7. Good as new

Nomia POV

The Innkeeper was right. 

The moment Beta Jared returns from breakfast he grabs the chest and then grumbles something which sounds suspiciously like ‘Come!’

Coupled with his glare, I don’t take too long to comply. The carriage from yesterday is waiting for us outside the Inn. Alpha Zared is already there. He looks annoyed. 

Alpha Zared and Beta Jared discuss pack business and travelling to other realms. I find it difficult to follow as I don’t really understand. I do learn that Alpha Zared’s pack is called Golden Claw. Only the strongest, cruellest alphas name their packs after weapons. Most name their packs after the moon goddess or her celestial bodies and hope she will provide them strength and protection. 

I tune back in and try to commit to memory as much information as I can. Knowledge is power, that's what the Red Star slaves always used to say. It didn’t help them much, but I can only hope. Maybe one day I’ll be free to travel to other realms? I’ll be happy and safe. 

Dreams are all I've ever had. 

When the carriage pulls up in front of an enormous building I feel my eyes go wide. I always thought the Red Star packhouse was impressive but the Golden Claw packhouse makes it look like a shed. 

Servants bustle towards the carriage to open the door for Alpha Zared, when we get out I see a row of five ornately dressed women smiling and waving to him. Beta Jared stands at his side and l stand behind them unsure what is expected of me. I feel plain in the simple dress and I become painfully self conscious of my appearance. The teeth I have left are broken and discoloured. My mouth is almost more gap than teeth. My hair is long, but not luscious. Instead it is thin; dull and tangled. 

Alpha Zared calls out for Emerald and Amethyst; two elderly ladies elegantly come forward. When he steps aside to reveal me in my pitiful state they stop and look shocked. They quickly straighten their expressions and take the last steps to reach us. They both curtsy for Alpha Zared and nod in recognition to Beta Jared. They look at me but ignore me. “This is Aurum, I’ve acquired her 2 days ago at the rarity and curios market. You will fix her up and train her so she can be added to my special group”. I suppress the urge to raise a brow and tell them my name is Nomia not Aurum. Alpha Zared has never asked me what my name is. And now I’m ‘Aurum’, I don’t know what it means. But I do know that I don’t like being renamed like any old horse who changed hands. 

“We will take care of her Alpha, she will be exactly as you like in no time.” Amethyst or Emerald promises, I don’t know which of the two. I wonder what they mean and how, exactly, they are going to fix me? 

“Come this way Aurum.” Amethyst or Emerald says curtly. And, like always, I follow without so much as a squeak. Though I am filled with dread and anger that I still don’t have control over my life. But the one thing that was mine, the one thing my mother gave me is now taken from me. Alpha Zared has taken my name, erased my past and will now have me moulded into whatever he wants me to be.  

We walk up the stairs to the platform in front of the packhouse, past all the beautiful women and enter the house. The hallways have a thick, luxurious carpet, which muffles the sound of footsteps. It is soft and warm under my bare feet. 

I’m led up a flight of stairs to a set of double doors, where two huge men stand guard. They nod at us and open the doors. 

As we walk through the doors, we enter a large living area with big couches, covered in fluffy cushions and bookcases lining the walls. 

In the corner there's a loom with a beautiful piece of cloth. Embroideries in progress lie all over the place. Each one depicts sceneries or horses, dogs and cats. Near the window there's an easel with a portrait in progress and paint open. Everything looks as if it was laid down in a hurry.

We walk straight through this room, and through a small door on the other side. This small door leads to a long hallway, lined with several other doors. I am lost. 

At the third door, we stop and either Amethyst or Emerald opens the door “This is your room” I’m told. The room is large, but sparsely decorated and the only furniture is a big, bland bed. A hand gently pushes me through the door, and both ladies follow me inside. The shorter of the two with sparkling violet eyes says “I’m Amethyst” this means that the taller with the striking green eyes must be Emerald. Emerald smiles a warm smile with perfect white straight teeth “It can't be a surprise but I’m Emerald. We’re here to train you and help you here. We’ve been here for a long time, taking care of Zared’s girls” 

“First we’ll fix you up; make you look healthy. We can work on getting you healthy after that.” Emerald said. 

Amethyst interjected “Do you have a wolf?” 

I shake my head.

“Probably too weak to host her, dear.” Emerald patted my shoulder “She’ll come when you’re strong enough. Then she can help with the scarring and hopefully fix your teeth.” 

I stepped back as Emerald started patting me everywhere else. “Hmm.” She mused “We’ll need a temporary wardrobe until you’ve filled out. I’ve seen planks with more shape to them!” 

Amethyst comes bustling over “We’ll bathe you first. Then find you something more suitable to wear to meet the other girls.”

Oh no. I don’t want to meet any other girls. Especially if they’re Zared’s. They’ll be beautiful and confident and have all their teeth. Basically everything I’m not. 

