“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” I beg, sobbing already, “Alec, I’m sorry, I just...”
“Won’t you shut the hell up! Where were you hiding, you bitch! You thought the chores would get done by itself? Or were you hoping someone would do it for you, huh?”
“Why the hell is the Alpha keeping this girl, again? She’s so useless and dumb!” Says Amber.
“I’m sorry, I’ll do it right away! Sorry!” I sob.
I get up to reach the sink and run the water to start washing dishes, trying to keep my tears in. My brother and Amber keep growling, but at least he has stopped hitting me. He won’t get too violent whenever someone else is in the room, especially a girl.
“If you run away or hide from your chores again, I will kill you!” He swears as he exits the room, followed by Amber, who can’t resist smirking at me.
...I’m so sick of it.
When will this stop? This is my hell, day after day. I’ve tried running away. I did. But Alec is faster than me, and I got the worst beating ever when he caught me. How could I outrun any wolf when I can’t shapeshift myself?
I wish they just let me go, but where would I go next? I don’t have any other relatives and no friends. I’m penniless too. Where would I go...? Don’t cry, Nora. Stop. It’s useless.
“Give it to me, I said!”
I shake my head, confused. “I don’t have anything, I swear! He didn’t give me anything, Alec, he really didn’t! You know he gives it all to you!”
He growls in anger, but it’s true. What is wrong with him? I just got back from work, and he started searching, even emptied the content of my bag on the floor. Now he keeps asking me for the money. But what money? He knows Robert gives him all my salaries! I never see a single cent I work so hard for!
Even the customer’s tips, Robert just takes it from me as soon as my shift is over! I could never hide any of it! And Moon Goddess knows I wish I could!
“Why do you ask? Do ... Do you have money issues again?” I ask.
He glares back at me, furious. “Again? Isn’t that your fault I’m ruined! You are just a damn waste of money! Can’t you work harder? How am I supposed to make it through with this measly paycheck you get?”
I’m astounded by his words. How dare he? I work like a slave all day and night! The Alpha makes me do all the chores for the pack, from cooking to laundry to cleaning the whole house, everything on my own. And Alec got me this job at the local pub when I was fifteen, making me work those crazy shifts for half of the night! I can only get a few hours of rest at night, and it is never enough.
He, on the other hand, has never had a proper job. He is twenty-three, but Alec says he doesn’t need a job because he must focus on the pack, for when he will be chosen as the next Beta. As if that would ever happen. Even I know there is no way my brother will ever get that position. No decent Alpha would ever appoint someone so lazy and self-centered as a Beta.
However, Alec is convinced otherwise. That only makes him act even more unreasonably. He just spends money whenever he wants and shows off in front of his friends while I must watch. That money is what I earn with my sweat, and yet Alec is the one who spends it. How can he pretend I’m the one he uses it on? I don’t own anything but a few clothes! I don’t even have a bed, and I can only eat leftovers if there’s any.
So why is he now interrogating me like I’m some thief?
“Anyway, you will be working tomorrow night,” he says.
“What? But I haven’t had a day off in weeks! And the Alpha wants me to make dinner– another pack will be visiting! I won’t make it in time if...”
“I don’t care!” Alec yells. “It’s your problem, not mine! You will go to work, and I’ll kill you if you don’t! And the Alpha better not be mad at me because of you!”
I stand there, shocked, as he exits the room. What’s wrong with him? He has never told me to do anything that might upset the Alpha, and now he wants me to go to work? At least he or the Alpha will be mad at me!
I take my head in my hands. What do I do now? The Alpha was so adamant about me preparing all this dinner! Some people from the Blood Moon pack are coming, and that is big for our pack; he will never forgive me if I don’t help him welcome them.
Our Jade Moon pack is one of the oldest werewolves Clans of Silver City and the best located, but we are also one of the smallest and humblest.
We are nothing next to the Blood Moon pack.
I only know what I heard from other people, but it’s enough. The Blood Moon pack, despite being only a fewdecades old, is the strongest in the area, and unrivaled. Even the Sapphire Moon or Gold Moon packs are no match.
But it’s not about their numbers. The Blood Moon pack is fearsome because it is wealthy, hungry, and ruthless. Some say the Alpha leads with an iron hand, and no mistakes are permitted. They’re scary, but they are like royalty to this City’s werewolves. Our Jade Moon Pack is on neutral terms with them, so far. I don’t believe any Alpha leader would willingly become their enemy.
So, what will happen if I ruin this dinner? I could ruin relationships between the two packs and lead ours to a disaster! The Alpha will banish me, or worse. I try to sleep, but I’m too worried.
What is wrong with my brother? I have seen him in need of money, but now he acts like he has gone crazy! And his bloodshot eyes... He was down here in the basement when I came home, looking for money. I even heard him ask Amber for cash. What kind of trouble did he get into this time? I don’t like this.
