"You stupid bitch!" she yelled angrily, which was eclipsed with a hard smack on my face.
My cheek burned from the impact, it was painful, but I was used to it.
"You can't do anything right." She spat, kicking me in the ribs, continuing her assault.
My weak body toppled over, hitting the ground with a thud, wincing in pain. I didn't fight it anymore; I'd had enough, letting the pain take its course.
Since Riley and Shayne had stepped into my room, I hadn't rested. They'd given me difficult tasks to complete and made up new ones just to see me suffer.
It was already bad - I had impossible tasks to tackle, and now they were making me clean the chimney, which was at least 9ft up to the roof.
Covered in sweat, black soot, and stains, my skin had been bruised badly, my hands marred by burns, and my feet in scraps. My hair was a cobwebbed nest, and I hadn't even made a dent on the stains in the chimney.
When I begged to get a better rag than the useless one I was using, I was cursed for being ungrateful and bashed until I wept bitterly.
With a throbbing head and weakened bones, I'd mistakenly knocked down the bucket of dirty water and was now being tortured because one tiny drop of it had touched Shayne's leg.
"You're nothing but a pathetic slut." She cursed harshly, looking down on me like worthless trash, before kicking me by the side and then digging her heels into my stomach, almost bursting through my skin.
I bit my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, squinting my eyes closed as I sobbed quietly, struggling to breathe.
Helena howled in pain as she kept twisting her ankle to intensify the torment, but I didn't know if she was referring to the pain or Shayne's heels. At this point, I just hoped for a quick and merciful death to end my suffering.
"Why don't we show the whole pack what a slut she is?" Riley said, her voice dripping with malice.
Or I think she did. My head was spinning as I zoned in and out of reality, but Helena begged to stay strong.
"What do you have in mind?" Shayne replied, her eyes gleaming with malice, as she removed her leg from my abdomen.
I begged inwardly for her to heal me, the pain was unbearable. What had I ever done to deserve all this? I didn't choose the life of a slave or to be Jaden's mate; faith had played a sick game on me, mocking me.
I was so focused on the throbbing pain that I didn't realize the crowd of guards circled around me, blinking back tears. I noticed them smiling, their eyes fixed on my breasts, and I knew I was in grave danger.
"Don't...don't touch me," I demanded, my voice hoarse, sliding backwards, my gaze fearfully flickering across the guards with devilish grins.
The slight futile movement escalated the pain, and I was trapped with nowhere to run.
"Don't you want to play?" one guard said, grinning widely, as he crouched low, smothering his rough hand on my boobs.
"How dare you?" I warned sternly, pushing it away, scanning the environment to see if anyone was watching.
The wicked grins on Riley and Shayne's faces revealed their intentions, and I knew I was in a desperate situation.
I gave them a revolting glare as my belly knotted in disgust, then fear.
They were women too, but how could they order guards to defile me in the middle of the room? I forced the bile down my throat as it dawned on me that I was trapped.
"Please stop this," I begged, tearing up, trying my best to scoot away, but ending up hitting their legs and jerking away when I was touched. I was cornered in the circle of hungry wolves.
All the times I had suffered in these walls, I had always kept my decency, no matter how badly I was beaten. I had never accepted the advances of any wolf, and I had always made sure I was untouched.
This would be the end of me, and I would never be able to bear the humiliation.
"Please...I'll never complain ever again. I'll avoid Jaden by all means, I'll do all your bidding, I'll worship the very ground you walk on, but please...please don't let this great sin be committed," I yelled, with every fiber of strength I had left.
These creatures were heartless, mocking me with dirty words and laughing each time I begged them to stop.
One hand grabbed the neck of my gown, ripping the garment easily, almost stripping bare my breasts. I used my hands to hold my garment in place as I sobbed uncontrollably.
"Enough!!" A voice thundered, cutting through the room, which stopped the guards' assault and sent shivers down my spine.
I was grateful for whoever it was; the guards stopped, giving me a safe distance. I hugged my knees to my chest, ashamed.
