Chapter 5

“W-what is going on?”

I managed to ask and before I could bat an eye or take in a breath, Tessa’s rough hand landed across my face violently, sending back on the cold floor.

I held my face to subside the pain from the slap.

What was it this time? Was it still about me witnessing Nicholas making out with that girl?

“What is going on here? Why are you calling me a thief?”

I expected another slap across my face from the way I made that demand but instead, Tessa placed both hands on either side of her hips, glaring down at me.

“You filthy thief, you shut up your filthy trap and let me do the asking.”

She moved closer, almost stomping on me.

“Now, where did you keep the watch?”

I frowned.

What watch? What is she on about?

“I-I don't understand.”

Tessa scoffed, grabbing me forcefully by my hand to have me on my feet.

“I just knew a liar like you would not be ready to admit anything.”

She said, hurling me down the hallway. Everyone in their cells watched us as we disappeared down the hallway and around a corner I hadn't noticed since my stay here. Including River who stuck her head between the bars of the cell, gazing at our retreating figure with water gathered in her eyes.

We arrived at the conclusion of the corner we turned to and I watched her unlock a cell as I panicked.

The cell was the only thing in that corner except the thick rusted gate that separated that side from the other cells.

It has a cemented floor and a small, burgled window is attached to its corner.

It was cold and the cemented floor didn't help. It was also dark. So dark that I could barely see Tessa’s fuming face. There was no bed either.

Tessa pushed me in and locked the cell back.

As she started to leave, I stuck my head between the bars of the cell.

“Wait! I need to know, at least! What is my offense? What watch are you talking about? I don't understand any of what is going on.”

I cried out, hoping that she would hear my plea and at least explain what the hell was happening to me.

And, she did. Thank goddess, she did.

She turned around and walked closer to the cell again.

“The only people at the library today were you and the Alpha. And, somehow, Alpha can't find the rolex he had kept on one of the shelves earlier immediately you left. What does that tell you?”

I frowned again.

What rolex??

“What? I-I don't care about any watch, I swear! I only went there to clean and I didn't see any watches.”

“Tell that to Alpha when he gets back from his journey tomorrow.”

She began to leave again.

“Wait, please!”

She halted the second time but didn't turn around this time.

“What about that girl? She was also in the library with me.”

Tessa swirled around.

“What girl?”

“The girl he–I. I-I. There was a girl there too. She is a blonde.”

Tessa had a confused gaze before her face lit up in realization.

She takes another threatening steps towards me.

“Wait, are you suggesting that Mira would steal?”

Mira? Was that her name? But, why couldn't they suspect her too? Why was I the first person to be suspected?

“You are not ready to repent, look at you trying to make someone else take the fall. By the time we are done with you tomorrow, you would be left with no choice than to confess.”

Then, she turned around again and left for real this time, padlocking the gate that separated me from the other cells.

And, I was thereafter met with deep, depressing silence.

The only sound being my harsh breathing in the dark.

I cried to sleep that night and when I finally drifted to sleep with my eyes soaked, I had nightmares following nightmares until the last one where Nicholas walked into the cell and took my head then, I was forced to open my eyes.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I realized it was already morning.

The morning sun seeping into the cell through the minuscule window.

Tessa insinuated that my punishment awaited me today and honestly, it got me anxious, tossing and turning all night.

What could the worst punishment possibly be? I was accused of stealing and unfortunately, there was no witness to testify to my innocence.

Could the punishment for escaping be worse than that of stealing? Well, I guess it could since Nicholas had being the one to reduce my punishment.

Tessa said he was on a journey, if he was here, would he have given me a harsh punishment?

Considering it was his watch I was accused of stealing, maybe not.

I was still unsure of the reason Nicholas had ordered that my punishment for attempting an escape be small. But, for now, I chose to believe he just wanted to be authoritative over me rather than the other option which was funnier and more stupid.

No way in hell would Nicholas want me that way. He rejected me and made it clear he felt nothing for me.

He is just a controlling narcissistic, that's all.

I waited and waited. Tossed. Turner. Got on my feet. Paced back and forth but, Tessa was nowhere to be found to give me the punishment that awaited me.

It made me nervous.

Could it be worse than I imagined?

When the sun began to retire back into the sky, the gate finally jerked open and Tessa showed, appearing saucy as always.

Two hefty men accompanied her, glaring down at me in the cell.

One of the men, who I learnt was a Pack warrior, opened the door and hurled me out, dragging me out of the corner.

I wasn't dragged to the cell, I was dragged out, onto the field, the battle ground.

I began to panic.

Amongst all high-esteemed places in a Pack, the battle ground was one of them.

It was where wolves duet. Where challenges were hosted amongst the strongest people in a Pack to decide the Alpha if there was no heir left for the Alpha’s position.

And now, I was there.

The field was empty; only the two hefty men and Tessa were present.

When the hefty man that hurled me along halted at the center of the field, waiting for God-knows-what.

Another man approached us, he wasn't as hefty as the two men that had accompanied Tessa but he was also huge and broad.

I didn't know his rank. My scent sensitivity was slow mostly because I was anxious and I couldn't garner the strength to go through the process of forcing my sensitivity out.

I had to force it out in most cases because I didn't have a wolf yet. My senses aren't heightened just yet.

The man stopped before us and Tessa suddenly stepped back.

I seriously had zero idea of what was going on but I was sure it was definitely not a good one.

“You would be challenged by this wolf before you, Aubrey.”

Tessa informed me and my heart skipped. I would be forced into a duet with a much stronger wolf? I couldn't think about any much worse punishment.

I was expecting to defeat this hefty man before me.

I swallowed, thinking of a way to escape.

Perhaps, they would bring another punishment if I attempted an escape the second time?

“The challenge would go on until you confess.”

Tessa continued.

“And, the challenge starts now!”

Tessa announced and immediately, the man lurched himself at me as I stood still.

His smack was so violent that it landed my butt flat on the floor as I felt a sharp pain in my tailbone.

The man stuck out his claws and his fangs as I struggled to get on my feet.

I watched those claws as they lurched and attacked me and I took it, doing absolutely nothing as defense.

Honestly, there was nothing I could do, my hand felt tied. They had been tied since I walked into this Pack as a slave.

The man proceeded to attack me with his claws, creating bruises on my body.

The pain was sharp but I took it in, wincing on every pain from the claws the man inflicted.

Suddenly, we were halted by an alert from one of the hefty men, he stopped the man that was beating me and inclined his ears as if he was trying to listen to something.

“The Alpha is here.”

He announced, moving quickly to get me on my feet.

Nicholas stepped into the field, looking mad as hell.

Had he heard about the punishment I received for stealing and gotten mad?