Mine to keep, mine to break

Nalini

The harsh breeze blew inside the storage barn, making me shiver as I laid on the floor. I curled, trying to wrap myself inside the thin small sheet I normally used to sleep with. I knew it was a bad idea to still be asleep by sunrise but I couldn't help it.

Selene made me stay up all night cleaning every corner of the house, in preparation for Alpha king Reuben's visit.

I cleaned the whole house three times already but she told me to redo it, saying she wanted everywhere to look spick and span.

The storage barn had been my bedroom for the past twelve years and I was exposed to different levels of cold while I inhaled the polluted air.

Lying on the cold, concrete floor worsened my health. Within the past few weeks, I had taken ill with continuous coughing. If I didn't have my wolf, I'd be dead by now.

I heard someone screaming my name from a distance and before I could get up, the door to the storage barn flew open.

"You lazy halfwit!" Selene screeched as she came in, holding a long whip. I immediately scrambled to my knees.

"It's past 9am and you're still asleep?" She asked sharply.

"Mistress-" I began to say but she interrupted me.

"Shut up, you filth!" She yelled, trashing me with the whip. I used my hands to shield myself as I yelped in pain.

"I took you in after your wretched parents died on you! The least you could do is work hard! Aren't you supposed to serve me my herbal tonic at exactly 8am?" She spat in fury.

"I'm so sorry mistress Selene, I mistakenly overslept--" I tried to appease her wrath but it didn't help. It only made her angrier.

I was cut off when I felt her foot on my stomach. The second kick came and I cried in pain, begging her to stop while using my arms to shield myself.

"That's why the moon goddess cursed you with a weak wolf! Your mate will probably be a worthless omega like you!"

She stopped kicking me and began her usual episode of self glorification and I listened, sobbing silently.

"The moon goddess knows how nice I've been to you. Taking you under my wing, feeding you, clothing you even when your parents abandoned you in the woods several years ago to die! That's why the goddess has blessed me with my lovely daughter, Julie. She's got a strong wolf of Beta blood, she's smart and beautiful. Everything you're not!"

In a swift motion, Selene bent down and wrapped her hands around my neck, choking me. I gasped for air as I futilely  struggled against her.

"You know how much I hate tardiness! Try this again and I'll break your spine in half! Now go make my herbal tonic and bring it to my chamber. I give you ten minutes!" She hissed and left.

I sucked in air into my lungs. I felt too weak to stand up but I had no choice. If I wasted more than ten minutes preparing her herbal tonic, then I'd receive more beatings from her.

Selene was the wife to Terry Hawthorne, who had been the beta of the Silvermist pack for nine years. I couldn't remember anything from my childhood and all I knew was that Selene took me in after my parent's deaths and made me a slave.

I was constantly bullied by her daughter, Julie, insulted, beaten, starved and overworked by Selene. Even Beta Terry turned a blind eye to all the maltreatment.

I prayed to the moon goddess for a huge and strong wolf when I turned eighteen so that I would run away from Selene's family and survive by myself in the woods but much to my dismay, I got a weak wolf.

I was trapped here.

I couldn't leave because I would get killed by rogue wolves if I left and my wolf wasn't strong enough to fight them off.

I silently endured Selene's torture as I prayed everyday for the moon goddess to grant me a way out.

I dragged myself up from the floor and went to the kitchen. I opened the cupboard and brought out several powdered vegetables-- the ingredients for her herbal tonic. I began to mix them quickly.

My bruised hands shook as I boiled and seived the mixture, then I poured it into a cup, placed it on a tray and hurried to Selene's chambers.

I slowly opened her room with one hand and entered. She was relaxed on a chair, eyes closed as she let out content groans while omega servants attended to her. One of them polished her toenails while the other massaged her shoulders.

"Mistress Selene..." I called in a quiet voice. "Here's your tonic"

She slowly opened her eyes then turned to me, her icy gaze resting on me.

She glanced at the clock. "You made it on time" she hissed. "Now drink it!"

I knew the drill. Selene made sure I tasted every consumable I brought to her, for her to make sure I didn't poison her food or drink in a vengeful rage.

I slowly brought the cup to my lips and blew on the hot liquid.

"Quick!" Her abrupt bark made gulp down the liquid, fearfully. I winced as it burned down my  throat.

"Drop the cup on the table and go get me another cup, then transfer my tonic into the new cup" she bit out.  "The goddess forbid that I drink from the same cup as a filthy rat as you!"

I scrambled off and did as she asked. I made to leave her presence when I was done but she barked;

"Stop right there!"

I froze with my back to her. What did she want again? Had I made another mistake? Was she about to punish or trash me again?

I slowly turned to her as my heart beat in anxiety. "Yes, mistress..."

She took out a dress from the drawer next to her and threw it on the floor. I slowly picked the dress. It was a two piece uniform.

"That's your uniform!" She snarled. "Alpha king Reuben has given every wolf of low rank a free scholarship at Silvermist academy. Apparently, he's forming an alliance with the alpha of Brownclaw pack and that's one of the conditions for their partnership. No more unequal treatment for the omegas..."

"Congratulations, little mutt!" Selene said, her voice dripping with contempt. "You begin school tomorrow"