Chapter 5 THE STRANGER IN THE DARK

“What did you just do?” Lady Samara asked angrily while holding her cheek. I suddenly realized what I had done as the guards grabbed me again, rougher than before. 

“You will regret this,” she yelled and wanted to slap me. I closed my eyes, expecting it.

“Stop.” Alpha Damian’s cold voice cut through the place and she stopped and turned to him, still feeling anger.

“Why are you trying to defend her? You see what she did, she humiliated me,” she yelled so loudly that I shook to the ground.

“I wasn’t defending her, but don’t you think it isn’t appropriate to be doing this in front of our guests? She is all yours, you can do whatever you want with her, but not here,” Alpha Damian said, and Lady Samara smiled in satisfaction while glaring at me.

“Take her to the dungeon and lock her up till I will have time for her,” she told the guards and they dragged me up after bowing. I was immediately dragged out of the room and back into the dark dungeon I was kept in the first day I got here. It was darker this time and I could hear the noise coming from the party, they were all having fun. I folded my fist angrily. No matter what happened to me, I will keep on fighting. I tried to sleep throughout the night but kept waking up because of the mice running around the room. Some even climbed my body and there was an old stench too coming from some of the dead mice.

I tried to breathe because my chest felt heavy. I had clocked already and I didn’t even wolf out. That made me wonder if I wouldn’t have shifted on the night of my birthday or maybe the reason I didn’t shift was because of what I had passed through. I wondered who my mate is and if he would ever accept me knowing my position here as a slave. Finally, I was able to sleep.

THE NEXT DAY

Cold water was poured on my body and I gasped, waking up from my sleep. I cleaned my face and saw Lady Samara looking down at me holding a bucket of water.

“Awake already? Because we are just getting started,” she said and the guards grabbed me again, taking me outside. The clothes stuck to my body and I started shivering already. I was led to a flat surface and all the palace workers were called to watch me. My hands were tied and I was forcefully laid on the flat surface. Though I struggled a lot, the men were stronger so I gave up and just lay there.

“This is to teach you all to know your place. You are nothing but just a lowly slave. Don’t even try to act like you are more than that,” Lady Samara yelled at them before collecting a long horsewhip from one of the guards.

“Now watch what happens when you do,” she said and released the lashes on my back. It cut deeply and I felt a sharp pain but I kept it in, holding my lips together. I have promised myself to be strong and I won’t show any weakness because that will mean they won.

The second lash landed on my back, cutting another place. Blood dripped down my body and I closed my eyes, holding in my pain. More kept coming, stronger than before, heavier.

I gasped when the sixteenth lash met me. I looked up to see Alpha Damian watching. He was standing at the window of the castle watching me. I couldn’t help but wonder why my eyes always found his even among a lot of people. I maintained eye contact with him as the lashing continued. Some maids were really afraid and couldn’t even watch anymore.

“Fifty,” the guard beside Lady Samara counted and I took it all in. By ninety, ninety-one, ninety-two, I was already losing consciousness because the pain was unbearable and by ninety-nine I could barely take in what was happening around me. The blood dripped more out of my back and I was sure my back wouldn’t be recognized again because of the deep cuts caused by the whip.

“Nobody should help her. She will be left alone here until I am satisfied and release her,” I heard Lady Samara’s voice and then retreating footsteps. I felt the life slipping out of me but I fought strongly.

I know I can’t die now, not when my family killers are still roaming around free. They should pay for what they did, all of them… and then everything went blank.

I suddenly woke up and felt a strong arm around me. Someone was carrying me and I couldn’t see the person’s face, just the arm, and I immediately knew he was a male. I felt myself being dropped on a soft bed. I was lying on my belly.

“Who… are… you?” I managed to ask. The person did not reply and started trying to take off my dress. I held the person’s hand, trying to stop him from doing it.

“Don’t,” I said hoarsely. The voice didn’t even sound like mine to my ear. The person removed my hand from his and tried to take off my clothes again but I still held on tightly.

“Will you stop being stubborn and let me help?” the person snapped. The voice sounded distant though I could hear what the person said. I slowly released my hand and allowed the stranger to take off my dress. He started cleaning my cuts and I winced in pain. After cleaning, he applied treatment on them. By this time my eyes were feeling very heavy and I couldn’t hold it anymore so I fell asleep with the stranger still helping me. I felt myself being covered with a blanket and heard retreating footsteps but I was too deep asleep to react as the stranger left me.

THE NEXT DAY

I turned on the bed and gasped, my eyes snapping open when I felt the pain on my back.

“Are you okay?” Manila asked while checking my temperature.

“Yeah, how did I get here?” I asked in confusion.

“You came here yourself, knocked on the door then collapsed before I opened the door. You didn’t heal quickly too. I was expecting the wound to be gone by now, especially since you are an Alpha princess,” Manila said, but I wasn’t even listening to her. I remembered the stranger from last night and I couldn’t help but wonder who he is and why he helped me. I looked at my dress. It was still my tattered dress but I am very sure someone helped me last night but who is he?.