Punished

After everything that happened with me and the nasty alpha who decided to throw me on the floor and mistreat me, they give us the rest of the day off to get to know each other.

Unfortunately they won't let us go to the showers, which means I'm stuck with the filth until 0500 tomorrow. I washed my face and arms in the sink but it's still not enough.

Also, no one wants to be my friend and that's horrible. I've never been in a place where I don't have friends, people usually adore me. I need someone to support me, someone I can vent my sorrows to and complain about how much I've hated this day and this place.

This is seriously awful.

Around 9pm, we're all sitting on some logs, the weather is getting pretty cool and I finally see Alpha Thorne again. He's laughing and goofing around with another equally handsome guy who doesn't look as perverse as him. I decide to fall in love with his friend now. He's just as tall and muscular as Elliot, only he has dark hair and blue eyes and adorable dimples in his cheeks when he laughs. I bet he would never treat me like Elliot. Although I bet all that shit about being insufferable is a lie, too, because when he's not being our superior and giving orders, he actually seems nice.

We are sent to bed at 10.

I finally take off my filthy silk shirt, now unwearable, and my once white shorts, now brown, equally unwearable. I slide into bed in my best pajamas and just as they turn out the lights, I start to cry.

I don't bother to cry quietly. I'm alone and in pain and I want everyone to know. Maybe that way I'll make them feel sorry for me and they'll start treating me right.

"For God's sake, shut your mouth!" Some guy shouts, a few minutes later. I don't bother to answer, I just cry louder, this time on purpose.

I try to think of a way to escape but it's practically impossible, there are military people everywhere watching my every move.

I miss being at home, on my comfortable mattress and not on this small, cheap, thin stretcher with springs that hurt my back and squeak every time I breathe. I miss having my phone; it's only been a day since it was confiscated in the entryway, but that's the longest I've been without it. I need to talk to someone who loves me, all these people seem to hate me and I can't survive without them constantly showing me attention and affection.

I don't remember at what point I calmed down, but I know it was in the wee hours of the morning. People kept moaning and complaining about me and my annoying sounds.

I feel like I only had my eyes closed for three seconds when a nagging alarm goes off, waking me up completely. The beta with the ugly name enters the cabin, looking as if she has been awake for hours already. She turns on the light and begins to clap her hands energetically.

"Get up. Showers are from 5 to 5:15. We expect you in formation no later than that time. Uniforms are outside the bathroom," she announces, and leaves. I'm so desperate to get clean that I even forget what little sleep I had and dig through my suitcase for my underwear as everyone rushes off to the showers.

I packed my best clothes, not thinking I'd get a uniform here. What a waste.

I ignore everyone's nakedness and the filth of the showers as I slip into one, with my bottle of shampoo that smells like wildflowers and my Chanel soap. I know people here won't appreciate my splendid smell and that I'll probably start sweating and stinking as soon as I get in formation, but it's either waste my expensive supplies or use the generic brand ones they have here. The less horrendous option is obvious.

I turn on the shower and scream in horror as freezing water pours down on me, making me shiver. I rush to get out of there but someone I don't know pushes me slightly so that I'm under the stream of water.

"You have 7 minutes left. I won't be eating paste because of you, so you better get used to the cold water."

"Ugh!" I give the girl an annoyed look and shake myself loose, but I heed her, trying to hurry the cleaning process. People slowly finish cleaning up and grab their uniforms to run off to formation, while I’m still trying to wash off the shampoo in my long hair.

"Just one more minute, princess!" yells the same tomboy beta who has been harassing me since yesterday and walks away, leaving me alone in here. I hurry as fast as I can and it still takes me over three minutes just to dry off and get out of there. But then I have to put on sunscreen and brush my teeth. Then when I go to get my uniform, I find the terrible news that there is only one pair of pants left that is too big for me and a shirt that is too small. And horrible boots.

I put my hair in a dripping high ponytail and run to formation, where once again, everyone looks at me as I arrive, reproachfully.

