Chapter 2. The News

The Thing POV

"It's going to be the best event ever!" Jasmine said. "I can't believe our pack is hosting such an event!"

"We deserve it! We sure do! Look how much the warriors have done and also our Alpha, it's wonderful!" Rebeca was also excited.

"Yes, gee, you're absolutely right!" Jasmine agreed.

"Girls!" Mrs. Smith's voice echoed more sternly. "I know this is very good news, but we need to finish delivering dinner to the warriors and the rest of the house!"

The conversation then died down to a few whispers and the number of dishes increased again.

I simply began to wander around inside my mind, after all my work is manual and repetitive, so I don't really need to pay attention, not when I'm alone on this side and so far I haven't been argued with, asked to be quicker.

People get excited about fates, mates... That's something that's not for me, I've known that since I can remember because I've always been told that... It's simple, a slave has no rights... If I happen to have a mate who is destined, then it's pure luck and 99% of the time the other person rejects the slave...

The slave's life doesn't change... It only changes if the destined partner wants to keep him and even then he has to pay for it.

It's not as if there were many slaves, this "honor" was only for those considered traitors or people who committed horrendous acts, in my case, I just don't know... Maybe my family were traitors, maybe my family was torturers, people who committed wrongs against the King... I don't know, and that's why I don't have a name.

A slave doesn't need a name. A slave just needs to do his job and carry on... I've heard of places and packs where slaves can buy their freedom, but it's very rare...

I can't even say whether these rumors are true or not, because I only hear gossip, I've never had proper training... I only know how to read the basics, to identify cleaning products and not to change things while I'm packing them away.

I can't even say if I still remember how to speak, since I stopped doing it a few years ago, my way of defending myself, some say I'm still proud because I don't shout... But I think now they think I'm mute...

I should pray to try to understand what's wrong with me, how can my life be like this when there are Gods? I've heard of Selene, the Goddess of the Moon and the one who rules the werewolves... But to me she's just a decoration I see around, she doesn't mean anything to me.

Do I feel angry? I've left that behind, that feeling... Anger at what? What's the point? Will it change anything? No, so why feel it? Just to torture myself... It's not just because I've gotten used to the pain that I like it... Who likes being beaten up every day? Who likes having to work with a bleeding body? Who likes feeling their stomach turn and not being able to eat anything?

"Thing! Pay attention!" I heard Mrs. Smith scream and then the impact of a belt on my left arm.

I looked up and saw the woman's shadow and her scent was now stronger.

"Now that you've finished here, go and sweep the kitchen and make it shine!" Miss Smith said.

I just nodded and went towards the door that led to the kitchen. The smell of food was still very intense, but I didn't even think about getting something for myself, not when there were still people around.

As usual, several of the omegas who were there quickly left when they saw me as if I were some kind of plague... I started at the table, removing the things I still had to wash and putting them in the sink next to it; they were more delicate items, so they wouldn't go in the hole where I normally washed them.

By the time I've finished cleaning the kitchen, it's dawn, how do I know? Looking out of the window, I can see the bright moon already making its final bow, this time I haven't managed to separate any pieces to eat...

So I drag myself down to the place where I sleep, it's downstairs, in the basement, under the kitchen, I go down two flights of steps and open the door to the place where I sleep, it's a bare rectangle, with a dirty mattress, a thin blanket and some folded clothes.

I lay down on the mattress, which was better than lying on the cold stone floor, closed my eyes and felt despair begin to take hold. I don't have tears in my eyes, but this feeling of being forgotten is worse at night, it gets worse when I have to sleep because my mind simply forces me to have "dreams" that will never come true... Of a life that will never be mine.

Many are grateful to have somewhere to escape to, but I only despair more, because in these dreams I'm free and don't have to worry about things, I even have others who defend me...

What's worse for a slave than dreaming of a freedom they'll never have? My heart squeezes and this despair increases more, I don't want to sleep, I don't want to go to that damn place... Because waking up hurts more.

It hurts to know that I can't even die... If I died, would I have a second chance? Would I have a different life? Ahh... That's it, that's the worst...

I closed my eyes tightly, wanting to forget this, wishing I couldn't dream, I put the blanket over my body and took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind.

....

"Wake up!" I heard someone's voice shouting and then the impact of a foot against my stomach, the taste of blood invading my mouth.

I opened my eyes to find Alpha Julius, his son Bernard and Beta Patrick... I quickly sat down on my knees on the floor, my head down. What these three want, I have no idea, but they must have had some macabre idea to be here.

"Took you long enough to wake up!" The Beta kicked me again. I didn't even try to dodge it and just heard the sound of bones breaking.

It was a sidekick and I could feel the pain of my lung being punctured as the taste of blood grew stronger.

"Careful!" Alpha Julius spoke. "Tsi..."

I kept my head down and swallowed the blood as best I could.

"He asked that she be delivered as healthy as possible," Alpha said. I could see the tone of satisfaction in his voice. "You know, people may think that the way I treat you is inhumane, but in compensation for the place you're going... This will be heaven."

Then the three of them laughed, like the despicable beings they are, after all, they like to mistreat people, but I was certainly curious, how can I go to a place that's worse than this?

"Lord Hoff loves to take things like you and test them... When I mentioned that I had a toy that doesn't scream, he was interested... After all, according to the doctor, your vocal cords are intact..."

Alpha Julius bent down and then took hold of my chin, and only then did I look up to meet his satisfied expression.

"Lord Hoff is quite famous for his torture chambers... For those who refuse to speak, he breaks them in a few days..." Alpha Julius smiled a little more, probably wondering what would happen to me. "I just wanted to be there when you screamed... Your screams were delicious."

He stroked my cheek briefly and then let go of my face, and I put my head back down.

"Get ready! I want her ready as soon as possible!" Alpha Julius ordered, and I quickly got up and left the room.

I ran towards the first basement, where there were some cells and also a bathroom. As soon as I entered, I saw that there was already a nice dress there, as well as hot water, soap, dish soap and even some herbs.

I already know the procedure. It's the same thing that happens when I go to be auctioned off. It took me as long as it took to get all the dirt off my body and out of my hair, to untangle it, and of course to get rid of the unwanted hair.

The first few times I felt so humiliated for doing this, but now, whatever... This is my life and it looks like it's going to get worse.

It took me a while before I was finally clean and dressed. I was careful not to get my green dress dirty and I put on my black shoes. As soon as I came out of the bathroom, I saw Miss Smith standing there.

"Let's go." She said and I followed her.

We went into the kitchen. She pointed to one of the chairs and there was a plate there, rice, beans, meat, salad and even some pieces of fruit on the side, plus there was a glass of juice there.

I started eating carefully, after all my stomach isn't used to so much food, but it's nice to be able to eat like this, it's rare, but they do happen. As soon as I'd finished the juice, I felt refreshed, it wasn't just orange juice, it was mixed with something else.

"Good, you're even more flushed." Mrs. Smith's voice echoed. "That potion is quite potent."

I feel much better, my back doesn't hurt, In fact I don't feel any pain, which is something I never thought existed. For the first time in many years, I began to feel afraid.

They'd given me a healing potion. I cleaned up, ate a meal...

"Look, you finally seem to understand what's going to happen to you! AHahahA!" Mrs. Smith's voice echoed.

Soon after, several more laughs followed.