CHAPTER 1 - SLAVE GIRL
1173 Words
JESSICA
It was the shrill sound of my stepmother’s voice that woke me up from my sleep that morning.
“Jessica!” Linda screamed, her tone laced with venom. “Get down here this instant!”
I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The digital clock on my nightstand glared back at me, mocking me with its glowing red numbers. 4:34 AM. It was barely morning, and of course, Linda had found another reason to summon me.
Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffled to the mirror. My reflection stared back at me—wild brown curls framing my pale face, my bright green eyes dull from exhaustion. This wasn’t the life I planned out for myself. But what choice did I have?
As I descended the stairs, I braced myself for the inevitable storm. Linda stood in the middle of the kitchen, her perfectly manicured nails tapping impatiently on the countertop. Her blond hair was tied in a sleek bun and her icy blue eyes threatened to pierce through my soul.
“You took your sweet time,” she spat the moment I appeared.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, my voice barely audible.
Her lips curled into a sneer. “Sorry doesn’t cut it. Do you know what time it is?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, she closed the distance between us and slapped me hard across the face.
The sting of her palm burned instantly, and tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I clenched my jaw, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. I wouldn’t cry. Not now. Not in front of her.
“Do you think this house runs itself?” Linda hissed.
“No, ma’am,” I replied, my voice steady despite the heat radiating from my cheek.
She gestured sharply toward the sink. “Then explain this!”
I followed her gaze to see a small pile of dirty dishes and I frowned.
“I washed all the dishes before I went to bed,” I muttered.
“And yet here they are!” she barked, her voice rising.
I sighed as I realized what had happened.
My stepbrothers. Of course. Caleb, Leo, and Asher must have raided the kitchen after I went to sleep. It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. But Linda had no interest in their faults. To her, they could do no wrong.
“It’s the triplets,” I muttered. “They probably ate after I’d gone to bed.”
Linda’s face twisted in a scowl as she assessed me.
“How dare you lowlife accuse my sons?”
“I didn’t mean—” My words were cut off by another slap, this one harder than the first.
“Enough excuses!” she snapped. “They are the future Alphas of this pack, and you will show them respect!”
I bit the inside of my cheek, fighting back the words clawing their way up my throat. There was no point. I’d learned long ago that standing up for myself only made things worse.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said quietly.
“Good. Now clean this mess up.”
I nodded and turned to the sink, my hands trembling as I began scrubbing the plates. The water was ice-cold, and by the time I finished, my fingers were numb. But Linda wasn’t done with me yet.
“Vacuum the living room. Then mop the kitchen. And make sure the boys’ laundry is folded before they wake up.”
Her list went on and on, each task piling onto the growing weight pressing down on me. I moved mechanically, my body obeying even as my spirit screamed for relief.
When the triplets finally emerged from their rooms around eight, the smell of breakfast had filled the house. I’d cooked their favorites—eggs, bacon, and pancakes—just as Linda had demanded.
Caleb was the first to enter the kitchen. His spiky black hair was still messy from sleep, but his piercing blue eyes were sharp as ever. He didn’t acknowledge me as he grabbed a plate and started piling it with food.
“Morning,” Leo muttered as he followed, his sandy-blond hair falling into his face. He glanced at me briefly, his deep blue eyes betraying no emotion, before taking his seat at the table.
Asher was last, his long black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. He smirked as he walked past me, his intense gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary.
“Busy morning, Jessy?” he chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement.
I didn’t respond. What was the point?
They ate in silence, their plates clinking against the table as they devoured the meal I’d prepared. When they were done, they left their dishes where they sat, rising without a word of thanks.
“Don’t forget to clean up,” Asher said over his shoulder as he headed for the door.
“Yeah, wouldn’t want Mom to get upset,” Caleb added with a chuckle.
Leo said nothing, but the brief glance he gave me before following his brothers out the door was dripping with mockery.
I cleaned up after them, scrubbing the plates and wiping down the table. By the time I was finished, the house was silent again. Linda had disappeared to do whatever it was she did all day, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I glanced at the clock. 8:34 AM. I was going to be late.
Grabbing my bag, I bolted out the door and headed for the bus stop. The triplets had already left in their car and I was forced to take the old and rickety school bus as usual.
The ride to school felt endless, every bump and jolt a reminder of how far I was from the life I once dreamed of. By the time I arrived, the hallways were empty, the bell signaling the start of first period echoing through the building.
I rushed to my classroom, hoping that I wasn’t too late. But when I opened the door, my teacher’s stern gaze met mine.
“Miss Blackwood, you’re late,” she grunted.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered.
She shook her head. “The test has already ended. You’ll have to make it up during the next test.”
My stomach dropped. “But—”
“No excuses. Take your seat.”
I slunk to the back of the classroom, my eyes burning with tears. I was a straight A student and unlike other kids, missing a test wasn’t going to make me fail. However, it was definitely going to make me miss out on an A.
I couldn’t concentrate throughout the rest of the day. My thoughts shifted from Linda’s maltreatment, to the triplets nonchalance towards me, and finally to the test I had missed.
I may have been the estranged daughter of the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack but it was obvious that there was no place for me there.
- Writer
