Chapter 1

Arya Pov

I raised my face, focusing my attention on the door that was left open. My body was wrecked with pain. The purple bruises on my legs have failed to heal, as my wolf was as weak as I was.

I was locked up last night inside the cold room. It was good for the perishable food, but not for me.

My muscles felt out of place as a cold shiver ran down my spine. I was shivering as I slowly stood up, making my way through the open door.

I lipped with one leg out as one carried my entire weight. It felt woopy and extremely painful, but that didn't prevent me from carrying out my duties.

I went to the kitchen as I was greeted by Alice, who folded her arms across her breast while standing at the entrance.

"It's past 9 a.m., and there is no food ready," she snapped, but I kept quiet, looking down at the floor, my heart pounding within.

"You look at me while I speak to you, you worthless bitch." She yelled. I raised my face, but was graced by a hot slap. I staggered backward with my right hand on my cheek.

"You will get more of that if no meal is ready in the next 10 minutes," she spat at me before she stormed out.

I was the cleaner and the cook for my uncle's restaurant; the man I was told was my uncle. I have a huge doubt about our blood relationship.

He adopted me after my parents died, but I have experienced torture over the next 13 years of my life. My escape plans were only my consolation; it's just a matter of time.

I was able to fry some eggs and beacons before some wolves stepped into the restaurant. After I served them their meals, I hurriedly picked up the mob to clean up. 

"Hey, you left some remnants over here," was Vivian's voice, Alice's friend. They sat at a distant table at the far end of the restaurant, chatting away.

"What! I just cleaned there just now." 

"So." She eyed me completely from head to toe. I rolled my eyes, dragging my bucket once more close to her to see where the mess was. I lowered myself to clear it out. My wrist mistakenly touched Alice.

"What the hell, you don't come two feet close to me with those smelling clothes of yours? Alice raised her left hand, hitting me on my back; it landed like an earthquake on my backbone.

I flinched in pain—not another day of pain. I swallowed the pain, hurriedly cleaning up the mess to escape her riot.

"Arya! Alice called out. I raised my head in the direction of her voice. She looked me in the face, raised her plates, which had raminant on them, and poured them on the floor I had already cleaned. Another torture; it's like blood in her veins.

"No, no," I screamed, but was graced by a bunch of laughter echoing through the room. She cast a wary glance at me.

"Clean this up," she said with clenched teeth as a smirk played on her lips. I dragged my feet once more, cleaning the spot, as she and her friends mocked and laughed at me. She finds solace in tormenting me. 

I felt like I didn't exist; if I wasn't on the nerve of people who taunted my life, others never gave a damn at whoever was maltreating me; either they laughed or looked away like nothing was happening.

"Arya made me a cup of coffee," Beta Felix's harsh tone roared when he walked into the restaurant.

I carried my mob and bucket distancing to the far end while I rushed to the kitchen to grant his demands.

When I was done, I walked up the staircase to his office. I gulped nervously.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door and waiting for his answers.

"Yes, you may come in." I twisted the knob and slowly entered. His face was down on paperwork.

"Sir, your cup of coffee." 

"Drop it over here," he pointed with his middle finger, not giving me any glance.

I dropped the coffee and reached for the knob to exit the office. "What the hell?" I turned to him sharply.

"How many times will I tell you I don't fancy cappuccino? It's too strong for my palate." I gasped.

"That is actually Latte, your preference." A frown circled his forehead as he emptied all the content on my face.

I flinched in pain as the hot content touched my skin, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Don't you dare argue with me," he barked at me with disgust.

"Clean this up; I will deal with you later." I flew out of his office before I got another beating of my life.

I walked down the staircase to the back end, where I usually drop my mob and bucket. Leo emerges from the shadows.

"That's what you get when you don't fulfill my demands," he chuckled, enjoying the drama.

I eyed the little brat at his game of hide and seek, turning my attention to what I was doing earlier.

"It isn't over yet." His voice, like a threat, awoke my razor-sharp claws, hiding them behind my back.

I looked at him in disgust, expecting me to fall for his demands. Even in his dreams, it is not going to happen.

"I won't commit such unspeakable acts with you. Get lost, Leo," I snapped off to the invading danger.

"Then await my riot," he warmed, with a smirk on his face.

"Back off," I warned him. "No matter how hard you pull this, you can't break me; I won't fall for your demands."

He maniacally gave out a mockery laugh before he looked at me from head to toe.

"Watch me." It sounded like a threat, but he stormed out, quenching my shoulder. I looked at a particular spot for a moment, lost in thought, before it rang in my head that I hadn't cleaned the beta's office.

I hurried up the staircase, and luckily he wasn't in his office as I cleaned up and left.

The day was slowly ending as I ran around, preparing breakfast and lunch and cleaning up the whole surrounding area with one foot lipping in between.

I finally got a chance to finish up as I dragged my feet to the basement to rest for the day. As I was about to turn the knob of the door that led to the basement, I heard a voice behind me.

"Arya, I need you to clean my room," Leo said with a straight face. I caused under my breath I turn around and walk away to his room.

I dusted his furniture, swept the floor, and mobbed it while I went to the bathroom to clean it all up.

Thank goodness Leo wasn't in sight as I continued my chores. Most of the time, it was full of struggles and arguments. After I was done, I headed to the basement of the restaurant, which has become my heavenly abode.

The taunting darkness encircled me as I stepped into my room. At least I wasn't going to sleep in the cold room. I locked the door and held a chair against it.

I lifted my bag, bringing out the leaves behind my bag. I placed it on a small metal plate, using the candle light to melt its content into a liquid.

There was noise coming from the far end; I didn't give much concentration. Within a few minutes, a heavy knock sounded on the door.

I flinched as the knock became heavy every second. I hurriedly hid the plate before I opened up the door and was faced with the angry look of Beta Felix.

"Search everywhere," he motioned to Leo, who messed up my room, bringing all my things scattered on the floor. I gasped

"Here it is," he said, lifting up a wristwatch. I froze as he lifted up the wristwatch under my bed.

"What! How did that get in here?" I asked no one in particular, as the look on their faces sent shivers down my spine. Leo had a smirk on his face. I knew he was responsible for plotting this; every beating I receive gives him happiness.

Beta Felix dragged my heir and roughly dragged me out of the shadows. I was dragged like a sacrificial lamb who was about to be slaughtered. 

My heart sucks into my stomach, and my chest tightens like a knob. I knew what awaited me—either death or something close to death. A dark spell hovered around like a spot on the periphery of my vision.