Chapter 3

ZIVA

“Guards!” Tania roared as soon as she completed her statement and shattered my heart into pieces. What?! I am not Alpha Darwin’s biological daughter? Is that the reason for making me work and live like an Omega, while I thought I was being punished for not having a wolf?

Tears streamed down my chin with that as I broke down. Then, hurried footsteps echoed around me, and when I looked up, I spotted three male guards behind me.

“Whip her properly!” Tania ordered, turning around without any sign of concern. Even Nikolas spat on me before he rushed toward Tania, like a Pomeranian puppy rushing toward its owner.

Pathetic! I was given a pathetic life and now, I'm going to suffer, because of my mother, the woman I praised every day for being a better parent than Alpha Darwin. I despise her! She should have killed me before I was born!

Two muscular hands gripped my hand and before I knew it, I was dragged into my room, with my legs hitting the floor roughly. It received a few bruises, and my eyes became clouded with heavy tears, but I didn't let them out until I was tied to my bed with the whip hitting my buttock.

I’ve grown used to the whip, and I do not cry because I know what it feels like. It was like a monthly merciless cramp, but this time, I cried all my eyes out, as it stung my skin and reminded me of all what Tania and Alpha Darwin said. I am nothing, but a bastard. A useless one too.

Another whip landed on me, this time at my back, and I heard my bone crack as soon as it hit me. I must have broken my spine with more pain surging through it. I couldn't help, but cry more, as I hoped that I would collapse soon and be free from these countless whips.

• • •

Many weeks passed after getting whipped, but I was locked in my room throughout, with no food or water touching my lips, though, I didn't die.

At a point, I wondered why I survived the beatings and whips I got since I was eighteen years old, and the starvation I received recently. Why can't I just pass away and end this endless suffering? Is that too difficult for the Moon Goddess to do?

Even though I tried to do it myself, cursing the Moon Goddess for being lazy and ignorant, I could not. I will only end up with more scars and wounds which does not heal. Now, I can't even lift a finger or pick up an object to do so since my body is so dry and stiff.

My laying position had been the same as I laid on the bed in a fetal position.

My lips could not even move because it was too dry, and my eyes could not pour out tears that I could manage to lick and survive. Every day felt like a decade, with my intestines smashing against each other because of hunger. My stomach had stopped growling for food because it was too weak. Every part of my body was weak and I could not blink too.

Creak!

A sound echoed. A sound I do not hear throughout those weeks. The sound of my door opening, but I didn't even try to raise or turn my head, assuming that my head might break and fall off because it was very dry, and to be precise, who would even come to save me? Maybe the sound was just a hallucination for freedom. Surprisingly, light flashed by my bedside too, brightening my dark room.

Footsteps echoed, and they echoed nearer before they stopped next to my bed. A male face came in contact with my frozen gaze, and with the male clothes, I knew that it was a guard. He raised a bowl to my face and pushed it towards my lips.

Is he going to give me water to drink?

Just then, cold water splashed on my head, making me hiss silently at the sudden pain it sent to my face. Later, a bucket of water was showered over my body, and I felt like a dry plant showered with water to make it regain its strength. But why are they doing this? I am being punished, aren't I?

After my gown was drowned with water, the gown stuck onto my body, probably revealing my inner garment and my nipples. The male guard glanced at my chest for a while, and he turned me over with a push, making me fall to the floor.

Pain surged through my body once again, but my head did not break apart as I imagined.

“Hey, eat your food and stop acting like a dead meat!” I heard the male guard growl, as a muscular hand gripped my hand, assisting me to sit and let my wounded back rest against the cold wall.

Another male guard handed a bowl to him, and he stretched it towards my face. I glanced at the bowl, sensing that it was a bowl of rice, the same food I ate after I was eighteen years old.

A bowl of rice was my only food at that time. I ate it at lunch and dinner, but there was no breakfast, and that should be the reason why I'm short and skinny, I was deprived of nutrition.

The guard fed me two spoonfuls of rice and milk, with his lustful gaze never leaving my chest. I knew where this was leading, but I took the milk. I hadn't tasted it for three years, and it gave me a little strength. Sure enough, the man reached out to touch my chest just like I expected.

Fortunately, I gained little strength with the milk, so I swallowed his hand and pressed my teeth against it with all my efforts and strength. Soon, I tasted blood, his blood, while he screamed in agony.

The other male guard must have noticed his screaming. Suddenly, he threw a huge blow at my face that knocked the breath out of me.

Sadly, I had to surrender the guard’s hand because of the unexpected blow. As soon as I surrendered it, the guard gazed at his hand, hissing loudly. Unfortunately, the spots I bit transformed into flesh as he healed quickly.

The guard snarled in anger, his teeth bared like an animal's. “You stupid fool!” he roared, his breath hot on my face. Then he slapped me, causing me to taste blood as my teeth cut my cheek. I tried to ignore the pain, and I ensured that I spat on his face, indirectly mocking and insulting him.

He did not hesitate to wipe the saliva off his face instantly, but I knew that I had engaged myself in another trouble.

Suddenly, a female voice came from outside the room. “What are you both doing?” she demanded.

“Bring her to the upper room immediately!” She ordered with an authoritative tone. Then, the male guards looked at each other, their faces drawn and their shoulders slumped. One of them sighed heavily as if he had been holding his breath the whole time. They must have been disappointed, haha.

Grabbing me by my arms, the guards yanked me forward, causing me to stumble. I tried to keep my balance, but they were pulling me along too fast. My feet tripped over themselves, and I felt myself being dragged across the floor.

It was like I was a rag doll being pulled along by two angry children. I struggled to keep up with them, my breath coming in gasps. But the guards didn't seem to care about my discomfort, their grip tightened as they pulled me along.

They dragged me up a flight of stairs, taking me to the upper room the female guard had mentioned.

On the way, my legs hit the staircase roughly, and I was pushed into a room.

With a loud thud, I fell on the tiled floor, my bones breaking once again as I scanned the room I was pushed into. The room was big and spacious, unlike mine and it had only chairs.

“This must be Alpha’s Darwin private meeting room,” I thought to myself, scanning the surroundings, but I was not certain if my thought was right.

Just then, the door barged open noisily.