Chapter 3 PAIN

Chapter 1

VANESSA

Pain. Pain is something no one will ever get used to, you can never understand it because of how fast its shades can change.

Coming from someone who had lived 13 years of nothing but pain and suffering, I haven't gotten used to it, cause it still scares me to the guts.

Every minute I dread picking up another thorny rose, the pain associated with it is sharp and precise, but pain is pain, and it can't be disguised in any other form.

"Get on with it, slave." A sharp kick connected with my stomach and briefly seized air from my lungs. My elbow collided with the ground stopping me from falling face flat.

"S...Sorry." I stuttered an apology and bowed.

I took a deep breath and restored my stance, my hand reached out to another rose and I encircled my fingers around it. With a sharp force I snapped it out of the soil and whimpered at the pang I felt.

Blood dripped out of my hand as expected. I used my free hand to remove the rose from my hand and placed it in the basket. A few thorns were left in my palm and I had to get it out if I wanted to heal.

But a glare from the warriors made me think otherwise, I had to serve my punishment as bestowed or else I would get another without recovering from this one.

I crawled to the next rose and encircled my fingers around it. I ignored the current pain and snapped the rose out of the soil again, this time the pain was worse than the first.

I grabbed my bleeding hand and held it to my chest, tears blurred my vision and I let it out, it was unbearable but I didn't say a word.

I took out the rose from my palm and placed it in the basket that had gotten stained from my blood, soon enough the basket would turn red completely.

I had been going for hours, picking a total of a hundred roses but I had five hundred more to go. Maybe I shouldn't have stolen a book from the library, but my curiosity had gotten me a cruel punishment.

I wiped my tears and headed for the next rose, in no time I would be done with it, this should be the least of the punishment I have gotten so far, it's nothing compared to the others.

For the hundred and second time, I encircled my hands around the rose and snapped it out of the soil.

"Hmmm..." I shot my eyes closed absorbing the excruciating pain.

I opened my eyes and took the rose out of my hand, placing it in the basket.

"Sergeant!!!" I heard the hard voices of both warriors and peeked to see them bowing to an approaching figure.

It was Sergeant Gabriel, Head of the pack's warriors. I got up on my shaky feet and mimicked the warriors, bowing my head in the same manner.

"Rise!" His voice was sharp and prudent.

But I knew better, he wasn't referring to me, so I kept my head bowed, staring at my pale feet, stained with my blood.

"Alpha Stan wants the Rogue slave in the courtroom now." Sergeant Gabriel said the urgency in his voice could not be mistaken.

My heart sank to the depth of my stomach, confusion contoured on my face, I wondered why he wanted to see me again.

Each time Alpha Stan asked to see me, torture followed, now he wanted to see me again, twice in one day, what more awaits me.

Or is it about my freedom, he must have realised I turned eighteen two months ago.

"Understood Sergeant!" They chorused.

"You heard what the sergeant said. Move!" One of the warriors screamed in my ears.

I jumped and shakily followed Sergeant Gabriel, and the two warriors were behind my back as we made our way to the courtroom. I anticipated the unknown.

Getting there, I saw my archenemy, Alpha Stan sitting on his throne with the same smug smile I see on his face all the time. He was looking at me as if I was the most annoying thing on earth when he was the most despicable person I've ever met too.

One of the warriors pushed forward and I lost my balance, falling on my knee.

"Hmm!" I whimpered absorbing the pain. I looked up and saw him smirk in satisfaction.

"Are you ready to talk?" He asked the same question as the past thirteen years of my life.

In my head, I screamed NO! But I knew better than to toil with the only opportunity I was getting for such a long time. Freedom.

Alpha Stan promised to let me go when I turned eighteen but in exchange for my father's assets. Only I knew the passcode to everything he worked so hard for.

Was trading my father's legacy for my freedom worth it? Not really, but I had vowed to build it back once I had gotten my freedom. So I replied with the word I had been dreading my whole life.

"Yes."

Alpha Stan broke into a fit of evil laughter, the joy and content in his voice made my blood boil. But I knew better than to get angry.

"Spill already slave, my ears are itching." He groaned like the monster he was.

I inhaled deeply and winced from my aching flesh wounds.

"Family," I said and felt my heart shatter into pieces. Giving out my family's treasure hurt more than every torture I had to go through for years.

Alpha Stan laughed, laughter full of mockery, he looked at Sergeant Gabriel and laughed again. "Do you take me for a joke? Tell me the passcodes now or else..."

I shuddered." I am not lying to you, Alpha Stan. Family is the passcode to all of my father's endorsements."

Alpha Stan frowned, he wasn't pleased with my reply, but I knew he didn't doubt it either.

"I will accept this as the truth, but if I find out that you have lied to me today, Slave, I will rip your throat out."

I heaved a small sigh of relief, thanking the Goddess that he believed me.

"A–And my freedom?" I asked and received a deadly glare in return.

"You will get your freedom..." Alpha Stan paused and turned to Sergeant Gabriel. "Call in Gamma Scarlett." He instructed.

I felt uneasy but tried to calm myself down, finally after thirteen long years, I would be free. Free from mining duties, free from the abusive people of this pack, free from constant pain. Free from torture and free from the monstrous bastard.

Sergeant Gabriel returned with Gamma Scarlett, she bowed to Alpha Stan and stood so elegantly.

She was so beautiful and talented, the strongest warrior in all of Blood Lake, and became the Gamma after she defeated her father in a retirement duel. She's admired by everyone, all the warriors have a crush on her. I admire her so much and wish I could be like her. Sadly we have never conversed before, she's always so busy.

"Scarlett. Welcome!" Alpha Stan grinned and Gamma Scarlett smiled in response.

"Slave!" Alpha Stan called and I glanced at him.

"You will get your freedom, only after you win a duel with Gamma Scarlett." Alpha Stan said and my body vibrated. I wanted to fall to the ground and die, instead, I knelt frozen by what I had just heard.