Chapter 8
Betrayed by Blood~
"There, that’s your work for today! Make sure it’s sparkling clean or you get no food for today," the head maid warned, throwing a bucket, a bowl, and a mop stick at me. I managed to catch it all, although ungracefully.
The woman scrunched her face in irritation. "Well, get going! You don’t have all day," she barked at me.
I flinched at her voice and immediately rushed towards the shed I was meant to clean. It wasn’t just me; there were about five of us cleaning different parts of the shed. Early this morning, we’d been woken up and given a flimsy material to wear in place of clothes because I wouldn’t ever call this a cloth.
I glanced at the two girls beside me who were also cleaning, recognizing them as the girls from the room. I shook my head, ready to get started with work. I fetched a bucket of water and got cleaning. Not only was the shed dirty, it was large. It looked like it had not been cleaned in years, therefore accumulating piles and piles of dirt. It was practically impossible to be done with it by night, yet we were expected to be done with it before lunch. I sighed internally, wondering if this is the life the goddess had chosen for me. How do I run from one problem only to land in a bigger one?
The scent of dust and mildew filled the shed, making it hard to breathe. I tried using my elbow to block the dust, but it was useless. Eventually, I got used to it and continued scrubbing, ignoring the ache in my hands as I scrubbed at a stubborn stain. My stomach growled, reminding me of the little food I’d had since I’d arrived here.
The other girls worked silently, almost like they were used to it. Occasionally, I’d catch one of them glancing at me, only for them to quickly look away. Maybe they were sizing me up, but I honestly couldn’t care. What mattered was surviving this day and the next. If only I hadn’t slipped, then I would be out of this pack. I would be far, far away from here.
"Did you hear?" one of the girls whispered suddenly to another. "The Alpha might have found his mate."
I froze, my hand pausing mid-scrub. I swallowed hard, trying my best to listen to what they were saying.
"No way, is that even possible?" the other girl replied, her voice so low that I had to strain my ears extra hard.
"Who would ever want to be mated to him? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Whoever she is, she has the worst luck ever. She must have offended the goddess because that’s not a blessing. That’s a curse," the girl mumbled out, only to have the other one clasp her hand over her mouth tightly, her eyes blown wide with fear.