out loud. My body jerked back, instinctively trying to escape even though it was pointless. Even though I knew better. I tried to pull away. But her grip only tightened. I could feel my gown getting soaked with blood.

“You think you can beg?” Alina growled. “You think your pitiful pleas mean anything to me?”

She grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back so hard my neck snapped at a brutal angle. A fresh wave of dizziness crashed through me.

“You dirty little whore,” she hissed. “Always playing the victim. Always trying to make someone else save you. Pathetic. So, so pathetic.”

Before I could even gasp, she lifted me—lifted me—by the hair and the shredded fabric of my gown altogether. Then threw me like thrash.

My back slammed into the far wall with a sickening crack. The impact stole the breath from my lungs, and I crumpled to the ground like a rag doll, my vision swimming in and out of focus.

Something cracked inside me. A rib? My spine? I didn’t know. I couldn't even cry anymore. I couldn’t move. Pain flared across my body. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. My legs trembled weakly as I tried to crawl forward, nails scraping uselessly against the cold stone floor.

Her heels clicked as she stalked toward me and i raised up my head to look at her but that was an horrible mistake as her fist crashed into the side of my face—once, twice, three times—before I slumped back down, barely conscious. I tasted copper. Blood. My blood.

My lips were split. My cheekbone ached so fucking much. “I’ll make sure you never open that mouth again unless it's for something useful,” she said, and this time, she kicked me straight in the stomach. The force of it sent me skidding backward.

My ribs screamed in protest. I curled into a ball instinctively, coughing, choking on air that refused to stay in my lungs.

She grabbed the tray on the table—Lyra’s tea set—and hurled it across the room. It shattered around me, and some shards sliced my forearm. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even lift my head.

But I saw Lyra, struggling to stand. Blood was dripping from her nose. Briane was shaking violently, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. Lyra made to walk closer but I shook my head and she stopped.

Alina clapped her hands once, the door opened and two guards entered. "I want her locked up." she said and the guards dragged me roughly, pulling me up.

Alina turned to Lyra. “Try defending her again and you’ll join her in the dungeon.” she said, strode out as I was dragged behind her.

I wanted to cry. But I didn’t have the strength. I couldn’t anymore...it's useless.