Free For Use.

I was dead. I had to be since I’d been living in hell for the past few weeks. Hell was supposed to be hot, though, and bright red with flames. The room where I was being held was cold and extremely dark. Even through the thin mattress I lay, I could feel the icy chill of the concrete floor beneath me. it seeped through to my bones—to my blood. Every cell in my body was thoroughly chilled. Maybe I could be better off in the real hell than this one.

But the physical discomfort was nothing in comparison to my emotional agony. I had lost so much more than my freedom. I had lost my heart when Alpha Asher rejected me and when the old Luna announced to the pack that I had tried and failed to seduce the Alpha.

Then she told anyone they were allowed to sleep with me if they wished because I was cheap product that wanted cock so bad, hence they should give it to me.

The men came in here every time it was quiet and tried to have their way with me. I shuddered with heartbreak as the memory of the worst harassment played behind my lids. I’d been so tired in that moment and somehow drifted off. Next thing, I felt a finger forcing its way inside my private parts and I jolted upright, screaming my head off. The guard beat me up for ruining his chance with me but left as soon as their leader arrived. I’d felt so dirty and left for the bucket in the corner I used to deficate, I couldn’t have my bath to wash away the feel of his hands inside me.

The worst of it all was that I couldn’t allow myself to sleep at night. I was scared out of my mind that the men who guarded this warehouse I was locked in would discover my prized secret.

I regretted going after that scent. I should have believed the other girls when they said someone like me would never be chosen by her mate.

Hot tears sprang to my eyes but refused to fall. I’d cried so much that the mere thought of crying anew made my eyes blister. Everyone was right. I was weak, vulnerable and useless.

“Let me out.” I murmured, my voice a hoarse whisper. From all the screaming I’d done and sparse food they gave me, I must have damaged my vocal cords. But it didn’t matter anyway. Nobody had heard my cries of pain, my yells for help.

~**~

I ached all over from the cold, from the stiffness of not moving much within the small confines of my makeshift prison. Even after all this weeks, the old Luna had not let me out. I had no idea how many weeks has passed, but I had to figure out how to escape.

The guards had stopped giving me food and it was a matter of time till I lost my mind from starvation and then rot to death. My heart ached with that thought but I pinched my wrist, begging myself to be strong. But why won’t they let me out? The Luna had instructed them to do so after her step-son’s engagement.

Every time the door opened—which had become less these days—I asked, I pleaded for answers. But there was never a reply to any of my questions. The guards barely looked at me. Maybe it was guilt that made them unable to meet my gaze?

Or maybe it was disgust?

I was filthy, so filthy that I feared I was getting sick. The bucket of urine and feces was no longer cleaned up and the stench made me gag so much, throwing up all over myself. I wanted to be brave, I wanted to fight. But I felt so damn weak, so delirious with hunger that I barely changed appearances these days.

The door suddenly rattled as a padlock slid free of a chain.

My heart skipped a beat and a wave of shame and pain washed over me.

I was locked up like an animal. In fact, I felt like an animal, an abused one, as I cringed in fear of the door opening. Were they going to try to rape me?

The door opened slowly, falling back against the outside wall of my prison.

I wanted to sit up, ready to fight for myself if need be, but I could barely roll over on that mattress.

When I glanced at the opening, I saw only more darkness and two shadows filling the space. Something like hope flickered in my chest.

Then they were speaking to each other. “the Alpha is now engaged to Luna Vira.” One of them said. “We should let her out.”

The other snickered. “Well, we should have a taste of that pussy before we do.”

Oh goddess, no. I felt a trickle of fear.

“I don’t know about that….” The first man who had spoken first said hesitantly but that didn’t stop his hand from drifting to his belt buckle. “She looks disgusting and smells like a landfill. Besides, the leader might….”

“The leader might what?” a bass voice and they both snapped upright, trembling.

“Nothing.”

“Let the girl out. Luna’s order.” He barked, glaring at the both of them.

~**~

Three months later.

“You would scrub the toilet floors till there is not a single speck of dirt left!” the head of maids sniped at me through a haughty expression, her lips twisted in a disgusted sneer. “If I learn of any misconduct, you would be publicly beaten a hundred strokes of a wooden cane, do you hear me!?”

I nodded sharply ignoring the twinge in my heart at her words. By misconduct, she meant I shouldn’t try to sleep with anyone in the bathrooms while I was working. It was as if Camila Knight’s accusations had given everyone the free reign to now confidently say the things they had whispered harshly behind my back. Now it was said to my face that I was a cheap whore who slept around and I was given the lowliest of jobs which were usually reserved to the omegas. No one even cared how famished and broken I looked after I was released from the prison. In fact people had spat at me and disgraced me until the head maid broke up the commotion, and not because she liked me, but for the reality that I was still a maid in the pack house and a disrespect to an official maid is an affront to the Alpha himself.

Talking of the Alpha, rumors had it that his betrothed had now moved in with him but I’d made sure to steer clear of the Villa since I got released a few months ago.

“Answer me when I speak to you!” The head maid yelled at my face and I jolted out of my sad thoughts.

I quit. It was on the tip of my tongue to say but I couldn’t find the confidence. I’d already saved up enough money to last for a few months away from the pack, but I hadn't wanted to be without a mate. Now that my mate had rejected me, there was nothing left for me here.

Sighing I bowed and muttered. “Yes ma’am. I would do as you say.”

With that, she hissed and turned around leaving me at the bathroom doors.

But as I pushed the door open, the most disgusting stench reached my nostrils and I gagged, the little food I’d been able to swallow down without feeling nauseous landed on the floor. I couldn’t stop retching even though I plugged my nostrils with my fingers.

Crying, I turned around and left the bathroom stalls. It was time to quell my suspicions. When I was locked up, I attributed my queasy stomach to the situation but it was almost three months after and the mere scent of literally anything made me gag, plus the morning sickness that made me so skinny and sickly.

Trembling and sobbing quietly, I stole a cap from the lines at the backyard of the maids suite and drew it over my face. I didn’t want anyone to know it was me.

Soon, I reached the pharmacy and waited till it was emptied out. When it seemed no one else was going in or exiting, I slinked through the glass doors.

After getting what I needed, I shoved them into the pockets of my jeans and ran as fast as I could to my room which was underneath the stairs of the hall.

Then I took out the pregnancy test strips. I’d bought three from different brands.

Here’s goes nothing. I muttered and went into the bathroom.

Minutes later as I stared at the two pink lines on the first one, the “YES” on the second one, and the…positive on the last one, my mouth went dry.

Goddess. I was pregnant. Pregnant by a man who didn’t want me.

My knees turned to jelly and I slipped to the floor, trembling and trying to breath.

I couldn’t think of anything as I hyperventilated, wrapping myself into a ball. No. no. no. no. it wasn’t supposed to happen like this.

Just when I struggled to sit up, the door to my bathroom was kicked open and standing before me was Camila’s personal maid.

Oh no! my heart flew into my mouth and I shoved the test strips behind me, but it was too late.

I watched her eyes widen and she screamed. “You harlot! You are pregnant!”