PUNISHED FOR NOTHING
1017 Words
Zenele’s pov
“She was Luna Sierra’s favorite servant. Luna treated your mother like family… until everything fell apart.” Damien continued, his voice low.
My knees ached against the cold floor, but I didn’t dare move.
“Please what happened?” I whispered, hands clasped tightly in front of me, still on my knees.
“Luna Sierra died,” Damien said as he flexed his jaw.
My breath caught. Died?
“How? What killed her?”
He inhaled sharply.
“There’s no point hiding it anymore. You’re already speaking back at me like you’ve grown wings.”
“Please,” I begged. “Tell me.”
“Food poisoning,” he said flatly. “Rumor spread that your mother served her last meal. As her closest servant, she was blamed. Alpha Lucinda didn’t waste a second; he executed her.”
My voice cracked. “She was framed… and killed for something she didn’t do.”
Damien gave a cold, humorless laugh.
“And your father? A stupid man. He didn’t defend her properly and lost his life too.”
“So the Alpha murdered them both,” I whispered. Tears spilled before I could stop them. “The Alpha didn’t even care that killing my parents would make me an orphan…”
Damien’s laughter sharpened, slicing through the room like a blade.
“You?” he scoffed. “You were nothing. If I hadn’t taken you in, you’d have ended up in an unmarked grave.”
Now I understood why he and his sons always threw that reminder at me: ‘You would’ve died without us’.
I wiped my tears with the back of my hand.
“What did my parents ever do to you?” I asked quietly. “Why do you hate them so much?”
His eyes darkened. “I’ve told you what you need to know. Serve my food before it gets cold. Then wait for Jamie and Remus for your punishment.”
I stood, forcing my legs to steady beneath me, and dished his meal in silence. I poured water, wine and stepped away.
“Clean this mess,” he snapped when his gaze fell on the spilled food on the floor.
I hurried to clean it and when I finished, I returned to the kitchen to eat my own ‘special’ meal.
The moment I opened the pot, I couldn't hold back myself.
“Ugh,” I muttered. “And he expects me to eat this?”
I left it untouched, my appetite had died seeing the meal.
Upstairs, I collapsed onto my thin mattress. Damien’s words echoed in my mind.
Alpha Lucinda… Luna Sierra... Food poisoning… Execution…
He hadn’t answered the most important question; why he despised them and also me?
If my parents were alive, I wouldn’t be trapped in this cruel house with three heartless men.
My door burst open so hard the wood shuddered.
Damien stormed in.
“Where did you hide it?” he demanded, eyes sweeping my room.
“Hide what?” I sat up, confused.
“I warned you to eat the meal I prepared. But you snuck another one out of the kitchen, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t take anything,” I said firmly. “I haven’t even eaten…”
He scoffed, cutting me off.
“Another lie. This will be added to your punishment.”
He slammed the door behind him.
Being accused and blamed for what I knew nothing about as usual. Then I'll take the punishment like I always do.
I closed my eyes. Thinking of the truth he’d revealed about my parents was the only thing numbing the dread inside me.
I faced the ceiling and the next thing I drifted off.
BANG!
The door crashed open as I jolted upright.
Jamie, Remus, and Damien stepped inside. Jamie held a whip and so did Remus.
My heart sank.
“You had the nerve to speak back to my father,” Jamie snarled. “Demanding to know about your useless parents.”
Before I could react, he grabbed me by the arm and flung me off the bed. Pain shot through my ribs when I hit the floor.
The first lash landed across my back with a fiery sting.
I clenched my jaw, I wasn’t going to cry.
He continuously lashed me and then Remus joined in, as they both joined the force hitting hard.
I stared at the floor, refusing to give them the tears they wanted.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien watching with a satisfied smirk.
Eventually, the lashes slowed and then stopped.
They must have realized I wasn’t screaming and begging as usual.
I went still, face pressed to the floor.
“Zenele?” Remus nudged my back but still I didn’t move.
A splash of cold water drenched me from behind, maybe they thought I was dead.
Jamie yanked me up by the hair. When he saw my eyes open, fury twisted his face.
“You were pretending?” he shouted. “Playing with us?”
He threw me down again. Then all three left, slamming the door behind them.
I crawled to my mattress, shivering from the cold and pain. My stomach growled loudly. I hadn’t eaten all day.
I glanced at the wall clock, it was 10 p.m.
Anyone in my situation would cling to sleep like it was a luxury and today, it was.
My breathing turned shallow as the cold settled into my bones. I had just begun to doze when…
The door opened again.
They stepped in slowly.
My pulse quickened. What else do they want? Haven't they punished me enough?
Damien spoke first. “Zenele, we have something to tell you.”
Jamie cut in sharply. “No need to drag it. Let’s be clear.”
I pushed myself up, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. What else do they have to say?!
Jamie folded his arms.
“You’re leaving this house today. I don’t care where you go. Just get out.” Jamie said, his tone icy.
- Writer
