Chapter 6 What's on my back

"Why would you say that?"

"I feel like dying, Luthan."

"Hush now, Amyra. Stop saying crazy things like that."

He carefully cradled me in his arms but then gasped when he saw my back.

"What happened?"

I couldn't reply, more tears fell.

"Talk to me. Oh my wolf! Your back looks worse than it was. Did you fall and hurt yourself? What are these ugly scratch marks, they weren't there before?"

I couldn't answer any of his questions. I was just in such despair and my heart was very heavy. If only my parents weren't so poor and struggling to survive. If only there was some other way I could feed them. They were old and father couldn't really do any hard jobs anymore. They have done their best by me and now, it was my turn but I don't even know how else to go about bringing home the bacon. I don't know what else to do. There was really no job in the Moon River pack, especially for the low class like myself and my parents. More tears fell from my eyes. Every salty drop sprang from a place so broken and hurt. Why would the Luna say those words to me? Why would she hate me so much when I haven't done anything to her? What was my crime? What do I do? A heart wrenching sob broke from my lips and I couldn't keep it in anymore. I broke down and felt defeated. I don't know why I was letting the Luna's words get to me, I know I shouldn't but then again, I was a very homely and friendly who had no heart to give heart, much less take one. Moreover, I had no power over her. The only person who did was the Alpha and he supported her in mistreating me too.

"It's okay, Amyra. Please talk to me. Who came in here? I remember locking up the cell. Who has a spare."

I tried to talk but more sobs racked my burdened shoulders. My parents would be wondering why I didn't come home last night and it was rebuked for anyone to just barge into the Alpha's manor, especially werewolves of the low class. They might be punished too.

"Say something."

He left me long enough to get the bowl of warm water he'd dropped close to the cell when he wanted to come in.

"I don't know why the Luna hates me."

I let the tears infiltrate my slightly open mouth, not bothering to swipe at them.

"What happened? She was here? How was she able to gain access to you? Or did I not lock the cell?"

The last question was aimed more at himself. I was still on the floor, not seeing his face yet but I could hear the part confusion and part blame.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. She had a spare."

I sniffled.

"A spare? But how?"

"Ouch! Ahh!"

I exclaimed in pain as more tears fell. Luthan was cleaning the wound and the blood alongside. My back was so raw and though his touch and dab was gentle and careful, I still felt pain.

"I'm so sorry, Amyra."

I nodded, and yelped in pain as his hands kept cleaning and tending. It wasn't his fault that it hurt that bad. He was as careful as any one could be. And he was helping.

"It's not your fault. You're just being kind and helpful."

"So how did she get in here? You said she had a spare?"

I nodded in confirmation.

"So what did she say to you? And is she responsible to these wicked claw marks on your back?"

"She did dug her nails into my back and-and-and..."

I couldn't complete the test of my words as they got drowned in heavy emotion and plenty of tears.

"Shhh. Hush now, Amyra. Everything will be fine. Don't cry again."

"She-she-she just dragged her nails down my back without mercy."

I was determined to complete my words and tell him what unfortunate incident had befell me when he hadn't been around to witness.

"It's okay. You can talk later, okay? Just focus on getting better, you hear me? Don't mind whatever that has happened. Ignore the Luna's ill-treatment toward you."

"I can't, Luthan. I can't understand why she would proclaim with such viciousness how much she hates me. I'm not a bad person, Luthan. I try to get along with everyone and give respect to those whose position and status requires it. I know how wicked and vicious Alpha Caden and his Luna can be, but I still give them the respect because their status and position demands. I have never disrespected nor insulted them before, though they have done that to me uncountably. I have tried to avoid them at all cost. Still, they manage to find a way to bring me into their wicked web and keep me bound and miserable."

"It's okay, Amyra. I can't say I understand your pain but I can understand that it's making you sad."

"I'm more than sad, Luthan. I am broken. I am tired. I wish I won't work here anymore. I wish there were some other job opportunities in this pack. But I can't find any that I'd be accepted without a question about my background. If only there was something else to do, I'd have left this manor and gone to do it."

"What's stopping you from leaving?"

He was applying the ointment now. He was sitting on the floor, his legs stretched out and my upper frame lay across his laps.

"My parents. They're quite old and we need the money. My mother is sick and since my father is not that agile to take on heavy jobs anymore, he takes the responsibility of caring for my mother and the home while I work to sustain us."

"That's tough. And relatable."

He sighed heavily and quite sadly.

"What's wrong? Is your mother sick too? Are you the one your family's depending on for sustainability?"

"Something like that."

"I guess our stories are intertwined."

"I guess you can say that."