Seraphina's POV
"You slut!" My step-mother screeched.
In a trice, a smack grounded on my face and I dropped on the ground. Involuntary, my fist banged to my face, trying to stop the numbing sting that was circulating in my cheek.
"Swine!" she fizzled at me. "Do you think you can get off with this?"
My physique shivered with unshed tears, but I still held to heft myself up the ground, staying on my knees.
When I glanced up, the venom in her eyes made me recoil. Alost immediately, saliva landed on my face.
She spat on me!
And I didn't dare wipe it off.
"You're a disgrace to this family!" she sneered. "I always say it and I will say it again, your birth was a mistake. You should have died along with your mother instead of staying here and wasting space."
Tears flowed down my gall at her remarks. It was true that she constantly affirmed it, but no matter how many times I heard it, I would never get used to it.
"What do you think ?" she shouted
"T-Thank you." I stuttered.
"You can't even speak well," she snorted, kicking me in the stomach. Pain radiated through my body at the kick but I could only hold it in.
"The next time you're asked to do something, you'll do it meekly and without asking so may stupid questions." She continued, blowing air distractedly at her nails.
"Yes, mother." I nodded quickly.
My step-mother turned to her daughter, flashing a warm smile. When she looked at me again, her face was ice-cold. "You've been rejected by Richie and you have the nerves to ask why?" she snorted. "Why do you think?"
I felt a pang of hurt in my chest.
Kristen, her daughter stepped forward. "Look at her. You're so ugly and weak. Did you really think Richie would choose you over me? the nerves." She glanced at her mother, her expression softening. "Mother, I wasn't another slave. Who knows what evil thoughts she's planning since she thinks I took her mate away from her?"
My step-mother threw me a dirty look before turning to console her daughter. "She will never dare think bad against you," she kissed her daughter's hair. "Which is why we need to put her in her place and keep her where we can always watch her. You can do whatever you want with her."
"Even kill her?"
My blood froze in my veins. What?
My step-mother laughed. "Unfortunately, no. Your father insists on keeping the vile pig. But, not to worry. I'll soon come up with a plan to get rid of her. For good."
My heart raced. They were talking as if I wasn't even kneeling in front of them. I was always invisible but now, even that couldn't help me anymore.
Kristen sighed. "Alright, mother. Since you insist, I'll keep her around. But I have to go prepare for Richie. He and father will be coming back any moment now!"
She turned to me with a glare. "You will style my hair and if it isn't to my liking, you will be punished."
She turned and began walking towards the door. My step-mother threw me one last scornful look before following her daughter out of the room. I fell on my butt; I wanted to scream and cry but I didn't have the time for that.
Hurriedly, I rushed to my feet, dusted myself up and rushed after them. Being from Moon-ridge pack was an honor. Moon-ridge was one of the most powerful and feared packs in the community.
Everyone who came from here was respected and treated with dignity.
Everyone, except me.
According to their stories, I had been born in the dungeon eighteen years ago to a slave who had been pregnant for the Alpha – my father. My mother died immediately I was born. From the rumors, I knew that my father had the option of kicking me out of his pack as soon as I was born.
It was definitely wat his wife wanted – but he had kept me around. My step-mother had been furious and honestly, she still was to this day.
My father was upset I killed my mother – although she was a slave – and hated me for something I couldn't have helped.
Due to being born prematurely, I was a sickly little thing and everyone assumed I would die as well – my step-mother must have been overjoyed. To her surprise, I made it and have been alive for the past eighteen years.
That fact infuriated her and she started spreading a rumor that I was cursed. No one wanted to be around me and it became especially worse two years ago when I turned sixteen. I was supposed to get my wolf but I never did.
My step sister who was born a year after I was born already got her wolf and it was clear my father favored her more than he did his first child. As for me, all I knew was how to serve. I was maltreated, beaten and forced to slave around.
I also couldn't appear in front of my father or allow him see me. it was kind of an unspoken rule. He hated me so much that he'd rather pretend I never existed.
I had no idea I had been pulling at my sister's hair while I was in deep thought until I heard a shriek. I jumped back, frightened then fell to my knees to apologize.
My step-mother ran into the room just then and before asking what transpired, she turned around and gave me a thunderous slap. I flew back, my ears ringing. By the time I came to, she was consoling her crying daughter.
She turned to me with a murderous glint in her eyes. "See to it that this pig gets punished for this. She is to be punished like a traitor that she is!" She said to the other servants who had been waiting on her daughter.
Kristen smiled sweetly and my heart stopped.
A traitor's punishment?
That punishment was one of the most gruesome punishments that ever existed in the rule book. It was reserved for pack members who went against the Alpha's orders or tried to harm the pack in anyway.
Now, I was going to be punished like a traitor all because I made a small mistake?
Arms went under my armpits, dragging me out of the room. I was still stunned speechless so I couldn't struggle or even try to run away.
They threw me unceremoniously on the rough ground and that was when I finally snapped out of it. When I glanced up, I saw that people had already gathered. A big masculine man stepped forward and grinned at me.
"Thirty-five lashes!" he announced.
What? Wasn't that too much? Could I take that much?
I glanced at my step-mother and Kristen who both had smug looks on their faces. Was this how they planned to get rid of me?
I glanced at the big man who was supposed to deliver my punishment and my eyes moistened. "Please, don't." I begged. "Please, I beg you."
He ignored me. Pushing me on my stomach, he tore off my dress exposing my bare back, ready to use whip that was riddled with thorns.