Two
1229 Words
Ice-cold water slammed against my body.
I gasped sharply, jerking awake as freezing liquid soaked through my already torn dress. Pain shot through my back instantly, making me choke out a weak cry.
Laughter echoed through the dungeon.
“Well look at that,” one of the guards mocked. “The mutt’s still alive.”
I blinked rapidly, my vision blurry from exhaustion. My entire body ached. Every inch of me felt heavy, sore, broken.
The metal bucket rolled across the dungeon floor with a loud clang.Morning already? Or maybe afternoon.Down here, it was impossible to tell.
“Get up,” another guard snapped before kicking the bars of my cell hard enough to make me flinch. “The Luna wants the palace walls scrubbed before sunset.”
My stomach dropped.The palace walls? There were dozens of them, I could barely stand. The guards unlocked the cell before yanking me upward roughly. A cry escaped my lips as my torn skin stretched painfully beneath my dress.
“P-please…” I whispered weakly. “My back—”
The slap came so fast my head snapped sideways. “Did I ask you to speak?”
I lowered my gaze immediately, breathing shakily while blood filled my mouth.
The guards dragged me up the dungeon stairs and into the daylight. The sudden brightness burned my eyes instantly.
I blinked against the sunlight, trying to ignore the dizziness threatening to pull me back under.
The pack grounds were already busy. Warriors training, Servants rushing around, Pack members talking.
Some barely glanced at me, Others laughed openly.“Still alive?”
“That thing survives everything.” another mocked.
“She should’ve died years ago.” I kept my head down, It was easier that way.One of the guards shoved a large bucket into my hands while another threw an old rag at my chest.
“Scrub every wall in the western hall,” he sneered. “And if we find one stain—” Another painful shove.
“You’ll wish the whipping continued.”
My fingers tightened weakly around the bucket handle.The western hall was enormous. Luna Lora always assigned impossible tasks after punishments. She enjoyed watching me struggle. Slowly, I forced my trembling legs forward toward the palace.
The grand halls of the Ashtray Pack mansion looked beautiful to outsiders. Tall marble walls, Golden chandeliers, Expensive paintings. But beneath all the luxury was rot, Cruelty hidden behind wealth.
I knelt beside the first wall carefully, biting back a pained sound as my injuries screamed in protest. My reflection stared back faintly from the polished marble.
Messy dark hair, Bruised skin, Hollow eyes. I barely recognized myself anymore.
Dipping the rag into the dirty water, I began scrubbing silently.One wall, Then another, Then another.
Hours passed slowly, my arms burned,my back throbbed with every movement. And hunger clawed painfully at my stomach.
I was so exhausted that I almost didn’t notice the approaching footsteps.
I turned “ Hey” Aiden greeted I blinked turning to see if they're were any guard of pack members around.
“What are you doing here” I whispered yelled still searching if anyone was around to see us talking.
“I came to see you” he added making me frown.
“ Why?”
“ Because I hard what happened and j came to treat you” Aiden is the pack doctor of our pack, and my cousin apparently. No one knows since we are only half cousin. He's from my mother's linage and since his parents revised here and my mother was from another pack, no one really noticed. Ever since the incident he had always cared for me in the shadows even when it could put him danger.
My chest tightened instantly. “Aiden, you shouldn’t be here,” I whispered harshly. “If someone sees you talking to me—”
“They won’t,” he interrupted quietly, kneeling beside me.
Even then, his eyes carefully scanned the hall before settling back on me. Concern darkened his features immediately the moment he saw the blood staining my dress.
His jaw clenched.“They whipped you again.”
I forced my gaze back to the wall, scrubbing harder as if the conversation meant nothing. “I broke a vase.”
“A vase?” he repeated incredulously. “Hazel, your back is bleeding through your clothes.”
I didn't reply. What was there to say? This was normal.Aiden cursed under his breath before reaching into the leather satchel hanging from his shoulder. The faint scent of herbs immediately filled the air.
“Turn around.”
“No.” Panic slipped into my voice too quickly. “Someone might see.”
“Haze—”
“No.” I shook my head harder this time.
“Please.” His expression softened instantly at the fear in my voice. Aiden had always looked at me differently.Not with pity, not even with disgust. Just sadness.
Like he hated seeing what this pack turned me into.He sighed quietly before lowering his voice even further. “At least let me give you this.”
From his satchel, he pulled out a small cloth wrapped around pieces of bread and dried meat.Food, Real food.My stomach twisted painfully at the sight.
I stared at it silently.“When was the last time you ate?” he asked gently.
I looked away.That alone gave him an answer. His face darkened with anger.
“That b***h,” he muttered, clearly talking about Luna Lora.
“Aiden,” I warned softly, eyes widening nervously.
He exhaled sharply before pressing the food into my hands. “Eat.”
“I can’t—”
“You can,” he said firmly. “And you will.”
My fingers trembled around the cloth slowly. I hated how weak hunger made me. Hated how badly I wanted it. Aiden watched me carefully before speaking again. “You need strength, Hazel.”
A humorless laugh almost escaped me.
“For what?” I whispered. “Another whipping?”
Pain flashed across his face. For a moment neither of us spoke. The distant sound of warriors training echoed faintly outside the hall while servants hurried past without sparing us a glance. Then Aiden crouched closer. “So you can survive long enough to leave this place.”
I froze.Slowly, I looked at him. “What?”
“You heard me.” His voice dropped lower. “I found someone willing to help smuggle you out of the pack.”
My breath caught painfully. Leave? No.
That was impossible. Nobody escaped Ashtray Pack. “They’ll kill you if they find out,” I whispered immediately.
“Let them try.” he scoffed.
Fear surged through me instantly. “Aiden—”
“I’m serious.” His eyes hardened. “You can’t keep living like this.”
I swallowed shakily.Part of me wanted to believe him, Wanted to believe freedom existed somewhere beyond these walls.
But hope was dangerous, hope got people killed. “Father tried to do the right thing too,” I whispered brokenly.
“Look what happened to him.”
Aiden’s expression softened again.
“That’s exactly why I won’t let the same thing happen to you.”
Before I could respond—
Heavy footsteps suddenly echoed through the hall. Both of us stiffened instantly.
“ARREST HIM!!”
- Writer
