Chapter 3

I sat up on my cot, hugging my legs, wrapped in my blanket until I heard the door open and quiet, gentle, footsteps were walking toward me. I saw Gabrielle walking toward me with a tray in her hands. She had the key to my cell in one hand and a breakfast tray in the other hand. As she walked into my cell, she placed my tray on the bed and sat on the stool, “Don’t eat the biscuit. It has wolfsbane in it. It’s poison.” I gasped, “Why would they do that to me?” She explained, “I saw Luna Kate talking with Ayame in a corner of the kitchen. I’m sure the two of them are making sure you don’t get better.” I giggled, “The Moon Goddess beat them to it.” Gabrielle furrowed her brows, “What?” I giggled as I turned around to show her my back. She gasped as I felt her touch my back, “How did you heal so fast? You don’t have your wolf yet.” I answered, “The Moon Goddess healed me. I’m trying to act like it still hurts when Alpha or Luna come down.” She shook her head, “You are very special, Izzy. You are meant for greatness. I will protect you as much as I can, but I can’t do much. I will try my best for you.”

I finished eating and we talked about the chores and she told me that Doctor Miller stocked the kitchen first aid kit, without showing Ayame, “He knows Ayame is not a good person. He saw her beating the last slave. You should be ready for her to start hitting you soon.” I nodded in agreement, “I’ve been waiting for it since I got here. She never did look like she likes me.” She sighed, “She really doesn’t like anyone and I don’t know why.” I suggested, “I wonder if her mate rejected her.” Gabrielle’s eyes lit up, “You might be right!” I laughed, “I was only joking.” She shrugged, “I’m not. I don’t think there is anything that will make her happy now.”

Later that day, I was smiling, thinking I would get my itchy cast off tomorrow, when I started feeling uneasy. That was when I heard him walk into the dungeons. Alpha Ben approached my cell, growling, “You have not learned your lesson, I think.” I was being sincere when I asked, “What lesson? I know that I will never go to the doctor again. I thought that was why I was brought here?” He shook his head, “That was Luna Kate’s reason. My reason was to make sure you clear the plates as soon as we are done eating.” I nodded, “I will remember that, Alpha.” He unlocked my cell and took me back to that room. I steeled myself for the coming pain, because there was no way I would let him see a single tear. He sneered, “I’m putting you on the table. I want you face down.” He lifted me onto the table and positioned me spread eagle, arms and legs splayed wide. He tied each limb down and soon I was feeling the pain of a whip across my back. I refused to jump, flinch, scream or cry during the entire torture session. He cracked the whip, “You worthless runt!” The whip cracked, “Slut!” The whip cracked, “No one will ever want you!” The whip cracked, “Hideous!” The whip cracked, “No one will ever love you!”  By the time he was done, I was in horrible pain and losing a lot of blood. I knew I would have to call on the Moon Goddess after he was gone.

He picked me up off the table by my hair and put me back in my cell, throwing me against the wall. I landed with my back against the wall, then turned to land on my cot, face down. I heard a sickening crack when I hit the wall, knowing something was broken. I laid there, not moving an inch, until Alpha Ben was out of my cell and out of the dungeons. I mind linked the Moon Goddess, “Dear Moon Goddess, would you please at least stop the bleeding on my back and heal whatever broken bone I have?” Selene appeared and a tear fell out of her eye as she looked at my back, “I will only partially heal your back as you need to see if Gabrielle will clean the wounds. It looks like he broke a rib near your spine. I will heal that for you.” I cried, “Thank you. I just don’t know why they feel the need to do this to me.” She shook her head, “I have no control over what they do, but know they will pay for everything they are doing to you and your reward will be worth all that you are going through.” I nodded, “Okay.” She healed my rib and I could feel that she took almost all of the sting out of my lash marks. At least he didn’t use the one with the claws. The tips of this one were dipped in silver this time, causing the lashes to sting more and the scarring to be worse than it would be without the silver.

After the Moon Goddess left, I started crying as I wondered if I would be able to survive this until I find my mate. I was beyond distraught when I heard light footsteps coming my direction. I hurried and wiped my tears, not wanting them to see me cry. When the person stepped in front of my cell, I lost my breath… Ayame. Can this day get any worse? I don’t know if I can take any more. She had a tray in her hands and I looked at her with a blank expression, “No, thank you. I’m not hungry.” She sighed, “Now, don’t be like that. I know you have to be hungry.” I responded, “I’m not. I will be fine. Please go away.” She laughed, “Oh, I’m not going anywhere, little bitch. You will not get away with disobeying me.” I furrowed my brow, “You never ordered me to do anything, so I’m not disobeying you. I simply saw the food and told you I wasn’t hungry.” She scowled, “Have it your way. No food for you right now. You are ordered, by the doctor, to eat three times a day.” I replied, “Then I will tell the doctor that I’ve been getting two meals per day, and each one has had wolfsbane in it or a razorblade. And I’m sure the one you are holding is no different.” She cocked her head to the side, “How did you know?” I laughed, “You aren’t very good at hiding it. I didn’t think you were trying to hide it.” She smiled, “I wasn’t trying to hide it. You would be better off dead with the life you are going to have around here.” I chuckled, “I’m sure that’s true, but it’s the path The Goddess is sending me on, so I will obey and I won’t complain.” She shook her head at me, “You are such a fool. You’ll be dead long before your first shift.” She walked away, laughing. I did the only thing I was capable of doing. I let the tears fall, silently crying.