Chapter 3 The Misery and Suffering

Chapter 2: The Misery and Suffering

As expected, Lord Grant had taken his frustration and annoyance again because of the arrival of Duke Sylvester. This time, it was on the South Wing. I heard the cries of the family members when I went home. We had to turn a blind eye or our Alpha's anger would turn to us.

But I secretly checked on them from time to time because I couldn't let them suffer alone. I want to help in any way I can. I even tried to bring them some food when our Alpha ordered not to bestow them any food for they angered him.

"Thank you, Anais. But you didn't have to do this. What if you get caught by one of our Alpha's guardsmen?" Mrs. Rolfe, one of the victims, said with concern as she closed the door, hiding me.

"I won't," I whispered. "We are werewolves, remember? If someone is secretly there, we can easily hear it with our sensitive ears, Mrs. Rolfe." I even tapped my ear to prove that we have sensitive hearing. If any small noises result, we could instantly hear them.

"You are right." She stretched a meek smile. Then she turned to her two children who hastily ate the food I bought. "Alpha Grant has been starving us for three days. If you hadn't come, my children would go rampage and I'm afraid they may hunt their food if they transform into their wolf form." She sighed and sniffed. But she quickly wiped the tears that were threatening to fall. "Now I only have myself here. Borris has died into our Lord Alpha's hands." She bit her lower lip when she whispered those words. "If only we weren't born as Omega..."

I held her hand, feeling sympathy. The cruelty of our Alpha... We couldn't escape from his grasp. If someone dares to leave, death shall welcome them. We couldn't dare to even leave our pack because he would know if someone trespasses by the borders. The borderline is before the Enchanted Rain Forest. Anyone who passes there would be beheaded if we get caught. Beta Lord Solomon would be in charge of that.

Someone already tried to escape but failed because they were being hunted down by our Beta. Lord Solomon won't hesitate to kill anyone as long as he has been granted a permission by our Alpha.

"I wouldn't say that everything will be alright because it will never be, Mrs. Rolfe. As we spend our day here, all we can do is to strive to survive," I said softly. "Let's hope our Alpha's anger may dissipate." She nodded as an answer. I looked at her children before looking back at her. "I have to go back. The guardsmen are making their rounds soon."

"Yes, yes. You should head back now. It is already late in the evening. Thank you again, Anais."

I plastered a gentle smile before I bid goodbye to her. Then by using my wolf speed, I arrived safely at my house. I was already living alone ever since my adoptive parents died...

At the hands of the parents of our Alpha.

I smiled bitterly. Like parents, like son. I huffed, carefully lighting the lamp. I hate this life... It was like we had been living in fear...

"The irony..." I clenched my hands.

In the next few days, everyone has been starting to gossip about the young adulthood ceremony of our Lord Alpha. Our Alpha Grant is turning 21 in the next few weeks. It was about time that he would find his mate.

I huffed silently. I'm way older than him. I am three years older than him yet he was being like this to us...

"Are you going to come to our Alpha's celebration?" Kieran asked me as she sat to take a rest in the cottage.

"Did our Alpha invite us?" I asked with an eyebrow arching.

"Yes." She nodded.

I looked at her, surprised. "That's new..." I found it suspicious as well.

"Well..." She beckoned her hand to make me come to her. And I did. "Because Alpha Duke Sylvester is coming. He is trying to show off that our Alpha cares about us even if we are slaves."

That Alpha Duke again... He really is something. I huffed afterward. "I guess we couldn't help. We have to go or he will make it mandatory."

In his last years of celebrating his birthday, he never invited us. Now, I know that only the Alpha Duke could make him invite us, his Omegas, as if he is concerned with us. Like he was trying to say that he cares for us and that he gives enough compensation which only happens otherwise. I snorted silently from that. It was all just an act and the nobles are going to be blinded from his actions.

I barely saw our Alpha. But I only saw him from afar but I wouldn't even dare to approach where he was at. I just despised the House of Thompson. But there was no reason for me to take revenge for my adoptive parent's death. Even though it will become meaningless soon because I have no power to even teach them a lesson.

I am just a slave after all. But I believe one day that the moon goddess would punish them sooner or later. I would like to witness it if that happens.

