Chapter Two

Raven

I held my tingly cheeks, my vision blurry, as I gazed up at her face. I saw two girls move to my sides immediately and grabbed my arms.

“I tried to help you, but you dared to steal!”. She continued, her eyes blazing with fury. Steal?. I saw the opened bag of flour, which I had brought in, but it wasn’t flour that was in it. It looked like…it was sand!.

“That’s…that’s not true…I didn't steal…”. I stammered, shaking my head vigorously. She was definitely mistaken, I’ve gone to bed on an empty stomach countless times, but the thought of stealing had never for once sprung up in my mind.

She slapped me hard again, as if aggravated by my words, and I could taste the blood in my mouth.

“You have the guts to lie to my face, when the truth is glaring!”. She spat to my face, and slapped me once again, the hit more rougher than the previous ones. Tears sprang instantly from my eyes, my head was reeling from the slaps.

“I should have known better than to allow filth work here!”.

“I swear I didn’t…ask the girls who were working with me, they saw me throughout…”. I paused my words, while I gathered my thoughts. Where are they? There were girls in the storeroom, when I started working. My eyes widened as I realized that I hadn’t seen them, after a while I started carrying the bags of flour.

“The other girls…Where are they?!”. I tried to free myself from the girl's grip, and look for them, frantic to clear myself.

“What girls?”. She asked with an incredulous tone.

“The…the ones that were in the storeroom before…”. I couldn’t finish my sentence before she cut me off.

“Do you think I’m that stupid? They finished their work and left long ago”.

“They…they did this”. I said with so much conviction, afraid of what would happen to me if I wasn't able to prove my innocence. Theft was a serious crime in Dark valley.

“Shut it! I’ve been watching you. You’ve already planned everything out. I should have known when you showed up late”. She ordered the girls to pull me to my knees. I saw her move past me as she dragged the bag which was filled with sand.

“Why would I steal when I’m here to work?, please believe…”. Then it happened in a blink, my entire body was covered in sand.

“Yeah, I would believe you If this sand turns into flour”. I coughed voraciously, and I even found it more difficult to breathe. It felt like I was being suffocated.

“You will surely pay for…”.

“What is going on here?!”. I heard another voice as the whiff of the person’s perfume hit my congested nose, through my disoriented state.

“Greetings Luna, we caught a thief, and she is denying it when I caught her red handed”. The kitchen head answered.

“A thief? Who dares to steal on such a joyous

occasion?”.

“I’m not a thief…I’m just here to work, my brother is injured and needs treatment”. I explained immediately, turning towards her direction, seeking her understanding.

“A dutiful sister you are. Today is a special occasion, so I will not kill anyone today. Guards! Hold her down”. I was roughly seized up by two men on each side, their grip rougher than the girls.

“I’m innocent…please let me explain”.

Then I saw the kitchen head move backwards as another set of girls came forward and pulled my gown upwards almost to my hips.

“Such a clear skin you have, but it will be tainted today”.

What are they up to?

But when I saw iron soup laden that had steams coming from it, I knew what was going to happen next. Riev. He had warned me about not being caught as a hybrid, but I was being tortured for a crime I knew nothing about.

The sizzling burns on my thighs were the first thing I heard before my gut wrenching screams.

“Did you steal or not?”. She asked, pressing the iron spoon hardly against my skin.

“Why…why would I steal when I came here to work?”. I sobbed, I couldn't even recognize my own voice. She pressed the spoon against another part of my thighs. I wish someone would come save me. I’ve heard rumors about the Luna’s torture, but it was nothing compared to what I felt at that moment.

“So today isn’t exempted from Raya’s wrath, hmmm?”. I heard another lady’s voice in the kitchen. For some reason my eyesight made it to her face.

I gulped amidst the pain I was having.

Della? I avoided her gaze. How could I have evaded her in her own home? She was the only sister of Alpha Dorian, and the one who had rejected Riev in the past.

“She stole flour”. Someone said, and her eyes lingered on me for a while.

“Hmmm…poor thing. It must have been so hard living, for her to even dare to steal here”. She said in a tone that felt as if she was empathizing with me, but I knew her too well. She wasn’t that kind. Her right forefinger lifted my chin, as she scrutinized my face.

“She is a mess, but she looks…I want her!”.

“No, you can’t! Take her away! Beat her until she confesses”. Luna Raya ordered.

“Come on, today is a joyous occasion, besides having a baby requires more hands”. Della said, smiling coyly. I watched her and I hate that she was happy. Riev had to bear with the emotional pain of the rejection.

“She would be very useful, trust me”. She persuaded her. My burnt flesh was so gory that I tried not to look at it. The pain was something else even though she had stopped.

“Okay! Your wish”. She huffed out. “Yes? What do you want?”. A maid was nearby, her head lowered.

“I’m here to inform you of Alpha Vaughan’s arrival”.

Instantly I felt the change in the atmosphere, at the mention of Alpha Vaughan’s name. The name that sent chills through many spines. The Alpha of Redmoon pack. Even though Riev and I had no pack to call our own, we have heard of his fame.

“He is here?”. Della turned to look at Luna Raya, who had the same shock expression on her face.

“Do you know what you are saying, if I get to know…”. Luna Raya began to threaten.

“I swear he is here, I saw him with my own two eyes”. The girl answered briskly.

“But…but you told me, he didn’t respond to Dorian’s invitation”. Della accused.

“He didn’t! I need to see him for myself”. Luna Raya scurries away. “Take care of her”. She gestured towards me.

“I can’t believe this. I need to change before I meet him”. Della said, as she glanced over her dress. Then her lips lifted up in a smirk.

“Release her this instant!”. The guards dropped my arms.

“Now you will be the one to serve him”. She gave me a toothy grin, and I knew it was meant for my imminent doom.

“Please I would do anything for you, but don’t…”. I whispered, tired to my bones.

“Shhhh…you would just be a bait for him to focus his attention on me”. She winked at me. “Now stay here and await my order”.

It would be my death sentence to disobey her, and serving Alpha Vaughan wasn’t even an option.

“Walk straight!”. Della yelled as I limped into the large hall where the celebration was taking place. I held a tray that was filled with refreshments of different kinds, which was meant for Alpha Vaughan. She tailed behind me. My head felt like it was about to split into two.

With each step I took, my body ached badly, and the pressure I felt as I made my way to him. His presence and aura was overwhelming for me, it felt as if his eyes were on me. Few steps to him, Della pushed me forward. The refreshment I held in my arms clattered around him, as the drink poured on his clothes.

Immediately, Raya pushed me aside and rushed to him.

“Oh my! I’m so sorry”. She said in an overly sweet tone, and began to wipe his clothes with her handkerchief. So this was her plan.

“How dare you?!”. Della yelled.

I tried to figure out what to do, begging wouldn’t save me from his wrath. A thought popped in my head, and without thinking twice, my weak legs began to move.

Then it was as if a new found strength arose in me, I began to run, damning all pain I felt at the moment. Fighting my way through was the only solution, to save myself.

“I want her dead!”. I heard Alpha Dorian thundered as I left the hall.