CHAPTER SIX

“What I have done to you?” My voice was shaky with tears. How could she threaten to make life hell for me? Was it my fault the Moon Goddess made the Alpha my mate? Why did everything have to be my fault?

She raised her hand and brought it down on my face, it left a stinging sensation in its wake. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision. “How dare you, slave girl? How dare you?” She seethed.

“But..but…” I could not form any words. I was in pain, both emotionally and physically. My chest constricted in pain. What have I done wrong? Why was Zaryn behaving this way to me?

“Shut up, Tasyra.” She shunned me. “The next time you’ll talk when I’m talking, I’ll kill you. I don’t care whose mate you are.” She spat in my face.

I kept quiet, watching anger and meanness flicker on her face. I hated what was happening to me? First, it was the Alpha rejecting me after a night of bliss between us, then the Luna treating me like some a piece of trash, as she usually did. Now, it was Zaryn. I sighed, keeping mute.

“Can I go now?” My voice was low and defeated, I needed to leave here.

She took threatening steps closer, I moved backwards. Not knowing what else she was going to do to me this time. Then she paused, shooting daggers from her eyes. I swallowed. “Watch your back, Tasyra. Watch your back.” She stormed off, brushing her shoulders against mine roughly.

Releasing a sigh of relief, I continued my way to the farm. My head was bowed in defeat and misery hung over me like a broken chandelier waiting to fall at any given time. 

Tears blurred my vision, I wiped them away, but it was not doing enough to stop the pain within my chest. The more I wiped, the more tears sprung to replaced the ones I’d cleaned from my eyes.

I missed my mother. I knew how much she suffered, but then again, she always made sure I never went through this much hell. She had always protected me from the Luna even at the expense of her own life. How could someone be this mean and wicked? Always trying to break others down for no just cause.

Even the Alpha, I used to think he was going to be different but he was not. He was now like his mother — mean and wicked. Rejected our mate bond? Why? Was I not good enough for him? Why would he want to marry someone that was not his wife? 

I trudged sorrowfully to the farm I’d been assigned to, the sun beating down harshly on my back. My steps were weak. 

“Are you okay?” A young guy asked, watching me as I finally entered the farm.

“Yes.” I nodded and went to pick a basket. Venturing further into the farm where the berries are, I began to pick them. Alone with my depressing thoughts, tears rolled down my eyes. 

It was a long time later when a hand gently tapped my back. I jolted a little in fear. I turned to see it was the same guy from before.

“I’m sorry for scaring you.” He was wearing a kind smile.

Unsure of what his intentions were, and quite wary of him, I stood and stared at him, not saying a word. No one really talked to me in the pack, everyone saw me as some kind of despicable being to avoid, though I wondered. I used to think it was because I was born in captivity, but I also realized other slaves like myself hated me too.

So this fellow trying to be nice to me was something I did not understand. Or maybe it was a ploy? But by whom? And for what reason? 

“Wh…what do you wa…want?” My voice was hoarse, and trembled too. I could not just trust him until I understood why he was here.

“Here, take.” He extended his hand to me, the smile still plastered on his face.

That was when I saw the cup of water in his grasp. I was thirsty but I was also wary. What if Zaryn or the Luna was trying to use him to poison me? They didn’t like me, hated me to the core so what if they were trying to get rid of me, probably because of the mate bond with the Alpha. The same mate bond he’d blatantly rejected. Memory flood my head, and caused tears to spring again.

“Uhm…I am sorry. I don’t mean to make you cry.” The guy apologized, he was looking quite lost and confused. Probably wondering what he had done to make me cry.

I wanted to tell him it was not his fault but I also wanted him to feel like it was his fault. No one had ever cared enough, except for my mother, to ask how I was or how I felt. This guy’s kind act made me feel to alien to kindness.

I only nodded, wiped my eyes once more and sniffled. “Th…thank you.” I finally managed to say.

“Do you still want the water? It’s quite refreshing, got it from the spring on the East side of the park.” He informed me, still extending the cup towards me.

That spring was always so chilled and refreshing. Already feeling every drop traveling down my throat, I nodded. “Thank you.” I took the water and gulped greedily, not stopping until every drop was gone from the cup.

“You must be very thirsty.” He observed, seeing the way my head was thrown back as I drank every refreshing liquid. “I’m coming.”

Before I could respond, the kind fellow had walked away and soon was back with a bigger jar that I could guess correctly contained water. Eager for more, I extended the empty cup towards him. He poured another drink, and I downed it within seconds.

“You want a third cup?” He asked, ready to pour another round into the cup.

“No, thank you.” I handed him the cup. “I’m quite filled.”

“Are you sure?” He raised a brow.

“Yes, I am.” The only thing I was at the moment was hungry, but I dare not overstep. He was kind enough to offer water which could hold my stomach for a while.

But my stomach had a very different thought from mine. I did not know if it was the water that had gone to remind my stomach that it need food or my stomach itself, decided water was not enough because the rumbling sound it made really embarrassed me.

He guy had on an awkward smile, took the cup and went away without a word. I sighed. I could not even appreciate him well before my stomach decided to embarrass me.

“At least you have water in your stomach now.” I silently told myself, and continued my berry picking.