3. Let Me Help

Ravi entered the big kitchen and did what he was good at: clean and cook. Today was one of those days he didn't have to cook any complicated dishes and he was thankful because he wasn't really feeling like it today. He wished he had another option. Maybe like refusing to cook with no consequences. But it was just that: a wish.

He brewed coffee first and left it in the machine to brew well for at least one hour like was the Luna's preference. He then lit the fire and started cooking scrambled eggs. All he had to do was chop tomatoes and onions and then fry some bacon, make some tea and he would be done. They would eat bread today and he thanked heavens that they had bread delivered. If it was scones, he had to bake them himself and madam Luna liked them hot.

He cooked very fast and by six thirty in the morning, everything was arranged at the long dining table. Plates, cutrely, food (a lot of it) which included scrambled eggs, bacon and bread. There was tea in flasks and coffee, lots of cofee.

Glasses and cups were also well arranged and he went back to the kitchen to eat before they woke up. That was the only time he could eat or go hungry for the whole day.

If that woman and her daughter woke up before he ate, he was bound to go hungry the whole day. He thus made sure to eat very early or when they were not in the house. Which was rare seeing that the Luna (his step mother) who was an omega, was a housewife. She was thus there to monitor everything he did like she was his tail. She was always behind him making sure that she criticized everything he did. This floor is too slippery. The clothes are not well hanged. This sheet is still dirty, redo it..... and more.

Ravi started cleaning and he heard people start pouring into the dining area as they got ready for the day. He started cleaning the kitchen and the pans and cooking spoons he had used and when he was done, he decided to take out the trash as he waited for them to finish so that he could clear the table and then start his long day.

He took the big plastic bag that was heavier than him and he held it at the front. That meant that he was staggering as he walked and all he could see was the ceiling. He blamed himself for not throwing the trash out for two days. He always got so busy that he usually forgot. He used instincts and his knowledge of the back of the house to walk towards the big trash bin. He was panting and he wished he could get there faster.

He didn't hear anyone as he walked while staggering due to the heavy weight and he was startled when he heard a woman scream.

"You... You... How dare you? You hit me with the trash bag. How dare you?" He was startled and he let the bag fall as he apologized incessantly to the Luna. But as usual, he knew she won't listen to anything he said. But there was no harm in trying.

"I'm sorry ma. It wasn't intentional. Please forgive me," he tried though he knew it was futile. She was always unreasonable and in line with his thoughts, she slapped him and she went inside the house screaming like she was the one who had been slapped.

Before Ravi could register what had just happened and as he soothed his aching cheek where her hand met with his flesh, the Alpha came out bellowing and he braced himself for what he knew would obviously follow: a beating.

"How dare you cause trouble this early in the morning? Why do you hate your mother so much?" The Alpha asked but as usual, Ravi wasn't given any time or a chance to explain himself. He was slapped, kicked, beaten and by the time the Alpha was done, he was bleeding all over and yesterday's wounds that had just started closing up opened again.

The pain was numbing to say the least but he didn't even shed a tear. What for? Would the tears stop the pain? It wouldn't and so, there was no need. All that happened was an increase of his hatred for this man who he called father. He hated him.

With the pain coursing through his body, he couldn't even raise the bag anymore. He tried but fell down. He tried again and mistakenly touched a flesh wound on his stomach. He let the bag fall as he doubled with pain. That was when he heard a voice behind him.

"Need help?" He turned and there stood Hari. Hari was the only person in this house who showed him any kind of kindness. He was always wary of the boy because any person he met in this house was always out to bully and hurt him. He thus thought that Hari was pretending to be nice to make him lower his guard and then he would bully him like everybody else.

Hari was also an alpha but from an elder of the clan. They thus weren't related by blood and his was the only smile he had ever seen in this house. But he could never be friends with the boy because he didn't want any trouble. He thus always kept his distance.

When he didn't speak for a while after Hari had asked him the question, Hari bent and took the bag. He carried it like it was nothing. He was the same age as Ravi but stronger because he trained unlike Ravi who was rotting doing house work.

When Ravi saw Hari take the bag, he jumped and irritated the wounds and as he hissed, he held the other boy. Hari was scaring the other boy even without intending to.

"No, you can't. I really don't want any trouble, please," Ravi said and Hari could see the pain he was going through.

"You won't. Let me do it. This is nothing. Just go in the house and clean your wounds," Hari said as he walked towards the dustbin. He pitied the other boy but Hari was timid and he was always reprimanded by the King Alpha and his father although it hurt him to see Ravi hurt. Why? He had no idea. He thus kept his distance but when he saw the injustice today, he felt really bad. The first instinct was to beat up the alpha for doing that to Ravi but... it was just a wish.

He was coming from his morning exercise when he witnessed everything that happened. He knew that they were always unfair to him but he didn't say anything. It was not on him to say anything plus he didn't want to get his father in trouble with Alpha Philip.

Ravi looked at the boy carrying the trash bag and he dragged his body towards the house. He was getting tired by the day and he wondered how he was supposed to work now. He was expected to clean the house, clean the breakfast utensils, cook lunch and do laundry. His body wasn't up to it and he knew that if he didn't, that woman would just have him beaten again.

He walked to the house and went to his room. It was hard to go up the stairs as his room was the attic. The mansion had five floors and Ravi was never allowed to use the lift. No. The last time he tried taking laundry up using the lift and his younger sister saw him, he was beaten worse than a thief.

He thus supported himself with the railings until he was upstairs and went to his small bathroom. He took the antiseptic and started sanitizing his wounds and he only worked on those he could see. As he was bending bandaging his stomach, someone touched him. He jumped in surprise as he hadn't seen or heard anyone come in. If he was a trained alpha, he could have been able to take up the scents but he was not.

He looked at the newcomer and it was Hari. His heart started palpitating again as he didn't know what to expect.

"Wha... W-what are you doing here?" He asked with fear in his eyes and Hari gave him a warm smile.

"Let me help," he said as he took the bandages and the medicine.