Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Aurora

I drifted to sleep not long after I was thrown into the dungeon to rot throughout the night.

I could feel the worms in my stomach growl in hunger, reminding me that i hadn't eaten throughout yesterday. 

I was so engulfed in chores that I didn't eat. 

Nathalia made sure of that. 

Despite being fast asleep, I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering in fear as I hugged my battered body tighter. 

The night was going to be a long freezing one. 

Panicked shot through me as I felt a pair of tiny legs scurried across my body. 

It could only be one thing. 

Rats! 

The Moon goddess knows how much I detested those creepy creatures. 

A scream tore from my mouth as I sprang up to my feet in a flash of light, running to a rat-free spot. I muffled another scream as my head hit the hard brick wall and I fell to the cold floor at once. 

For some seconds, everything went blank as my head rang repeatedly. 

I massaged the throbbing spot on my head as I sat, resting my back against the wall, wincing in pain. 

Peeking into the darkness that surrounded me, fear clawed my heart and I quickly looked away. My heart pounded hard against my ribs and my breath became heavy. 

By the Moon goddess, I hated dark places. It made me feel as if I was in the midst of gigantic monsters. 

To crown it all, I was the only one in this part of the dungeon. 

Quietly, I crawled carefully until I found a safe spot. I curled into a ball and buried my face in-between my palms. 

Slowly, I fell into a deep slumber. That was the only way I could survive in darkness. 

The last thing I heard were the repeated chattering of my teeth as my torn clothes could cover my body and the fast beating of my heart as I was petrified. 

As soon as I shut my eyes, I teleported to another world. 

Fear filled my heart as I walked in the midst of two women gawking at me. 

My mother and the Luna. 

"Mother, help," I called unto her, stretching my hand as the wind blew me away but she remained unperturbed, watching me in scorn as I struggled to get on my feet with the wind tossing me about. 

"Please, mother, help me!" I screamed louder, desperately struggling to reach out to her, "Mother…"

"Don't you dare call me that!" She yelled, growling at me like a wild beast. 

The Luna on the other hand stared at me quietly with compassion unlike my mother whose appearance was like that of a fire-breathing monster. 

"I'm sinking! Help, mother!" I screamed, struggling with the sand that was about to swallow me and the wind that made me fall repeatedly. 

"You think I care? You ruined my life, I hate you!" She spat angrily turned her back and walking away nonchalantly. 

"I'll help you, dear," The Luna's smooth voice filled my ears and a gasp rolled off my mouth.

How nice! 

I was about to stretch my hand to meet hers when the wind caught me and threw me off balance, burying me in the sand. 

I jerked with force as I woke up from the nightmare, snapping my eyes open as my heartbeat accelerated. 

The dream was so vivid, I could almost smell my mother's scent. 

I had dreamt of my mother's nonchalant behaviour toward me…but there was something strange about this dream. 

It frightened me. 

I screamed in fear as my eyes met with the terrifying darkness.

It was as if my mother's figure was staring at me. 

Despite her absence, I could feel her burning gaze hovering around my vulnerable frame. 

Does she find pleasure in haunting me even in my sleep?! 

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat, hugging my knees and burying my face into them. 

Thinking about this would only fill me with fear. I needed to get this out of my mind. 

Sleeping would help. 

***

"...bitch…how dare…steal…" 

I tossed in my sleep, groaning and covering my ears with my palms. 

Who was making that hell of a noise?! 

I couldn't make out the words as sleep still clouded my eyes. It took time to fall asleep after the strange nightmare. 

"Get her…instant…"

"Just shut up already," I hissed when the voice grew loud, tossing as i sought for a comfortable spot on the cold hard floor. 

"Open it, now!" The voice commanded, but I was not disturbed. I hadn't done anything wrong. Meanwhile, it was still early. 

I was so engrossed in my sleep that I didn't know when my door flung open. 

I was woken by a splash of water. 

Turned out a bucket of water was emptied on me. 

Why was that? What did I do this time? 

I was still processing everything when a familiar aura hit me. My face deepened in a frown as realization dawned on me. 

That bitch, Nathalia! 

I should have known that she was the one screaming her head off. My head ached from the poor sleep and her annoying voice. 

What does she want this time? 

"How are you steal my jewelry!" Nathalia's voice rang on my ears, making me cringe. 

The sleep in my eyes and my blurry vision vanished the moment I heard her words. 

Did she just say steal? 

I followed the direction of her gaze to be sure of who she was referring to and her gaze landed on me. 

Surely, it was some sort of mistake. 

"Are you deaf? Where is my jewelry?" She demanded, stretching her hand toward me. 

My brows creased in confusion as my brain tried to process my last encounter with her. 

She instructed me to finish the chores that ten people would do. I completed them without complaining and got myself in the dungeon. 

