BRIDGES APART

CHAPTER 2: Bridges Apart

GREECE

455BC

 DECEMBRE,

ALTHEA'S POV

I groaned as crumpled to the ground. My knees scraped against the small stones littered on the earth.

 I felt blood slowly trickle down my shins. Why did they keep doing this to me?

 What did I do do deserve this? Did I hurt anyone? Did I do anything wrong that made them despise me this much? 

Why was it always me? They found nothing but joy in tormenting me. I could hear the same mocking laughters...

"You can't even do one thing right, don't you know that water ruined my dress?!" Kathryn gripped me by the hair. I groaned as she jerked my head backwards. "How can a despicable and pathetic wolf like you find a mate? You'll certainly be rejected. Nobody wants you. Do you still have any hope of trying to please us?" She questioned with a foreboding smile.

"Please... please let me go." I said and she turned me towards her. "I'll do anything to make it up to you... just let it go just this once please."

"I see." The grip she had on my hair loosened as she rose up to face the other omegas. "She's trying to avoid getting beaten today. But princess, there's nothing you can do for me, that'll make me satisfied. Absolutely nothing. You're worthless, and you'll never be enough." She demeaned and yes those words got to me. It had been a constant battle that I'd finally come to accept. I wasn't worth anything for anyone. Murmurs filled the air. "Deal with her. And after..." She dropped a pile of clothes on the ground. "Wash those clothes."

The omegas, even the males slowly advanced towards me. One of the unmated males crouched to my level with a pervert filled smile playing on his lips.

 His hand gripped my hair...tighter than Kathryn's grip. So much more tighter it felt as though my hair was about to be ripped from my head. 

I struggled to my feet as he pulled me up by the hair, my legs trembling. I was weak and as I was disoriented...like I was in a fog.

 My heart thumped with fright as I had my eyes fixated on only the bully in front of me. 

My head was beginning to pound loudly, I felt dizzy but what was about to happen to me wouldn't permit me to give in to slumber.

"You know how well I love to see that fear in your pretty eyes." He tossed me to the ground again, bent and pulled my hair again. I groaned in pain. "You don't? Maybe I should show you." 

My eyes widened as the others advanced and the first thing I could feel was a knee to my rib. 

Male wolves possessed way more strength than the females. So them mistreating me like this was sending me to an early grave. 

"Please..." I begged.

"Your pleading is doing nothing sweetheart." He said and I was disgusted by the fact that he called me that. But I was too occupied with the pain to react.

"Stop..." I said, barely in a whisper.

I tried to shake off the fog that was clouding my mind, but it was like a veil had been drawn over my thoughts.

 I saw the look in the bullies' eyes as they tormented me, the cruel sneers on their faces. 

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and my breath coming in short gasps. 

The cold water hit me like a bucket of ice, I tried to reach out to anything...for anything that would free me away from this torment, gasping for air. 

My fingers brushed against the little earth stones while it gripped an already dried up grass.

 The sound of mocking laughters filled the air as tears fell from my eyes. 

I tried to drown the noise out but I couldn't. 

Their bullying and mockery will always serve as a testament to the pain I've had to endure. 

Their voices taunted me, echoing around me.

 The wetness of the water seeped into my clothes, chilling me to the bone.

 Trying to pull myself together, it was really hard to think straight.

 I looked up and saw my best friend with the other omegas speaking with them like I wasn't here being bashed relentlessly. 

She seemed okay with everything that was going on with me.

 But then she stopped talking and our eyes met. She glanced away just as fast. 

I felt panic rise within me, threatening to overwhelm me.

 I was alone, trapped by these bullies, no one was coming to save me.

 I was like a sinking boat, sinking into my dark abyss...my thoughts going out of of control.

 I would not ever be able to escape this nightmare with my bullies surrounding me with malicious glee as they tortured me to their satisfaction.

 Slowly, my grip on the grass, loosened while my vision blurred...till I was overwhelmed by darkness.

 Water was doused on me again... snapping me out of my slumber.

"Get to work. You still have not watched the clothes. Who's going to do that for you?" Kathryn glared at me while I gently rose up, legs wobbling as I walked over to the clothes. 

My legs gave out as I fell onto my knees, staring at the pile of clothes in front of me. 

