Chapter 3

Charlotte’s POV

“Pathetic,” the Head Slave looked down as I clutched the girl to my body.

Blows rained down from the other scullery slaves and kitchen workers as they jeered and cursed at me for interfering with their ‘fun’.

I ignored them and focused on the precious thing I was protecting, moving my body to intercept the shifting blows coming from the others.

I could hear the child's whimpering breaths as she tucked her head beneath my chin and jumped each time a heavy blow shook me.

She looked like prey to these people. Someone they could get away with hurting. They saw a nobody.

They were wrong.

“You must love misery, trying to protect a thief when you couldn’t save yourself as the lowest criminal slave,” the Head Slave kicked at me with a snarl.

“Even a criminal knows when you’re doing something wrong!” I twisted my body to glare at the Head Slave while still protecting the child, “She’s just a child!”

The Head Slave sneered at me, face reddening at my defiance.

“What the fuck do you know, slave?” they swung their fist at me and I braced for the impact. I knew I would be covered in purple bruises tomorrow.

Suddenly, the attacks stopped.

“I should have known you’d be at the center of this mess.”

Warily, I looked over my shoulder and saw that Jessica was joining them. She was still in her beautiful dress she’d worn to the ceremony. The others fell back at her approach, bowing their heads in respect.

She stared down at me, coldly, and gestured at the Head Slave.

“Whip this disobedient slave, and run the child off,” she commanded, a thin smile twisting her lips.

I wanted to scratch her face.

She just smirked at my glare, and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Luna,” a servant ran up and caught Jessica’s attention, “Alpha Kieran's daughter went missing! ”

“Damn it. We need to find that child now. We can't afford to piss Alpha Kieran off." Jessica made an exclamation and clapped her hands, “Back to your work! Everything else can wait until tonight,” She gestured to the Head Slave to follow her.

“Tonight,” the Head Slave hissed a warning at me, “You’ll get what you deserve.” Then they strode off, following Jessica with an excited smile.

The other workers also bustled off, though I knew they would return to torment me throughout the day. They loved to pick on anyone lower than themselves in the pack, and I was the lowest of the low, currently.

We were left alone in a suddenly empty part of the kitchen.

Slowly, I unwound my arms from around the girl. She was a little slip of a thing, delicate and small. Her breathing was still coming in quick huffs and she was terribly pale.

“Breathe, sweetheart,” I comforted her, gently stroking my fingertips down her arms, “You’re safe now.”

Still she shuddered. She had been hit a few times, and the marks were red and bruising on her skin.

I knelt in front of her and stared into that tiny face, keeping my features pleasant and calm.

‘Whatever strength I have, let it flow to her,’ I prayed internally, hoping that she could find some measure of security in my embrace and in my face.

Her breathing began to slow, and her eyes never wavered from mine.

I kept smiling and soothing her with my touch, stroking her back and rubbing at her shoulders.

Finally she seemed to return to herself, and a shy smile crept over her face.

She reached for me.

“Mommy,” she sweetly said, putting her palm on the side of my cheek.

Oh how my heart broke at hearing that name!

I hugged her to me tightly, so that she couldn’t see how the tears came to my eyes. She hugged me back and for a moment the world narrowed to just us. I may not have been her mother, but I had briefly been a mother.

That tiny hug made it all worth it.

“Who gave you permission to touch her?” a cold voice rang out as we released our embrace after a long moment.

I knew the bark of an Alpha’s command when I heard it, even when I didn’t recognize who was speaking.

I whirled to look at the man, and froze. This newcomer was even more imposing than Jason, who I had always thought was incredibly strong.

He towered above us where we crouched on the floor.

The man reached down for the child. I panicked, throwing my arms back around her.

“Don’t hurt her!” I cried out, before I realized that the little girl was reaching back to him as well.

He yanked her from my arms with a glare, hoisting the little girl into the air with ease.

She looked comfortable with him at least.

Did they know each other? I wondered.

Slowly, I straightened from kneeling on the floor and stood awkwardly.

Even at my full height, I barely came up to this guy’s shoulders.

I suddenly felt very conscious of my dirty, ripped clothing and filthy hands.

I saw the Alpha staring at the brand on my wrist and I tucked my arms behind my skirt at my sides.

“The others were trying to hurt her,” I tried to explain, dropping my eyes away from the Alpha’s intense stare, “I had to sav-.”

“Save my daughter?” the man scoffed, cutting me off, “Saved by you, a slave?” His voice rose to a harsh shout, “She’s covered in bruises and filth and… and tear stains!”

He sounded furious. I stared at my bare feet and waited for the inevitable blows to fall.

Of course he would arrive after the girl’s tormentors had fled, I thought bitterly. Now he would think I was the cause of her pain.

I told myself it didn’t matter. I had saved her. That was what was important.

A few more bruises for myself were a small price to pay.

The blows I expected to follow his outburst never fell.

Surprised, I lifted my head to see that the girl, the Alpha’s daughter, was tugging at his sleeve. Her face was anxious. She turned her father’s face towards her, staring into his eyes intently.

“What is it?” the Alpha asked.

The little girl just shook her head and pointed at me. I could tell she was getting frustrated.

The Alpha also seemed to be running out of patience. He sighed wearily, squeezed his daughter tightly, and then turned to face me.

“Don’t even think about hurting my daughter,” he looked down his nose at me, “or I’ll tear you to pieces.”

His voice was so cold, I had no doubt he meant it.

He gave me one last glare as he turned around and walked away with the girl.