Why was she accusing me of stealing some jewelry? 

I was short of words as I stared at her with a more confused face, expecting her to burst into a pearl of laughter, telling me that it was a joke but her face remained as hard as a rock. 

Before I could open my mouth, my cheeks stung from a heavy slap. Tears dropped from my eyes as my hand caressed my face. I was sure that it would be red by now. 

Did she just slap me? 

Anger built up in me, but I struggled to contain myself. 

She was the Alpha's daughter, going against her would bring more punishment. 

"But I didn't steal your jewelry," I cried, more years streamed down my eyes as I swallowed hard. 

"Are you raising your voice at me?" She asked, laughing hysterically, "Are you trying to play dumb? You cheap slut. You are a whore, just like your mother!" She lashed out. 

Her words doesn't get to me, but that moment, her words cut me like a hot knife, causing pain that seared my heart. 

"Shut up!" I screamed, ignoring my pounding headache. 

How dare her accuse me wrongly? 

I wouldn't let her toss me around. I was the Alpha's daughter too! 

"Don't you dare, raise your voice at me!" 

Her hand was about to find its way to my face again, but I held it mid-way, refraining it from slapping me. 

Satisfaction courses through me the way her eyes widened in surprise. 

She didn't expect that I could stand for myself. 

She pushed me against the wall. 

"Get your filthy hands off me, bitch!" She yelled, pushing me away like I was covered in garbage. 

"Leave me the hell alone. You made me work from dawn till dusk. I didn't even eat or take a break. You are the reason I spent the night in this hell and now you are accusing me of stealing your jewelry?!" I fired. Anger rose in my chest as I stared at her annoying face. 

I was one step from pouncing on her and breaking her nose. 

"The reason you stayed up late was because you wanted to steal something. You know the Alpha King will be here any moment, that was the reason you want to look beautiful with my necklace, right?" 

I scoffed as her words irritated me. 

Me? Steal? 

"Clearly, you are out of your mind," I hissed, walking away from her but she grabbed me by my hair, flinging me against the wall. 

I bit my lips from screaming. I could feel my bone break in the process. My legs couldn't support my body and I crashed on the floor, holding my side that hurt. 

Good thing werewolves heal fast. 

"You stole it! The mistress found my jewelry in your room while she was waiting for you. It was also reported that you left the chores once. I can tell that that was the time you hid it in your room because you felt nobody was watching," Her lips curled into an evil smile as she stared at me. 

My heart became heavy as my mother walked in, confirming all that Nathalia had said. 

"I swear, mother, it's not true. I only left to pee once. She is lying," 

"Silence!" My mother ordered before slapping me hard on my place, "How did it get into your room then? Did it grow wings and fly?" She asked, laughing hysterically. 

I let the tears fall freely from my eyes this time as my lips trembled. 

I couldn't believe my mother slapped me because of Nathalia. 

She didn't even care to know the truth! 

What kind of mother was she? 

"I thought putting you in timeout will put some sense into you. But I was wrong. You ungrateful child! All you do is embarrass me. I hate you!" Her shot dagger at me before they softened a bit as she turned to Nathalia, "She should be punished," 

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces as her words sank into my heart, ripping them apart even more. 

I couldn't believe my mother placed a stranger over me. 

The dream made sense now. 

"Make it quick, darling," She urged Nathalia, "She embarrassed me, she should be embarrassed!" She hissed as her eyes made contact with mine. 

"Please, believe me. I never stole anything, I swear. Someone put it in my room. I haven't entered my room all day," I tried to convince her desperately. 

"I didn't raise a thief!" She mumbled, looking away. 

I noticed the fake smile Nathalia flashed at my mother. Not because she liked my mother, but because hating on me was the only reason they got along. 

That was the only thing they shared in common. 

With a heavy heart, I looked at my mother as she couldn't wait for Nathalia's punishment. I could tell she was excited. 

"She will attend the meeting that we will be having with the Alpha King. But instead of attending as a part of the Alpha's family as we agreed on earlier, she will only be there as a maid, serving dishes to us," Nathalia smiled at my mother when she was done before glancing at me. 

"So be it," My mother confirmed and walked away, leaving me with Nathalia and a guard. 

My heart skipped two beats at Nathalia's pronouncement, making me to stagger backwards. 

I couldn't believe my ears. 

I was supposed to seat while the maid served us. Why would Nathalia make me the maid? Didn't she think of the shame on my part? 

"I didn't steal anything!" I cried in frustration, hoping my tears would touch my mother's heart, but her ears were deaf to my pleas. 

She will never believe me no matter what I say or do. 

It was a waste of time trying to convince her. 

That instant, I hated my life. 

Maybe I should just end it all and be free from the tortured since she hated my existence. 

"It will be so much fun to watch you humiliated," She smirked, her face burning with anger and jealousy.