Chapter Five

Kara's POV

Two weeks later, and I am still alive.

For some reasons, I have grown leaner than before. Chris had gotten more wicked because of my rejection the other night. He won't demand to rape me again, but he is now harsher and uncaring of my health.

I only eat twice now, and while the second one is night, the first one is never morning. Maybe in the evening, sure, or sometimes I eat both foods at night. He always finds work for me to do from morning until evening before I then eat.

Since I cannot complain, I have rather grown used to it. For the past two weeks, by the way, that night has become my treasure. I keep the memories close to my heart and allow myself to relive them in my dreams and thoughts whenever I am working.

For example, I have been working since morning because Chris wanted to refurbish the interior decor, and I've been carrying furniture in and out. It's a wearisome work. My back hurts so much, and my fingers have been cut because of the harsh materials, but I dare not lack in my work.

I have to pack all the new furniture into the house today after unpacking the old ones yesterday.

As I carry the one-seater couch with the thin strength I have left, I remind myself of the handsome stranger that I spent that night with. His name was Alaric.

Such a fine man's name. He was clean, and his skin shows how much luxury he's had in his life, but while his body shows softness, his mind doesn't say the same thing.

He seemed like a dark man with dark goals.

Well, I am not concerned by that. I am just glad that my first time was with him, and it's almost painful that I will never get to see him again. Thinking of that reminds me of the mark. I have been successful in keeping it hidden. I lied that I have mosquito bites all over my neck, and Chris doesn't care, so I was safe about that.

I sigh after I drop the last item inside the house. Tomorrow, I'll continue with arranging these couches and the kitchen utensils. Or so, until Chris came into the living room with a bowl of ice cream in his hands.

"You'll arrange everything now, or you don't eat at all today."

"Please, I am tired." I tell him, and he comes near me and slaps me so hard that I fall against a wooden shelf, and it cuts my elbow.

"Get to work, bitch."

My eyes swelled with tears, suddenly recognizing this man as the person I used to laugh with. He would take mom and me to the park, and till night, we would play games in the arcade.

I nod my head.

"Answer me with a yes!"

"Yes, sir." 

He spits on the ground and walks away, leaving me at work.

When I stood up, I felt dizzy, but I didn't think much of it. It's just because of the tediousness of the work.

I try to grab a place to sit, but my eyes fade off into darkness for a second, and before I know it, I fall.

I gasp when I wake up, my body jolting up from the bed. My body has gotten used to always waking up hastily before Chris comes knocking on the door and beats me for waking up late.

I calm down when I see myself on the hospital bed. The door opens soon after, and Doctor Alan walks into the room. He is the nicest to me in this pack, and I guess that's because he's a doctor and meant to be selfless.

"Hello, Kara. I just came to check up on your vitals. How do you feel?"

It took me a minute to respond. "I feel okay. What happened?"

The door opened harshly, and Chris entered. He swiftly approaches the bed, causing fear to grip me so badly.

Doctor Alan has nothing to say at this point. He cannot save me, so he nods at me and leaves the room. Immediately after he does, Chris folds his arms and stares into my eyes.

"Rule one: do not shift your eyes away from mine. Rule two: do not lie to me. Now, I will ask you once. Who got you pregnant?"

I blink rapidly at his words. I wished the ground could just swallow.

"What...!" 

I...I cannot...never! I didn't; it was a one-time thing. It's impossible!

"I don't understand." I knew I messed up when I said that. This man will kill me right now. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I quickly say, and he stops himself from smacking me. "I'll talk."

"Better, girl."

"I didn't do anything." I had told him that I slept in the forest the other night, so I have no excuse now. He must know I lied. "I didn't. I don't." I'm starting to hyperventilate. I don't know what to say. I cannot speak the truth. I wasn't supposed to be pregnant. He will kill me if my heart doesn't kill me first. I feel like my blood has turned into boiling water and is burning all my intestines.

I'm suddenly having a stomach ache.

"I'll give you a minute to think of a truth to tell me. Let me go grab some popcorn and be back here for some nicer words before I know how to kill that baby inside you. Don't you want that too?" He grabs my cheeks and smiles devilishly. "Your life is unwanted already. You don't want to bring another unfortunate being to this cruel world again, do you?"

He walks away afterward.

He's right. 

I am doomed. I cannot doom another being.

Quickly, I take off the clips and burst out of the window. I did not even think of it twice. The clothes on my body tear into pieces the moment I turn into my wolf and continue to run and run into the woods.

I haven't been this speedy in my own life. My legs got torn by a trunk, but I didn't stop. I just continued speeding into the woods.

I didn't think much about what I wanted to do next, but all my life, I have always run from troubles, and well, even though it kept me alive, I always end up in bigger trouble.

I stop at a cliff, and my wolf howls out in pain before I change back into my human form.

She whimpers inside me, and more tears flow down my eyes.

I have to just end it. I have to kill the baby before it even grows any life at all, and I have to end my own life too. Maybe I wasn't meant to live in this world or this universe.

I want to see my mom again, remain in her embrace, and forget that there's pain somewhere.

I stand up and take three steps close to the cliff.

"I'm sorry, Claire. We must do this." I tell my wolf, and she whines. "I'm sorry." One last tear flows down my eyes; I close my eyes; and I throw myself forward, losing the ground.