What will I do tomorrow? I can’t do both! My shift starts at four, and the dinner must be ready at nine. Should I do as Vince said and skip work, or obey Alec? Neither of them will let me off.
Vince hates me as well, and I fear his beating more than I fear my brother’s; he is way too strong.
Either way, this won’t end well for me.
The next day is a nightmare. My brother is already after me when I’m making breakfast for everyone, threatening me non-stop. “You’d better not let me down, Nora. I want this money, you hear me? You are going to work as long and as hard as Robert wishes you, and you better come home withthat paycheck in your hand! Or else you’re going to regret it, I swear!”
He doesn’t stop until the Alpha comes downstairs to eat. Vince glares at me, and I lower my head, as submissive as I can be. A few other pack members enter after him to join the breakfast. Among them, Marcus sends me a lewd glance, making me shiver with disgust.
“What are you waiting for, you stupid girl?” Says Amber. “Won’t you hurry up and serve us the food? Do you want the Alpha to starve or what?”
To add to her words, Vince growls. I can feel my wolf whimper inside, afraid. I can barely feel her nowadays. I serve breakfast as fast as I can, feeling the glares on me. My wolf whines continuously inside. She doesn’t want to be there, and I don’t either.
I’m about to leave the dining hall when the Alpha calls me again.
“Nora. Tonight’s dinner is essential for our pack. If you make any mistake, you will be banished from this pack for good, you hear me?”
I glance at my brother, sitting away from the Alpha, but he acts like normal. Alec will blame me in any case.
“Nora!”
I jump. The Alpha got impatient from my silence. I nod slowly, and he growls once more before starting his breakfast.
I leave the room and exit the house for fresh air. What do I do now?
My eyes set on the forest. This green, vast, and beautiful forest. My wolf wants to go; she wants to run among the trees, feel the fresh cold air. The autumn’s fallen leaves, the gentle breeze of the wind, the smell of the grass. I know. How I wish I could let her out, too...
I bite my lip. I wish I could be a free wolf. Free of my brother, free of my pack, and free of those painful memories.
It’s so tempting, and I can almost feel my wolf who wants to run there too. But I can't, I can’t...
“I won’t go,” I say.
I’m shaking, but it’s been two days, and I won’t change my mind. Alec stares at me with a furious look. I ignore him. I may be afraid of him, but the Alpha’s wrath is even scarier.
“What, did you say you won’t go? You just shut up and go already; I am not asking for your opinion! You bitch!”
I bite my lip and clench my fist, holding the spoon. I try to focus on those appetizers, ignoring the angry eyes of my brother. Alec starts yelling at me, as I expected. I can take his insults. I am no bitch, no whore, no slut. I have never once done anything that could make me deserve these names, but he keeps going on and on. Why would he call me such things? I’ve never even been kissed before or been with a man!
Hang on, Nora. This is not something he’s never done before.
He slaps me, but I don’t care. I ignore the pain and keep making those toasts. A new slap, and one of the appetizers falls on the floor. Don’t look at him, don’t. Keep going.
“You are going to go to work right now!” He yells in the kitchen.
No, I won’t. I know it’s no use talking back, so I don’t. Even my wolf is proud of me. She is being fierce, showing her teeth, sharing her strength with me. We won’t submit to him. If I don’t make this dinner successful for the Alpha, the whole pack will be mad at me. We all know how merciless the Blood Moon pack can be. Everyone still vividly remembers how they destroyed the Snow Moon Clan two years ago. They didn’tjust fight them; they killed all of those who didn’t pledge allegiance to the Blood Moon emblem.
Compared to that kind of threat, those of my brother are not as fearsome.
He keeps the yelling going, but I ignore him. He slaps me a couple of times, pissed, but that won’t work. When he suddenly stops, I raise my head, surprised. The Alpha, Vince, just entered the kitchen.
“What’s going on here?” Vince asks. “I can hear you all the way from my office, Alec, keep it down.”
“Nothing, Alpha. Just telling this eyesore to work faster...”
“You mind your own business! I need your sister working, stop hindering her work. You want to be useful? Go help upstairs. And shut up!”
Alec glares at me but has no choice but to obey and leave. Vince looks at me with disdain, peeking a glance at my work so far. It’s not much, but it’s not even 4 pm yet, and I know I’m going to be ready on time. Without saying anything, he exits the room. Apparently, he recognizes I’ve been working diligently and won’t get mad. I let out a sigh of relief and go back to my task. At least now I know Alec won’t dare to come back here.
