Aria’s POV

“What are you waiting for?”

“The instructions are simple.”

“Sweep the floor, mop the floor and wash the dishes. EVERYTHING and I mean everything should be sparkling.”

“Is that understood?” Maria’s voice sounded firm and authoritative. 

I knew I had to do everything she instructed within the next thirty minutes lest, I would be running into some troubles again. The weight of her words settled on my chest like a warning I had heard too many times before.

“Yes ma’am,” I answered. My tone respectful. I did not dare hesitate.

“Good! I will be in the living room, watching movies with my worthy daughter.” she hissed and stepped away from me.

Worthy daughter.

That word lingered long after she left, echoing louder than her footsteps.

That’s always what she called Selene, my twin sister. While I, I was the unworthy daughter, the black sheep of the family, an embrassment to the moon goddess because at thirteen when I was supposed to see my wolf, I didn’t but Selene’s did. Instantly, she became the daughter she loved and I, the daughter she wished she never born. 

Ever since then, eight years ago now, I have been living like a slave in this house. The shift did not happen overnight, but it did not take long either.

I was not given proper meals anymore. I was the one who did all the laundry, cooked all the food and cleaned everything in the house. Every chore became mine, every mistake became my fault.

I grabbed the sweeping stick, knowing that my time was already ticking, I began to sweep from the laundry room that I was. I could almost hear the seconds slipping away with each movement.

I swept everything within ten minutes, making sure that I was fast enough and I would have other time to do other things I was instructed. I did not stop to rest, not even for a second.

I grabbed the mopping stick, Maria loved that the floor was sparkling. 

If there was anything particular of dirt no matter how small it could be, she would make sure that I sweep everything again and mop it again right from the beginning so I became very careful. One mistake meant starting over, and starting over meant punishment.

Doing that for another ten minutes, I knew it. My arms ached but I ignored it.

I have ten minutes left.

The realization pushed me forward.

I ran to the kitchen.

“Fuck me.” the words escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

The dishes were mountainous and too stained with sticky dirt as though they were intentional. As though someone had made sure this would be impossible.

I sighed. The sound was quiet, but heavy.

I approached it and began to wash them one after the other. I did not think, I just moved.

Five minutes later,

“Are you not done, good for nothing brat?!” Maria barked.

Her voice sliced through the kitchen before I could even respond.

I kept on washing. She barged into the room.

Her eyes turned to ice.

“You are supposed to be done ten minutes ago.”

“Always lazy!”

“We have been too soft with you. You are taking it for granted.”

Each word hit harder than the last, leaving no space for explanation.

She dug her hand into the washing basin. Her claws sharpened out of her nails.

Her fangs grew out of her teeth.

I recognized that look. That was the Luna's anger. The kind that never ended well for me.

If Maria was not pleased, she’d not hesitate to show it that she was the Luna and she could do and undo. Power always came first. I always came last.

“I’m sorry.” I pleaded.

Being sorry was the only saving grace that I have. If I were not sorry even when I was not wrong, I would be sent out of the pack. I would be termed a coward and a curse. 

Cambridge was a city where any wolf without a pack could be torn into pieces.

It was a city where there was no room for cowardice. You must either have a pack or be ripped apart by cursed, hungry and stray Betas, Gammas, Zetas or any member of the rank which has the ability for battle.  

That truth had been drilled into me enough times. The thought alone was enough to keep me obedient.

“Sorry won’t save you now,” she hissed.

She packed all the dirty plates in the basin in one single grab.

“CRACK!” she smashed them on my head.

The impact came before the pain.

Blood spilled, the flesh of my forehead sliced open.

I quickly held it with my hand. Keeping pressure at it. My vision blurred for a second but I forced myself to stay standing.

“Heh.” I heard it immediately. 

Selene standing at the entrance of the room, amused by what Maria just did to me.

I shot my gaze at her.

She had happiness in it. It was all definition that she wanted Maria to do it again. There was no sympathy. There never was.

The blood was streaming out amidst my fingers now. They already found a path that the hand could not stop them from flowing. Warm, steady, unstoppable.

“Ten minutes.” Maria hissed again.

“That’s all I am giving you. Or else…”

The threat hung unfinished, but I understood it perfectly.

“Let’s go, darling.” She stretched her hand to Selene and they both walked away like the lovely mother and child. As if nothing had just happened.

Their laughter faded into the distance, leaving silence behind.

I quickly ran to my room. Each step felt heavier, but I could not slow down.

Cleaned the antibiotic bottle, and poured it on my forehead.

The pain was really painful but then I endured it. I had no choice but to.

I bandaged my head immediately. My hands worked fast, practiced.

Assuming my wolf already showed up. This wouldn’t have been needed because I was going to have a healing ability. But right now, I didn’t have it. I was just merely a human girl and a slave in my own mother’s house. 

The same mother who ordered me to call her by name like everyone else because I was not worthy enough to call her mother. 

I returned to the kitchen. There was no time to dwell.

Picked every plate that fell to the floor when she smashed it on my head.

The broken ones I threw into the waste bag. And the solid ones I began to wash. My movements were slower now, but I forced them to continue.

Water ran. Plates clinked. Time slipped.

“Aria!” Maria shouted suddenly again from the living room.

My hands froze for a brief second before continuing.

“What the fuck is this stain!”

“Get over here you piece of shit!”