They were more than before and I knew even the omegas had given me their chores...it was something they usually did to me. I was completely weak...and in so much pain. 

I understood the reason. They believe Kathryn was going to become the next Queen, because even the King was choosing a bride.

I would not blame them for thinking that, because she had the qualities that befit a Luna Queen.

Over the years that I've been bullied, my healing capacity had reduced drastically.

 One would believe I was turning human because I could barely hear my wolf speaking to me now. 

She had been dormant for so long, and I didn't know how to wake her up.

 All I could do was cry myself to sleep most of the time because Bentley, a lot of times didn't even have time for me because she didn't want to be seen with me. 

I didn't want to hurt her too, it would be selfish of me to ask her to share this kind of life that I had with me. 

If she ever helped me and anyone found out she certainly wouldn't be spared.

 I understood that.

 I just wished that sometimes she could just help me... because I couldn't help myself no matter how much I tried.

I slowly reached out to take one of the outfits so I could wash it. 

My movements were slow because I barely had any strength to continue, I was using the last of my strength to clean these outfits. 

But I did, I watched them all, till the cloud dawned like it was about to rain.

While everyone hurried inside the room, I remained outside, still washing the outfits. 

Then I felt a drop on my hand and before I knew it, the rain rushed down onto my body, drenching in water. 

But I dared not go inside, before I receive another round of torture. 

The rain was peaceful.

 At least I found solace in the fact that nobody else was outside but me and the rain. 

It was all to peaceful and addictive, but cold. 

But I endured it, still washing the clothes before I felt a tug. I gasped.

"Medicine?" I called out to my wolf, thinking she had been the one to tug on me but there was no response.

 She was still dormant. 

I continued washing the dresses till I was finally in the last one.

 I was relieved that I could make it this far without losing consciousness.

It was about time I went to spread the clothes but the rain wouldn't permit that so I waited, in the rain so it could stop.

 I took the bowl and limped towards the sides clothes were usually spread before placing it down, so I could go and take the rest. 

Limping yet again, forcing myself toward the other bowls as the heavy rain dropped on me, the wind blew so hard i could barely see anything without the rain entering my eyes. 

I stumbled on something snd while trying to balance myself, triggered the pain in my ribs. 

The pain coursed through my body, causing me to fall to the ground. 

I looked up, my hair plastered to my face and on my skin.

 The bowls were just a reach away but the pain I felt, didn't make me move an inch. 

I sobbed quietly as I laid there, allowing the rain to beat down on me.

 At this point, I just wanted nothing else but for the earth to swallow me up cause what was the essense of living?

I laid there, doing nothing because I felt paralyzed, I felt numb, but every moment I moved, there was a sharp unbearable pain along my rib. 

I shut my eyes not wanting to do anything more. Then I felt the same tug I felt earlier...

"Medicine." I said in a bare whisper as I felt an unusual sensation course through my veins. Then slowly, I opened my eyes, seeing two legs standing before me. Like an electric bolt, a bond was formed inside of me. What the hell was this feeling. I heard my wolf whimper...oh my gosh...I couldn't believe it. 

For the first time in a long time...my wolf was finally awake.

"Mate... mate." She called out, completely confusing me till I felt someone grip my hand and pull me up. I came face to face with an unknown face and behind him was...the alpha?

I quickly got away from his hands, ignoring the pain in my ribs as I fell to the ground. 

Every other person in the omega camp walked out of their respective rooms to meet the Alpha.

The Archon...I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be...he was my mate.

 The look in his eyes was unreadable as he advanced towards me. 

My wolf weakly rose from where she was sitted, and I could feel the joy that rose up within her. 

This was what she had been waiting for? Our mate?

He bent and raised my chin to look at him and so I was staring into his brown eyes. 

The rest of the omegas were completely quiet as they watched in anticipation. 

I was so relieved and scared at the same time to have found my mate...

"What's your name?" He asked, his voice so rich and deep.

"A... Althea." I stuttered.

"I, Leontios of Greece, rejects you, Althea as my mate." Without another word, he straighted so he could address the others. "And I know you all have waited for so long. Prepare yourselves tonight. The princes and nobleman are arriving to choose their favored one. And to see if you will be the one, do not be late. The consequence is severe."

And just then, I nearly lost consciousness.