Thorne is already here, this time in full uniform, which to my disgrace, makes him look even sexier. He walks in front of us and when he passes me, he gives me a look full of antipathy.

Now that I notice, his scent is strong, as if he's spewing pheromones to dominate me. That makes me want to jump on him to rip his head off... or to kiss him and kiss him and k…

"This is your second warning. Don't be late again or yesterday will be nothing compared to what will happen to you," he threatens me, then keeps walking like it's nothing. In a moment of complete panic, I look up seeking understanding from my teammate on one side, and he is equally frightened at the sergeant's words, sharing my complete fear, "Given your teammate’s interruption yesterday, the correct introduction could not be given, so we will complete it today. From now on you are a team. One for all and all for one, which means that you help everyone and expect help from all your teammates, whether you like them or not. And that if anyone breaks the rules, the punishment will apply to everyone, not just that person."

"The rules are basic and I will only say them once, so pay attention," he continues, his orgasmic voice full of authority, "No sexual relations will be permitted at all. I know you share bathroom and cabin, and I don't care, any kind of sexual encounter will be sanctioned. Control your urges. You don’t have to worry about your heat or rut while you’re here because we have light inhibitors being sprayed over the camp by drones every hour. They don’t fully suppress your wolf, but they weaken their instincts.”

What in the unnatural shit is this! Everyone knows that inhibitors are not something you can just be breathing every hour.

“Next: I demand absolute punctuality, you arrive at the time you are expected, not a minute late. Today, a teammate broke that rule, so you will be given a punishment, in addition to the one you earned yesterday. Last rule: do not question any authority. You are nobody here. You are worthless. I don't care if your parents are rich or powerful or about your designation, we rule here. If we say jump, you do it until we say enough. Your tears do not move us, your threats are empty and we have the power to do with you what we please... Understood?"

We all murmur our understanding and Elliot nods, pleased.

"Okay, any questions?" asks the girl with the ugly name. A skinny guy raises his wimpy hand.

"Actually, it's a question and a complaint. What will our punishments be? And, yesterday the one teammate who has caused trouble here wouldn't let us sleep because she wouldn't stop crying. I want to complain about her. She's troublesome and selfish."

"Yes, excuse me," I interrupt, raising my hand to make myself noticed. They all turn to look at me, "I'm the teammate who wouldn't stop crying. I just want to express that my crying yesterday was due to the abhorrent and humiliating way Sergeant Elliot Thorne treated me, which I will report to the proper authorities as soon as I return to civilization."

"Well," Elliot sighs and bores his wicked eyes into me, "What's your name, recruit?"

"Angelique Monroe, sir."

"Thanks to Monroe, everyone will be running five miles today. We will return for breakfast and later you will complete the other punishment, after today's scheduled activities. If your teammate is disruptive, for your own good, try to control her. Whatever it takes. As long as she keeps making mistakes, you will all pay for them together. No exceptions."

So now I find myself running alongside eleven people who hate me under the hot desert sun. Well, maybe the sergeant with the weird name doesn't hate me, but I don't have her complete sympathy either.

Elliot runs beside me, making sure I know how useless I am. Being honest, I don't understand why he dislikes me so much, all I've done is defend myself against what seems to be an injustice. It’s the libra in me, I can’t help it.

"Come on, it's only two more miles," he shouts in my ear, jogging beside looking like he’s having a nice walk, while I'm on the verge of suffocation. Two miles is a lot more than I've ever run in my entire life combined, "Fuck, compose yourself a little. You look awful."

"Leave me the hell alone!" I whine, slowing down because I can't take it anymore. My mouth is so dry I can't even speak properly. Thorne doesn't seem happy about that and puts a big hand on my back to push me to run faster.

"You're the one doing the worst. No one looks as fucked up as you. Your fitness sucks."

"Enough!" I explode, feeling strangely more exhausted than before. My legs start shaking and my vision goes blurry. In less than a second, everything goes black and the nightmare is over.