Amethyst places her hand on my shoulder as she gently steers me toward the bathroom. Maybe she senses my need for reassurance? I’m not sure how much time, food and guidance I’ll need to be able to fit in here. 

As we enter the bathroom, I realise there’s no tub. I look around, before directing my gaze at Amethyst. She doesn’t bother to hide her surprise. 

She goes over to a huge sink on little feet, toward the centre of the room. Turning the taps, hot, fresh, water spills out and my mouth falls open in shock. Steam rises as the giant sink fills, and Amethyst pours some scented oils in, which mix with the steam and produce a delicious, warm smelling vanilla aroma. 

Amethyst gestures for me to get in, and I clamber in with all the grace of a new-born foal. She chuckles, before grabbing hold of my arm and peering at me. She picks up something that looks like a small rock with sandpaper attached, then proceeds to scrub my elbows, knees and feet so that all the rough, calloused patches are gone. 

“There” she stands, stretching her back and looks at me with a satisfied smile. 

The rest of me is scrubbed to within an inch of my life and my hair is detangled with the utmost care, Amethyst tutting all the while. 

“We need to be careful with this. There’s barely anything left on your scalp!” she exclaims, irritated. 

Eventually, she indicates it’s time to get out of - what I’m told - is called a bathtub. Amethyst first dries me me with a large fluffy towel, she then proceeds to smother me, head to toe, in an almond-scented lotion to keep my skin soft. I’m wrapped in a soft, fluffy robe, and marched out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom, where she pushes me onto a stool in front of a mirror. 

There, Emerald takes over again and smears my face with some coloured lotion ‘to make it less pale’. I look at her in the mirror but she doesn’t return my glance; she is the picture of concentration as she draws on some freckles ‘to make me look youthful’. Stray hairs are removed from my scanty eyebrows and upper lip, before Emerald colours my brows in, to match what hair I have on my head. A sheen is applied to my eyelids before Emerald adds some fake lashes because “You don’t have any, dear.” Next, she draws stripes around my forehead, cheeks, jaw and nose, before repeatedly, well, punching me in the face, with a small sponge. 

Once the two gems (as I’ve taken to calling them in my head) are finished with me, I look and feel just like the other girls I was so worried about. 

Amethyst comes back with a dress from the cupboard. She tuts as she holds it up to me and it’s far too big. “This is the smallest one we have. Goddess, girl - were you ever fed?!” 

I want to answer because, so far, they’ve been nice to me, but Amethyst doesn’t wait for me to respond. Instead, she and Emerald start tying pads around my chest and hips. 

When I look up, confused “It’s to give you the illusion of shape, dear.” Emerald explains

“Just until you have one of your own” Amethyst adds. I find myself nodding, though I don’t really understand. 

“Arms up” Emerald orders, and as I comply, they tug the - what was - huge dress over my head and pull it tight. Looking in the mirror I have a figure. The pads worked magic. 

“A butt and boobs are essential for Alpha Zared” Amethyst winks at me. The gems start wittering on at each other about the ‘appalling’ state of my body as they bustle about adding ‘finishing touches’ to my hair and outfit. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I am unrecognisable to myself. I appreciate the kindness of the gems, they could have been rougher with me. But at the same time I’m angry, angry that the girl looking back at me is fake, or at least not me.

The skin colour and the curves are add ons, a stark reminder that I am not good enough as I am. That I have to fit a certain look to be appreciated and desired by Alpha Zared. Emerald looks at me from over my shoulder, “Amethyst, do we have a hair piece somewhere? Her hair is so thin that it gives away too much of her actual state.” 

“You’re absolutely right, we have some fake hair, I’ll get it so we can create some volume.” And she hurries out to get the fake hair. When she returns they redo my hair in a high bun that looks too big to be natural. Leaving a few tendrils hanging out that they curl with a curling iron. 

Finally satisfied with the metamorphosis, they instruct me to force my feet into some ridiculous heels. I stand there in front of the mirror looking at a lady who is perfect in every way as long as she doesn’t smile and show her teeth. Her eyes are still dull and tell a sad story but I feel disengaged, and a fraud. This is not me looking back, I am not a lady. Everything is wrong. I don’t feel comfortable. 

The gems seem to sense my raging emotions. Emerald gently turns me so I can no longer see my reflection. “It’s a bit overwhelming isn’t it?” I feel a lump in my throat and nod. “You’ll settle in just fine and soon this will be the life you know. Every other girl that has come through those doors has had the same struggles.” Amethyst adds, giving me a reassuring smile. 

“Come!” She says. I try to walk on the torture devices on my feet but crash to the floor within three steps. My ankle hurts from the weird twist it made. “We’ll start teaching you how to walk in heels tomorrow” Emerald says while she hands me some dainty flats.