Chapter 5 A Slave Among Wolves (2)

"You missed a spot," Mira would sneer, deliberately stepping into the bucket of soapy water and kicking it over.

"Clean it up. And when you're done, scrub the entire hallway again. On your hands and knees." The other maids would laugh, whispering cruel things as they passed by.

"Look at her, the great Ella, reduced to a dog scrubbing floors."

"She deserves it," another would say.

"My cousin told me she tried to curse the Alpha. She's lucky they didn't kill her." I kept my head down, scrubbing until my fingers bled, refusing to react to their taunts.

I couldn't defend myself. If I did, they would report me to Lila, and she would have me thrown back into the dungeons-or worse.

But the work wasn't the worst part. It was the little cruelties they inflicted when no one else was watching.

One day, I was washing dishes in the kitchen when Mira sauntered over, a wicked smile on her lips.

"You missed a spot," she said, pointing to a clean plate.

"Are you blind, or just useless?" Before I could respond, she grabbed my head and shoved my face into the soapy water, holding me down. My lungs burned, water filling my nose and mouth as I struggled to breathe.

Finally, she released me, and I gasped for air, choking and sputtering as she laughed.

"Pathetic. You can't even clean properly. Maybe I should tell the Luna to throw you out with the trash." I coughed, my body trembling with fear and humiliation, but I forced myself to nod.

"Yes, Mira. I'm sorry." She smirked, tossing a wet rag at me.

"Clean up this mess. And if I find even a single spot, you'll be sleeping outside with the dogs tonight." I scrubbed the kitchen floors until my hands bled, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. But I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

After that, the bullying grew worse. The other servants followed Mira's lead, shoving me in the hallways, spilling food on me, and laughing as I cleaned up their messes.

Once, they locked me in the pantry overnight, laughing as I banged on the door, begging to be let out.

"Let me out, please!" I cried, my voice breaking. But they only laughed, their voices echoing through the darkness. When they finally opened the door the next morning, Mira was waiting, her arms crossed.

"Lazy, useless slave," she spat, slapping me hard across the face.

"You think you can just hide and avoid your chores?" I opened my mouth to explain, but she grabbed my hair, yanking me to my knees.

"No excuses. Clean the entire kitchen. And you better be done before breakfast, or you'll be cleaning the outhouses next." I scrubbed the floors, my body aching, my spirit breaking a little more each day. But the worst was yet to come.

One evening, as I was cleaning the main hall, I heard laughter echoing through the corridor.

My heart sank as Lila appeared, flanked by her friends, the elite wolves of the pack. They were dressed in silk gowns, their hair perfectly styled, their faces beautiful and cruel.

"Oh, look," Lila said, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"Our little slave is working hard." She sauntered over, her high heels clicking on the marble floor.

"You missed a spot, Ella." I bowed my head, my hands trembling as I scrubbed the spot she pointed at.

But she wasn't done humiliating me. She turned to her friends, a wicked smile on her lips.

"Ladies, it seems our little slave needs more practice. Why don't we help her out?" Before I could react, they threw their drinks on the floor, red wine splattering across the polished marble.

They laughed as I scrambled to clean it up, my heart pounding with fear and humiliation.

"Oh, she's so clumsy," one of them sneered, kicking the bucket over and spilling water everywhere.

"No wonder the Alpha rejected her...."

Another one grabbed my hair, yanking my head back. "Do you remember, Ella? Do you remember how he looked at you with disgust? How he chose Lila over you?" I bit my lip, forcing back the tears.

"Yes," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I remember." They laughed, their voices echoing in the empty hall.

"Good," Lila said coldly.

"I want you to remember. I want you to suffer every single day, knowing that you're nothing. That you'll always be nothing." She kicked me in the stomach, her high heel digging into my ribs. Pain exploded through my body, but I didn't cry out. I wouldn't give her that satisfaction.

"Clean up this mess," she ordered, turning away with a flick of her hair.

"And when you're done, scrub the floors in my room. They better be spotless, or you'll be sleeping outside tonight." They left, their laughter echoing down the hallway.

I lay there for a moment, my body trembling, my heart shattered into a million pieces. But I forced myself to get up, to keep moving. I cleaned the hall, scrubbing until my hands bled, refusing to give up. I would endure. I would survive.

And one day, I would make them all pay for this... But even before I could think of revenge in my mind, I was suddenly.... Accused and condemned.

It started with a missing bracelet. A delicate gold chain with ruby stones, a gift from Kaden to Lila. I was scrubbing the floors in the main hall when the accusation came.

Lila's shriek echoed through the house, her voice full of outrage.

"My bracelet! It's gone! Someone stole it!" I looked up just as she stormed in, her eyes blazing with fury. She was surrounded by her friends, all of them glaring at me as if I were the culprit.

I lowered my head, my heart pounding. I hadn't seen her bracelet. I hadn't even been near her room. But the way they looked at me, the way Lila's lips curled into a cruel smile, I knew what was coming.

"You!" she shouted, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at me.

"You stole my bracelet!" I froze, the blood draining from my face.

"No... I didn't... I would never..." Lila's eyes gleamed with malice.

"Liar! You're nothing but a filthy thief. You've always been jealous of me. You probably wanted to sell it and run away." I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could speak, Mira appeared, her face twisted in disgust.

"So, the little rat is a thief too? I knew you were trouble."

"I didn't take it!" I cried, my voice trembling. "I swear, I didn't even see the bracelet." Lila's face hardened, her eyes cold.

"Search her....."