Chapter 3 - Unexpected Help

Elizabeth POV

            “Why do you always seem to piss them off?” I hear the Beta demand of me.  I do not look up for fear of what I would see.  The desire in his eyes for something I hope he cannot have.  He opens the cell doors slowly.  The creak of the doors screaming in my ears. 

            He takes a step inside the cell, and I can scent his lust.  I feel physically ill at the thought of what is to come.  “I see the guards did not do their duty.  It does not look like there is even a mark on you,” he says as he kneels in front of me.  He reaches out to gently touch my face.  I flinch at the feeling wanting to pull back, but I was already tucked in as close to the cement wall as I could be.

            He shocks me when he slaps my face and my head crashes back against the cement barrier.  I let out a startled scream as he backhands me making my head bounce off the cement wall once again.  He stands and kicks me to my midriff, as I feel another rib break at the brutality.  I am gasping for breath as the shock takes over my body.

            He grabs my arm forcing me to stand.  I double over in pain as he unlocks the silver cuffs.  “There, now you look a little more like someone who has been punished,” he says as he curls his hand tightly around my fragile arm.  He drags me behind him as I remained bent over trying to catch my breath and breathe through the pain raging through my body.

            I see the guards look at me with sympathy.  I knew they had spared me last night and I could only hope they would not suffer for it.  I stumbled as we walked out of the dungeons; my eyes were blinded by the sun beaming down on us.  The Beta growls and tugs me up closer to him.  “I swear if you do not hurry up, I will give you something to really be bent over for,” he snarls at me crudely.

            I cringe in fear and can only do my best to stand and hurry behind him.  He takes me to the kitchens and pushes me inside.  I stumble and fall to the floor with a pitiful whimper.  It is all I can do to contain the fear rolling off me.  Nobody is present and I see a huge mess waiting for me. 

            “Get this kitchen cleaned and start getting everything ready for tonight.  It had better be perfect or you will find the cells were a walk in the park compared to what you will suffer tonight,” he promises as he walks out of the kitchen.

            I lay on the floor for a moment, begging the Moon Goddess for the strength to get through today.  Why she had forsaken me I have no idea, but it was clear I had done something in my life to deserve what I received.  I had no idea what it was, but I knew if I did not meet their expectations, tonight I would kill myself.

            I could not be left with the Beta.  He would kill me, but I would do it first before he got the pleasure of abusing me.  I heard my wolf whimper, but I could not focus on that right now.  In the end, taking our lives would give her a chance to be with someone else.  I could no longer make her suffer for my sins.

            “You have not done anything wrong, Elizabeth; the Moon Goddess has a plan for us,” Ashley whispers in my mind.  I know she is trying to heal my ribs and I can feel some relief.  But I also know it is taking everything from her to do so. 

            “Well, she has a funny way of showing it,” I reply hurt to know the Moon Goddess was behind all of this.  Ashley is exhausted and cannot reply.  I slowly stand up and start to move around the kitchen cleaning it as I go.  I know I need to move faster.  I have too much to do to be this slow.

             I hear the door to the kitchen open and I cringe thinking the Beta has returned.  I turn around, preparing for whatever would come next.  I could not contain my surprise as I see three Omegas standing in the entryway.  “What?” I whisper wondering what was going to come next.

            Looking around the kitchen angrily, the head Omega moves forward, “We know you will not get it all done.  We are here to help,” she scowls at me.  The other two look around and nod their heads.  “Do not think we will always help you, but we know how important tonight is,” the second Omega says as she ducks her head from looking at me and starts to get to work.

            I look at them with gratitude.  “Thank you, but I do not want you to get into trouble,” I say to them quietly.  They look at me, knowing full well it will not be them punished for giving me help.  “Let us clean the kitchen, and then we will leave you to the cooking,” the third Omega says as she pushes a seat closer to me encouraging me to sit down.

            This is the first time anyone has shown me any consideration in this Pack.  Certainly, even the Omegas stayed clear of me.  I did not know why they would want to help me, and I could not help but ask, “Why?”.

            They looked at me and shook their heads.  “It is not right,” muttered the head Omega.  “Everyone knows it is wrong how they treat you, but everyone is too afraid to speak up,” she says.  She looks at me with sadness in her eyes, “I am sorry, but I cannot risk my family,” she adds before moving quickly around the kitchen.

            I sit I shock.  I had never heard anyone acknowledge my existence much less that my treatment was wrong.  I sat there in silence trying to absorb what I was hearing.  Before long the kitchen was immaculate, and the Omegas looked at me wanting to help further.

            I shook my head, thanking them for the help they had offered me.  “I hear someone coming,” I say, and they quickly exited the back door as the kitchen door opened from the dining hall.  The Luna walked in hurriedly and looked around, “Well I see you have managed to clean the kitchen.  You better have the meal ready for when the guests arrive this evening,” she mutters angrily. 

            “I will, Luna Nancy, I will.”.