Chapter 04

I've been scrubbing the floors and cleaning the windows of the mansion all day long, my poor hands throbbed as I got a hang of the work I came here to do.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I entered the kitchen for the tenth time carrying two wooden buckets filled with water. I filled the large drum stationed at the corner of the kitchen and made my way out heading to the well.

My task was to fill the drum to the brim, and I was done for the day.

Looking back at the time, I'm grateful for the series of ruthless training I had with Master Marlowe in the Shadowborn pack. I was a trained assassin, so my body had adjusted on its own and yielded strength enough that I don't need to depend on my wolf all the time.

I drew out water from the well filling the wooden buckets I placed on the ground. I proceeded to lift the buckets when I was done. "You are quite strong for an omega," I heard a deep voice behind me and I turned around to see who it was.

I came in contact with a man, he's average height with blonde curly hair, gray eyes, and freckles on his nose.

I let out a small chuckle and cleared my throat. "Hi," I greeted as my eyes raked him, scanning through him and wondering who he was and if he was also a worker here.

He smiled, his face beaming at me. "Hi, I'm Talon. I'm just seeing your face for the first time, I guess you're new here," he said.

"Yes, I am," I responded amusedly.

"Uhm..." he scratched the back of his head, darting his gaze away from me.

"I-uh, ca-can I know your name too? We don't really have as much stunning beauty as you around here," he chuckled nervously, and I raised a brow at him.

Is he flirting with me?

He does look like a shy guy to me. I thought.

"Sorry, my bad, I'm Akira, the new maid in this fortress." I introduced.

"What a lovely name, Akira, it's nice to meet you," he extended a hand which I stared at for a while before accepting.

"You too," I smiled half-heartedly, shaking him.

I slipped my hand from his hold. "I need to carry this," I told him, lowering my back to grab the handles of the buckets. I wouldn't want Elara to catch me slacking off, and I'm not ready for her silly tantrums.

Very spoiled brat!

"No, no... let me help you with that," Talon offered, grabbing the buckets from me which I refused to let go, my instincts kicking in.

"That's sweet of you, but I will be dead meat if Miss Elara catches you helping me," I countered.

"Then give me a bucket, I've been watching you working for a while and that's a whole crap of work for you to do alone, let me help," he insisted and I sighed.

"Thank you," I muttered, surrendering a bucket to Talon, and he flashed me a smile.

Talon and I laughed as we made our way to and fro the kitchen. He seemed to be a cool-headed guy and I got to find out he's a gardener in the Beta's court.

I was going back to the kitchen with Talon on our fourth attempt together when Elara and her two maids showed up from nowhere.

A disdainful scorn flashed on her face as she stared at me and Talon as we froze in our spot.

"Miss Elara," I dropped the bucket on the floor and bowed my head to her.

Footsteps closed in on me and I swallowed. "Why do you have the gardener doing your job for you? You slut!" She fired, and I looked up immediately.

"No... I—" a hot slap landed on my face, the pain convulsing through my body.

"Please, Miss Elara, I was the one who put her in this position... I offered to help her." Talon stepped forward, begging on my behalf.

Elara jolted her head at Talon, giving him a malicious glare. "Oh, really?" She faced him squarely.

"Since you are that jobless to be rendering help about, you're dismissed from here, I don't want to see you near the walls of this place, ever !" She blasted and Talon went to his knees immediately.

"Please, Miss Elara... have mercy!" He pleaded, and I rolled my eyes inwardly. Begging this witch would only boost her ego.

People like her love to see others vulnerable beneath them and feed off their energy.

"Leave at once or face the wrath of my father if I report to him." She threatened and Talon scurried to his feet and left without sparing me a last glance.

Her father? Mm, interesting. If I can remember... her father was the beta of the mad alpha king I'm about to pour my rage on.

An ear-ripping slap landed on my right cheek and I jolted awake from my trance. "You dare zone out while I was speaking to you," she fumed.

Was she? I need to do something about these annoying slaps she's been giving me, but I have no choice—I'm a slave.

Sighs!

"You sure do have a lot of guts," she eyed me, viciously.

"I'm sorry, Miss Elara, it won't happen again," I gritted while keeping my voice composed and lowered my head.

"Of course, it won't happen again when you are taught a lesson," she smirked devilishly.

