chapter 13

Mira POV.

I awoke the next morning feeling exhausted and worn out. Memories of the previous night flooded my mind, filling me with dread at the thought of going to the training ground.

I glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was almost eight.

"Shit," I cursed in my head, jumping off the bed. Despite my fear, I knew I had no choice but to get to the field as early as possible before he arrived. The thought of being punished for lateness spurred me into action.

I quickly bathed and changed into clean clothes, making a mental note to wash the dirty laundry piling up from the day before.

As I left my room, I noticed maids heading toward Navier's quarters, whispering and laughing as they climbed the stairs.

That cruel, pampered bastard was likely waiting for breakfast in bed. With so many maids catering to his every whim, why had he insisted on making me his personal servant? Why couldn't he just leave me be?

Oh right, he made me his personal maid just to have me around, for the sake of his wolf.

My stomach rumbled in hunger as I passed by the kitchen, reminding me that I hadn't eaten anything for two days—not since the night of the mating ceremony.

But I paid no mind to hunger. Starvation was something I had grown used to in my old pack, where I would collapse and wake up in the hospital.

At times, I would be starved as punishment, and now it seems the cycle has continued. The only difference here was that I was allowed to eat but each time the food ended up on my body.

I knew that one day, I might succumb to exhaustion and malnourishment, but I would welcome my death when it came.

"And why the hell are you late for training?" Navier's authoritative voice boomed, breaking my train of thought. "I specifically told you to be here at the crack of dawn for your training, and you're only just arriving?"

I looked at him in surprise, my mouth agape. I had just seen two maids carrying breakfast to his room. If he hadn't been in his room, then who had ordered the food to be brought up?

That could only mean one thing—he had someone over last night. A woman

But who?

Could it be Carrie?

From our first encounter and the previous night, she had warned me off Navier that he was hers. It could only be her.

As the realization hit me, a sharp pain stabbed at my chest, and I pressed my hand against my heart. The thought of him being intimate with someone other than me, feels as if someone dipped his hand in my chest and ripped out my heart.

He had called me a whore, a slut, useless, weak, pathetic and other demeaning names.

But yet, he was all those things he accused me of. Why couldn't he understand that all I needed was his mate mark and our shared strength to be healed, and be stronger. But he wouldn't listen or try to hear me out.

He has broken me and the worst of it all he sealed off my wolf, I haven't been able to feel her presence since that day.

“Are you undermining my orders as your Alpha and mate?” He shouted. “I asked you a simple question, or have you become deaf all of a sudden?”

I snapped out of my reverie and walked to where he stood fuming in anger.

“And have you always been a dirty, disgusting sewage rat all your life.” I longed to sign in anger, but I forced it down.

Because I knew signing angrily would make him angrier and he would punish me for disrespecting him.

So instead I signed. “I'm sorry, I woke up late.”

He moved closer to me, until we were only a few inches apart. "You're so fucking useless," he ranted, his voice filled with anger. "You couldn't even bring my dinner on time, and now you can't follow a simple instruction to arrive at the training ground at the crack of dawn.”

His accusation was a lie, he had never mentioned anything about being there at such an early time.

However, I couldn't focus on his words. Instead, I was overwhelmed by the odor emanating from his body.

He reeked of rotten fruits and Carrie, it sent a rush of nausea through me. It was evident that he hadn't bothered to shower to remove the scent of her from his skin.

I was certain he had left it intentionally, sending a clear message that our mate bond meant nothing to him.

The message was received loud and clear, and it hurt deeply. My wolf, who had been dormant since the suppressant shot, howled in pain within my head.

"I don't blame you," he continued, his words dripping with disdain. "I blame the Moon Goddess for burdening me with a worthless mate, and I blame myself for my weakness in bringing you to my pack, only to disgrace me. I should have rejected you the moment I first saw you." With that final jab, he shoved me forcefully.

I fell on the floor and landed on the exact same wrist that I had injured the day he pushed me in his office.

A sharp pain shot through my arm, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I sniffed them back. I refused to cry over a mere fall.

No, I am strong and I am going to prove it.

I've been a fool for letting others dictate my fate, but no more. I will train harder than ever until I'm strong enough to protect myself.

I won't take anymore shit from anyone, especially Navier. I made a vow to myself.

I had no idea where the strength came from, but I stood up to my feet and stared at him with an intense hard look on my face.

For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of guilt on his expression. “Are you o….” he seemed sorry but he quickly brushed it off and masked it with a hard look.

“Today, you're training twice as hard. Run a hundred laps around the field and do Twenty pushups for warm-up, before we start today's training.” He ordered.

My newfound determination wavered at his words, and I stared at him in disbelief and shock.

It was only my second day of training, and he was already pushing me to my limits, as if I was a professional warrior.

"Oh, are you about to cry? Can't handle this much? Are you so weak you can't even run a few laps?" He mocked, smirking.

“You call this a few laps?” I tried to yell at him but my voice betrayed me, and no sound came out.

“I'm not weak, I'm strong. Mira is strong, I am strong” I repeated like a mantra in my head.

“Get on with it, before I make you run extra laps just for the fun of it,” he taunted.

I clenched my fist in determination and started running around the field. At first, everything was going on well until my legs decided they'd had enough and began to ache, and my breathing became hard and shallow at the seventh lap.

I felt exhausted, but I kept pushing myself to keep moving, and Navier wasn't helping matters.

“Are you getting tired already from just playing around the field? Prove to me you're not weak.” He yelled, from the center of the field.

I continued to run till my vision blurred, and my muscles burned with each step. I struggled to stay upright, but finally my legs gave out, and I collapsed from exhaustion.