I went to the Norlow River after Kieran and I talked with each other. When I arrived there, there were no other water carriers here aside from me. I dropped the ten waterskins I had been carrying. They were going to be heavy once they were filled with water. That's a pretty heavy job for the women who served as water carriers.

But since we are werewolves, we can endure the heaviness. I was thankful that we were born as werewolves or else, I would have collapsed under the heat of the sun because of the heaviness of these waterskins.

I took a waterskin and dipped it in the river so it would be filled with water. I watched as bubbles came out from it. I smiled. After I was done, I covered its mouth with the cork. I did the same thing to the remaining waterskins I had.

The water we drink should undergo boiling in order not to have stomach aches but our Alpha has no intention to take action on that. We have no assurance that what we are drinking is safe to drink...

How ruthless he was...

So far, no one has gotten sick even after we drink the water from the Norlow River. Thank the moon goddess!

Just as I was about to fill the very last one, I suddenly heard a soft crack of twinges of branches. I immediately turned my head when I smelled an unfamiliar scent. Growling with a warning, I narrowed my eyes to the nearest tree which was facing my back earlier.

"Who's there? Show yourself! Don't make yourself regret your unforgivable action!" I made a warning growl again to scare that person.

If this is someone who was an intruder, I would dare myself to mind linking our Alpha or our Beta to alert them. An unfamiliar scent means this person is not from our pack.

"My, my. You caught me."

A familiar man, wearing a medieval black suit with a golden embroidery tuxedo and his hair was sleeker than the cow's lick, appeared before me. My eyes glued to him and I managed to stare at his orbs.

His irises are in different colors. His right one is almost like coppery-eyed and his left eye is a bluish one. But they were staring at me with their icy cold glare.

I instantly recognized his handsome facial features. Especially his indifferent, deep-set eyes!

Is he...

I gasped. "Y-You're Alpha Duke Sylvester, right?" An enigmatic smile drew on his lips. That smile! I knew it. I immediately knelt and bowed my head to the ground. "F-Forgive my insolence, Y-Your Grace. I didn't know that you were coming here. P-Please don't p-punish me..." I shivered as I remembered I spoke ill and made a threatening statement because I didn't know he was behind the tree. And I didn't know that the duke was behind there, hiding.

My lips quivered when his footsteps came to stop in front of me. His expensive shoes were on my sight. I prayed to the moon goddess. In hopes that the Alpha Duke would spare me... I didn't know that he would come to the Norlow River. Did he come to visit our Alpha Marquess Grant again?

He gently grabbed my chin and made me look at him. "Is this how Grant treats the Omegas on his pack? Treating them like slaves?" he asked in an interesting tone but with an arrogant smile.

I stiffened from his questions as my heart raced rapidly. He just quickly grasped what was happening to us. I couldn't even utter a word because he surprised me.

"Rise," he commanded and released my chin.

"Yes, Your Grace," I said, rising as my head was still lowered. I dare not to look at him. But I dared to smell his musk scent.

I heard his sigh and chuckle. That made me weird out so I glanced up. He had a mischievous expression while he was covering his mouth with his clenched hand like he had found something funny and he was trying to contain his laughter.

I tilted my head, perplexed by his action. Have I done something funny? I am astonished right now.

"A-Are you alright, Your Grace?"

He cleared his throat and nodded. "I am." He had a radiant smile drawn to his face. Then he looked behind me. "It must be heavy to bring them if they are filled up."

I turned my head and gasped. I almost forgot to fill up the waterskins. "Oh no! I have to go back!" I hastily picked them up but His Grace stopped me. "Yes?" I blinked.

"Let me help you," he said gently.

"N-No." I stepped back from what he said. "Y-You shall not lay your hands on the dirty waterskins, Y-Your Grace," I panicked.

What is this duke thinking? He suddenly offered me help! If I get caught, I would be beheaded by our Alpha or our Beta!

Duke Sylvester stepped forward. "I insist. It looks like you cannot bring them anymore."

I shook my head. "I can manage. I'd been doing this for years, Duke Sylvester. Worry not." I made him show that I could carry them. This was really nothing to me but the look of the duke was different. "I-I have to leave, Your Grace," I said in a hurried tone.

"Woman, wait!"

I didn't turn around when the duke tried to call me as I made haste. I am frightened that the guardsmen may notice my absence. I must hurry back or I'll experience being slashed on my back with wolfsbane.