"Merinda!" She called her personal maid. Merinda stepped forward, leaving two inches away from her.

"Pour the water she's been fetching in the drum in the kitchen away, then have her wash all the clothes in the household—"

"The laundry has already been done, Miss Elara," Merinda informed cautiously.

Elara flared, turning to her. "Let her do it again!" She shouted at Merinda who bowed her head immediately.

"Yes, ma'am." She obliged.

Elara reverted her attention to me while I gaped at her speechlessly. "When she's done, she will be whipped twenty times," she said as a matter of fact, feeling satisfied with herself.

This witch has got to be kidding me!

My body ached profusely from the whip lashes I was given. Elara was the sole definition of cruelty. She had an innocent appearance, but she was second in command to the devil on the inside.

I was hellbent on Tova not healing me yet... I wanted to feel the pain, feel the rage, and know how it must have felt for my people to have experienced far worse at the hands of this treacherous pack, and it only fueled my agitation for revenge.

They will surely pay! Every last one of them was going to pay and none shall be spared.

I heard a light thump on the floor. I knew it was Kaiden, he had sneaked in through the window, but I didn't turn around to acknowledge his presence.

"Master, are you awake?" He said softly, as I felt the weight of the bed dipped in.

I stirred in my position and sat up, looking at him, his green eyes fixed on me and he smiled warmly. "Hey, Kaiden," I muttered, trying as much as not to sound weak.

"How have you been, Master?" He asked with a small smile, pressing my arm and I winced trying to draw away from him, the whip had come in contact with my both arms when I was flogged.

"What happened to you?" Kaiden questioned, his voice concerned and his eyes staring at my arm.

"Oh, it's nothi—" Before I could finish my statement, Kaiden rolled the sleeves of my chemise and his jaw clenched furiously.

"Who did this to you?" He growled, snapping his face to me, his green eyes turning reddish golden.

He was angry!

"Kaiden," I palmed the sides of his face.

"Calm down, it's nothing at all," I said, I didn't want him to get worried about me, knowing he was against all this right from the beginning.

"But..."

"Trust me when I say it's nothing," I stared at him, and his eyes returned to normal.

"At least, you can let Tova heal you," he muttered, and I smiled at him.

"I will let her do that later, but there's something I need to discuss with you," I remarked, and he gave a nod, indicating I should go on.

"There's a ball coming next week and all the leaders in Redmoon pack are going to be present and with that bastard of an alpha too, so, I need a way to convince Elara to take me along," I informed and Kaiden raised a brow at me.

"What am I to do?" He asked and I smiled, leaning closer to him. I revealed the plans I needed him to do for me in his ears.

The following day, Elara had been feeling all giddy, and excited but frustrated at the same time. "You good for nothing, you don't even know how to style a hair," she shouted, throwing her brush at the maid who had run out of her room sobbing.

It seemed Kaiden had accepted her invitation for dinner.

"Who among you useless fools can do my makeup and hair?" She turned to the rest of us who were at the front of her room.

No one said a word as we all stuck to bowing our heads instead.

Elara grunted. "I shall have my father burn you all alive..."

"I'll do it." I volunteered, looking up and staring at Elara.

"You?" She eyed me, giving me a condescending look.

"Come in," she huffed, turning on her heels and I followed suit.

"How do you know the slave master will love this look?" She questioned suspiciously, her eyes raking me through the blurry reflection of the mirror.

"I've seen the kind of women the slave master dine with, and you are way more beautiful than them," I uttered.

"I don't need the compliment of a filth, we shall see tonight. You are dismissed!" She disregarded proudly and the urge to scatter her hair and scratch her pretty face consumed me.

"Yes, ma'am," I responded calmly and made my way out of her room.

An hour later, Kaiden arrived, and he was looking so dropped dead handsome. He wore a dark green velvet surcoat with golden embroideries on it.

He had managed to become the topic in the mansion as all the maids whispered and daydreamed about him.

"You look so beautiful, Elara," I had heard him compliment her upon his arrival and Elara's face had turned red since then.

I was given the duty to serve them and as soon as I stepped into the hall, Kaiden turned his face to me, his eyes sweeping me over.

I swallowed, trying to avoid his eye contact. I dropped the food on the table and was about to serve the duo when a resounding slap echoed in the dining hall and I gasped. My cheeks stung, and the pain shot down my neck from the impact.

"You slut!"