III. Unrequited love

After taking the breakfast to the dining room, I go to clean the fireplaces from each room.

I am already done with the room of the Betas when Cristina comes in. She looks at me with disgust.

"Still here? Finish what you have to do and leave already. You stink, and I don't want the room to stink like the stable."

"I-I am s-so-sorry, I-I w-wi-will fi-finish im-immediately."

I try to hurry because I know that Cristina doesn't like when I stay too long in the room. When I finish cleaning the fireplace, I get up and accidentally hit the bucket I use to collect the ashes. I gasp when I see the ashes getting all over the fireplace and the floor.

"What the fuck did you do?" Cristina screams. "Look what a mess you did! You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

"I-i-it w-w-was a-an a-a-a-accident," I try to explain.

Alpha Max said that maybe he would give me food in five days if I make no mistake. Now I will get punished even more.

I kneel and start cleaning when Beta Stefan comes in.

"Look what this worm did! And he did on purpose, too! There are ashes everywhere now," I hear Cristina complain.

Beta Stefan rushes to me and kicks me with his shoe in the stomach. This sends me on my back. I watch in horror how he takes his belt out.

I want to explain that it was an accident, but he hits me with the belt. I raise my hands to protect my face and head and wait for him to finish hitting me. I know he will stop once he gets tired.

"I want this to be spotless when I come back. If not, I will beat the shit out of you. Do you understand, you piece of trash?"

"Y-y-yes, B-be-beta S-Stefan."

"Come, Criss. Let this worm do his job."

I hear the door closing, and I know I am alone. The smell of my blood makes me sick. Ever since that day, I can't stand the smell of blood or the sight of it.

As I clean the ashes, I try to breathe through my mouth. I don't want to be here when Beta Stefan and Cristina come back.

In the hallway, I cross paths with Ana.

"V! What happened this time? Look at you! You are full of blood."

"Beta Stefan," I whisper, not wanting anyone else to hear me.

She takes my hand in her hand.

"Come with me," and I let her lead me to where ever she plans to take me.

To my shock, she takes me to her room, straight into the bathroom.

"Take your shirt off," she tells me.

I frown because I don't like to take my clothes off in front of others. My body is always filthy, full of scars and bruises. Once a week, I am allowed to take a bath in a pond behind the stable.

"I will clean you a bit. I hate seeing you full of blood."

I take my t-shirt off and sit on the edge of the bathtub. Ana takes a towel and gets it wet, and starts cleaning the blood. I see her getting closer to me until she sits between my legs. Her smell changes little by little, becoming sweeter, stronger. The whole bathroom smells like vanilla, Ana's scent. This means only one thing that she is aroused. But why would Ana be aroused?

"Ana?" I ask, confused by her scent.

She cups my cheek and bends to kiss me, but I stop her.

"Don't," I say.

I can see I hurt her. Fuck! It is the last thing I want to do.

"I am sorry, Ana. I can't kiss you. You are not mine to touch. Mikael is your mate."

"I don't want him. I want you. I have been in love with you for a long time," she says. "We can escape together."

"No, Ana. I won't risk your life. If I escape, I escape alone."

Ana's eyes get filled with tears. "You don't love me, don't you?"

"I do, Ana, I do. But not the way you want. You are like a sister to me."

She starts crying, and I pull her in for a hug and pat her head. "I am sorry," I whisper to her.

"I hate them all," she says between sobs. "I hate what they are doing to you. I will never accept Mikael. Never!"

"Sh! Listen to me, Ana. Mikael is a good male. He loves you."

"I don't want him, V!"

"He is your mate. Give him a chance. Think about it," I say, but Ana remains silent.

Once she is calm, I rush to do my chores. It is late, and I don't want to risk another beating.

When I am done with the most important things, I go to the dining room. I know it will take a lot of time to clean it because it is a big room.

Only when I am on my knees scrubbing the floor, I realize how much my body hurts from the early beating. My ribs feel like they are on fire. I let a slight hiss of pain escape my lips and continue scrubbing the floor.

I finish my chores around midnight, and I have to drag my tired and beaten body to my mattress.

The five days pass in a blur, and before I know it, it is already the night of the full Moon. I am so nervous that I am sweating, even if I wear a thin t-shirt and a pair of old jeans.